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| Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Psalm 8v2 |
This week we were way up country holding a three day
teaching I’d be asked to conduct several weeks ago. I was quite surprised as
the 33 students present was mostly under twenty years of age with one little
fellow being only twelve! Surprisingly, every session flowed and we were able
to touch on deep things without hindrance to the flow of the spirit. Many things I
can’t get to discuss in a 3 day pastors seminar I was able to teach and more to
this young group?
At the end of the Wednesday afternoon session, as I was spending time praying with line of the attendees
I could see a situation developing just a few metres away as probably the
smallest girl there, 14 yrs old, 4ft 9ins and around 40kg/80lb was becoming
more animated and emotional by the moment. I watched as the leader who had
invited us had to grab her flying wrist. I discerned demons and excused myself
from the prayer line. I gripped her head and commanded demons to go in Jesus
name.
As soon as I had commanded the devils to leave she rose
up and roared in a deep masculine voice NOOOOOO! Then the real fireworks began
as we crashed to the floor trying to contain the situation. What happened next began a one & half hour
session of writhing, kicking, screaming and roaring. It took six of us, all
much bigger than her, to restrain her from injuring either herself or others. What
was in her was strong. Pity the guys that tried to hold the legs. Already, Our
friend, the leader who had invited us for these three days had taken a kick
which cut and bled his foot.
Deliverance has no
formula – The power comes from relationship
When such occurs and it often does, there is no formula
or special series of words or sentences that will cause a demon to eventually leave.
Sometimes is all over fast, sometimes not so. Sometimes the manifestation is
minimal, sometimes massive. God’s grace and power is sufficient for all. Much
is dependent on how the spirit entered the host in the first place.
Did the demon come through the womb through the ancestral
line, God told Moses that a curse could be to the third and fourth generation
Exodus 20:5. Apart from that demons will mercilessly enter a person much the
same way a thief or an attacking military would enter a house. Any which way
they can.
Pornography
Addiction
If the door to the body is open by way of sin, they will
enter through that. Further, Jesus said in Luke 11v34 that “the eyes are the light of the body,” we
find many spirits will enter through the eye gates. So, “Beware what you look
at”. In this day of smart phones and instant internet access a re-occurring
demonic stronghold we confront among those we minister to are demons of lust
entering by a pornography addiction or Spirits of violence through video games
etc.
Can a Christian
have a Demon?
For those that say a Christian cannot have a demon, with
every respect you may be a little out of touch with the godlessness of the real
world, the nature of demons & the word of God. Agreed, It is impossible for
a Christian to be possessed by a demon. But it is certainly possible that a
believer can be the possessor of a demon. Just as there were demonised people
in the synagogues in Christ’s day (Mark 1v23) there are still demon spirits
(fallen angels) in places where they should not be today. But, scripture is
clear “Beware about defiling that temple”
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are. 1 Cor 3v16,17
Demons return to
their old house
Demons will come back to an empty house – Has Christ
emptied your house from the past? What have you allowed it to be filled with?
If it’s not filled with Christ as your first love, if you are lukewarm and
Christ is now outside of your life knocking to come in then according to
scripture your house is empty.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a
man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he
saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when
he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and
garnished. Matt 12: 43,44
The house was cleaned & redecorated (garnished) but “Empty”.
Who cleaned it? Obviously Christ, who emptied it of Christ’s presence?
Obviously, the owner. Both Christ stands and demons seek a home in our lives.
Christ the gentleman will knock, call and wait for an invitation. But demons
will seek to enter any way possible. Be it moral decay, backsliding, wilful
iniquity, or even trauma.
Entry is at the
weakest point
I used to own a security alarm business; we offered free property
security checks. Pointing out that a determined thief will take advantage of
any weak spot in the fabric of the building. At times the owner would scoff,
remarking a thief would never get in there. However, weeks, months later we
would receive a call from this client requesting we come and fit a system soonest
as they had experienced a break in at the very point that we advised was at
risk. I have even been asked several times if I arranged the break in. What is the
weakest point in your life?
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make not provision
for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Rom 13:14
Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Pet 5:8,9
Demons can enter
through Trauma
In the military, I attended a course on “Hostile House
Entry”, basically teaching us how to penetrate a building held by enemy forces.
It was quite interesting to learn all the different ways you can come through
the walls, roof or even the floor with a little plastic explosives or grenades.
There is a big bang, a big shock and before the smoke clears you are in the
building already. I’m writing that to say this; often we ask a person “When did
this situation begin occurring in your life”? Many times you will hear a reply
something like this “Oh! I can easy remember as it’s about the same time I had
the car crash, or the same time as Aunty Sally died” or some other shock to the
soul. How a spirit comes in as not so important that it goes out and in the
mighty name of Jesus and we have seen thousands go out. However, if a spirit
seems reluctant to go, or its difficult for them to go, if possible a little
dialogue with the host can often cast light as to how that devil came in and
that information is often a key as to how they will go out.
We do not converse
with demons
I understand that its a practice for some in ministry to
converse with devils that they are trying to cast out and that’s loosely based
on the occasion when Jesus asked a demon it’s name and even then it did not
reply accurately instead stating its number “Legion,
for we are many” Mark 5;9. In my experience, they are liars and we
certainly do not need any lead from them as to how we should cast them out. We
have the Holy Spirit and the name of Jesus and as Christ Himself said “
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of
God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 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. Matt 12;28,29
The key to casting
out this devil
I stayed holding the girls head and spoke quietly into
her ear asking if there was any sin she had not yet confessed to the Lord?
Between bouts of roaring and screaming her own little voice would come through,
she whispered “no there isn’t”. Hmm! We had been here many times before and
almost always when a demon refuses to leave is because it has legitimate right
to stay. Continuing to pray between commands for the demon to leave I’m
praying, praying “what is it Lord, what is the key”? I strongly feel is it unforgiveness?
How’ things
towards your parents?
Scripture tells us in many places that God will not
tolerate rebellion from children to their parents, that’s why it’s one of the Ten
Commandments “Honour your mother & your father” Exodus 20:12
I quietly asked
the young lady again repeating until she can reply “is there any resentment or
rebellion towards your parents”? Again “No – I love my mother & father”
Hmm! I whispered to the others close by that I’m convinced these are “tormenting
demons” that are attacking here through unforgiveness in the family. A
tormenting demon is different since it is on assignment by the Lord Himself.
God will send
demons to torment
Then his lord, after that he had called him,
said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because
thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou
also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And
his lord was wroth, and delivered him to
the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do
also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother
their trespasses. Matt 18:32-35
Over the years countless have come for prayer as their
life, family, business, relationships, finances, health are all in a big mess. Scenes,
not to different from those described above have occurred as demons, sometimes
big demons have manifested through the person seeking help and it has become apparent
that unforgiveness is the door the demons came through and forgiveness and repentance
is the only door through which they will leave. Many have been sent home in the
same mess they came as we cannot cast out a spirit of hatred unless the person
is first willing to repent and forgive the person they are offended at. Despite
the fact this person may have just experienced superhuman strength, speaking in
a strange voice; being thrown around like a rag doll and projectile vomiting
often they will still not forgive, choosing the demons and hatred rather than
Christ and forgiveness.
Hatred has a familiar
pattern
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer:
and ye know
That no murderer hath eternal life abiding
in him. 1 John 3:15
Hatred usually doesn’t begin that way; often it starts as
a wound through a misunderstanding, a difference of agreement, jealousy, envy, and
rejection. There are many ways that a wound to the soul can occur and swiftly
become septic. Then the resent begins, swiftly fermenting to offense then
bitterness with tell tale signs of narrowing of the eye’s and tightening of the
lips when the offender is present. Then there’s an unwillingness to mention
their name, worse, increasing scathing criticism whenever their name is
mentioned. All of this is the prelude to a spirit of hatred and murder.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Prov 17:22
Then a strange thing
happened
Across the far side of the tropical palm leaf building were
we had held our teaching, sat a young blind man. This brother has the most
interesting story. A few years ago he had many vices, drugs, drink &
gambling. But then an accident occurred and chemicals got sprayed into his eyes
costing him his sight. It was during the days of blindness that someone told
him the good news of the gospel and he surrendered his life to Christ. Then
someone prayed for his healing and miraculously his sight was restored. Ah! But
as he began to consider returning to a life of sin, as quick as his healing
came it was gone again and remains so to this day.
Though we have seen many blind people instantly healed I
had no leading to pray for this man’s healing. However, earlier in the day I
had spoke a prophecy over this man stating among others things that as he
turned his stillness into a humble waiting before God the Lord would reveal
things to him in that he would see what others did not and hear what others
could not.
Almost, as if in response to his prophecy he made his way
from the other side of the room to where all the noise and screaming was found
someone that could bring him close and said “The Lord showed me that she has
unforgiveness towards her sister and that is why the demons are tormenting her,
they will not leave until she repents”. He had not heard and had no way of
knowing what our whispered conversation had been, but the Lord allowed him to
see and hear.
I swapped positions with him so he could get down close on
the floor beside the girls head and he whispered what had been shown to him
everything. Everything went up a few notches and the kicking, writing and
roaring reached a new level. Clearly the demons had been exposed and where now
under immense pressure with nowhere to hide. If she repented, they would have
to walk dry places seeking rest. In bouts of consciousness she explained that
her older sister had treated her terribly and that she did in fact hate her.
The deliverance begins
with you
The more those around her encouraged her to forgive her
sister the more she bared her teeth, twisted her face and roared NOOO! And kicking
& thrashing returned with a passion.
After several minutes of encouraging her to repent and
forgive I’ve been here often enough to know that you cannot cast out a
tormenting spirit sent by God because the key to the deliverance rests with the
person themselves and not the demons. Sister Vennie asked if she could get
close enough to speak with her, which she did explaining there was no more we
could do until she was willing to do her part. Soon the girl's conscience was enough to let her be carried to her room for rest. She must have been physically,
emotionally and spiritually exhausted as many of those also were that had been holding her down.
Smiling & Free
Jo & I arrived next morning at eight ready for the
last two session. In the group of thirty or so present I saw the young lady sat
quietly and smiling beautifully. You could hardly credit that she could sit
with such calm and apparent joy knowing what she had suffered only a few hours
before. My friend with the still gaping foot injury told me she had come to her earlier that morning to say she had fully repented for holding hatred toward
her sister and had fully from her heart forgiven her and she felt a burden had
left her. A short prayer later and she left happy ready for the first session.
Do I need exorcism?
Not every spirit requires full exorcism, before they can
be cast out. Many will leave after simple prayer following full repentance, restitution
(returning what was taken) and restoration (repairing whatever relationship was
broken to the best of your ability).
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly. John 10:10
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