How to pray when under spiritual attack: a prayer, the armor of God, and what to do next
When you think you're under spiritual attack, pray in three moves: submit yourself to God, resist the devil with Scripture spoken out loud, and stand on what Jesus has already won. "Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7, WEB). You don't need special words or a special title; you need to come to God honestly and stand on his word. Below is a prayer to pray now, how to pray the armor of God piece by piece, verses that answer the lies that come in hard seasons, and how to tell spiritual attack from stress, sin or illness, which matters, because each needs a different response.
A prayer to pray right now
Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I feel attacked, afraid and pulled away from you, and I don't fully understand what's happening. But I know who you are.
I submit myself to you: my mind, my body, my home, my family and this day. If there is any sin I've been holding on to, show me, and I'll confess it and turn from it now.
Jesus, you disarmed the powers of darkness on the cross and rose again. Your word says greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world. So I stand on that. In Jesus' name I resist every lie, every fear and every accusation that isn't from you. The Lord rebuke you, Satan.
Put your armor on me: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and your word. Guard my heart and my mind. Keep me and the people I love from the evil one. Give me peace that doesn't make sense, and sleep tonight.
I trust you. You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. In Jesus' name, amen.
Every line comes from Scripture: James 4:7, Colossians 2:15, 1 John 4:4, Jude 9, Ephesians 6:14-17, Philippians 4:7, John 17:15 and Psalm 91:2. Notice that you're not shouting at the darkness to win. You're standing behind someone who already has.
What the Bible says about spiritual attack
The phrase "spiritual attack" isn't in the Bible, but the reality is:
- There is a real enemy. "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, WEB).
- He looks for weak moments. "Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him steadfast in your faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9, WEB).
- His main weapons are lies and accusation. Jesus calls him "a liar, and the father of lies" (John 8:44). Revelation 12:10 calls him "the accuser of our brothers."
- He is defeated. On the cross, Jesus "stripped the principalities and the powers" and "made a show of them openly, triumphing over them" (Colossians 2:15, WEB).
- God protects his people. "The Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3, WEB). Jesus prayed for his followers, "keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15).
The balance matters. Christians aren't told to be afraid of the devil or to look for him behind every problem. We're told to be alert, to stay close to God, and to stand.
Is it spiritual attack, or something else?
This is the question most guides skip, and it's the most important one. Much of what people call spiritual attack is ordinary hardship, the results of our own choices, or a health problem that needs a doctor. Praying is right in every case. But the response that goes with the prayer is different.
| What you notice | It may be | Pray, and also |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden doubts or accusing thoughts that come just as you try to pray, read the Bible, serve or obey | Spiritual attack (temptation, accusation) | Answer with Scripture out loud; tell a trusted Christian; keep doing the good thing |
| Trouble that follows a choice you've made (a lie found out, a habit catching up) | The results of sin | Confess, turn, make it right. See how to pray for forgiveness |
| Hard things everyone faces: a job lost, a car broken, conflict, grief | Life in a broken world | Ask for strength and wisdom; take practical steps; let people help |
| Low mood most days for 2+ weeks, no sleep or too much, no appetite, hopelessness | Possibly depression or another illness | See a doctor. Prayer and medical care go together |
| Racing heart, dread, feeling you can't breathe, coming in waves | Possibly panic or anxiety | See a doctor or counselor; pray our prayer for anxiety and worry |
| Hearing or seeing things others don't, or thoughts of harming yourself | A medical emergency | Get help today: call or text 988, or 911 |
Often it's more than one at once. A hard season (row 3) can wear you down so that accusing thoughts (row 1) hit harder. That's fine: pray about all of it, and take every step that applies. Treating illness as only spiritual, or treating everything as illness, both leave people without the help they need.
How to pray when under spiritual attack: 7 steps
- Stop and turn to God first. Not to the attack. Say, "Father, I'm here. I need you." Psalm 50:15: "Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you" (WEB).
- Submit to him. James 4:7 puts submission before resistance. Give God your will, your plans, your fear. "I'm yours."
- Close any open door. Ask God to show you any sin you're holding on to: bitterness, a secret, something you know he's asked you to stop. Paul warns that unresolved anger can "give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27). Confess it.
- Resist with Scripture, out loud. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he didn't argue or debate. Three times he said, "It is written," and quoted Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:1-11). Find the verse that answers the lie (table below) and say it.
- Stand on Jesus' authority, not your own. Even the archangel Michael didn't rebuke the devil on his own authority, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9, WEB). Pray "in Jesus' name," and leave the fighting to him.
- Put on the armor (next section). This is a daily posture, not a one-time spell.
- Finish with worship and thanks. Praise turns your eyes from the enemy to God. Read Psalm 91 or Psalm 46 aloud, and thank him for one specific thing.
Praying the armor of God, piece by piece
Ephesians 6:13-18 describes six pieces of armor, then prayer. Many Christians pray through them each morning. Here is each piece and a one-line prayer.
| Piece (Ephesians 6) | What it means | Pray |
|---|---|---|
| Belt of truth (v. 14) | God's truth holds everything together; honesty in your own life | "Lord, fill my mind with what's true, and keep me honest today" |
| Breastplate of righteousness (v. 14) | You stand in Jesus' righteousness, and you choose what's right | "I'm right with you because of Jesus. Help me live that way" |
| Shoes of the gospel of peace (v. 15) | Firm footing in the good news; ready to bring peace | "Steady my feet on your peace, and let me carry it to others" |
| Shield of faith (v. 16) | Trust in God that quenches "all the fiery darts of the evil one" | "I trust you. Put out every fiery dart of fear and doubt" |
| Helmet of salvation (v. 17) | Your mind guarded by knowing you belong to God | "Guard my thoughts. I am saved and I am yours" |
| Sword of the Spirit (v. 17) | "The word of God": Scripture spoken in the moment | "Give me the right word from your word when I need it" |
| Prayer (v. 18) | "Praying at all times in the Spirit... for all the saints" | "Keep me praying today, for me and for others" |
Notice that nearly all the armor is defensive, and all of it is God's. Paul's instruction is "stand" four times in four verses (Ephesians 6:11-14). Standing firm is winning.
Lies and the verses that answer them
Spiritual attack usually arrives as a thought that sounds like your own voice. Write down the thought, then answer it out loud with what God says.
| The lie | What God says (WEB) |
|---|---|
| "God has left you." | "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) |
| "You're too far gone to be forgiven." | "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) |
| "You're alone in this." | "Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart." (Psalm 34:18) |
| "Something bad is going to happen." | "God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7) |
| "You'll never be free of this." | "If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36) |
| "The enemy is stronger." | "Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) |
| "Nothing can protect you." | "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." (Psalm 91:2) |
| "God's love has limits." | Nothing "will be able to separate us from God's love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39) |
Paul calls this "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5, WEB). It's slow, ordinary work, not drama.
Prayers for specific situations
When fear comes at night
Lord, it's dark and my mind is racing. You are the one who neither slumbers nor sleeps. I lie down in your protection. Every fear that isn't from you, I refuse in Jesus' name. Give me peace and give me sleep. "In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety." Amen.
That last line is Psalm 4:8 (WEB). Leave a light on if it helps; that's not a lack of faith.
For your home and family
Father, I bring you our home and everyone in it. Cover us. Where there's been fighting, bring peace. Where there's fear, bring faith. Keep my children from the evil one, and draw each of us close to you. As for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh. Amen.
The last line is Joshua 24:15. For a weekly plan, see how to pray for your children.
When you're tempted to give up on God
Lord, part of me wants to walk away. It feels easier. Don't let me go. Like Peter, I say, "To whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life." Hold on to me. Amen.
Peter's words are from John 6:68.
When you're about to do something good and everything goes wrong
Lord, I believe you've asked me to do this, and now obstacles are piling up. If you're closing a door, show me clearly. If this is opposition, give me courage to keep going. Either way, I'm following you. Amen.
Not every obstacle is an attack; some are God redirecting you (Acts 16:6-10). Ask wise friends what they see.
A simple daily rhythm for a season of attack
Attack tends to come in seasons. Rather than one dramatic prayer, a steady daily rhythm protects you best. About ten minutes:
- Morning (5 minutes): pray the armor of God table above; read one Psalm (Psalm 91, 46, 27 or 23 are good); name the day's hard thing and give it to God.
- During the day (seconds): when a lie comes, answer it with one verse from the table. A short breath prayer like "Jesus, keep me" works too; see our breath prayers.
- Evening (5 minutes): confess anything from the day, thank God for three things, and pray Psalm 4:8 as you lie down.
- Weekly: be with your church. Tell one person how you're really doing and ask them to pray for you.
If keeping a routine is hard right now, a guided daily prayer can hold it for you. Ours reads a Psalm aloud and leads you through ten quiet minutes; play day 1 free and see.
Mistakes to avoid
- Making the devil bigger than God. Spend more of your prayer on who God is than on what the enemy is doing.
- Blaming everything on attack. It can stop you from confessing sin, taking wise steps, or getting medical help.
- Fighting alone. Even Jesus took friends to Gethsemane. Tell your pastor or a mature Christian.
- Treating words as a formula. "In Jesus' name" isn't a password; it means trusting his authority. Acts 19:13-16 shows what happens when people use his name like a spell.
- Following anyone who asks for money to "break" something over you. Prayer is free. Be wary of anyone who says otherwise.
When to talk to a pastor, doctor or counselor
- Talk to your pastor or church elders if the sense of attack keeps going for weeks, if it's about your faith itself, or if you've been involved in practices like the occult and want to be free of them.
- See a doctor if you're not sleeping, not eating, low most days for two weeks or more, having panic attacks, or hearing or seeing things others don't.
- Call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) right away if you're thinking about harming yourself.
Seeing a doctor is not a defeat in a spiritual battle. God works through medicine, counsel and community as well as through prayer.
More prayers for hard moments
If the attack feels like a long, wearing season, see our prayer for strength during difficult times. If it's everything at once, try prayers for when you're feeling overwhelmed. And if the accusing voice is about something you did, how to pray for forgiveness shows how to settle it with God.
Common questions
What are the signs of spiritual attack?
Christians often describe sudden accusing or doubting thoughts, especially when they try to pray or do something good, fear with no clear cause, and a strong pull away from God or church. These can also come from stress or illness, so use the table above and talk to someone you trust.
What Psalm do you pray for protection?
Psalm 91 is the best known: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Psalms 27, 46 and 121 are also often prayed for protection.
Do I have to rebuke the devil out loud?
There's no rule. Jesus spoke Scripture out loud in the wilderness, and many people find speaking a verse aloud helps them believe it. A quiet prayer to God is just as heard.
Can a Christian be under spiritual attack?
Yes. Peter and James wrote to Christians about resisting the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7), and Jesus told Peter, "Satan asked to have you... but I prayed for you" (Luke 22:31-32). A Christian belongs to God and is guarded by him, so attack can trouble but not own them.
How long does a spiritual attack last?
The Bible doesn't give a timeline. After the wilderness, the devil left Jesus "until another time" (Luke 4:13). Keep the daily rhythm, stay with your church, and seek help if it drags on.
Pray the prayer at the top again tonight, and the armor of God tomorrow morning. If you'd like ten guided minutes of Scripture and prayer each day, play day 1 free, or answer a few questions to build your 40-day prayer plan. More in our prayer guides.
Sources
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain), eBible.org. Pages read for this guide: Got Questions, "What should we do when under spiritual attack?"; Bible Study Tools, "Facing Spiritual Attack? Stop and Do These 8 Things Right Now"; LCBC Church, "How to Pray When Under a Spiritual Attack". Crisis line: 988lifeline.org.