One of my favorite authors through the years has been Philip Yancey.  Two of his books, What’s So Amazing About Grace and The Jesus I Never Knew, are books that I return to and reread from time to time. I was teaching a class this morning when the essential subject of forgiveness came up.  It is an essential subject because if we fail to forgive those who have wronged us, we open the door to the enemy and give him a perfect right to camp out in our living room (metaphorically speaking).  I like what Yancey has to say about the act of forgiving or our refusal to forgive.

As the Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt said, the only remedy for the inevitability of history is forgiveness; otherwise we remain trapped in the “predicament of irreversibility.” … Not to forgive imprisons me in the past and locks out all potential for change.  I, thus, yield control to another, my enemy, and doom myself to suffer the consequences of the wrong.  I once heard an immigrant rabbi make an astonishing statement,  “Before coming to America, I had to forgive Adolph Hitler,” he said. “I did not want to bring Hitler inside of me to my new country.” (Yancey, Philip. What’s So Amazing About Grace? Zondervan, 1997, p.99)

Those who have been wounded bristle at the thought of forgiving the one who has hurt them – especially when that person has hurt them over and over again. We bristle because we think they are getting a free pass for their “crimes” against us.  It’s like Jesus has commanded us to hand over a “Get Out of Jail Free” card to our worst enemy so they can go on hurting us as well as others. Our sense of justice cries out. Our anxiety level spikes because we think that these people must be stopped and it is the force of our unforgiveness that will stop them.

But here is the secret about forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a gift of God for the one who has been wronged, not for the one who has committed the wrong.  If we can understand that, we can summon the heart to forgive.  The rabbi quoted by Yancey had it right.  Unforgiveness keeps the hurt and the hurter alive in our hearts. God has actually made us to forgive so that time and distance will do a work of healing – unless we keep the hurt alive by constantly ripping the scab off our wound as we rehearse the wrongs and keep them fresh so that our “enemy” will not escape our wrath.

But we are the ones who will not escape without forgiving. Without forgiving we carry our “enemy” with us wherever we go.  We don’t allow God’s grace to do its work. Forgiveness is not the act of minimizing your pain or excusing what has been done to you.  It is the act of releasing judgment of the matter to God who judges perfectly.

What could you do with all the energy you have burned up thinking about the one who wounded you and wondering how justice will be served? Think of the sleepless nights and the pain you have endured reliving the memories of things done and said to you. God offers that back as a gift to you if you will simply release the matter to him.  You no longer have to forfeit your time, energy, and sleep to the matter. Release it to him.  You don’t have to spend one more second considering how you will make the other person pay for what they did to you. Release it to him. Forgiveness is like selling a mortgage to another company.  It will be their job to collect the debt, keep up with the legal work, and keep the records.  You won’t have to give it another thought.

“But what do I get,” you ask?  You get peace.  You get a heart drained of poison and bitterness. You get some relationships healed and restored and others just set aside.  You get a future untethered to your past.  You get the full forgiveness of God. You get space back in your heart so that love can fill the space that resentment once occupied.

Again, forgiveness is God’s gift for the wounded.  It is the pristine environment where healing can occur.  Will God forgive those terrible people who wronged and wounded you?  Will he forgive those who took your life away by their brutal acts?  If they repent; if they change; if they truly come to Christ he will.  But if they do, the individuals that hurt you will no longer exist. That will be a blessing as well.  If they don’t repent God won’t forgive.  But if you want to be fully healed pray that they will repent and be saved. Ask God to bless them. Forgive as you were forgiven.  Choose to overcome evil with good and you give your violators no more power over you. Then you will be free indeed.

I have served in several churches in my time as a pastor and I have talked to dozens of people who were restless, wounded and discontent in the church they attended.  The common denominator was that they had been in the same church for years, it had become less and less dynamic, and had settled into just “keeping house.”  These believers were unchallenged and felt as if they were drying up.  They nearly all had spoken with leaders in their church on several occasions and had prayed for years that revival or renewal might break out.  They were each discouraged and disgruntled and yet continued to attend a church where they were essentially unfruitful. I’m assuming there are many others in that situation who struggle with whether to “find another church” or to “hang in there” another year.

For some reason, I feel prompted to share some thoughts on that today. There are always disgruntled members who are looking for the perfect church (defined as a church that would do everything their way) but that is not who I am thinking about in this blog.  I’m thinking about believers who have stayed in one congregation for years, served there faithfully, enjoyed some seasons of excitement and fruitfulness at that church – but that was long ago.  There are others who have been longing and praying for revival at their church or asking God for a powerful move of the Holy Spirit where they are.  Yet there is no evidence on the horizon of either of those desires being fulfilled.

When I ask why they live with such disappointment and discontent for years they usually answer that they love their church and the people there.  Often these are “lay leaders” in the church who feel that they would be abandoning others who have been crying out for the same things for years. And so they stay and attend faithfully each Sunday in what seems to be the triumph of hope over experience.

Lots of times I hear church leaders say that these people need to continue to serve, they need to be part of the solution and not the problem, or that they need to renew their personal zeal without depending on church leadership.  And, sometimes, that has merit.  But there are also churches that vacant of life, vacant of God’s Spirit, and whose leadership is not hungry at all  to change that environment.

I’m reminded of what Jesus said regarding his life of service to the Father.  “ I can only do what I see the Father doing” (Jn.5:19).  Henry Blackabay put it this way, “See what God is doing and join him there.”  Jesus pointed us to fruitfulness in the kingdom of God and to fields white unto harvest.  I believe there comes a time when we need to understand that God is doing nothing or very little in a field because no one is plowing, planting, or watering and those who oversee the field are content or even committed to it laying fallow.  There comes a time when believers need to find where God is working or moving and join him there in a field that is producing a harvest. Remember, those fields are always in need of laborers.

I know why many people hang on in unfruitful churches year after year.  They stay because of the relationships they have there and for what those people mean to them. They also have a history in that place – weddings, funeral’s, baptisms, etc. I am a huge fan of love and loyalty and think those are very godly traits.  But sometimes we put those relationships before our relationship to God and so choose to stay in a religious environment that weakens our spirit and greatly limits our fruitfulness in the kingdom.

I have also visited with dozens of people who attend churches where the gifts of the Spirit are minimized or rejected and who keep calling out to God to receive their own gift of healing, prophecy, or even tongues. They want to see a “Pentecost” at the church they attend beginning with themselves. They want to see lives changed and loved ones healed and set free from fear and addictions.  And so they stay for years yearning and praying for a move of God.  I don’t want to judge any specific situation, but typically if God is not moving it is because leadership is not allowing it.

God honors authority.  Many Christians have placed themselves under the authority of leaders who are truly not interested in a life-altering move of God or who deny the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. To see God move or to receive the gifts of the Spirit, those believers may have to step out from under authority that is saying “No” to those things and find spiritual leaders who are saying “Yes!”

Here’s the thing.  If everyone were living in a city whose water sources had dried up to a trickle and whose civic leaders refused to haul in water, would we applaud the ones who stayed and died of thirst with the people they loved or would it be better for one to leave, find a stream overflowing its banks with fresh water, return, and lead the others who were thirsty to that source?

If anyone chooses to leave a church I believe they should do so in love, with respect toward leadership, and in a way that does not create disunity, But I see so many being disobedient to Christ because they love a church that is being disobedient to his Spirit. Nearly every believer I know senses that we are in the last days. So why sit on the bench when the game is late in the fourth quarter, the team is playing for the greatest prize of all, and you are needed on the field?  Paul said to “Run in such a way as to win the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24).

I am not saying to run to another church at the first sign of trouble or at your first disappointment. Try to be part of the solution but, if year after year, God is not being allowed to display his transforming power and glory there, I encourage you to go where he is busting out, turning lives and the world upside down,  and join him there.  Be fruitful.  Be joyful.  Be passionate. Go where spiritual leaders welcome your hunger and zeal rather than feeling threatened by it.  The time is short.  Jesus wants you in the game!

Once demonic oppression is indicated in the life of a believer, dealing with the demonic is fairly straightforward.

Deliverance is based on a few essential beliefs and principles.

1.  The kingdom of heaven has power and authority much greater than anything in the kingdom of darkness.  Satan was cast down.
2. Jesus demonstrated that authority over demons again and again while on the earth as the Son of Man.
3. Satan, death, and the grave could not hold the resurrected Savior who died for our sins to take away Satan’s legal claims against us.
4. Positionally, we are sons and daughters in the house of God, kings and priests on the earth, and the representatives of Jesus Christ who carry his delegated power and authority over the enemy.
5.  The only power Satan has over believers is the power we give him when we choose to live unaligned with God in all or part of our life. Others to whom we are connected may also have given him that right (sins of the fathers, curses, etc.).
6.  Our misalignment gives Satan a legal right to “rent a room,” i.e. afflict or oppress us.
7. Re-aligning ourselves with the Father removes the enemy’s legal right to afflict us.
9.  Having removed that right, we can command demons to leave us by the authority of Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on earth.

Basic Process for Finding Freedom from the Demonic

Make all declarations or statements verbally because you are declaring these things to the spiritual realm.

1.  Begin your re-alignment by declaring your faith in and allegiance to Jesus Christ.
2.  Renounce sin and all the works of Satan.
3.  Acknowledge the areas in your life that are unaligned with the Father. These may be areas of persistent unrepented sin, unbelief, or unforgiveness. As King David prayed, “Search my heart O God and show me if there is any offensive way in me,” you should also pray and ask God to show you any hidden sins or rebellion in your life. Do not rationalize, minimize or blame others for your sin and do not accuse God of having unjust standards.
4.  Confess and repent of your sins by declaring God’s standards to be righteous and agreeing with him about his standards and your failure to keep them. Ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus based on his sacrifice for you and nothing else.  Be as specific as possible. Thank God for forgiving you. (See 1 Jn. 1:9).
5.  Confess the sins of your Fathers if you know them specifically.  If not, confess the wickedness, known and unknown, of your ancestors and renounce their sins and wickedness. Ask God to break the affects of their sins in your life and thank him for doing so.
6.  Forgive all those whom you have not forgiven.  This is an act of the will not your emotions. Biblical forgiveness is choosing to no longer require payment for a wrong done to you.  It is turning judgment of the matter over to God.  It is a decision to no longer act in any way designed to make someone pay for the wrong he/she did to you.  Jesus then instructs us to bless them and pray for them.  We must forgive those who sin against us because Jesus forgives our sins. It is not because they deserve it, but because Jesus deserves it.

Having re-aligned yourself with the Father, you may….

• Declare that Jesus became a curse for you so that you might blessed (Gal. 3:13-14).  Because of that you may ask Jesus to sever, make null and void, and cancel any curses that have ever been established against you by words or sins. Thank him for doing so.
• Declare that you are a son/daughter of the king. God’s representative on the earth, and that you serve in the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
• Renounce any sin, emotions or thoughts contrary to God’s truth that you believe demonic spirits have prompted or produced in you.  It may be something like … In the Name of Jesus I renounce fear, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bitterness, pornography, unbelief, gossip, apathy, etc.
• Then in the name and the authority of Jesus Christ and by his blood that was shed for you, you can command those spirits to leave you immediately and never return.

That is the basic process and scriptural principles for breaking the power of the enemy in your life or someone else’s life based on whom Jesus is, what he has done and who you are in him.

For more details about this process and for suggested commands and declarations over the enemy I would recommend reading my book Born to Be Free. It is also important that you learn how to walk out your freedom so that the enemy cannot return. The book will give you a more thorough theological base, a more thorough understanding of who you are in Christ, and lead you through a thorough assessment of your life to discover entry points for the enemy.  It will also walk you through a systematic process for deliverance and maintaining your freedom.

All I have trued to do in this blog is to give you a sense of how the demonic operates and a basic framework for understanding deliverance.  Faith in Jesus is still the key in all of this.  I hope this eight part series has been helpful.

How to Rid Your “House” of Unwanted Guests:  Identifying the Problem

Not everything is demonic. We have to deal with the appetites of the flesh and learn to say “No” to our fallen nature. You can’t cast out the flesh. You must crucify it.  Sometimes, in a fallen world, illness is simply illness; depression is caused by chemical imbalances, and broken relationships are created by our own negative choices.  However, many things do have demonic dimensions that must be dealt with before freedom and healing can occur.

Demons attach themselves to believers because someone has given them a legal right to do so.  We may have opened that door through persistent, unrepented sin in our lives, refusal to forgive those who have wounded us, or long-standing unbelief related to God’s truth.  It is possible that demons have come down through family lines as a consequence of “the sins of our fathers” or that someone with authority over us spoke curses that created “legal” assignments for the enemy.  Perhaps, we ourselves spoke those words. It is also possible that demons entered in through wounds inflicted by trauma, abuse, or rejection.

There are several common experiences or doorways that make individuals vulnerable to demonic affliction or that indicate or suggest demonic activity within a person.  If you recognize these “doorways” or manifestations in your life, it raises the probability that you may be struggling with demonic oppression.

Sins of the Fathers – This demonic door is opened when ancestors (especially males) rebelled against God and lived in unrepented sin.  This is especially true in the areas of sexual immorality, occult activity, violence, or addictions.

Child Abuse – Child abuse opens the door for the enemy in many ways.  Often the abuser has some authority over the child or the enemy can enter later through the child’s residual anger, resentment, unforgiveness and shame.

Sexual Sins – For some reason, our sexuality is a place the enemy has targeted in man to produce all kinds of destructive behaviors that alienate us from God, others, and ourselves. Sexual sin of all kinds is a place where Satan gains tremendous access to individuals and families.

Gender Confusion  – Scripture says that God “made them male and female.”   Although our fallen nature contributes to damaged genes and chemical imbalances in our bodies, it is not God’s will that His children be confused about their sexual identity.  If gender confusion is an issue, it may have demonic components.

Anger – Emotions of rage, anger, bitterness, etc. are usually established in childhood after a wounding experience, a painful wrong, or a perceived betrayal.  These thoughts and emotions are natural reactions to those “wrongs,” but if nurtured or kept alive by subsequent wounding, they can open the door for demonic spirits to come in and fuel these destructive emotions and mindsets.  They then become strongholds and may be experienced as rage, hatred, thoughts of revenge, or bitterness.

Abandonment through death, divorce, sickness, or neglect may open the door to spirits of sorrow, fear, and distrust.

Occult Involvement – Christian and non-Christian occult groups throw the door wide open to demons as they invite their presence, pray to them, or serve them.

Curses – Demonic spirits may be commissioned to enforce curses in the lives of individuals or families that are attached to sins or word curses. If you feel trapped in patterns of abuse, destructive relationships, poverty, crisis, etc. a curse may be operating.

You Conspire Against You by persistently engaging in sinful or destructive behaviors and thought patterns, even though you want to be free from those things.  You may say and do things frequently that “aren’t you.”   You may have tried prayer, the Word, accountability, counseling, etc., without victory over the issue. The demonic is indicated when the more you resist a sinful or destructive thought or feeling, the more it presses in on you.  It feels obsessive, compulsive and addictive.

If you struggle with any of the above issues, you may have unwanted guests that have harassed and tormented you for a short time or as long as you can remember. Many demon-afflicted individuals have struggled with sinful or destructive thought patterns so long that they believe it is normal and that everyone must fight those thoughts every day.  That isn’t the case. When the demonic is involved, deliverance makes an unbelievable difference in managing temptation and condemnation. Sometimes you may not be certain whether demonic activity is involved.  I recommend treating it like a spirit and if it isn’t you haven’t lost anything. If it is, you have gained your freedom.

The first step after identifying demonic activity in your “house” is taking away the issue that has given Satan a legal right to camp in your life.  Having done that, you can command those spirits to leave by the power and authority of Jesus Christ who has delegated that power and authority to every believer. If there is sin, you need to repent.  If there is unforgiveness, you must forgive. If there are generational sins you must acknowledge those and renounce them.  If there are curses you must nullify those in the name of Jesus.

In Part 8 of Dealing with the Demonic, we will explore those steps in more detail.

As Christians, we are unique in the universe.  We live under grace while everyone and everything else exists under law.  Law operates on the basis of authority and legalities. When Jesus died on the cross he redeemed us from the dominion of darkness (Col.1:13-14) and in doing so revoked Satan’s legal right to lay claim to us or treat us as slaves. For those who enter the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus Christ, Satan’s access is limited.  Temptation and persecution from the outside seem to be permitted in the spiritual realm.  Otherwise, we would not need divine weapons (2 Cor. 10:3), the armor of God (Eph.6:10-11), or an awareness of Satan’s schemes contrived against us.  We are told, however, that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond that which we are able to bear (1 Cor.10:13). Therefore, God has set limits on the extent to which Satan can attack or harass those who belong to Jesus.   The book of Job reflects those kind of spiritual boundaries.  As Satan came before God wanting to target Job, God set definite limits on Satan’s access to Job with each round of temptations.

For unbelievers, Satan seems to have very few limitations. The evil, brokenness, and perversion that is so prevalent in our world attests to that. That condition is not necessarily confined to the 21^st Century. The man who lived among the tombs in Mark 5 who had a “legion” of demons resident within him attests to that.  The question is, “Can Christians be afflicted with demonic spirits so that deliverance is needed to set them free?” and, if so, “How does Satan gain access to them since they have been delivered from his dominion?”  Great questions!  I’m glad you asked.

Many will argue that demons cannot possess believers because we belong to Christ and his Spirit lives within us.  I fully agree because possession implies ownership and we have certainly been purchased by the blood of Christ.  I do not believe Christians can be possessed by Satan (owned), but I believe they can be harassed and afflicted by spirits who are attached or residing within the person.

Jesus speaks about an unclean spirit being cast out of a man and then returning to that “house” to find it “unoccupied, swept clean, and put in order.” The spirit returns and brings other demonic spirits with him. (Mt.12:43-45).  Think of your body as a house. Suppose you decide to rent out a room in your house to generate some extra income. A young man knocks on your door and tells you that a friend told him about your room for rent.  He tells you that he goes to school all day and studies at night, is quiet, has few friends and you will hardly know he is there. You shake hands, write out a brief lease with the monthly amount you agree on and rent out the room.

In a week or two, however, you begin to notice loud music, friends coming to his room at all hours, and horrid smells drifting through the house.  You confront your renter and tell him that he is making your life miserable and he will need to move. He laughs, says he will stay as long as he likes and shows you the lease that you signed without written stipulations regarding noise, friends, or smells.  He has not taken possession of your house.  Except for the one room, the rest of your house still belongs to you, functions well, and is neat and clean.  However, because he was given a legal right to establish a dwelling in one room of your house, he can harass you from that position and eventually make your life miserable.  You will need to find a way to void his lease and then you can have him and his friends removed.

Although Jesus has removed Satan’s legal right to access believers, in general, an individual believer can give the enemy the right to rent a room “in their house” which can lead to a great deal of torment and chaos in that believer’s life.  So, how can Satan gain legal access to set up a stronghold in a believer’s life?  It happens through the process of coming into agreement with Satan in part of your life.  As you agree with him you walk with him (Amos 3:3).  If you walk with someone long enough, it is only a matter of time until they come home with you.

1. When Christians refuse to submit an area of their life to the lordship of Jesus and persist in unrepented sin, the enemy has open access to any area that is not under the Lordship of Jesus.
2. A refusal to forgive those who have wronged us gives Satan a legal right to invade a believer’s life because our refusal to forgive keeps God’s forgiveness from covering our sins.
3. “Sins of the Father’s” can give the enemy access. Scripture declares that certain sins will be passed down to the children to the 3^rd and 4^th generations. That means that the consequences of that sin will be inherited by the children which may include demonic assignments.
4. Curses that are attached to sins or that have been spoken over an individual may have demons assigned to enforce the curse and that curse will give the enemy a legal right to invade a believer’s life.
5. Many people come to Christ demonized and, like the promised land, the enemy still must be driven out even after entering into their salvation.
6. Unbelief can also be an open door to the enemy. Unbelief in God or the Word of God is actually coming into agreement with Satan.  Paul tells us that strongholds are belief systems within us that oppose God’s truth. When we fail to believe God about who we are in Christ, who Christ is, God’s standards for living, etc. we open a door to the demonic.
7. Experience also tells us that the demonic can gain entrance to our hearts through trauma  – especially violent or sexual trauma.  The wounds seem to create an opening for the enemy’s lies and the lies create an agreement with Satan.  Sometime the bitterness and unforgiveness attached to wounds opens the door as well.

Although saved and in Christ, we know that many Christians live in bondage to addictions; are tormented by fears and deep depression; live for decades with “secret sins;” and carry deep emotional wounds for years that destroy one relationship after another.  If believers can carry that kind of bondage and darkness within of them – even though they are saved – why would we doubt that they can be afflicted by demons as well?

Tomorrow, how to rid “your house” of the demonic in Part 7.

When dealing with the demonic, attitude and perspective is important. Regardless of their origins, demons (unclean spirits) are woven into the fabric of scripture throughout both the Old and New Testaments. We should never obsess about the demonic, however, but instead learn to fix our eyes on Jesus who has all authority in heaven and on earth. If you decide to walk through the woods on a cool fall afternoon, you want to be aware of poison ivy but not focus on it to the extend that you never notice the brilliant fall colors all around you or deer drinking out of a nearby stream. We need to simply keep an eye out for it as we walk through wooded areas, recognize it, stay clear of it when possible, eradicate it if it shows up on our property, and treat it if we feel its sting.  The demonic is the same.

Peter compares Satan to a roaring lion going about looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8-9).  However, he tells us to be self-controlled and alert, not to be afraid.  He tells is to resist him and stand firm in the faith, not to run away. James tells us that when we resist the devil, he will flee from us. Our response to the demonic is faith rather than fear, wisdom rather than carelessness, and boldness rather than retreat when encounters occur.

We need to carry with us a strong sense of authority when we encounter the enemy because the one we represent is far greater that any demonic spirit. Roman consuls understood their authority.  In 168 BC, Antiochus IV, a Seleucid king, was laying siege to Egypt that, at the time, was an ally of Rome.  A Roman Consul named Gaius Popillius Laenas was sent to persuade Antiochus to withdraw from Egypt and return home.  The arrogant Antiochus responded that he would “think about it.” The Roman consul took his sword, drew a circle in the sand around the king and said, “Fine.  But before you step out of that circle, I want you to give me an answer for the Roman Senate.”   The implication was that Antiochus would face the legions of Rome if he stepped out of the circle without a decision to leave Egypt immediately. Weighing his options, Antiochus decided to withdraw. The consul understood the power that backed his authority and so he displayed boldness in the face of the enemy.

You represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose everlasting kingdom took down Rome and overcame the kingdom of darkness. Our attitude against the enemy is not arrogance but confidence – confidence not in ourselves but in the one who gave us our commission to set captives free. Remember that a commission is a co-mission.  Jesus is there working with us when we face the enemy.

Having said that, demons are spiritual entities that roam the earth with a mission to harass, torment, derail people and oppose the will of God on the earth.  Jesus compared Satan to a thief who only comes to kill, steal and destroy (Jn.10:10).  Just as our mission is to impart life and peace because that is what our Lord does, demons come to kill, steal and destroy because that is what their lord does.

In scripture, we see a number of manifestations of these demonic missions. In the Old Testament we clearly see them promoting false worship in the form of idolatry.  That worship included sacrificing children on altars and in fire and all kinds of sexual perversions meant to arouse “the gods” in fertility rites. We also see warfare in spiritual realms as demonic princes fought to prevent angels from completing their tasks on behalf of God’s people. Demons are also evident in the dark arts of Pharaoh’s magicians, in Pharaoh’s edict to kill all Hebrew boys to prevent a “deliverer” from being provided by God to free his people, and in the unrelenting hatred held by surrounding tribes toward the Hebrews.

In the New Testament, demons tormented individuals such as the Garazene demoniac who lived among the tombs (Mk.5) and the boy who often fell into water and fire in seizure-like episodes (Mk.9).  They afflicted many individuals with physical conditions such as back pain, deaf and dumbness, blindness, etc.  They also continued the demonic tradition of “temptation” as they would draw people into sin and the consequences of that sin. We are told that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her. There is a strong tradition that she was a prostitute before coming to Jesus and being set free. The demonic clearly had a hand in her brokenness.

I believe that every sin or tormenting condition listed in the bible has a corresponding spirit whose assignment is to produce that condition or sin in the individual, family, organization, or nation to whom it is assigned. I also believe there are spirits not named in scripture that also harass the human race. Demonic spirits rarely produce an “exorcist moment” though I have seen some extreme manifestations.  Typically, they torment and harass by mimicking physical and psychological conditions that are experienced in the natural realm.  By doing so they remain undetected for years and, perhaps, generations. Their first goal is to keep people from accepting Jesus as Lord so that these individuals continue to be trapped in the kingdom of darkness. Failing that, the next goal is to cause fresh faith to wither and fail by orchestrating trials in a believer’s life.  Later these spirits will attempt to choke out the seed of God planted in believers by creating cares and worries in their lives or even by directing riches and pleasure their way (see Lk.8).

My experience and the experience of those who minister with me is that demonic oppression is far more prevalent than we think – even among believers. In a rational/technical culture demonic activity isn’t even on the radar screen and within the church generations have passed with no teaching or training in spiritual warfare.  We believe we are seeing the accumulation of demonic activity that has gone unchallenged for decades or centuries. In Part 6 of this series we will discuss how demons gain access to individuals, including believers, and how authority plays a significant role in that process.

The demonic is a spiritual reality that the church is commanded to deal with through the authority of Jesus Christ.  By the church, I mean every believer.  Christ, through his death and resurrection, has disarmed the enemy but we are still left to enforce the victory.  My father served in the Pacific during World War II.  He fought in the Philippines and New Guinea. Long after the Japanese signed the papers of surrender, Japanese forces on islands throughout the Pacific continued to fight.  Some fought because they were not aware of their nation’s surrender.  Others fought because they wouldn’t accept the surrender. The victory was won, but still had to be enforced.

When Jehovah brought Israel to the brink of entering Canaan, God told Joshua to get the people ready to cross the Jordan into the land he was about to give them.  He promised that he would give them every place where they set their feet and that no would be able to stand against them as long as they were faithful to God. But…Israel would have to arm themselves, cross the river and engage the enemy in battle.  In heaven the victory was already won, God had already given the land to Israel, and he promised that by the power of God, they would overcome all opposition to their taking possession of the land.  But, there were enemy forces in the land and God expected his people to partner with him in driving out the enemy.

The question could be asked, “Why didn’t God just drive out the hostile tribes with plagues or angelic armies before Israel arrived? Why fight battles that have already been won?  Experiencing the power of God to deliver is a much greater lesson than simply hearing about the power of God to deliver.  It is in the battle that you grow strong and in the victories that your faith increases.  That is true in dealing with the demonic as well.  The victory is settled. The power of God goes before us. But we are called to enter into the battle with full assurance of victory.  To experience the authority of Jesus Christ and the transformation of lives as you command demons makes the reality of the spiritual realm and the power of Jesus Christ undeniable. Every promise of Christ is established that much more firmly in your heart because you have experienced what once you only read about.

Let me list some promises and precedents to underline the victory that believers are called to enforce on the earth today:

Jesus was commissioned by the Father to not only preach the good news but to set captives free.

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release for the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed. (Lk. 4:18)

 Jesus has authority over the demonic:

 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick.  (Mt.8:16)

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.  (Mt.28:18)

The Kingdom on earth is manifested by authority over the demonic.

 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. (Mt.12:28)

The Apostles were given authority over the demonic.

 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: … As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.  (Mt. 10:5-8)

Seventy ordinary believers were given authority over the demonic.

 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”  He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.  See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Lk. 10:17-20)

All believers are given authority over the demonic.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; (Mk.16:17)

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (Jn.14:12)

We have received the same commission that Jesus was given to preach the gospel and set captives free.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (Jn.20:21)

Having firmed up the promises and precedents for believers having authority, our next Blog will begin to discuss the work of demons and how the believer exercises the authority that has been given to all who follow Jesus.

We’ve been looking at theories regarding the origin of demons.  These are each theories or speculations because scripture does not specifically speak to the issue.   Each view has strengths and weaknesses and you will need to decide which seems most plausible if you need to adopt one.  The good news is that we have what we need in Christ to deal with the demonic without knowing their origins, but because so many believers ask the question, we’ll continue.

The Nephilim Theory

In Genesis 6 and Numbers 13 there are small sections of scripture that grab your attention because they are so unusual while at the same time causing you to wonder what those verses are all about.

After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. (Gen.5:32-6:4).

They gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. “There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (Num.13:32-33).

This theory suggests that the “sons of God” who were attracted to the daughters of men were angels.  That phrase seems to apply to angels in Job 1:6 when the “son’s of God” came to present themselves before God and Satan also came with them.  Some translations use the word “angels” in place of “sons of God.”

This view of demons states that angels (not necessarily those cast down with Satan) were so taken by the daughters of men that they essentially abandoned their nature as angels and married them.  The children from those unions were extraordinary, large, and powerful. They were the Nephilim and their descendants were seen as giants by the Israeli spies who went into Canaan in the Numbers passage. Remember Goliath was seen as a “giant” and he was approximately nine feet tall so you don’t have to think of “Jack and the Bean Stalk giants” here.

The theory states that these half-human, half-angelic beings were destroyed in the flood but their spirits remained on the earth and are the demons that now serve Satan and attempt to enter human bodies to satisfy their desires – especially sexual desire since that was what tempted them to abandon their angelic nature in the first place. Certainly, Satan was a tempter of angels as well as men or a third of the angelic population would not have joined him in the rebellion spoken of in Revelation 12.

Another interesting twist of this theory is that the Nephilim were said to be on the earth “in those days and also afterward.”  That phrase suggests that they were on the earth before the flood and after the flood so that their descendants were living in Canaan at the time of the Exodus – descendants of Anak.  Of course, you see the problem immediately.  How could these Nephilim have descendants after the flood if all flesh, other than Noah and his family, was destroyed by the flood?  This view responds that their spirits remained on the earth after the flood and are the demonic spirits spoken of in scripture.

The objections to this view revolve mostly around the notion of angels producing offspring with humans.   In response to a question about a man being married multiple times and which previous wife would be his at the resurrection, Jesus responded, “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven” (Mt. 12;25). Many scholars take the view that this passage indicates that angels are not sexual since we have no scriptural record of them reproducing nor marrying.  If angels are not sexual then how could they reproduce with women?  However, in Luke 20:36 which is a parallel passage to this, Jesus seems to say that in the resurrection, the righteous do not marry but are like the angels in that they are not subject to death.

The objection still stands, however, that we have no clear passages suggesting that angels are sexual nor do we have any passages suggesting that angels can give up their “angelness” (for lack of a better term) to become human or superhuman.  Many scholars are convinced that the “son’s of God marrying the daughters of men” refers to those who worshipped Jehovah marrying those who were not worshippers.  That would be consistent with the drumbeat of Judaism forbidding marriage outside the faith and taking foreign wives. Adam himself was referred to as a “son of God” in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus and he was not an angel. Lastly, if the Nephilim where on the earth after the flood simply as spirits, how did they reproduce so that their descendants were in Canaan?  I think these are significant objections to this view, although this may be the most interesting theory.

There is one final view of demons that I will mention. Some believe that there was a world created by God before Adam that was thrown into darkness and chaos when Satan was cast down from heaven.  That explains why the world outside the Garden needed to be subdued.  This view suggests that the Genesis account of creation was actually a re-creation.  Demons, according to this view are the wicked spirits of this pre-Adamic race. Again, we have to speculate a great deal about the origin of demons.

So, choose one of these or construct your own view of the origin of demons.  As I said in the beginning, none are completely satisfying and the speculation sometimes raises more questions than it answers.  Tomorrow, we will move into more practical and constructive areas when it comes to dealing with the demonic.

Since demons are recognized as a spiritual reality throughout biblical history and since followers of Christ are commanded to deliver men from these spirits as an expression of the advancing kingdom of God, most of us want to know the nature and origin of these spirits.  There are several theories about their origins – none of which are completely satisfying.  But, because “inquiring minds want to know,” I will mention the most prevalent theories and point out a few strengths and weaknesses in each.

Fallen Angel Theory

Probably the most prevalent theory is that demons are the fallen angels who were cast out of heaven with Satan.  In Revelation 12 we are told that there was war in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon (Satan) and his angels. Satan and the angels that had allied with him were cast down to the earth never to have a place in heaven again. Many believe the reference to the dragon sweeping a third of the stars of heaven out of the sky (Rev. 12:4) reveals that a third of the angels in heaven joined Satan in his rebellion and were cast to the earth. Many believe that demons are those angels who were cast out of heaven and who do the bidding of Satan on earth.

There are several problems with this view.  Scripture tells us that the angels who were cast down are not roaming the earth tormenting men but are locked in dungeons until the final judgment.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment… (2 Pet.2:4)

And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day. (Jude 6)

In addition, angels have the power to manifest in physical bodies so what need would they have to enter into human bodies? Of course, you could argue that the angels who were cast out may have lost their ability to manifest as a physical presence but there is no direct reference to any angel wanting or needing to enter a physical body and the clear scriptures that state these angels are bound in dungeons until judgment seems to seal the argument.

Spirits of Wicked Men Theory

A second prevalent theory is that demons are the spirits of wicked men still wandering the earth who not only serve Satan but who continue to have appetites for sin that cannot be satisfied except through a physical body – especially sexual sin.

The argument comes mostly from the etymology of the word demon. The ancient Greeks had a word daimon which referred to the departed spirit or soul of a man or woman who had died. Sometimes these spirits were considered to be lesser deities who, after death, knew all things and who influenced men for good or evil.  In its early usage it was applied to all souls but later seemed to be primarily applied to the departed spirits of wicked men.  In the New Testament the word (daimon transliterated demon) was used of unclean spirits. Because of the Greek usage of the word many believe that demons, then are the departed spirits of wicked men roaming the earth, satisfying their sinful lusts through the flesh of others, and serving Satan.

The greatest challenge to this view is that the New Testament seems to be clear that when men die they no longer roam the earth but go to a waiting place of peace or suffering depending on their final destination. Judgment day is not a day of determining guilt or innocence but simply the day of sentencing for the lost or receiving reward for those who are in Christ.

In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus.  At the death of both, they were transported to places of comfort for Lazarus and of torment for the rich man.   There seemed to be no alternative location for mankind in general – the righteous awaited the Day of Judgment in peace and comfort while the wicked were remanded to torment while they awaited their final sentencing.

Peter refers to souls who did not believe being imprisoned. “He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built” (1 Pet. 3:18-20).  The wicked of Noah’s day, then, were forcibly confined in a specific place rather than wandering the earth.

For the righteous in Christ, Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with Jesus in Paradise on the day of his death and Paul declares that to be absent from the body is to be with Jesus (2 Cor.5:8).  So, it is clear that the spirits of righteous men do not wander the earth and the biblical evidence we have regarding the wicked is that they do not wander the earth either.

There is a third very interesting theory that demons are the spirits of the Nephilim of Genesis 6:1-4.  It is fairly involved so I will present that theory tomorrow. But just to keep a biblical perspective remember….

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Lk.10:17-20)

I would much rather talk about the power and glory of Jesus and the advancing kingdom of God than the kingdom of darkness, but demons are still a spiritual reality that must be dealt with.  I have decided to do a series on the demonic because each of us will face them in our lives and I believe there is a great deal of demonic activity in America and the world today.  The only question is whether we will recognize what we are looking at and will we know what to do if we recognize that demonic spirits are in the mix.

A study of demons is both intriguing and frustrating.  They are simply a given in scripture with little or no explanation of their origins.  They are referenced in both the Old and New Testaments.  The first reference to demons is found in Deuteronomy.

Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior. They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. (Dt.32:15-17). [Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel who had begun to sacrifice to idols behind which were demonic spirits].

The Psalmist also declared, “But they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols,which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.”  (Ps.106:35-38).

In both references demonic spirits are attached to idol worship.  If we understand prophetic sections of the Old Testament correctly, Satan became proud and jealous and determined that he should be on the throne of heaven rather than Jehovah. It makes sense, then, that demons pose as gods and solicit worship.  Not only would their assignment include drawing people and nations away from the one true God, but surely they would also share the character of the one they serve and desire to be worshipped as he does.

The Old Testament refers to a number of spirits that are also demonic in nature – a lying spirit (2 Chr.18:22), a spirit of jealousy (Num.5:14 ESV), a haughty spirit (Prov.16:18-19), a spirit of heaviness or despair (Isa.61:3), a spirit of prostitution or spiritual adultery (Hos.4:12), and a spirit of perverseness (Isa. 19:14).

In Daniel 10, the curtain is drawn back on the spiritual realm and we see the angel sent in response to Daniel’s prayer engaged in cosmic warfare with the Prince of Persia who is resisting the plans of God.  This demonic spirit is so formidable that Michael, the arc angel, is released into the battle so that the first angel can deliver his message to Daniel. Later in the chapter the Prince of Greece is referenced which seems to be a demonic spirit as well.

So, throughout the Old Testament we see the move of demonic spirits who are opposing the people of God and pushing back against God’s will being done on the earth.  Some seem to be posing spirits who are not of great consequence while others seem to have power and authority in the kingdom of darkness. All of this lines up with Paul’s declaration in Ephesians 6 that the real battle is being waged in spiritual realms.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph.6:12)

Old Testament references to demons are somewhat scattered and vague but in the New Testament, the people of Israel seem to be quite familiar with the demonic.  Jesus, the twelve, the seventy-two and the church engaged in deliverance on a regular (almost daily) basis.  The pattern given to the followers of Jesus to announce the kingdom of heaven was to preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse lepers and raise the dead. Many times, those who came to Jesus seemed quite clear about whether a person had a physiological condition or a demon.  Demons manifested in torment, physical conditions that looked like an illness, demonic doctrines taught by men without conscience (1 Tim.4:1-2), and, of course, all kinds of temptation to draw men away from the Father.

In general then, we see that demonic spirits are present throughout scripture.  They are indicated before the flood since every imagination of man was evil all the time (Gen.6:5), as Moses faced the occult practices of Pharaoh’s magicians (Ex. 7:11), during the time of the Law and the Exile and most certainly in the New Testament. We will talk more about how these spirits manifest in men later, but tomorrow we will examine a few of the theories about the origin of these spiritual beings.

As I close the beginning of this study, I want to emphasize that however we understand the demonic, the bottom lines is always, “He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world” (1 Jn.4:4).  Believers who understand who they are in Christ should not fear the demonic; rather the demonic should fear those believers.