This week’s blog may seem a little “out there,” if you have not been involved in spiritual warfare or have not been actively engaged in the fight for very long.  For those of us who have been involved in deliverance and house cleansings and have studied the spiritual realm for years, this seems matter-of-fact.

The spiritual realm is very real. The Word of God confirms that reality.  The Apostle Paul declared, “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.6:11-12).

Notice several things from this passage.  We (all believers) struggle against the powers of this dark world (witches, warlocks, satanists, etc.) and spiritual forces of evil. The word translated “struggle” means close, hand to hand combat. We will have, close personal encounters with demonic forces who intend to kill, steal, and destroy.  We encounter these forces as a result of Satan’s schemes against us.  The word translated “scheme” denotes a well-studied and implemented plan of attack.  Satan develops and releases a logical and studied strategy to destroy us. 

The most successful demonic strategies against us are subtle.  There is no horned entity breathing fire with saber-like teeth and dragon wings trying to break down the door. These strategies come in the form of temptations that wear us down day after day and draw us away from God’s will a little at a time…a little drink with friends that over time becomes several drinks and eventually dependence on alcohol.  A gradual flirtation in the work place that eventually erodes boundaries.  You begin to imagine an intimate moment with the other party but dismiss it, knowing that would be not only wrong but catastrophic. But the month both of you are having trouble at home, you take the next step and Satan pulls the trigger. Satan is patient.  If the process takes a year or two, he doesn’t mind.

The strategy designed to take you out is so gradual you would never think of it as a demonic plot against you.  These attacks also come in the form of slight depression, a little anxiety, a little resentment, a steady whisper that you are always being victimized, an occasional glance at porn, not feeling your best, but over time…it becomes more than a little depression, fear, resentment, anger and pornography. You assume these issues are part of life, having a bad day, living in a fallen world, etc.  And that is true, but many times there is also a demonic component to your struggles.

You may seek prayer, counseling, accountability partners, support groups and medications, but, if the root is spiritual attack, these will not solve the problem.  You may be able to “manage” your issue most of the time, but the enemy will work tirelessly to undermine your “managing.”

I want to talk about a specific strategy the enemy uses against many believers. It’s invisible.  It’s silent.  It happens at night. I have heard this strategy revealed by several former witches and Satanists who used to carry out assignments against believers.  I have had personal conversations with those who were once steeped in occultism but became followers of Jesus. Nearly all of them came to Jesus because they found their occult powers could not match the powers of Jesus or they had a “love encounter” with the Christ that filled the emptiness they were trying to remedy through witchcraft.  After their encounter with Jesus, they were quite willing to talk about the strategies Satan uses against God’s people.

Witches and Satanists partner with demons to do the bidding of Satan.  Active witches’ covens and satanic groups are extremely prevalent in our nation right now.  One of their tools is astral projection by which their spirit leaves their body and travels about. Frequently, they enter the homes of believers to carry out assignments against them.  The prime time for these visits is between midnight and three in the morning…the time when the barrier between the natural realm and spiritual realm seems to be the thinnest. Clearly, not every believer is going to be visited, but leaders in churches would be the most likely targets or other believers at vulnerable times in their lives.  This strategy may be detected when believers are experiencing emotional, relational, or health issues that don’t seem to make sense and cannot be adequately explained.

Sometimes they simply observe, moving through the house seeing what is there and what might give Satan a legal right to afflict these people.  They sometimes function as monitoring spirits simply doing reconnaissance to help develop schemes against you. Sometimes, they stand over your bed and whisper things into your mind or dreams that create fear, doubt, sadness, depression, resentments, distrust, etc.  You wake up feeling off, down, anxious, etc. without knowing why.  They may reinforce temptations to drawn you away from Jesus.  They may instigate nightmares or distrust between spouses because you are asleep and, like hypnotic suggestions, your critical thinking defenses are not operating. They may instigate health issues that are not easily diagnosed or treated. They may assign demons to continue the strategies they helped develop including spirits of infirmity (sickness) and fatigue.

One former witch said she carried out these night time visitations for over a decade.  Now, as a believer she pleads with Christians to be aware of these schemes and to take steps to prevent these witches, warlocks, and demonic spirits from entering their homes. As we live in these end times, demonic activity against Gods’ people is ramping up. I want to give you a plan to resist these schemes. The former witch said when she came to believers’ homes that did not do these things, she was able to move through the house freely.  When she was assigned to homes where these strategies were practiced, she could gain no entrance.  Sometimes the house seemed to be ringed by fire and, at other times, angels were standing guard.

1. Never go to bed before asking the Lord to protect you and your family from the evil one. Ask him to set sentries (angels) around your home and establish a hedge of protection.

• Each night, verbally dedicate and submit your home and your family to the Lordship of Jesus. 

• Declare protective scriptures over your house nightly…Psalm 91, Isaiah 54:17, etc.

• Perform regular house cleansings, commanding spirits to leave your house and property in the name of Jesus and anointing each door and window with oil (olive oil).

• Remove any objects in your house that do not line up with the holiness of God… occult objects, occult keepsakes, music that does not honor God, videos that do not honor God, etc.  This may include freemasonry tokens, dream catchers, astrology charts, even cultural artifacts that were used in the worship of false gods or that were dedicated to those gods.

• Avoid television, video games, and streaming that is violent, pornographic, or occult.

• Play praise music or the audio Bible softly at night somewhere in the house.

• Keep your relationship with God fresh, your forgiveness up to date, and your confession and repentance current.  These things take away the enemy’s legal right to afflict you.

I want to encourage you to be more thoughtful and intentional about the enemy’s schemes against you.

Don’t be fearful but wise.  Be proactive in your spiritual warfare and know it is a very real thing. 

In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the writers recorded the account of Jesus being transformed or transfigured in the presence of his inner circle – Peter, James and John.   The uncertain location is typically referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration.  Anything reported in three of the four gospels is significant, so we should pay special attention.

Mark says, “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, they were so frightened. Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him” (Mark 9:2-7)!

This was a supernatural moment for the disciples. Apparently, they had no warning of what they were about to witness.  Probably, a little joke orchestrated by Jesus.  Suddenly, his clothes began to almost glow they were so white and then Moses and Elijah appeared with him.  The other gospels tell us that the face of Jesus was also bright as the sun and that Moses and Elijah appeared in glorious splendor. There were times when God spoke to Jesus but those around him just heard thunder.  But this time, these three disciples could clearly see the two epic figures from Israel’s past.  Either Jesus introduced them or they were wearing name tags (church event) or they simply knew in their spirit who these men were.  These two were probably the most revered men in the Jewish pantheon of heroes.  Moses embodied the Law.  Elijah embodied the prophets. 

Peter, of course, was the first to blurt out something.  We are told that he didn’t know what to say because he and the other disciples were so frightened.  He didn’t know what to say, but he said something anyway.  Can you relate? “Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  Undoubtedly, the disciples were starstruck, but Peter’s notion reveals he was giving each of them equal billing.

Then a cloud appeared, reminiscent of Mt. Sinai as Moses received the Law, and God spoke once again. Yahweh declared, “This is my Son, whom I love.  Listen to Him.”  As soon as God had spoken, Moses and Elijah were nowhere to be seen.  Then, Jesus instructed his three followers to tell no one what they had seen until after his resurrection.

The lesson for the Jewish followers was that, as great as Moses and Elijah were, and as much the Law and the Prophets were foundational to their faith, Jesus was greater and has the last word. We are to listen to Him.  That doesn’t mean that we should not study the Law and the prophets, but the Words of Jesus supersede all other men and all other things. Bill Johnson likes to say that Jesus is perfect theology.  Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”  So, all other scripture must be interpreted through Jesus…either his words or his actions.  However we understand the Father or the Bible, it must line up with what Jesus said and did, his words and his character.

That is a good word for today.  No matter who is espousing their theology, their politics, their cultural values, their “scientific” theories…these must all be weighed against Jesus and it is Him we must listen too. If they don’t line up with Jesus, we must discard them, even if those views resonate with our flesh.

When we begin to put our faith in men, no matter who they are, we need to remember the Transfiguration.  As great as Moses and Elijah were, they were men subject to error, frailty, and failures.   We can still honor men, but Jesus must always be our North Star and the decoder of scripture.  Remember, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law immersed themselves in scripture. They memorized it, taught it, debated over it, and held it in the highest regard.  But they missed it. They missed nearly everything God had wanted them to get.  They missed Jesus, mercy and justice, In much of his teaching, Jesus had to correct their understanding – You have heard that it was said…but I say unto you.

We live in a world saturated with talk shows, news anchors, podcasts, preachers, prophets, and pundits.  It is easy to latch on to one or two of them and grant them the authority of truth in our lives. We may quote them more than Jesus and be led by their influence more than the Word.  They may have good things to say, but Jesus is God’s beloved and we must hear him first.  Be careful that you don’t start giving more influence to men than Messiah.  The last days will be marked with demonic deception where men, fueled by the enemy, will offer signs and wonders.  The truth of Jesus Christ will have to be our plumb line to test what these men and women teach and what the fruit of their ministry is.  Always remember, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”