Blood of Jesus - continued

Destroyed the Power of the Devil

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The Blood was shed at the time of death which was when God/Jesus Christ triumphed over the devil. The Blood is still alive! It is still powerful!

Allows Entry into the Holiest/God

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

It is because of the Blood that we can come BOLDLY into the thronroom of God and make our petitions!

Blood of Jesus - Continued

Salvation/Remission of Sins ONLY by the Blood

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Salvation only comes by the Blood of Jesus..

"Churches" that are taking the "Blood" out as being too barbaric are in trouble! Look as the controversy that the Passion of the Christ movie caused. Most of the complaints about it were about the violence and bloodiness of it. Of course, the Enemy hates the Blood!

There are two songs that I have seen used under the direction of the Holy Spirit during times of deliverance ministry, which when played or sang stirred up resisting demons that they quickly departed. One is "There is Power in the Blood" and the other "The Blood Shall Never Lose It's Power" by Andre Crouch.

Blood of Jesus, continued

Consuming the Blood of Animals Forbidden

Deu 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. Consuming the blood of the sacrifice (or any blood) was strictly forbidden
Deu 12:24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water. The blood was to be pour out onto the earth

Symbolic Consuming of Blood
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. No spiritual life, new birth, without "drinking" - accepting the full sacrifice

Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. No resurrection without "drinking"

Joh 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Jesus flesh and blood is ALL we need for sustenance spiritually

Joh 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

This had to have been a revolting thought to his Jewish disciples who had been raised to NEVER consume blood! But the symbolism of it places the consumer in a position of taking part of the death and resurrection... only a follower who was truly devoted would consume (even symbolically) the Blood.

Blood of Jesus, continued

Oil Applied as the Blood

Lev 14:17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:

Lev 14:25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:

These two verses show the oil being applied in the same manner as the blood on someone being "cleansed". In the first deliverance session I was involved in was quite intense (read "very") I felt the Holy Spirit direct me to apply a touch of oil to the person undergoing deliverance.

The reaction was absolutely astonishing! The moment the oil touched the flesh, the spirits in the person reared up and screamed, then rushed to the sink to wash off the oil. But within a few moments the spirit resisting was expelled.

Yes, the Name of Jesus is the authority that delivers, but the oil symbolizes the Blood which was shed for redeemption, healing and deliverance.

Blood of Jesus

There were several ways that caused the blood to flow from Jesus. One of those was the whipping that He suffered. This caused the stripes. Each of these different types of bloodletting provided for a different effect of sin.

Stripes

Pro 20:30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

The stripes provided physical healing. The way it is worded is also significant. Not only are we healed, but we've already been healed! By appropriating the healing that has already been done, we can call Satan a liar and accept our healing as already manifested.

I know there have been times that I've appropriated healing, that the Enemy then proceeded to try to convince me that I wasn't really healed. However, by standing on the Word and using the weapons of our warfare, I was able to experience complete healing as all symptoms left never to return.

The Blood of Jesus - Part 4

Applied to Body Parts

Exo 29:20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Lev 14:14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:

Since we are "washed" in the Blood for cleansing from our sins, touching those particular body parts signifies a cleansing of past transgressions. The tip of the ear is cleansing of the hearing and the mind. The tip of the right hand is cleansing for deeds and actions. The tip of the right toe is cleansing for the "walk" or lifestyle.

The Blood is applied as a barrier & symbol of protection. The Blood can "cover" something or someone and acts as a barrier to entry of demons.

Nowhere is scripture is the Blood likened to any piece of armour or a weapon. However, by the same token, in Revelations we are told that the saints overcome Satan and the Anti-Christ by the "Word of their testimony" and the "Blood of the Lamb".

To "overcome" implies a conflict, so the Blood of the Lamb could very well be likened to a weapon. I have also seen sickness and evil spirits respond and leave by use of the "Blood of Jesus".

It is therefore my opinion that anything (scriptural) that gives us victory over the Enemy can be used as a weapon; whether that's the Name or the Blood of Jesus.

The Blood of Jesus, Part 3

Applied to Objects

Lev 1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Lev 3:2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Lev 6:27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Symbolically applying the blood of Jesus to objects is a way of sanctifying them before the Lord. Therefore to say "I cover my car with the Blood" is both sanctifying that vehicle for the Lord's use and also a protection over it.

The clothing with blood sprinkled on it signifies the covering by the Blood.

The Blood of Jesus, Part 2

Apply the Blood to the "House"

Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exo 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. (It's also the Blood which we use to protect our "house" from demons)

When I was a kid, we used to sing an old hymn in church, "When I See the Blood". Then I never really understood the significance of the blood. But now I realize how important and vital is the Blood of Jesus in protecting us from not only God's judgement, but from attacks of the enemy.

Look at verse 23, when He, the Lord sees the blood on the house, then He will pass over the door and not ALLOW the destroyer...so according to this the Lord was escorting the Destroyer thru the land of Egypt. If the Lord saw the blood on the top and sides of the door, then He would not ALLOW the devil ("Satan comes but to steal, kill and destroy") to enter and kill.

Use the blood, apply it to your life. We have got to realize that the Blood of Jesus is our defense against the Enemy and it will protect our house against demonic attack.

The Blood of Jesus

There is something about blood that fascinates and horrifies. Even without a body, forensically a certain amount of blood at a crime scene can be accepted as evidence of a death. Many religions require some form of blood, although not usually as an atonement for sin, but usually as a way of calling on the spirits and working spells.

For Christians the Blood of Jesus is both the means whereby sins are covered and a weapon in the arsenal of spiritual warfare. It is therefore imperative that we understand exactly what the Word teaches about blood

"Life's Blood"
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Lev 17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

From the time that Adam and Eve sinned and God killed animals to provide clothes for them, blood has been shed and required as an atonement for sin. With the death of Jesus on the cross when He shed his blood He forever eliminated the necessity for the sacrifice of animals as atonement for man's sins.

Since the time of Adam, animal sacrifice had been required by God as a covering for sin. A few examples are: Abel, Abraham, Job, Elijah, Levitical priests. The Jews performed animal sacrifices on a daily basis in obedience to God's command.

It is interesting that within 70 years after the death of Jesus that the temple in Jerusalem was totally destroyed thereby ending the Jewish sacrifice of animals that has never been reestablished.

Roaring Lion or Alligator

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Have you ever watched scenes of some wild animal taking down it's prey? Whether an alligator, a shark or a lion, the lack of awareness on the part of the prey is often a major factor in allowing the capture and ultimate destruction of the prey by the hunting animal.

When the Word describes the devil as a lion seeking prey, it also warns us to be sober and vigilant.

I'm reminded of a scene where a wildebeest is standing at the edge of an alligator-infested river head down and drinking. The viewer can clearly see the alligator getting closer, until he's just a couple of feet away from the wildebeest.

Watching this I'm thinking, "Hey! Wake up!" No, the wildebeest keeps its head down and a moment later in a rush of splashing water, the alligator leaps up and grabs the animal. Within a matter of seconds, the wildebeest is dead and has been pulled into the depths of the river.

Satan is like that alligator and too often Christians are like that wildebeest. We stand around with our feet at the edge of the devil's territory, head down just drinking in the muddy water of compromise. If we're not careful we'll get dragged under.

Be sober - don't let your mind get clouded by anything

Be vigilant - keep your eyes open, on guard against an attack.

Don't allow yourself to be lulled into falling asleep while the enemy is creeping up getting ready to pounce.

The Buckler in Warfare

Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

To see what a buckler is, visit "Proverb a Day" which is where this study started.

All my life I've read about the "buckler" and never really understood what it was. I think I always thought it was that wide leather belt, that "buckled" on and held the sword...a very passive thing. Boy was I wrong!

According to Wikipedia, the buckler is a small shield used in close, hand-to-hand combat. That is used in basically four different ways:

• To deflect sword blows from the opponent
• To blind and hide one's own sword play, covering the next strike
• As a weapon, like a "fist", to strike the opponent
• To bind the opponent's sword and shield against his own body

It was as I was typing up the comparison between a real physical Middle Ages shield and the Biblical comparison of Lord as our Buckler (Proverb a Day Blog), that I suddenly had an understanding of exactly how this is accomplished.

• He'll be between us and the blows of the Enemy - Blood of Jesus
• He blinds or covers our own sword play - Name of Jesus
• He's a weapon used to strike the Enemy - the Word/Sword
• To bind the opponent's ability to strike back - Authority to bind

In spiritual warfare we actually have five weapons if we are using our "Buckler" correctly.

• We are covered by the Blood of Jesus, thus shielded from blows from the Enemy.
• The Name of Jesus is the Authority which covers our use of the Sword of the Word of God.
• When the Buckler is used as a weapon, it's like a "two-fisted" attack on the Enemy, or having a Sword in each hand. It's a "one-two punch"
• The Authority to Bind is invaluable especially when dealing or confronted by demonic manifestations.

Then by the spoken Word (Sword) in the other hand, we've got an arsenal that the Enemy has no power over. Does that excite you like it does me?! To realize that I'm not just facing the Enemy with the spoken Word, but to realize that all of those elements combined guarantee me the victory every time!

Thank you, Jesus! He's my Buckler! Yeah, I can deal with that. :)

Filling Your House - Despair, Lunacy, Fear

Despair
Isa 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.
Psa 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

One of the best ways to overcome despair is to read the Psalms outloud. Look for those Psalms that say "bless the Lord, oh my soul" and that exalt His holy name. Say them outloud. As you begin to worship and praise God and be thankful for EVERYTHING (even the bad), then despair will absolutely flee.

Lunacy (Madness, Craziness, MPD, Scizophrenia)
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

When crazy thoughts begin trying to invade your thinking, CAST THEM DOWN! "Casting" is just like violently, determinedly throwing something to the ground. How do we "bring" thoughts "into captivity" to Christ? By turning away from thoughts that do not agree with the Word and begin focusing our thoughts on Jesus. If that means getting into the Word until those thoughts pass, or turning on some praise and worship music, stomping around the house quoting scripture or getting down on your knees and praying. Whatever it takes to "cast down" those thoughts that would steal your sanity.

Fear of the Dark
Psa 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

When fear of darkness attacks, remind yourself that you have the Lord who is your light.

Filling up the House - Tongue plus

More ammunition to win the battle against the attempted return of demons that have been evicted from the "house". If there are certain areas that have been your downfall, find scriptures that you can use against the Enemy.

Tongue

Pro 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

One thing that can get us in trouble faster than anything is if we cannot control our tongue. We don't have to use filthy language or lie to have a problem with our tongue. How about complaining or speaking negative words that do not line up with scripture or even worse speak a curse into our life?

Alcohol/Drunkeness

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

One can't afford to slip into using any kind of mind or mood-altering chemical. Drugs and alcohol are a great temptation used by the Enemy, especially if that has been an area of weakness in the past. Friends who still use may need to be avoided if there is the slightest possibility that they will encourage you to participate in certain activities.

Unforgiveness

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

As soon as you get angry or upset with anyone it is absolutely necessary that you forgive. Even if it's just the guy that cuts you off on the highway, you don't have to know someone in order to have unforgiveness. Forgive and keep the slate clean.

Filling Up the House - Fear

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Here we are told that there is actually a demon of fear and fear can take many forms.

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

There's a spirit of bondage that works in conjunction with the spirit of fear to keep us bound up by fear. We can see that at work in people who are so bound up by fears or phobias (Greek for 'fear') that it actually limits their ability to function normally; they can't fly, leave their house, are afraid of heights, are afraid of the dark, etc.

I was actually awakened before 5 am this morning due to an attack by a spirit of fear. Awhile ago I was delivered of a spirit of fear that entered when I was around five years old...see the Enemy attacks the very vulnerable. That's why it is so important to monitor what your children watch on television. DO NOT allow your children to watch movies whose sole purpose is to scare them!

Anyway, fear attacked me in my dreams last night, trying to come back. This was not the first time I've experienced demonic attacks in my dreams. The one way I know if I'm being attacked in my dreams, is that whatever scene is playing out, the dream me will begin repeating the Name of Jesus and pleading the Blood, actively warring against the Enemy.

Even in the activity of the dream the Name and the Blood proved effective to drive back the fear and bring some peace and allow the dream to continue although there was a continual awareness of "something" just waiting for me to let down my guard.

Eventually I woke up because the fear became so persistent in it's attack, that even tho I'd been sound asleep, my Spirit realized that I needed to be awake to fight this. Even an hour later as I write this I can remember the absolute terror that tried to come upon me. It was a "something" just out of the corner of my eye type of thing.

I also realize that while I don't read books that would inspire fear, I do have my TV going a lot. While I'm very careful about the programs I watch, the upcoming movie trailers are often filled with frightening scenes. I'm either going to have to leave the TV off, or be very vigilent to use the "Mute" button when I see that a commercial is coming on for a new horror film, or even anything dealing with occult themes.

A spirit of fear is very active in our society today and very insidious in it's attacks. We live in a time when terrorism has become a household word, where horror movies can pack a theater, and the word "fear" has become a seemingly innocent part of our vocabulary: "I'm afraid not...", "I'm afraid so...", "I'm afraid I'm getting...".

Think about it, how often do you use the phrase "I'm afraid"? Be very careful, by confessing something we can either open the doorway for a spirit of fear to oppress us, or more than likely you're already oppressed and that spirit of fear is expressing itself everytime you make a confession of fear.

Over the years I've found the best way to deal with fear, is to use that scripture and speak it out loud, "God has not give me a spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of a sound mind." Sometimes I have to repeat it several times, along with "Name of Jesus" and "the Blood". Demons don't like to hear the Name of Jesus, and the Blood is just as powerful in defeating the Enemy as it was when it flowed thru Jesus veins!

Filling Up the House - Worry, Bitterness, Lying

There are little things, attitudes, that have become habits. So that even after deliverance from a spirit that may have been at the cause or root of that attitude, our initial reaction in a given situation may be to respond in the same manner that we did before the deliverance.

However, if we know that a certain area has been a problem (as evidenced by the deliverance) then we can be on guard against falling into the same old patterns of response/reaction, and learn to act in a manner that lines up with the Word of God.

Worry
Psa 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Worry is just the "anti-praise". If you are worried about something you are not praising the Lord. In fact, worry is actively doubting the Lord and actually praising the Devil. See the Enemy knows if he can keep our thoughts on our problems then we are not looking to the Lord. It's a distraction, and something that must be guarded against.

Bitterness
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Sometimes bitterness can be very obvious in a person, and at other times it can be very hidden. It is only during the deliverance that that "root" of bitterness gets revealed and can be removed. After that we have to be very careful to "put away" any thoughts that tend to place blame on someone else or even on God for what's happened in our lives.

Lying
Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

Lying is probably one of the sneakiest habits to fall into, so that even tho' a spirit of lying may have been cast out, lying has become such a habit that one's initial response in certain situations is to automatically (faster than the thought can be formed) lie.

The problem is that we have to break that habit, so that as soon as we realize we've lied, to acknowledge it, apologize and ask forgiveness. Do that enough times, and you will be so embarassed, that eventually you will break that habit of lying.

Filling Up the House - Anger

If you have been delivered from a spirit of anger, here are some scriptures that will help maintain that deliverance.

Psa 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. "fret not"...don't dwell on things

Pro 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Become a peacemaker

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. You have to be the one that rules your spirit. You can determine whether you are going to allow anger to respond in a given situation or not.

Pro 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Anger and transgression or sin go hand in hand.

Ecc 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. A person who can't control their anger will often respond angrily out of misunderstanding and then ends up looking like a fool. That's because according to this verse he or she is a fool.

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: just determine that you are not going to respond angrily

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: There's a very good principal here, that we are not to indulge in our anger for an extended period of time. Holding on to anger can only be done if there is unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is the primary open doorway for demons. See what the very next verse says...

Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Indulging in anger is an open invitation to the devil. When I find myself angry, it's usually because I've been hurt. Thus anger stems from unforgiveness. When someone hurts you it is therefore absolutely imperative that when that anger rises up, that you immediately forgive that person.

Filling Up the House - Pride

After deliverance it is very important that you fill your house to keep the demons that have been cast out from returning. One way of doing that is to learn what the Word says about the condition caused by the spirit that was expelled. Therefore if a spirit of pride was cast out, then it behooves you to get some scripture into you that will help you resist the temptation to let pride back in.

Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Pride and violence go together

Pro 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. Pride only brings shame

Pro 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Pride brings contention and arguing

Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Pride always brings destruction

Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. Pride brings dishonor

Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. God resists the proud

Sleep Invites Thorns

I've mentioned before that "thorns" is often used in the Word as a symbol of evil spirits, so when I saw these verses I was struck by the correlation to a person who has been delivered and then fails to maintain their deliverance thru slothfulness.

Jesus himself taught that when a demon is cast out, it roams about and then comes back to the "house" it left and if it finds that "house" empty, it will reenter and invite other demons worse than itself.

Pro 24:30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Pro 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

Here it says that even the wall has broken down as a result of the lazy person's neglect.

Pro 24:32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Pro 24:33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Pro 24:34 So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth; and thy want as an armed man.

If you've been delivered it is vital that you get into the Word of God every day in order to maintain your deliverance. For those who have experienced a rather dramatic deliverance (noisy and/or physically stressful) it may be easier because you have a vital memory of the demons leaving.

For those whose deliverance was rather quite, perhaps accompanied mostly by yawns or belches, there might not be the urgency to maintain your deliverance, because you keep wondering if anything really happened. First of all the doubt is being placed in your mind by the spirits, so you definitely have to maintain your deliverance by staying in the Word.

Being slothful and lazy is just an open doorway to a reinfestation.

Staying free from Anger

If you have been delivered from a spirit of anger and/or wrath then you need to be on guard from those spirits trying to return. You will probably experience several situations in the days and weeks following deliverance that will tempt you to respond with anger.

To recognize the temptation to return to your old system of responding and to avoid falling back into those same patterns, get into the Word. By filling your heart and mind with the Word about anger, then you will have a better defense against the spirit of anger returning.

Keeping the Deliverance from "Anger"

Psa 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. "fret not" means don't dwell on thoughts that invite an angry response

Pro 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Guard against allowing "Anger" to stir you up...as soon as recognize it tell it to leave

Ecc 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. A person who gets angry over the least little thing, and can go from pleasant to angry in less time than it takes to blink is a fool. That person has no control of his own spirit, instead a spirit of anger is controlling that person.

An "angry person" is often angry and the reason for that is because the spirit of anger can only express itself by indulging in angry responses. Therefore situations that most people would shrug off bring out the anger in a person with a spirit of anger.

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: There are going to be times when it may be justified to be angry, however it is possible to be angry and yet not sin. The second part of that verse gives a good idea of how, and that is not to hold on to the anger. Don't hold it to you and indulge in the stirring up inside you that would keep the anger fresh and alive.

Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. "Anger" opens a door...if indulged in. By indulging in the anger you are "giving place to the devil" and I can guarantee that you are simply opening the door wide in invitation for that spirit of anger to once again take up residence.

Jam 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: Avoid "flying off the handle". Some people who have a spirit of anger are easily identified because they can become angry at the drop of a hat. If you are around them for very long you learn to watch your words because you know how fast they can become angry.

Pro 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. "Anger" is a snare, another word for demon. Be careful about who you hang out with.

You may find that you need to find new friends. Often the spirits that are in us will be attracted to the same spirits in others, and once you are delivered you may actually find yourself repulsed by the very person you once called friend.

Amo 1:11 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: You can hang on to ANGER - it is a decision! Everytime you talk about a person or situation that made you angry, you are indulging that spirit of anger. Do it often enough and you'll find yourself ensnared once again and in need of deliverance again.

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. One danger of indulging in anger is that the brain gets shut off and the mouth can run amok. Things spoken in anger can bring a curse not only on others but on ourselves.

Anger the Gatekeeper

The Bible has a lot to say about "anger" and "wrath". It is such a destructive force that can stay hidden and then lash out and wreck havoc in it's path. Many people have a spirit of anger that often entered as a young child, that spirit of anger then acts as a gatekeeper, responding to various situations in such a manner that allows other spirits easy access.

If you hear a child saying "I'm angry!" And then follows that statement with "I hate you!" you can be fairly certain that two spirits have just identified themselves.

I once met a man and as we were conversing, I noticed that his conversation contained numerous references to anger, times he had been angry, etc. Suddenly I had a revelation from the Lord that there was a spirit of anger in this man, as well as a spirit of violence. Needless to say, I did not pursue the acquaintance further.

Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
Pro 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
Pro 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
Pro 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
Job 19:29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment. "Sword" as in the Word?

Actively Controlling Anger

Psa 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Controlling anger?
Pro 19:19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. In deliverence it is quite common to have more than one type of anger spirit. Like an onion with its layers, spirits often cluster in layers. The can often be a spirit of anger in each layer.

Anger is also a spirit that can easily come back. Any type of situation can be used to open the doorway for anger to reenter. That's why a person who has been delivered from anger, must develop situational response that do not employ anger.

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. You must avoid anger and responding with anger

Pro 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. "Anger" can be stirred up by words. Once it reveals itself it must then be dealt with

Pro 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Pride Invites Anger

Pro 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. "Proud wrath" describes an avenue that allows anger access. When one's pride is hurt the immediate response is often angry and wrathful. There can be no doubt then that a spirit of pride, often found to be the strongman, will respond in such a manner to situations as to invite an angry feeling to well up. Thus pride has opened the door for anger to come in.

Followers of Jesus or Harry Potter?

I was stunned to read in a blog by a Christian woman on a church site how excited she was about the newest "Harry Potter" book. What in the world is any Believer doing fellowshiping with that work of darkness??? Whether the movie or the book, the subject is witches, witchcraft and wizardry, spells and incantations; all of which are expressly forbidden in the Bible.

If you think that just because it is fiction that it is "safe" you are either incredibly naive or stupid! Anything that glorifies witches and witchcraft is straight from the pit, extremely dangerous to have in your house, and deadly for your children to be exposed to. Not only are you exposing them to something that God expressly forbids, but you are opening doorways to demonic vexation in their lives and in your home!

What does the Bible say about witches?

Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. A little harsh? It just shows how much God hates the sin of witchcraft.

Deu 18:10 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,

By allowing your children to have garbage like the "Harry Potter" books and movies you are exposing them to the fire.

1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

I just wonder how many children have become somewhat rebellious since being exposed to witches and witchcraft. It would be my guess that there has been an increase of rebellion, defiance, nightmares and fighting in many of those children. I would also be my guess that the parents just chalk it up to "a phase" or "part of growing up".

2Ch 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire (human sacrifice/abortion) in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times (astrology), and used enchantments (spells/chants), and used witchcraft (spells/practice magic), and dealt with a familiar spirit (demons), and with wizards (conjurer): he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Lest you think that the warning against witches and witchcraft was just for the Old Testament...
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Fasting and Deliverance

Is there really a tie between fasting and deliverance? Let's see what the Word says...

Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Breaks the bonds of wickedness and oppression, break the yoke, this entire verse is about the reasons for fasting as God directs ("I have chosen") and that equals deliverance from evil spirits

Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Aids in ministry. At one point Jesus speaks of deliverance as being the "children's bread"

Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward.

Restoration to light and health. Probably a good 75% of the time that the Bible speaks of healing it is in conjunction with deliverance from demons. And the deliverance always took place before the healing.

Mat 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mat 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Make sure that the fasting is not apparant to others...don't be bragging about it while you are doing it. If you go around telling folks that you're fasting you've just removed any benefit and strength the fasting would have afforded.

Psa 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

humble, brings into submission our flesh

Psa 69:10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

Fasting chastens our own soul and flesh. It brings our flesh into submission.

I have never been able to fast successfully. I'll try and start out fine, but by the time lunch comes around, I'm ready to eat. For me tho' I have to know that I'm fasting for the right reasons and being overweight and needing to diet, I do have to question my real motives for fasting.

Do I say I'm fasting, hoping that the real benefit will be some magical weight loss? I think when one fasts there can be no doubt as to the purpose.

BREAKING THE CURSE

Eze 18:17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

Eze 18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

Both verses show that by being obedient and living by the Word that the death sentence brought on by the father's sin is removed. However, living right does not break the curse. Read on...

Neh 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

Nehamiah confesses the sins of his ancestors and past generations of the children of Israel. When breaking a generational curse it is important that we "confess on behalf of our ancestors" the iniquity or sin that brought a curse.

For instance, if you know that an ancestor was a shaman or a witch, or a murderer, a cheat, a thief, then you must confess on behalf of that ancestor and ask forgiveness. This act does not mean that that ancestor, if he/she died in an unforgiven state will now be considered "saved". It just means that you and your offspring will no longer be held accountable for the sins that ancestor committed.

Next, you must appropriate Christ's redemptive work of the cross in breaking this curse.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

The very act of death by crucifixion and Christ's blood shed on the cross is the instrument for breaking your family curse.

If you have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, and yet recognize a curse operating in your life, then you have every right to accept and appropriate the work of the cross in removing yourself from under that curse.

"Father, I confess the sins of my ancestors (if you know what the sin was confess it now) back to the 10th generation and ask forgiveness now. In the Name of Jesus I apply His blood and cover that sin. I think you Jesus for becoming a curse for me so that I can be forever freed from that curse. In the Name of Jesus I break the curse of ________________ and remove it forever from my life and the lives of my family. In the Name of Jesus I command any evil spirits that have come into my life by reason of this curse to also leave."

Continuing telling the spirits to go until you sense a release by the Holy Spirit that they have gone.

Then thank Him and praise Him. Also get into the Word and learn scriptures that will enable you to resist the those spirits when they attempt to come back or tempt you to sin thus opening a doorway to their return.

Generational Blessings Too

OBEDIENCE NOW BLESSES FUTURE GENERATIONS

Deu 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, forever.

Deu 12:25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

Deu 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

Pro 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Just as a sin can result in a curse that follows subsequent generations, obedience to the Lord can result in blessings. I've known families that have descended from Godly, obedient, ancestors and that family for generations has been blessed. They don't have the sickness, poverty, tragedies that seem to cling to other families.

Likewise I've known families where generation after generation there has been sickness, illegal activity, tragic deaths, prison, and financial lack. It seemed that no matter what different members of the family did, sooner or later some event would occur that would beat them back down again. That was a curse operating.

I've also seen what happened with a member of that cursed family when he recognized the fact that a curse was operating. By breaking that curse and repenting on behalf of his ancestors, things immediately began changing in his and his family's lives.

Still Don't Believe in Generational Curses?

Still think that there is no such thing as a generational curse; that a loving God wouldn't punish one's offspring for their own sins? Think again.

Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (for idolatry)

Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Lev 20:5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people. (idolatry)

Lev 26:39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Num 18:1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. (the "family" of Aaron would forever bear the "sins" of the nation as being the priests)

Num 14:33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. (because they believed the false report about the land of Canaan and wanted to go back to Egypt...)

Because the Israelites coming out of Egypt were contaminated by the idolatry and the corresponding evil spirits that are associated with worship of false gods, God had to keep them from entering into the Promiseland. Thus they were forced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years to cleanse the people of the demonic influence.

I know a woman who was sexually molested by a distant relative at the tender age of three. Even though she was raised in a Christian home she wandered far from her Godly roots, until she reached the age of 43. At that time, she received teaching on evil spirits and deliverance and basically said, "if they are in me, I want them out!"

Because of the amount of infestation and the necessity of filling the "house" after the spirits are cast out, her deliverance was spread out over a two-year period. With each deliverance she gained a greater freedom in the Lord, was able to comprehend more and more of the Word and apply it to her life, which was effectively "filling her house". After two years, she has reached a depth in her relationship with the Lord that is a fulfillment of promise. She has entered her promiseland.

While this wasn't a generational curse, this shows how exposure to idolatry and its demonic attachements can interfere with one's ability to live for the Lord and that in order to enter your promiseland the demonic forces must be dealt with. So if you are having a problem serving the Lord in a consistent manner and you constantly struggle to live a righteous life, consider that there may be a generational curse in operation.

This is often the case for people who from cultures where there is any form of idolatry. Cultures that practice ancestral worship, praying to idols, praying to 'saints', praying to the "queen of heaven", including many cults, will have a generational curse operating in their life. Recognizing and breaking that curse will usually result in a noticeable difference in their ability to live for the Lord, to understand the Word, and live victoriously in Jesus.

Generational Curses: Real or Not?

1Ki 11:12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. (The punishment would fall in the generation of the son)

2Sa 3:29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. (David is speaking a curse on the house of Joab of sickness, leporsey, crippling, murder and starvation)

2Sa 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. (as long as David's "house" was, there would be bloodshed)

2Ki 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. (For greed ,the generations following would be punished)

Deu 23:2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD. (illegitimacy - break the curse of the bastard and see if a person who was conceived out of wedlock and who struggles in their walk with the Lord, suddenly is free from that struggle)

I have actually known those who were born out of wedlock struggle to maintain an active relationship with the Lord. While you could see that they truly wanted to serve the Lord and live a Godly life, from one day to the next they would fall back into old patterns.

When the bastard curse is broken there is a remarkable deliverance and change that takes place. Suddenly serving the Lord is easy (in comparison to what it was before) and they are able to go on and grow in the Lord.

Stick around we are going to be learning what the Word says about generational curses and how to get rid of them.

FORGIVENESS IS VITAL

One of the greatest blocks to deliverance is unforgiveness. Unforgiveness provides the legal ground for demons to take up residence and then torture and torment their victims/hosts with memories of the hurts or they totally block the cause of the hurt thus ensuring that the person is prevented from forgiving simply because they don't remember.

See what the Bible says about forgiveness:

Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. In other words, there is no end to forgiveness, forgiveness must be ongoing and continual
Mat 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. (didn't just give him more time to pay....FORGAVE the entire debt!)
Mat 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. Unforgiveness doesn't just affect the person who's been wronged, it also binds the person who commited the offense.
Mat 18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32 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:
Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, (930 "basanistace" = tormentor or torturer) till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

(928 = torment = pain, toil torment, toss, vex) It was in researching the word "tormentor" and "torment" that I found the connection with the word "vex" which is used so often in the Word to describe demon activity.

Num 33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. If you don't drive them out, they will continually vex and torment ... be a thorn in your side

In researching the word "vex" I then found a connection to "thorns", which ties in with Paul's description of the "thorn" in the flesh that he had.

2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Here Paul says that an evil spirit or "messenger of Satan" was appointed to bother "buffet" him, and described it as a "thorn" in the flesh.

Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Have you ever wondered why some people just cannot seem to maintain the Word in their life, but continually struggle to live for the Lord, and yet have a sincere desire to do so. It says that the Word of God is "choked" out by the "thorns" or demons.

As I further researched "thorns" I came across the story of the crown of thorns...

Mat 27:29 And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

Suddenly the Holy Spirit gave me a revelation of the significance of the crown of "thorns" that Jesus wore. Jesus was God in the flesh and as such could not be vexed by demons. But just as the Word says that "by his stripes we are healed" indicating that the beating and the blood that was shed because of it was done so for the express purpose of bringing healing.

Then: "he was bruised for our iniquities". Bruising is bleeding under the skin, and Jesus was black and blue all over for our "iniquities" or habitual sins.

Therefore the blood that was shed because of the "crown of thorns" also had a significance. The thorns were pressed into the flesh, breaking the skin and signifying that demons can attach themselves to our physical being. The "crown" also encircled the head (mind) which is another place that demons take up residence.

Jesus worn the thorns on His head, signifying that He bore our demonic torment, but His Blood was shed to free us! He who had never known demonic vexation bore that torment to shed the Blood that would forever ensure our deliverance.

However, just as we must appropriate salvation (which is by his Blood), we must also seek healing and deliverance. They are separate works, which explains why a person who repents and gets saved doesn't necessarily receive physical healing at the same time. If that was the case there wouldn't be any Christians who were sick and healing services would be empty.

Deliverance by What Power

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Jesus gave His followers power

Mar 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. Because Jesus had the authority

Mar 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. the spirits were subject to Him and recognized His authority

Mar 5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. Again, Jesus had the authority to permit the spirits to go into the pigs

Mar 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

The "power" Jesus gave to his disciples is similar to "power of attorney". With someone's "power of attorney" you can conduct business in their name and on their behalf just as tho they were the one conducting the business. Therefore when confronting demons you must do it based on the "authority" of Jesus. That's why it is common for demons to protest before they are commanded to leave "don't say that name!" Then when you say "Jesus" they immediately protest, "I told you not to say that name", one even said in a whiney voice "oh, you said it".

Act 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. It is quite common for unclean spirits/demons to "cry with a loud voice", scream, screech, yell, cry tears, rant, rave, throw the body around and just generally cause a ruckus when they are leaving the body where they've been residing. Afterall they are being kicked out of their house, and they are extremely unhappy about it.

Also, the hope is that the more obnoxious they are and the more of a scene they make that the person conducting the deliverance will get scared off and stop. I've noticed that the manifestations are much quieter when I simply take authority "in Jesus Name" and command the spirits to be quiet, forbid them to speak or make any violent gestures before the deliverance even starts.

What is Vexed?

The term "vexed" is most often used in the word to describe the presence of demons operating in someone's life. Recognizing the particular relation between "vex" and demons, one can then see other places in the Word that bring some enlightenment into the area of spiritual warfare.

Num 33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Although this is referring to the inhabitants of Cannan, this is also a guide for those who question whether it is necessary to get rid of demons in one's life. (Like you would accept the presence of some parasitic worm, sucking the life from you?)

If you don't "drive them out" they will be "thorns in your sides" and "shall vex you". Good reason to get rid of them!


2Sa 13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

(Spirit of Incest? Although the Word doesn't list a vast number of demons, one can recognize their presence by the gift of discernment and by how they manifest on someone's life. Amnon was "vexed" and "fell sick" for his sister, which then led him to rape her. That in itself is a good indication of the presence of a spirit of incest...you could probably also add "obsession and rape" as well.)

Neh 9:27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. Does our disobedience and rebellion against God place us in danger of being turned over to demons?

Psa 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. (Body is vexed)

Psa 6:3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? (Soul is vexed)

Luk 6:18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. (Again, a tie between demons and sickness)

And don't think that I'm saying that all sickness is demonic! However, there is a good chance that an illness or chronic condition which does not respond to normal medical treatment could have its source somewhere other than just physical.

Act 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. (Again, evidence of a tie between physical ailments and demonic vexation)

Demons in Children

Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

Mar 9:17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

Luk 9:42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tore him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

"Vexed" is a word in the bible that is almost used exclusively to signify demonic activity. It doesn't imply "possession", but it does indicate a real, often physical manifestation of something outside of a person's control.

In each of these cases a child was vexed or bothered by a demonic or unclean spirit. In one case it was a "dumb" spirit meaning that the child could not speak. All four children were brought to the Lord by a parent. It is a parent's duty to recognize possible vexation and to seek deliverance for their child.

Born Needing Deliverance

From the Womb?

Watch even a little afternoon talk television and sooner or later there will be some desperate mother talking about how her three-year-old is totally out of control; angry, violent, destructive, rude, vulgar and mean. Do you ever wonder why such a small child can behave in such an abnormal way?

How about the child that from the time he begins talking can speak a foreign language that he has had absolutely no exposure to? Many people say that is proof of reincarnation. Baloney! The Bible says "it is appointed unto man once to die". What doesn't die are the demons that have inhabited different bodies throughout history.

But that impossible! Is it? Satan and his evil minions look for openings or doorways in which to enter a body and set up housekeeping. Many of those doorways are opened because of helplessness or vulnerability on the part of the human. When is a person the most vulnerable? When they are a child.

The most vulnerable are the unborn children and one of the most prevelant spirits that a baby can be born with is a spirit of rejection. This is doorway is opened by a mother who regrets getting pregnant and wishes it had never happened. If she verbalizes those feelings, she is opening a doorway in her own unborn child which allows legal entry by a demon. All it takes is for one to get in, and then as different circumstances occur it helps keep the doorway open for other spirits to gain entry.

Think that's heresy, what does the Bible say?

Pro 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Psa 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. from the womb they are wicked, speaking lies. Who is the father of lies? The devil.

Psa 58:4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; serpent = demons

Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. Why does David say that? While in the womb God was protecting him? Why was it necessary for God to protect him, unless there was a threat to the unborn?

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. He was "sanctified" while still in the womb...which seems to signify some spiritual touch on the unborn.

Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. (from the womb he was to be filled with the Holy Ghost)

Luk 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (the mother was filled with the Holy Ghost at the same time the babe leaped)
Luk 1:42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. ("word of knowledge" a gift of the Spirit)
Luk 1:44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ("joy" a fruit of the Spirit)

...to be continued