Your Anointing Draws Attack: How to Stand and Overcome

Sermon outline

Being a Christian does not exempt you from attack: your assignment and anointing will draw opposition, but if you keep your heart right, stay focused and keep trusting God, He will cause you to overcome again and again.

1. 1. Expect someone to be unhappy with your progress

   When there is celebration, joy and victory in your life, the attacks will come, so don't be surprised. With promotion comes attack: the anointing attracts favour and good things, but it also attracts enemies. Since the enemy can no longer blind you to the gospel, he uses new strategies, sending people to slander you, write about you and tell you serving God is not worth it.

   Illustration: Tell people you have been promoted or received an increase and not everyone will be excited; some will whisper behind your back that you don't deserve it or are too young. God fast-tracks His people, and people can't bear it.

   “Don't be fooled into believing that everybody's going to celebrate your success.”

   • Ezra 3:10-13
   • Ezra 4:4-5
   • Proverbs 25:2
   • Proverbs 24:3-6
   • Proverbs 29:18

2. 2 and 3. Remember you're a champion, and invest your words in new dreams

   When people try to demean you, remind yourself you are a champion and not a loser, the theme of the church for that month. Like spirits attract one another, so critics find critics and worshippers find worshippers. Don't spend your words destroying the goals of others, because what you sow you reap; rejoice when others are promoted and God will lift you up.

   Illustration: However big or small a church is, the critics always find each other: one sits in this corner and one in that, but they meet because like spirits attract.

   “Champions spend their time building their dreams. Losers spend their lives criticizing those dreams.”

   • Galatians 6:7

3. 4 and 5. What makes you weep may make others angry, and your adversary wakes with your assignment

   Nehemiah wept over the condition of Jerusalem, and what moved him to tears made others angry, because their passion was different. When God puts a spotlight on you and your vision begins to grow, that is exactly when the attacks come. It happened to Nehemiah and it will happen to us, so we must not be surprised.

   “Remember when your assignment is awakened within you, your adversary is awakened against you.”

   • Nehemiah 1:3-4

4. 6 and 7. Pray, confess, weep, cast yourself down before God, and fast

   Weeping before God is not weakness but strength, despite being taught that men don't cry; when God touches your heart you will be broken before Him. He does not prescribe how or when to fast, but as people led by the Holy Spirit we must have days and hours of fasting, as Ezra did.

   “When you weep, it's not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength.”

   • Ezra 8:21-23

5. 8. Exhort those around you to be strong, unafraid and willing to fight for their families

   Fight the good fight of faith and believe against the odds, even when people mock you for serving the Lord. We respect other people's beliefs and ask them to respect ours, but we must never be afraid of the name of Jesus, which gave us victory, salvation and cleansing.

   “We must not be afraid to confess that name.”

   • Nehemiah 4:14
   • 1 Timothy 6:12

6. 9 to 11. Stay alert, stay productive and guard your routine

   Don't be naive: the enemy wants you to forget he can attack at any time, but if you are awake, alert and aware you won't be caught by surprise. Don't let negative voices that speak against tithes, churches and preachers deter you, because it is God who saved, prospered and lifted you. Rearrange your daily routine to be cautious, guarded and protected from your enemies.

   “If you're awake, if you're alert and you're aware, then you will know when the enemy comes in.”

7. 12 and 13. Encourage your leaders and secure the faithful

   As the pastor encourages and prays for the church, the church must encourage and pray for him, and for those who lead worship week after week. Among us are people who are against us, but also faithful, godly men and women who are for us and praying for us. He remembers that it was godly people who encouraged him to pray, go to church and prosper.

   “As I pray for you, you must in turn pray for me.”

8. 14 and 15. Study those who endured, and forgive those who attack you

   Paul faced criticism and endured, and so will you, whether the attack is at work, in your family or in your business, because the Lord will never leave you. Forgiving attackers is hard, and our impulse is to retaliate, but sometimes you must walk away and not become like your attacker. Paul was deserted at his first trial, yet he asked that it not be charged against them, and the Lord stood by him.

   “You too will be delivered from the jaws of the lion.”

   • Ephesians 6:10
   • Hebrews 13:5
   • 2 Timothy 4:16-17

9. 16 and 17. Stay focused on your assignment and pursue the presence of God and His Word

   Everyone has an assignment; Paul stayed focused on his and kept expecting God as his deliverer. Press in and make a demand: don't let bad weather or trials keep you from church, and prepare for Sunday from Friday and Saturday. When David was attacked he pursued God's presence and made the Word his delight.

   Illustration: Get your clothes ready on Saturday and start focusing on Sunday from Friday, so nothing can take you away from the Word.

   “When the weather's bad, don't use that as an excuse to stay away from the Word of God.”

   • Psalm 119:92

10. 18. Develop wisdom about the purpose of the attack

    Criticism is an observation designed to distract you; attack is an opposition designed to destroy you. Critics oppose your methods while enemies oppose your motives. But if you press on, God will take you through and over.

    “Criticism is intended to make your future undesirable. Attack is to make your future unreachable.”

11. 19. Your attitude is more important than the attack against you

    What kept him sane over the years was sometimes acting as if he didn't know, so as not to get involved in every fight, criticism and argument. Attacks pass, but a bitter or demoralised attitude can grow into a root of bitterness that poisons every day of your future. Walk away from attacks and forgive, so you are not contaminated and defiled.

    “Remember, your attitude is more important than the attack against you.”

    • Hebrews 12:15

12. 20. Secure the ministry of an intercessor

    Have a personal intercessor or a group praying for you, and don't be afraid to ask. He asks the church to pray that he would not fail in his calling, as he, his wife and the pastoral team pray for them. It is their great joy when members pass exams, earn degrees, get new jobs or buy new cars, so let us rejoice with one another.

    “Do not be afraid to ask people, please pray for me.”

13. Expect God to intervene and to bring your enemies' counsel to nothing

    Expect your faith to be honoured supernaturally by God, who steps in just when you need it most, even when the odds are stacked against you. In some seasons it may look as if your enemies are prevailing, but if you keep your heart right and keep trusting God, they will not succeed against you.

    “Your enemies will never prevail against you.”

    • Romans 8:31
    • Psalm 33:10

14. Victory keys that unlock victory in every attack

    Attack shows your enemy believes you can reach your goal, so you should believe in your future too. Satan attacks at the birth of something significant, so you are on the brink of a miracle; he uses those closest to you as gates into your heart, but the Word is your best defence and angels are ready to minister at the end of a crisis. Continual praise demoralises Satan, and promotion follows every crisis.

    Illustration: Every time in his own life he was about to give up, God came through a few days or weeks later, again and again; looking back, he wonders how he made it this far.

    “Attack is merely proof that your enemy considers your assignment achievable.”

    • Revelation 12:11

15. You are in the right place, with grace on your life

    That morning in prayer God rebuked him for saying the church was in the wrong place; he wept and asked forgiveness, because every season, including the townships and backgrounds people came from, was right for its time. There is a grace on the house and on each life. He saw two graces on his own life, one for healing and one for wealth, and declares that God, who fed His prophet at the brook, will provide without hustling or gimmicks.

    Illustration: People testified after his meetings that they came without bus or taxi fare and later found money in their pockets: he calls it a grace for supernatural provision and increase.

    “Right now, in your season, you are in your right place.”

    • 1 Kings 17:6