20/30 Day Challenge - Spiritual Warfare

Over the last couple of days there has been a fierce battle going on between my head, my heart, and my soul. 

Some of the dialogue going on in my head right now is
- You're a fool
- You really think something's going to change
- Nothing's changed the first 20 days, what makes you think it will during the next 10

Part of me wants to give up on this 30 day prayer challenge. But I'm not a quitter.  I fight, and I fight hard. And if I make up my mind to do some thing, I do it. But there's a portion of me that feels so defeated.

What physical evidence do I have that things have changed? None. Shoot, I don't even know if my prayers have been effective. Except what's inside of me and the faith that God answers and hears prayer; and what God has shown me and told me and taught me. How do you share that with others? You can't. Do they believe you? No, not in my case, I feel like it's more like they think I'm crazy. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe it is crazy to have a radical faith and not have people trust you. But what do you do? Abandon your faith, the power of prayer, the chance to reach others for Christ?! Not in my lifetime.

A friend of mine brought forth the idea and context of spiritual warfare. She shared with me thoughts are where the enemy usually attacks.  Coincidentally, or not so much, I just found sermon notes from church August 2011 - Supernatural: Spiritual Warfare.

Satan Schemes To:

1. Get you to believe false teaching      2 Corinthians 11:14-15 - And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
   •     To defeat it: Compare everything you hear back to the Bible. Know the Bible well.
2.  To accuse you.     Most noticeable in our life. Have you heard these thoughts: "You're such a bad parent." "Do you really think you can serve in church with your past life of sin?" "Do you think God wants you to have kids? That's why you struggle with infertility, you know." "It's your fault." "You're dirty." "You're so ugly." "No one around here appreciates me." "Who are you? You don't deserve that." Satan uses past abuse and hurts to trigger negative thoughts and depression.
   •     To defeat it: You frequently remind yourself of standing with God because of Jesus Christ.  Jesus died on the cross to see you with rich garments, not filthy clothes (sin).
3. To stop us from going where God wants us to go.     1 Thessalonians 2:18 - We wanted to come to you - certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan stopped us.
        What would Satan want to keep me from right now?
   • To defeat it: Push through resistance.
         The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they can't see the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). - "He'll stop at nothing to stop you from going where God wants you to go... Satan wants you to think that resistance or difficulties or challenges in life means that you are out of God's will. Resistance is not a sign that you are out of God's will. In fact, a lot of times, the exact opposite is true. That when you experience resistance or difficulties in life, it's because you've never been more in God's will. You're so close to what God wants for you in your life that Satan is throwing up resistance and roadblocks to you." ~ Jason Strand, EBC.
4.  To get you to doubt God
        Most of us doubt God when our prayers aren't answered in promptly.  Daniel waited 21+ days. A lot of us would have given up... thinking that prayer is a joke; clearly God doesn't hear me. "Here's what happens to most of us. We pray about something, and when it's not immediately answered. We start to doubt God. Satan then uses that doubt to lead us into sin or temptation." ~ Jason Strand, EBC.
   • To defeat it: Pray and wait in faith
   
    All I have to say is, wow.