In Response to "Spiritual Warfare"

A blogging friend of mine wrote last week about Spiritual Warfare, and how her family has seen the influence of Satan (the Adversary, Lucifer, whatever you call him) in their children's (and therefore their own) lives. She relates some experiences specific to an adopted daughter, and I am writing my response from the reference point of an adoptive parent. Believe or don't believe, that's your choice. You don't live my life and I do not live yours. I believe because we have been and are still engaged in a war. Our battles have been more subtle but just as persistent. It does wear you down after a while, even people like me who consider(ed) themselves very spiritually strong. This was my response to her post, for those who may not read that blog. I did not want to link directly, simply because I would hate for one of my thousands of six readers to go over there and leave negative comments for my friend. I will share the link privately if you email me. If you feel like leaving comments here for me, go right ahead. I have on my big-girl pants.

I will say that, in our personal and recent experience, spiritual warfare is very real. It takes different forms and affects us all in different ways, but it is REAL. It doesn't stop when the kids come home, either. If anything I believe Satan then works extra hard to make adoptive parents feel inadequate, unprepared, frustrated and incompetent. Some of us begin to wonder whether we have indeed done the right thing in bringing a child into our family. We ask ourselves daily WHY our child carries such burdens on her tiny shoulders. And he puts plenty of other people into our lives to reinforce these negative ideas, some within our own families. He makes adoption difficult, every step of the way, to give us opportunities to fear and doubt.
 
It must chap his fiery hide TO NO END to see an orphan find a forever family, where she will be cherished, fed and nurtured. It has to drive him berserk to see us work tirelessly to get our kids the services or therapies or medical treatment that will save their physical bodies AND their spirits. Because then we win, and he loses! I do not believe that Satan can force his will upon us, but we can certainly let him in! Little by little we can submit our will and lose our faith and Satan will always be there to welcome us into his fold. He would LOVE to see us fall.
 
For this very reason, we must surround ourselves with people who will lift us up, in prayer and in support and with their heartfelt encouragement. Anybody else just has no place in our life anymore. It takes every ounce of faith and energy to keep our family together, safe in the physical and spiritual sense. There is no room for the negative, the doubters, the discouragers. It is HARD enough, even with the best support network. Yes, indeed, it is a war and we're winning. So far.