Spiritual warfare is real.
Satan is real.
Unclean spirits are real.
And yes — people are being attacked.

But the way the enemy operates is not the same for everyone.

The Bible shows three distinct realities:

1.The unbeliever

2.The believer walking with God

3.The believer who has wandered — the prodigal

😧And the prodigal experience is often the most brutal.

1. HOW AN UNBELIEVER COMES UNDER ATTACK

For someone who is not in Christ, Scripture shows little internal resistance.

Attack often looks like:

😵• deception without discernment
😵• bondage without restraint
😵• addiction without conviction
😵• chaos without clarity
😵• domination rather than influence

In the Gospels, demonic activity among unbelievers was often external and overpowering:

😱• loss of control
😱• destructive behavior
😱• self-harm
😱• compulsions
😱• torment

💯Deliverance often came before discipleship.

Why?

Because there was no indwelling Spirit yet.

2. HOW A BELIEVER COMES UNDER ATTACK

For a believer walking with God, the enemy’s strategy changes.

Because:

☺️• the believer belongs to Christ
☺️• the Spirit dwells within
☺️• ownership is settled

So the enemy does not usually aim for control —
he aims for influence.

Attack on a believer often looks like:

😵‍💫• accusation
😵‍💫• discouragement
😵‍💫• temptation framed as “relief”
😵‍💫• pressure to withdraw
😵‍💫• attacks on identity
😵‍💫• heaviness around prayer or truth

The goal is not possession.
😳It’s disconnection.

3. THE PRODIGAL BELIEVER — WHERE THE BATTLE TURNS VICIOUS

This is the part many people don’t talk about.

A prodigal is not an unbeliever.

And not a believer walking in alignment.

A prodigal is someone who knows the truth, has tasted the presence of God, and then walks away into compromise, darkness, or sin.

And when that happens…
The enemy does not treat them gently.

WHAT ATTACK LOOKS LIKE FOR THE PRODIGAL

For the prodigal, attack is often intense and layered:

🫨• deep torment
🫨• relentless shame
🫨• loss of peace
😵‍💫• confusion
😵• self-destruction
😫• isolation
😩• condemnation
😣• fear
😖• inner chaos

Why?

Because:

• conviction is still active
• conscience is still alive
• truth is still remembered
• identity is still known

And that inner conflict creates excruciating pressure.

The prodigal doesn’t just feel lost —
😧they feel torn apart.

WHY “ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE” FOR THE PRODIGAL

The enemy knows something crucial:

👉 If the prodigal comes back, they will return with authority, humility, and depth.

So the attack escalates.

The enemy’s goal is not just to keep the prodigal away —
it’s to convince them they can’t come back.

Common lies aimed at prodigals:

😫• “You’ve gone too far.”
😩• “God is done with you.”
😣• “You knew better — there’s no grace left.”
😖• “You’ll never be who you were again.”

That is not God’s voice.
🤯That is accusation.

SIN AND THE PRODIGAL — THE HARD TRUTH

When a believer walks into ongoing sin:

🥺• spiritual sensitivity dulls
🥺• discernment weakens
🥺• shame multiplies
🥺• isolation grows
🥺• lies grow louder

This does not mean Satan “owns” them.
😧But it does mean resistance is weakened.

The enemy doesn’t need possession.
🤯He only needs the light dimmed.

😱That’s why the prodigal experience often feels darker than anything before

WHY FREEDOM COMES WHEN THE PRODIGAL RETURNS

The moment the prodigal turns back:

🥹• clarity begins to return
😊• peace starts to surface
🙃• torment loses its grip
☺️• lies are exposed
😌• the noise quiets

Not because the past disappears —
💯but because alignment is restored.

Just like Jesus said:

🔥The father runs.
🔥The robe is placed.
🔥The ring is restored.
🔥The identity was never erased.

THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH FOR PRODIGALS

You were not attacked because you were weak.
You were attacked because you still belonged to God.

The torment was not proof of abandonment.
It was proof of conflict.

😯And conflict means the story was never over.

A FINAL WORD FOR ANYONE STRUGGLING

If you are a prodigal:

• ashamed
• exhausted
• tormented
• afraid you’ve gone too far

Hear this clearly:

👉 The way back is not blocked.
👉 The door is not closed.
👉 The Father is not reluctant.

The enemy shouts.
God calls.

And when you return —
the attack does not get the final word.
❤️‍🔥Restoration does.

If this helped put words to what you lived through, share it.

There are prodigals everywhere who think they’re alone — and they’re not.

This isn’t about fear.
It’s about truth, clarity, and hope.