THERE ARE DEMONS

Ephesians 6:10-12
There are demons in this life and every day we are in an unseen battle, sadly it is a battle that Christians often lose. You think about the people you know who have fallen into sin, and ask how did this happen?

The truth is there are spiritual forces trying to destroy us, each and every one of us. It is not flesh and blood; it is the devil and his cohorts, demons who come against God’s people.

There is one and only one devil; he can only be in one place at one time. He has many agents whose purpose is to entangle believers. 2 Timothy 2 indicates that the devil can hold an individual captive and force him to do his will rather then God’s.

The devil wants to walk all over us. Isaiah 51:23 tells us …that we may walk over you. And that is what he is saying to us.

No, Christians can’t be possessed by the devil, because we do not belong to him. But we can be oppressed, attacked, assaulted, and yes sometimes even controlled by strongholds. Innocent behaviors, like fear, greed, perversion, rejection and others can be established in a persons life. These strongholds can force people to do things that are not lined up with their stand for God. These holds can even dominate us.

The devil made me do it is not an excuse. We have a choice, for the devil and the power of darkness to do their work; they must have an open door into our lives. Our very actions and attitudes can allow them into our lives and allow them to lead us to do things we would never consider doing.

What hope do we have then? Once we can learn to understand that there is a spiritual world that is very real and working we will start to know how our actions and behaviors can open those doors and how we can break his power in our life's.

Okay now let's get real. We all have some habits that are not godly. It might be a bad attitude, anger, un forgiveness well regardless of what it is, is demonic activity. Yes it is. These things allow an open door for the evil to come in. We cannot walk in fellowship with Christ and enjoy His freedom while we associate with devils. We cannot put anything higher in our life's then God. Not our children, wealth, power, relationships not nothing.

When we act like this we affect not only our own self but also those around us. Instead of displaying the fruit of the Spirit in our lives-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- we display anger, bitterness, rebellion and every other evil work.

We see this throughout the Old Testament. King David committing adultery, Noah getting drunk, and what of the prophets. They took their eyes off the Lord, and opened the door for demonic activity and were attacked.

What are some ungodly attitudes? James 3:9 tells us ‘With our tongue we praise our Lord and father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.” A vile heart cannot produce good fruit. We allow the devil to build a stronghold in our lives. Fear is an ungodly attitude; 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Physical aliment is another, Luke 13:10 tells us a woman was healed by Jesus of an illness she had for 18 years.

The point is once we understand the ways that we can open the doors for attack, we also know the ways to shut those doors and keep it closed. We can take a stand against the enemy and break his control on your life.

Now how do we break this? Acts 13 tells us that we are freed from all things through Christ Jesus. The Law of Moses couldn’t free us, but the blood of Jesus can. Through Jesus we are able to follow God’s plan. We can have the loving relationship with God that He wants and desires to have with us. Not one based on obeying rules in a rule book. It is our relationship with Jesus that brings us freedom.

Because of this relationship we have rights that have been made available to us. We are now the temples of the Most High God, our bodies aren’t our own. We have been bought and paid for and now are called to glorify Him in all we do, even dealing with demons.

In Matthew 10 Jesus called His disciples together and gave them authority over unclean spirits, He also gave them authority over all sickness and disease, to heal them. This right belongs to you and I just as it did to them. We have the authority to cast out demons and heal sickness.

We have received God‘s power and authority and now we need to exercise it over the enemy. Even the demons tremble at the Name of Jesus. In Mark 1:24-25 the demons called Jesus by name. Jesus rebuked the demon and it fled. Because of the authority.

Jesus did not get down from behind some pulpit and walk back and forth telling them to leave and walking some more. He spoke and they left.

Jesus was prepared before hand, that is why he would go off and pray. By being prepared when we see the devil in action all we have to do is take authority over the demon and tell it to go.

How do we do this? First we acknowledge who we are in Christ, then we acknowledge that we are defeated. It might be that you will need someone to pray for you. It is important that it be someone who has authority. Your relationship with Jesus and your understanding of the authority He has given you are important elements in becoming free from the enemy’s assault.

The following can be used as a guide for you are your prayer partner.
Father, this child of yours is defeated and wants to be set free. In the Name of Lord Jesus, I stand against very foul, unclean, tormenting spirit. I rebuke them in the Name of Jesus, and I command her to be freed. She has a repentant heart, and I rebuke every unclean spirit. I pray that lust, compulsion, addiction, defeat, rebellion, rejection, suicide, fear, the traditions of men and religion, and all other evil spirits will loosen their grip. I thank You, Father, for the freedom you have provide for every Christian through your Son Jesus. Amen.

Praise God you are now free, the demons have been broken off of your life. This is the first step. Now the next step is to keep you freedom and keep these demons from returning. Now you have to renew your mind, the way you think.

It is now enough to be delivered from he hand of the devil, we have to set ourselves to seek the Lord by fixing our eyes on Him. We have to re program ourselves like a computer. We do this by staying in His word and spending time with others who will hold us accountable. You cannot turn back; we have to continue to look to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith. By doing this we are not only pursuing Jesus , but as it tells us on Psalm 18, we are actually pursing and crushing our enemies to the point they cannot rise again. Psalm 18:42 tells us to beat them as the fine dust blowing in the wind. When we do we will finally have the freedom God provides though His son Jesus Christ.

As you do this you will be able to know the demon when he comes your way for attach. You can cut him off at the pass. This way you can know the freedom that God intends for you to have. And you can continue to live in that freedom through that renewing of your mind. This way you can and will exhibit the fruits of God spirit and be an example to others of the freedom, love, and peace that a relationship with Christ provides.

I thank James Robison for his book ‘The Truth about demons’ from which this teaching came.
rECj