Demons have three main purposes assigned to them by Satan: first, to torment and afflict us; second, to keep us from knowing Christ as Savior; and failing that, third, to keep us from serving Christ effectively. In accomplishing these purposes, demons are normally invisible. They cannot be perceived by human eyes. We can, however, recognize their presence and activity in the same way that we recognize the wind. We never actually see the wind, but we see the effects the wind produces.
So it is with demons. We do not normally see them, but we recognize their presence by certain characteristics actions.
As was illustrated in a previous post, it helps to think of your physical body as a great mansion, temple, or house. To inquire of the Lord as to whether or not there be any demonic strongholds in your life that must be torn down, is to seek an inevitable confrontation. When you have truly been born again and you are brought to a certain level of maturity in Christ, you will not only seek to love God above self... but to honor Him above self as well. When He is diligently sought in spirit and in truth He will honor you by revelation of the strongholds in your life. Every Christian has them... unfortunately the majority are not willing to seek God for spiritual discernment, nor are they willing to enter into spiritual warfare. You see, without spiritual discernment your average Christian will drift toward one of two extremes. On one end almost all demonic activity is medically or psychologically diagnosed. You end up sedated with various mind/mood altering medications, and counseled as to how to live with their demons. On the opposing end everything whether good or bad is supernatural. If you find money under your couch cushion while cleaning, you get a raise, or that meeting you really didn't want to attend gets canceled then God did it. If you get sick, you don't have enough money to pay your bills, or you get a flat tire on the way to work then you must be under satanic attack... and if you don't occasionally shout in tongues, lay down a prophetic word, or run a few laps around the room when the "spirit" hits there must be something wrong somewhere.
Friends, in order for a ministry to be effective in setting captives free there must be a willingness to seek God for direction and spiritual discernment. As it pertains to this particular aspect of the ministry of Jesus Christ, if a problem is revealed to be demonic in nature, then the cross must be applied in the form of deliverance by the power of the Holy Ghost. However, if the problem is revealed to be a natural one, then the cross must be applied in the form of discipline, and the crucifying of "self."
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. (Matthew 12:29)
When dealing with demonic spirits within, the stronghold where they have influence must be torn down if they are to be dealt with effectively. However, in doing so you will have to confront the "strong man" of the house. The strong man is the one that holds open the door or window for other spirits to enter when there is participation in the sin associated with them. That strong man must be bound and cast out in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Here is a list of strong man spirits listed in the Scriptures.
1. The Spirit of Jealousy
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. (Proverbs 6:34)
- Associated with spirits of rage, anger, revenge, competition, suspicion, restlessness and murder.
2. The Familiar Spirit
Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. (1 Samuel 28:7)
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
- Associated with fortune telling, astrology, horoscope, and all forms of the occult.
3. The Spirit of Perversion
The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. (Isaiah 19:14)
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord (Acts 13:8-10)
- This spirit hates God and will always twist the Scriptures with half truths.
- God will permit this spirit because of iniquity... Nations are bound by it.
- Associated with spirits of error, laziness, lust, and all forms of homosexuality, lesbianism, and hidden hatred for God.
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)
- Associated with spirits of grief, hopelessness, despair, rejection, gluttony, gloominess, depression, and suicide.
5. The Spirit of Whoredom
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. (Hosea 12:4)
Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied therewith. How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary. Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. (Ezekiel 16:28-39)
- This is a spirit that acts very religious in many of its ways.
- This is a very filthy and perverted spirit associated with spirits of error, idolatry, prostitution, fornication, filth, adultery, lust, and poverty.
- People bound by this spirit do not have the will to refuse it. They cannot say no... nor can they be satisfied. They can never get enough. The end result is always poverty.
6. The Spirit of Infirmity
- Associated with all spirits of sickness and disease.
- All sickness if it is demonic in origin comes under this spirit.
7. The Deaf and Dumb Spirit
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.(Mark 9:17-25)
Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. (Matthew 17:15)
- Associated with spirits of insanity, epileptic seizures, suicide...
- This spirit is also connected to anorexia and bulimia.
8. The Spirit of Fear
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: (Job 4:13-15)
- Associated with spirits of terror, torment, worry, timidity, inferiority, and all phobias.
- uncontrollable trembling for no reason.
- This spirit resides over all nightmares and night terrors.
9. The Spirit of Pride
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)
Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. (Proverbs 21:24)
- Associated with spirits of stubbornness, mockery, gossip, contentions, wrath, strife, anger...
- This spirit is a controlling, dominating, manipulative spirit that is religious in all of its ways.
- It is a struggle for people under the influence of this spirit to admit mistakes... They have extreme difficulty with apologies.
10. The Spirit of Bondage
- All addiction come under this spirit.
-Associated with spirits behind obsession, obsessive compulsive behavior, tourettes, tics, fetishes racism, racial discrimination, slavery, legalism, religious discrimination, religious fanaticism, and all addictions.
11. The Spirit of Antichrist
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:3)
- Associated with all spirits that not only deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (i.e. Islam) but all spirits that honor Him with their lips but seek to replace our be equal with Him (i.e. Roman Catholicism)
LINK: Derek Prince The "No Pork, No Bacon" Demon Case
TO BE CONTINUED...
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