He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa.53:3-5).

The text above is one of the most important scriptures in the Bible related to our healing and forgiveness. It is one of the most familiar Messianic prophecies in scripture that prophesies what Christ would accomplish for us at the cross. Notice that Isaiah points to the Messiah as a solution for two categories of issues in our lives. The prophet says that Messiah will take up our infirmities and sorrows (NIV) and our transgressions and iniquities. We understand transgressions and iniquities. These speak of sin and violations of the Law. But what about infirmities and sorrows? That category is a little vague.

Unfortunately, it has been poorly translated in most modern versions. The poor translation is most likely due to a theological mindset that healing is not for today. There are two important Hebrew words in this passage that we must take note of. The first is choli which means “sickness” and the other is makob which means “pains.” In most modern translations they are translated as grief or infirmities and sorrows.

Let me quote from F.F. Bosworth regarding this passage. “All who have taken the time to examine the original text have found what is universally acknowledged everywhere. These two words mean, respectively, “sicknesses” and “pains” everywhere else throughout the Old Testament. The word choli is interpreted “disease” and “sickness” in Dt. 7:15, 28:61; 1 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 1:2, 8:8; 2 Chr. 16:12, 21:15; and other texts. The word makob is rendered “pain” in Job 14:22, 33:19, etc. Therefore, the prophet is saying, in this fourth verse, ‘Surely, he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.’… Isaiah 53:4 cannot refer to disease of the soul, and neither of the words translated “sickness” and “pain” have any reference to spiritual matters but to bodily sickness alone. This is proven by Matthew 8:16-17: ‘…and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses’” (F.F. Bosworth, Christ the Healer, p.34-35).

The point is that Matthew quoted Isaiah 53:4 and clearly applied it to Christ as he was healing sickness and disabilities or physical infirmities.  So…when we are told that by his wounds we are healed, he means “healed from sickness and physical disabilities.” We tend to doubt these promises because as westerners affected by Greek thought, we somehow believe that God is only interested in our spirits and not our bodies. Yet, in every covenant, God provided for both. Forgiveness is for our spirits and souls. Healing is for our bodies. God is concerned with all three.

Isaiah is echoing what David wrote in Psalm 103 – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Sin separates us from God. Separation from God because of sin opens us up to the curse of the Law, which includes disease. Leaf through the curses and blessings of Deuteronomy 28 and you will have a feel for the curse of the Law. Under law, sin still stands against us and gives the enemy a legal right to afflict us. When sin is taken away, the curse of the Law loses it power. Health and healing are then within reach. Healing can be received by those with faith and also administered by those with faith.

Remember the paralytic man in Matthew 9. Jesus declared, “Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees, of course, began to whisper that no man had the right to forgive sins. Jesus then said, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home” (Mt.9:5-7). Jesus demonstrated that the forgiveness of sin makes healing available to us. At the cross, Jesus not only bore our sins but also our sicknesses. Through the cross, God intends to heal the whole man – body, soul, and spirit.

Those in Christ walk in forgiveness and have been freed from the curse of the Law. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal.3:13). Therefore, healing is our inheritance in Christ. Like many blessings in Christ, the blessing is available to each of us but must be received by faith. As we reflect again on the Lord’s Supper, the blood represented by the cup symbolizes the forgiveness of our sins. The bread, which represents the broken body of Christ (his wounds), symbolizes the healing that is available to us as well. Both forgiveness and healing come by faith. Both are readily available to the children of God. We are quick to receive forgiveness, but most believers still doubt God’s healing for them – at least in their hearts. Most of us fall in the category of knowing that he can but not being certain that he will. On many days I tend to slip into that category as well. That uncertainty keeps healing from many of us who need it.

So then…how do we move from doubt to faith in the area of healing? We will discuss that in my next blog, Both Forgiveness and Healing – Part 4.

We are currently discussing the promise of healing in the New Covenant. If, in fact, healing is promised in the covenant we have through Christ and he purchased healing for us as well as the forgiveness of our sins through his suffering, then healing and divine health are available and desirable for every believer. It is part of our inheritance in Christ so that we should believe as easily for healing as we do for forgiveness.

To underline this covenant aspect of healing, we need to look a little further into the past to see if health and healing were typically part of God’s covenants before the cross. When we look at the beginning of all things, health was obviously God’s will in the Garden of Eden. No one would suggest that illness or infirmity existed in the Garden. As long as Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Life, they would live and apparently not be subject to disease or infirmity of any kind. I would say that disease did not exist in the Garden environment any more than it exists in heaven so that, in many ways, it was never to be part of the equation of life.

Many believers today hold the position that God is not willing to heal everyone because sickness or infirmity often draws people closer to God. They hold a theology that asserts that suffering often purifies us and makes us more spiritual. They say that when people suffer and maintain their faith, God is glorified. Since suffering draws us closer to God and often glorifies him, it is, therefore, God’s will for some believers to be sick or blind or paralyzed.   They would suggest that God sends disease and infirmity to make us better Christians. In that case, why did God not create Adam and Eve with some disabilities or cause them to suffer from some exotic disease in the Garden to mature them spiritually?Why do we never see Jesus laying hands on some person in order to impart disease so that the man or woman could draw closer to God or become more spiritually mature?

I am not saying that God can’t use suffering to mature us, but that is a different thing from wanting us to be sick or willing us to be sick. We must also acknowledge that sickness has often been part of some judgment that has come on God’s people when they have forsaken him. However, it was never what God wanted for his people and repentance brought healing or the cessation of some plague. God never sent disease, tragedy, or war on his people when they were serving him in order to upgrade their spirituality. In the Garden, health was his desire for his people.

Now, let’s go to the other end of the timeline. In John’s vision of the end, he sees a river of water flowing out to the nations from the throne of God. He says, “On each side of the river stood the Tree of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse” (Rev.22:2-3). In the beginning, God provided a Tree of Life to keep his people walking in divine health and at the end of time he does the same. My point is that God’s perfect will for his people is health. How many of us would believe that heaven is full of disease and paralyzed people? The very idea seems like a contradiction. Why? Because we know that disease and infirmity is not a blessing and that God does not want illness, birth defects, or disabilities for his children. Can he use it? Yes. Does he want it? No. Not only that, but we are to pray for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Since there is no illness in heaven, we are to pray against illness here.

When we look at the patriarchs, we see them sick and infirm at the end of their days, when they are greatly advanced in age, but never get a sense of them struggling with illness or infirmity before their appointed days had been fulfilled. Part of God’s blessing was health along with a fullness of days.

The fact that God’s blessings do not include illness or infirmity is very apparent in the covenant he made with Israel. To Moses, the Lord declared, “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span” (Ex.23”25-26).

A consistent expression of God’s love for his people has always been health. In another place he says, “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. The Lord will keep you free from every disease” (Dt.7:12-15).      In fact, God reveals that it is his very nature to heal those he loves. He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you” (Ex.15:26).

God’s blessings always include health. The curse of sin is alienation from God, eternal suffering, and disease and infirmity if anyone is not delivered from the curse by the blood of Jesus. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they became subject to death and those things that produce death. They were removed from the Garden of Eden so that they could no longer eat of the Tree of Life and walk in perpetual health. Sin changed all of that. As sin impacted the soul, illness impacted the body. Disease is a manifestation of sin in the human race.

Sin and a fallen nature became a gateway to disease and infirmity. It became the natural state of man….unless man entered into a covenant with God in which he promised to take away sickness and infirmity as part of his covenant blessings for his people. Under the Old Covenant, the presence of plague or disease that was not was not being healed, were both signs of rebellion and disobedience and a call to repentance. When repentance came from the heart, however, both forgiveness and healing followed. If that was true under the Old Covenant, how much more should it be true under a better covenant? If that was true under a covenant where the blood of bulls and goats opened the door to healing, how much wider should the door be under the blood of the Lamb?

More in my next blog about the healing found in the New Covenant.

One of the spiritual gifts I pray for often, or at least for an increase in the gift, is the gift of healing and the associated gift of miracles. There is much I don’t understand about healing but I am learning more and know that there will always be some mystery attached to the supernatural. If we are going to operate in the supernatural, we will have to be at peace with not knowing or understanding everything. I also know this: to move ahead in spiritual things we need to stand on what we do know rather than teetering on what we don’t know.

There is an older book by F.F. Bosworth entitled Christ the Healer that I would recommend to anyone who wants to increase their faith in God’s healing for today. I like Bosworth’s approach to the subject because he doesn’t appeal to experience for faith in healing but appeals to the Word of God. His position is that healing has always been a benefit of any covenant God has established with his people and once we are convinced of that by scripture, we will have faith for healing since faith comes by hearing the word.

Let me quote a few lines from Bosworth in regard to this position. I think it is compelling and helpful.

Is it still the will of God, as in the past, to heal all who have need of healing and to fulfill their number of days? The greatest barrier to the faith of many seeking bodily healing in our day is the uncertainty in their minds as to it being the will of God to heal all. Nearly everyone knows that God does heal some, but there is much in modern theology that keeps people from knowing what the Bible clearly teaches – that healing is provided for all. It is impossible to boldly claim, by faith, a blessing that we are not sure God offers.

The power of God can be claimed only when the will of God is known….Faith begins where the will of God is known. If it is God’s will to heal only some of those who need healing, then none have any basis for faith unless they have some special revelation that they are among the favored ones. Faith must rest on the will of God alone, not on our desires or wishes. Appropriating faith is not believing that God can, but that God will. Because of not knowing it to be a redemptive privilege for all, most of those in our day, when seeking healing, add to their petition the phrase, “If it be thy will.” (p.49-40).

Once we accept the position that we cannot have faith for what God does not promise all of his people, we are then compelled to dig through the Word to see if those promises are truly there for all of God’s people and, especially, for us. So, I want to begin that search in this blog and then continue it for another blog or two so that you may have a stronger foundation on which to stand if you are trying to believe God for healing.

Let me raise this question: What if healing is as much a promise of the gospel as the forgiveness of sins? When Jesus established “the Lord’s supper,” he offered two parts. One is found in the cup, which represents his blood. The blood of Christ brings forgiveness. The writer of Hebrews makes this point when he says, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb.9:22). At the first Passover, it was the blood of the lamb that was placed on the doors that released them from the judgment of God. So…the cup in communion represents his shed blood and that is what brings forgiveness of sins. So what is the bread for? What does the body of Christ, broken for us, bring to the table if the forgiveness of sins is already provided by the blood? Peter says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet. 2:24 ). Jesus incurred wounds in his body that was broken for us. Why? So that we may be healed as well as forgiven.

Many will argue that the healing Peter speaks of is spiritual healing, not physical healing. Then why did Jesus heal everyone who came to him instead of simply taking away their emotional pain? Undoubtedly, one of his major goals is to take away emotional pain from his people since both Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 tell us that he came to heal the broken-hearted. But, he also came to heal bodies in bondage to disease and infirmity. In Luke 13, a woman came to Jesus who had been crippled with a bad back for nearly twenty years. Jesus healed her on the Sabbath and as the Pharisees objected he said, “Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” (Lk.13:16). Jesus spoke of physical infirmity as bondage and set her free. In Isaiah 61 and Luke 4, we are told that Messiah Jesus would not only came to heal broken hearts but also to set captives free.

In Psalm 103, David speaks of the benefits God provides for his people. He says, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” (Ps.103:2-4). Now, as Christians who live under an even better Covenant than David, we easily and quickly claim that God’s forgiveness is for all, along with his love and compassion and his involvement in our lives to pull us out of any pit. So…why do we exclude from that promise that God also heals all our diseases? Didn’t Jesus do both over and over again in his ministry as he preached the Kingdom of God and then demonstrated it?

In scripture, healing is a physical manifestation of forgiveness since sickness is part of the curse of the Law for those who are unforgiven. In Exodus 23, God tells Israel that when they serve him faithfully, “I will take sickness away from your midst and the number of your days will be fulfilled” (Ex. 23:25-26). A few chapters earlier, God had already revealed himself as Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals you. (Ex.15:26). If it is the name of God to heal, then it is the nature of God to heal. Jesus came as the exact representation of the Father and demonstrated his will to both forgive and heal over and over. So…why would God withdraw that covenant benefit from those who love him today and live under a better covenant – a covenant through which he gave gifts of healing to his church?

We will pick up on that thought in Part 2 in my next blog.

In the thirty-plus years I have served as a pastor, I have heard many, many believers express doubt over God’s real love or concern for them and sometimes their anger at God when they believed he had let them down. Most of that doubt came from feelings of abandonment over prayers they perceived as unanswered and, perhaps, unheard. Maybe it was the divorce of parents when he or she was a child or the death of a loved one after praying for healing. Perhaps, it was the unfulfilled dream of a marriage and children that an individual had prayed for but which had not materialized. For others it was a tragedy that, in their mind, God should have prevented but didn’t. In each case, a prayer or a season of prayer went unanswered in regard to something that they assumed God controlled or which they assumed was the single key in life to their happiness.

There is no doubt that at some point we will all have to wrestle with the experience of a significant prayer that has seemingly gone unanswered. How we respond to that moment is significant and often sets a course for our spiritual life. It is our fallen nature or our un-renewed mind that assumes God does not truly care about us when a dream of ours does not come to pass in the time frame or in the form we have set in our own hearts.

The first sin was predicated on the suggestion that God did not fully care for Adam and Eve and that he was selfishly withholding the best from them. Satan’s opening gambit with Eve was a suggestion that God was not really as generous as he pretended to be. Remember the question? “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Gen.3:1).   Satan said that with a tone suggesting that he knew God and it would not surprise him to find God keeping the best things from others. Notice that the question implies that God was stingy by nature and unwilling for Adam and Eve to have many good things in the Garden that would contribute to their well-being and happiness. Eve correctly replied that they could eat of any tree except one – the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil – but if they ate of that one tree, they would die.

Satan then called God a liar when he declared that Adam and Eve would not actually die if they ate of that tree but would become as wise as God. He suggested that the greatest blessing in the Garden was in that tree and the blessing was shrouded by God’s lies. The implication was that God’s denial of the tree to them was costing them the one thing that would make life everything it should be. Satan planted the belief in Eve’s heart that God did not care for her nearly as much as he claimed and was quite willing to withhold “true happiness” from her and her husband. Eve, then, went her own way, ate from the tree, and brought disaster on us all.

The challenge is that our fallen nature or the natural man seems to always gravitate toward that view…even when the Spirit of God lives within us. There is a maxim in the counseling world that says we become angry whenever a person or a circumstance seems to block our goal. When God doesn’t always act as we have suggested through our prayers, our response is often anger at him which results in us carrying an offense toward God – sometimes for years.

It’s not that we end our relationship with God. We just don’t trust him anymore like a spouse who stays married, but simply doesn’t trust the other spouse to act in his or her best interest. When you carry that offense, it is hard to have joy, pray for anything with faith, or risk anything because you are not sure how much God really cares. When prayers go unanswered we can quickly default to the “God doesn’t really love me” mode and distance ourselves from him. Nearly all of us run the risk of falling into that mindset and, I believe that the only safeguard is to spend a considerable amount of time mediating on who God is apart from an experience of disappointment with God.

We’ve all heard the expression. “God is good – all the time.” We may be quick to say amen to that in a conversation but in our hearts we often doubt the truth of that. The key is found in knowing the heart of God and using that knowledge as a lens through which we can view his actions or inactions. We often look at God’s actions or inaction through a different lens – our desires, rather than through a conviction about the heart of God. Let’s face it, even as adults, we can be like children whose perception of whether a parent loves them or not is based simply on whether or not those parents always give them what they want. Any good parent has withheld some request from a child because in the parent’s wisdom they knew that what that child wanted more than anything was not in his or her best interest – although the child could not and would not see it that way.

If children truly believed that their parents loved them with all their hearts and always acted in their best interest (which is the definition of agape love), then they might be disappointed or not understand but would not distance themselves from the parent or begin to distrust them for a lifetime.

In our Bible reading we often look at the broad actions of God and interpret God’s heart through those actions rather than understanding his actions through the lens of his heart. I often find a clue to God’s heart in a verse or two imbedded in a big story and can miss the clues altogether if not careful. For instance, in the Book of Judges there is story after story of Israel turning her back on God and pursuing idols and massive, national immorality. After years of persistent rebellion God would allow another nation to oppress them as discipline in order to draw them back to himself. One verse opens the window on God’s heart in Judges 10:16 where the text says, “Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”

Even though Israel had rebelled again and again and shown disdain for the God who had brought them out of Egypt, the verse reveals that God’s heart hurt with them in the midst of their suffering – even though they had brought in on themselves. God is not distant and uncaring. He loves his children and, more than anything, wants to bless them. When their own actions create misery or demand discipline, he suffers with them just as a parent suffers when they see the awful state of their drug addicted son or daughter.

In 1 Chronicles 15, David had sinned and as the King of Israel had brought judgment on the nation. The Bible says, “And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” Again, even when the actions of his people demanded judgment, the heart of God was moved by their suffering. His heart breaks with every death, every lash of a slave whip, and every beating at the hands of the enemy. In a chapter on judgment to come, the Lord says, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezek.18:32).

In the Old Testament we tend to view God as harsh and merciless because entire tribes were wiped out at his command and disasters were released by his word. But what we miss is the love of God protecting the bloodline of Christ from Israel’s enemies so that the entire world might be saved and the accumulated years of God calling nations to repentance through his prophets so that his judgments might be averted. When you read the fine print, you discover that God always went to extraordinary lengths to avoid judging nations and never took pleasure in the death of even the wicked – because he loves even the wicked.

In the New Testament the cross is the ultimate window into God’s heart. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us and Jesus himself said that whoever sees him sees the Father. We always see Jesus as kind and loving. He says that God the Father is exactly the same. God is good and loves each of us all the time. We can pray with hope and confidence because he loves us. Because he loves us he hears us and we can also pray with confidence that God will bring good things to us in time or will say no to the things that would endanger our faith and souls as any good father would. It is through that lens that we must view God’s activity or inactivity in our lives. We may not understand but we can still trust. You must know that before you pray or a loving “No” or delay may give offense when thanksgiving was the appropriate response.

When John the Baptist found himself in prison, he sent men to ask Jesus if he were really the Messiah. He asked because Jesus wasn’t bringing salvation to the world in ways that made sense to John. Jesus replied, “Blessed in he who takes no offense in me.” When God doesn’t act in response to our prayers as we expected, we must not take offense in him either. Being certain about the heart of the Father allows us to rest in his goodness, even when nothing around us make sense.

I prayed with a godly man last night who has struggled with a personal sin for years. He has a few weeks in which he feels that he finally has victory over the sin but then it rushes back in, along with the shame he feels for not living up to God’s standards. We talked about the dynamic of a wound producing a desire to medicate our feelings of failure, unworthiness and shame which leads to a sin that medicates for a moment which then leads to more shame which then leads to a greater desire to medicate and so on. The biblical balance is to receive conviction from the Spirit regarding our sins but not condemnation.

Bill Johnson has a good word on short-circuiting this cycle of sin in his book, Strengthen Yourself in the Lord. “Focusing on our problems more than God’s answers should be a dead giveaway that we’re really dealing with condemnation not the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Focus on God’s answers – not your problems. When the Holy Spirit shows us where we are falling short, the bigger reality is not the area where we are not yet walking in our destiny, but the destiny itself. So many of us read the verse that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Rom.3:23) and focus more on the fact that all have fallen short than the fact that we are destined for glory! The conviction of the Holy Spirit is actually a call to turn our focus away from our sin and our limitations. He is saying, ‘Your made for more than this. Lift your head and set your sights higher’” (p.136-137).

Focusing on our sin does the devil’s work of creating an even greater sense of shame and failure in us than existed before. That focus waters a seed that suggests that God is already disgusted with us so that we don’t turn to him for comfort but to “medications” in the world’s medicine chest – alcohol, drugs, power, pornography, sex-based relationships, etc.   The Holy Spirit wants us to acknowledge the sin, agree with God about it, and then lay it at the foot of the cross and move on with our eyes reset on the goal.

Agreeing with God about who we are in Christ and his father’s heart for us is a greater deterrent to sin than any shame or “beat yourself up” session. Keeping our eyes on our destiny is he key. Paul said, “Forgetting those things that are behind, I press forward…” That is good council. In the 11^th chapter of the book of Judges, the king of the Ammonites sent word to Jephthah that he was going to wage war against Israel if Israel did not return the land they had taken from his ancestors. In response, Jephthah recounted the history of Israel and how God had given them that land and decreed that it belonged to Israel. After recounting the history and the promises of God, he declared, “Whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess” (Jud.11:24).

That is a good word for us as well. God has promised us a destiny of victory and glory in Christ and we should possess (hold on to, defend) that future by faith, not allowing the enemy to take back what has been given to us. That is the vision that should possess us, rather than a vision of past failures. God’s mercies are new every morning. No matter what happened yesterday, in Christ today can begin with a clean slate.

Paul was enamored with sporting events. He often used the analogy of runners preparing for a race and fixing their eyes on the goal. Most of us just finished watching two weeks of Summer Olympics events. When each runner stood at the starting blocks seconds before the race, gazing down the track, I assure you that the winner was imagining a perfect race in which he crossed the finish line first. He was recounting past victories rather than brooding over past losses. Any runner who was focusing on past losses, false starts, or disappointing times did not run that race well. In the same way, we need to spend time imagining our victories in Christ, the glory that is ours and will be ours, the strength that God provides, and the victory that is promised in Jesus rather than yesterday’s failures.

Fixating on our failures is coming into agreement with the enemy who wants is to define ourselves by our shortcomings. Fixating on ultimate victory is coming into agreement with God because that is his promise. Fixating on past failures is “illegal” for believers, because in Christ those past failures don’t exist. There is no record in heaven of our sins and our testimony of failure has no evidence to back it up. Lay it aside. Get on with the race.

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra read the Law to the people of Jerusalem after the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt. As the Law was read, the people began to weep for their sins. But the text says, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh.8:10).

Weeping for our sins has its place, but it must quickly be replaced by joy. The joy of the Lord is ours when we come into agreement with him about his immense love for us, his quick and eager forgiveness, and his promises that point us to our destiny. This mindset is a great weapon in spiritual warfare.  God is always joyful toward us because he knows the end from the beginning and sees us as we will be, not as we are. Sharing the Lord’s view of me, imagining my destiny in Christ, and fixing my thoughts on him open up that joy to me and become a greater comfort and encouragement than anything the world can offer. Meditating on God’s love for me, my eternal home with him, great victories over the enemy, and feeling the presence of God will release more endorphins than any drug or pornographic display and the result will be joy rather than shame. Our goal is not to ignore sin but to simply deal with it quickly through the blood of Christ and refocus on his promises and our destiny. Try it. You’ll like it. Blessings in Him.

This is the final installment of an article I wrote on cleansing houses from demonic spirits. It is a bit long but I wanted to finish this series and get on to other things.  The length is due to sample declarations that a person might make over a house in which unclean spirits are manifesting.  In Part 3, I talked about open doors for spirits to be present in a location and harass those living there. I also talked about aligning ourselves with Christ before exercising authority over any spirits present.  In this installment, we will look at actually exercising our authority as followers of Christ.

Exercising Authority:

All those who believe in Jesus and have his Spirit within them have been given authority to deal with the demonic. Because of that, we then lead the owner(s) of the house or those who have authority in the house to command all unclean spirits to leave the house and property and to never return. Of course, all this is done in the name and authority of Jesus. If the people in the house have experienced fear, anger, sexual issues, or have seen or felt spirits, we name or describe those spirits specifically as well as commanding all unclean spirits, in general, to leave.  If they are aware of past events in the house that may have invited these spirits in, we command specific spirits that are suggested by those events.

Note: If married, it is obviously best if both spouses are present and involved, but at times that is not possible or one spouse may not be a believer or may not believe in spiritual warfare. Whoever is a believer should go ahead with the process knowing that an unbelieving spouse or a spouse that is mired in sin may be an open door to the enemy which may inhibit the cleansing or make it necessary to do it again or on a regular basis.

You may command something like:

In the name of Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, I command you, spirit of fear (or any other spirit you know by the fruit it has born in your house or simply by calling them uncleans spirits) to leave this house and this property immediately and go to the feet of Jesus. You have no right here and no place here. You are trespassing on property that has been dedicated and consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ. In his name I command you to leave immediately and never return and I command you to do so without hurting or harassing anyone in this house.

Once those with authority have made their declarations and have commanded the spirits to leave, we agree with them. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Mt.18:19-20). We agree by moving throughout the house commanding spirits in each room, garage, property, and outbuildings to leave and never return while always being sensitive to the Holy Spirit for direction in what we are doing or declaring.

When objects are encountered that may be giving the enemy a legal right to “set up shop,” those items should be taken from the house and destroyed or at least dumpsterized. When Joshua led Israel into the land God had promised them, they were to destroy any idols, altars, or high places related to false worship. Wherever the enemy or his ways are honored, he has a place. Objects, such as a bed where sin or violence may have taken place should be prayed over, anointed, and consecrated to holiness and the purposes of God.

As we move through the house, we smear a drop of anointing oil (olive oil) above each door and window (like blood over the Hebrew doors on the first Passover) as a way of consecrating that space to the Lord or marking that house as belonging to God. We often do that around the perimeter of the property (fence lines, etc.) and on outbuildings as well.   In the same way, oil was poured on priests to dedicate and consecrate them and their service to the Lord. Those needing healing and deliverance were anointed also with oil in the New Testament. There is nothing magical about the oil, but I believe it symbolizes the Spirit and as the Spirit marks us as those belonging to Christ, the oil also marks homes and items in the homes as those dedicated to and belonging to the Lord.

Having anointed the house and having commanded all unclean spirits to leave and never return, we ask the Lord to place angels around the house to prevent the enemy from returning. We bless the family living in the house, encourage them once again to get rid of any objects that may be giving the enemy access to their house and we leave. We have rarely had to return except where individuals held on to objects that should have been taken out or destroyed. On occasion, when an object is questionable but not clearly highlighted by the Spirit such as keepsakes or furniture, we specifically anoint that object and verbally consecrate it to the Lord for his purposes.

Let me add one more thought to this process. Consecrating the house to the Lord along with repentance and renouncement of the works of Satan should come from the heart of those who have authority in the house. Just saying the words without conviction communicates a heart without conviction or real intent. God measures the heart. I believe demons do as well.

The same is true when commanding spirits to leave. Command with the authority that flows from faith in the authority of Jesus and faith in the Word of God. That word declares that he that is in us is greater than he (satan) that is in the world (1 Jn.4:4). If we command half-heartedly or with no confidence then our commands carry very little weight. Commanding demons is not about our ability, our authority, or even our spirituality as much as it is about who Christ is and knowing that we are in Christ and that we represent him. When you command – mean it and have confidence in the one whose name you wear. Do not ask spirits to leave, do not beg them to leave, but command them to leave. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said to his followers, “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.10:19-20).

The most common spirits we run into in house cleansings come from trauma, violence, sexual sin, and forms of witchcraft or other  occult practices. These will be spirits of fear, jealousy, anger, death, witchcraft, rebellion, and sexual immorality or adultery. Of course, there are many others but be sensitive to the ones just listed.

There is also one more thing to consider. Where witchcraft or satanic rituals have been practiced, homes and families are sometimes dedicated to Satan. According to Francis MacNutt in his book, Deliverance from Evil Spirits, when individuals or families are dedicated to satan, a kind of spiritual seal is often placed over a spirit that protects that spirit from ordinary approaches to spiritual warfare. I believe this could apply to homes as well.

He recommends making something like the following declaration to remove that seal:

In the name of Jesus, I renounce Satan and every work of Satan. I renounce the evil powers of this world that corrupt and destroy the creation of God. I renounce all sinful desires that draw us away from God. I repent of any involvement I have ever had in the works of Satan. I declare that Jesus is Lord over my life, my family, this house and all my possessions and I place all of these things under his Lordship. In the name of Jesus and by the sword of the Spirit I now break and nullify every seal of Satan assigned to this house or this family.

After that declaration, go on and command all spirits of witchcraft and false religion to leave. If there has been an accomplished practitioner of Satanic rituals involved, you may need to make the declaration three times.  We have found that “removing satanic seals” can be helpful when our usual approach has not been effective in delivering individuals and may be helpful in cleansing homes on occasion.

Final Note:

After cleansing the house, do not invite the enemy to come back by returning to sin, unforgiveness, etc. Walk in repentance. Fill the house with worship music and the word of God and make daily rounds commanding any lingering spirits to leave in the name of Jesus while declaring that as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord. If someone comes to your house that you know is involved in occult practices or gross sin or that you feel uncomfortable with, you may want to do a quick cleansing as soon as he or she leaves. I hope this has been helpful.  A list of suggested declarations for this process is listed below.

Suggested Declarations:

These are suggested declarations for the process of cleansing your house. Some have been suggested in the article above and may be similar. These are not formulas or incantations, they are simply samples of ways you may pray and command.

Alignment (Declare something like the following when you begin):

Heavenly Father, I declare openly and willingly my faith in Jesus Christ – that he is the risen Son of God sitting at your right hand as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with all authority in heaven and on earth. I declare my allegiance to him and willingly submit all that I am and all that I have to his Lordship. I dedicate and consecrate this house (apartment, business, etc.) to his purposes and place it and everything in it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus, I renounce Satan and all the works of Satan. I specifically renounce fear, anger, sexual immorality, false religion, witchcraft, abuse and violence (name whatever has been sensed operating in the home or that has been identified in the history of the family or home). I also repent of all sin in my own life and personally confess anger, bitterness, unforgiveness and pornography (whatever personal sins have not been confessed and repented of by those in authority in the home or apartment).

In addition, I also forgive (whoever has wronged you) for (whatever he/she did to you) and no longer require payment from him for the wrongs done to me. I release him to your perfect judgment and ask you to bless him as you see fit. (Name all those who have wronged you and toward whom you have held bitterness. Forgive then verbally and release judgment to the Lord asking him to bless them as he sees fit).

Nullifying Curses (Declare something like the following):

The word of God declares that Jesus became a curse for me that I might receive the blessings of God. In the name of Jesus, I sever and nullify any curse that has ever been spoken against this house or this family. By the authority of Jesus, I declare those curses null and void and of no effect and by the authority of Jesus, I cancel any demonic assignments based on those curses.

Exercising Authority:

[Those in authority should declare something like the following statement as they anoint their home or if others are helping they should declare something like this as they move through the house anointing doors, windows, furniture, or property outside. We declare it in every room.]

Now, in the name of Jesus and by his authority I command any and every unclean spirit in this house or on this property to leave immediately and never return. You will harm or harass no one as you go and you will go now. I command the spirits of fear, abuse, sexual sin, witchcraft, death, and violence to leave now and never return (Declare by name spirits that have most likely been operating in the house. You will know them by the emotions they have stirred or the actions they have prompted). I declare this house, this property and all of its contents to be under the blood and the Lordship of Jesus. All legal rights for you to be here have been removed by the authority of Jesus and you must leave now.

Final Prayer and Declaration: When you have cleansed the house, property, and outbuildings, finish with something like the following declaration.

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the risen Lord exercising all authority in heaven and on earth on behalf of those who love you and call on your name. Lord we ask that you establish everything we have declared here today and place your angels around the perimeter of this house (apartment, business, etc.) to prevent the enemy from returning. We ask your blessing and your peace on this house and that you will exercise your Lordship here and in our hearts. Thank you for all you do and for your great gifts to us. We ask and declare all of this in Jesus’ name.

[This is the 3rd installment of an article I wrote on cleansing locations, especially houses, from the demonic spirits that have established some kind of permanent presence there. In Part 2, I began to discuss “open doors” that allow these unclean spirits to gain access to a home.  We begin this blog with the 3rd open door.]

A third source of demonic presence in homes is the presence of those who serve demonic spirits knowingly or unknowingly.  I am certain that our friend from India had no malice towards Susan and I. He most likely prayed to his “gods” on our behalf or simply prayed to them in our house and that prayer opened the door for their presence in our home as he honored them. We have discovered demonic spirits in new homes without a history, but sensed that some workman who built the house left something of himself there after he moved on. There are also individuals who willingly and formally serve Satan (cult members, etc.) who will dedicate their work to the enemy.

It is also possible that the home was built on property to which some spirit had laid claim. We have discovered that some spirits affect a house because of the property it sits on rather than something in the house – perhaps a location where violence occurred or over a place of worship where false gods were honored or their names invoked. We have also cleansed houses where satanic rituals, witchcraft, séances, etc. took place in the past. These homes can have intense manifestations, especially if the house or property was dedicated to Satan.   A dedication is like handing a deed over to the enemy. That deed has to be nullified by someone with greater authority. In the case of believers, Jesus is the one with more authority.

A fourth source of demonic presence in a home are curses that have been spoken over a family, a home, or property. A curse is an appeal to the demonic realm to visit failure, death, disease, poverty, divorce, etc. on a person, family, tribe, nation or location (See Numbers 22 – the account of Balaam). A curse may come as a result of prolonged, unrepented sin or as a result of words spoken deliberately or sometimes in anger or haste. Demons may be assigned to enforce the curse. Sometimes, it is difficult to define the source of a curse because it may have been assigned to a location or a family in previous generations. Exodus 20 tells us that the sins of the fathers will be passed down to the children to the third and fourth generations. It may be a good practice to make a declaration renouncing and repenting of any sins of your Fathers and asking Jesus to break and nullify any curses that have been operating in your house or family. A sample declaration is provided in the Suggested Declarations at the end of this article.

Solutions:

If any of this resonates with you, then your next question is probably, “What do I do if I think demonic spirits are operating in my house, my business, etc.?” Great question!

Let me take you through a simple process that has always been effective for us. This process is essentially the same as deliverance for individuals and involves aligning ourselves with Christ, renouncing the enemy and his works, declaring authority over the enemy and exercising that authority.

Alignment:

If you are not a believer, the devil has access to you at all times because you have not yet been delivered from the dominion (authority) of darkness (see Col.1:13). Your only way out is to sincerely make Jesus your Lord and Savior. If you are a believer, Jesus has taken away Satan’s legal right to oppress you or afflict you. However, you or those you are connected to may give him back that right. Satan may gain access to you or your home through areas of your life that are not aligned with Christ. He may also have access through the actions or words of others who have touched your life or home in significant ways after they had given Satan a foothold or a stronghold in their own lives.

Jesus taught us to pray “and deliver us from the evil one” (Mt.6:13). It’s always good to begin with a prayer of protection from the schemes, the influence, and the attack of the enemy when you are confronting darkness. After that, in house cleansings, the first step of alignment is to have the one(s) with authority in the home make a verbal declaration of his or her faith in Jesus as the Son of God and his or her allegiance to Jesus as Lord and Savior followed by a verbal renunciation of Satan and all of his works.

You might begin by making a verbal declaration like this:

Heavenly Father, I declare my faith in and allegiance to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and willing place everything I am and everything I have under his authority and lordship. In the name of Jesus I renounce Satan and all the works of Satan and repent of any and all sin in my own life.

If the owner or head of the home has areas of unrepented sin in his or her life or if someone who lives in the home has areas of unrepented sin, that sin may be an open door to the enemy. Sincere confession and repentance followed by renouncing the sin disarms the enemy in that area of an individual’s life and removes Satan’s authority to harass that individual and his or her family. Scripture tells us, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Prov. 28:13, emphasis added).  “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices” (Ezek.14:6, emphasis added)!

In addition to personal repentance, we ask the owner, renter, or head of the household (both husband and wife should do this together) to verbally place the house, contents of the house, and the property under the Lordship of Jesus and to dedicate all of that to his purposes. In doing so you transfer dominion of the house and any part of the house from the enemy to Jesus. Joshua declared, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).

You should verbally declare something like…

In the name of Jesus, we dedicate and consecrate this home, it’s contents, this property and our family to the service and Lordship of Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on earth. And in the name of Jesus we renounce and nullify any claim that the enemy has had on this house, this family, any contents in this house, or on this property. In doing so, we declare that Satan has no right and no place in this home, in this family, or on this property and is declared a trespasser.

Lastly, we look through the home to identify any objects that may be giving the enemy a place in the home such as the ones listed above – souvenirs, books, dvd’s, music that glorifies sin or violence or death, occult items, pornography, jewelry, etc. that, by their presence, provide an open window for Satan rather than honoring God. We also ask the Holy Spirit to highlight any other objects or areas that need to be removed or given special attention in the house such as places where sin has occurred – beds where adultery was practiced, tables on which occult activities took place, etc. We then ask those in authority to verbally renounce any sins that those objects clearly represent – pornography, idolatry, magic, false religions, fortune telling, adultery, sexual abuse, etc.

Say something like:

In the name of Jesus we renounce and repent of (name the sin) and ask forgiveness for its presence in this house and for our involvement in (name the sin).

Where unforgiveness is involved you may pray something like:

In the name of Jesus, I forgive (name the person) for the wrongs I have received at the hands of (name the person(s)). Because Jesus has forgiven me for the wrongs I have committed, I forgive (name the person(s) and no longer require payment for the wrongs done to me. I release (him, her, them) from the debt they owe and release all judgment to the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, Jesus I ask you to bless them as you see fit and to work on their behalf for their salvation.

When that has been done, then the owners of the house and the house itself have been aligned with Christ.

IN my next blog, I will finish this article with the process for cleansing and a summary of the declaration a person might make over a house or other location where unclean spirits are present.

[This is the second part of an article on cleansing houses from demonic spirits.  In part one, I established the biblical context for demonic spirits being given assignments over territories and locations such as houses. I’ll continue now with part two, beginning with some examples we have dealt with.]

Now let me share a few representative experiences we have had in conservative West Texas as we have prayed over numerous homes and apartments in our area over the past ten years. We typically call these “house cleansings.” I will not use the actual names of people we met in these accounts.

One afternoon, I received a call from Jenny, one of our Freedom Ministry team members. She worked with Marie, a faithful member of a local Baptist church. Her life was falling apart. She had a teenage son and had remarried after a destructive divorce. When Marie had first remarried, her son and her new husband got along well. They had the typical “blended family” stress but nothing out of the ordinary. A few months before we met Marie, she and her family had moved into a comfortable red brick home in the older part of Midland. Soon after the move, her son and husband began to have verbal fights that appeared to be seriously escalating and becoming physical. She and her son also began to fight. Her son would go into such rages that she slept with her bedroom door locked and was actually terrified that her son would break in some night and kill her. She felt especially vulnerable because her husband’s business took him out of town on a regular basis. The “odd thing” was that when they would go on trips as a family, they got along well until returning to the house where all the anger and hostility resurfaced. Marie said you could feel the tension in their car increase as they neared the home and pulled into the driveway.

Jenny suggested to her friend that something spiritual might be at work. Although that was a foreign concept to Marie, she was desperate enough to try anything. So…on a weekday evening, while her son was with friends and her husband was out of town, we met at the home and prayed over it for about forty-five minutes (details later). We specifically commanded spirits of anger, rage, abuse and murder to leave the house. We left and Marie reported that almost immediately all the anger, hostility and rage subsided and the family was at peace again. I don’t think she ever told her son or husband what we had done.

On another occasion, a family called us who were members of our church. They had moved into an older house on the west side of Midland where they had lived for about six months. Bob and LeeAnn had three small children and for the past few months had been regularly experiencing disruptions in the middle of the night. Their television would come on full blast, cabinet doors would open and slam shut, and they would hear footsteps in the hallway outside of their bedroom. When they would look no one was present. However, the children reported seeing “an old man” walking up and down the hallway at night. When we arrived at the house we noticed that their neighbor had a sign on the front of her home advertising that she was a practicing witch…even in West Texas. We prayed over the house and the property as well as praying against the activities next door and all manifestations ceased immediately and did not recur.

About three years ago, my wife Susan and I were visited by a newly married couple. Sophia had been a foreign exchange student from Russia hosted by my wife years ago. She had since married a nice young man from India who was a devout Sikh. We thoroughly enjoyed their visit and hoped to share Jesus with Sophia’s husband once we built a relationship. Each morning we would visit with the Sophia over breakfast while her husband spent time in our guest room reading and praying. After a three-day visit they left with a promise of coming to see us again.

The day after our friends left, my wife Susan and I were sitting in our living room talking about Sophia’s and her husband’s visit. Suddenly a large picture with scripture on it, mounted in our entry way, fell from the wall, shattering the glass and breaking the frame. The wall anchor seemed secure but it was in a location subject to wind when the front door was open and the vibration of a door being opened and closed multiple times each day. It was odd enough that a thought crossed my mind, wondering if Sophia’s husband had left something spiritual in our house, but I didn’t pursue the thought. The next day, Susan and I came home from running some errands and found a shelf that had rested above the guest bathroom window on the floor with the pictures and clock that were on the shelf broken and scattered all over the floor. The anchors, on which the shelf hung, were still solidly in the wall. After some serious praying over the house and anointing windows and doors with oil there have been no more “accidents.”

We have had numerous, similar experiences over the past five years. Noises, smells, voices, feelings of terror, experiences of being pinned down on a bed in the middle of the night, and children seeing “scary old men” and “witchy” looking women in their rooms have all been dealt with. Each time we have prayed in the name of Jesus and these manifestations have ceased.  We don’t try to differentiate between demons and “ghosts” since scripture gives us very little insight into “ghosts.” We simply treat them as spirits that should not be in the house (primarily demonic spirits posing as whatever) and command them to leave.

Anytime you know that trauma, occult activities, or sinful lifestyles have occurred  in a house in which you are living,  a cleansing is in order. Everyone should do it when they first move into a house or apartment or even before spending the night in a hotel room. Even if the home is new construction, it is a good idea. In addition, weird noises or smells in the house that persist, doors opening and slamming by themselves, runaway fear, lust, or anger in the house that subsides when you are away, voices, the appearance of demons, demonic dreams that persist, unexplained shadows, etc. are all indicators that a home or location should be cleansed.

Open Doors:

I believe there are several open doors for demonic spirits that draw spirits to a location or give spirits a legal right to be assigned to homes or property to afflict the residents.   The first open door is persistent sin that has taken place in that home in the past or that is currently taking place. Abuse, adultery, violence, tragedy, untimely death. occult activities, and so forth beckon spirits and give them legal access to the location of those events. They may attach themselves to the parties who are involved or to the residence and remain there to afflict individuals or families who move in next.

Unforgiveness is one of the most common doorways open to the enemy. Jesus clearly says that our forgiveness toward those who have sinned against us is a condition for the Father’s forgiveness to be released in our lives. A verbal declaration of forgiveness is always in order where that has been hurt or betrayal in the past. I’ll give an example later in the “suggested declarations” section. Remember that we forgive those who have wronged us not because we deserve it, but because Jesus deserves it. We are not required to let hurtful people back into our lives and forgiving them does not take them “off the hook” with God. Forgiveness simply releases the judgment of those individuals to the one who judges perfectly and takes us “off the hook” with God.

Forgiveness in scripture is most often pictured as a debt that has been forgiven so that payment of the debt is no longer required. When we forgive, we simply determine to no longer act in ways that make someone who has wronged us pay for what he or she did. We should also ask the Lord to bless them as he sees fit because we are commanded to bless even those who curse us. Forgiveness is for your benefit much more than for the benefit of those who wronged you. In fact, it may not benefit him or her at all but it will keep bitterness and resentment from crowding out love, trust, and thankfulness in your own heart. It will keep your resentment and bitterness from opening a door to the enemy.

Ephesians 4:27 may give us some insight into the dynamic of unrepented sin giving demonic spirits access to us our homes. Paul says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” The idea of this next is to deal with offense quickly so that anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness does not invited Satan in our lives or our families. The word translated “foothold” is “topos.” It means a designated place and can refer to pagan shrines and high places where demons were worshipped. When we come into agreement with Satan through unrepented sins and lifestyles, we create a place for him…a sanctuary where he is honored in our lives because we are choosing his will and ways over Jesus. Homes, rooms, or properties that have hosted the works of Satan may create a kind of sanctuary that Satan claims to establish his presence.

A second source of demonic presence in a home may be objects in the home that have demonic spirits attached to them or that honor pagan gods which scripture says are demons. It is amazing how many Christians go overseas and bring back carved idols and other religious artifacts as souvenirs with no thought about their purpose or history. Idols open the door for demons to harass and afflict those who possess the idol and give them a place in a home. Speaking of Israel’s idolatry, scripture tells us, “They made Him jealous with strange gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God” (Dt. 32:16-17). The psalmist declares, “They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons” (Ps.106:36-37).

Devil dogs from China, figurines of Buddha, dragon carvings, fertility gods from Africa, American Indian artifacts, dream catchers, tribal masks from the South Pacific, totems from the Pacific Northwest, Samurai swords – all of these could have been carved or decorated in honor of a pagan god (demonic spirit) and dedicated to that god. When something or someone is dedicated to Satan, a demonic spirit is often attached to that person or place. Having it in your home is a welcome mat to that spirit or his cousin.

Other occult items and experiences can also open the door – books about the occult, jewelry that represents occult organizations, Ouija Boards kept as a curiosity, Tarot cards, or books promoting false religions along with books on astrology or witchcraft can all give access to unclean spirits because in some way they summon or honor the spirits behind them. Some artwork, music, and movies about the occult or the supernatural can also open the doors. Seances, horoscopes, or psychic readings can also open the door for demonic involvement as those activities are seeking connection with the demonic…even if the participants are just doing so for fun. Objects that represent and promote sin, such as pornography, can also open the door. I don’t want you to burn down your house but to be aware that certain objects have the potential to give the enemy access to your home as well as past or present sinful or tragic events in the home.

Again, our cultural worldview rejects such notions. However, the book of Acts confirms that spiritual properties can be attached to objects. “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them” (Acts 19:11-12). A woman simply touched the hem of the robe Jesus was wearing and was healed. The spiritual realm has substance and sometimes that substance is attached to objects. That is not only true for the Holy Spirit but for demonic spirits as well.

More Open Doors in Part 3,

In the past few weeks, we have had several requests for “house cleansing” or driving demons from homes. I have written about this from time to time time in the past but feel that it might be helpful to do so again.  I have a lengthy article on this topic that is a practical guide to “house cleansing”  that I am going to offer here in several parts.  I hope it is helpful.

Taking Out the Trash

A Practical Guide to Cleansing a House from Evil Spirits

For many believers, the idea of demons lurking in a home would seem far-fetched and hyper-charismatic. Many believers don’t acknowledge that demons target people, attach themselves to some, and inhabit others much less believe that demons may be assigned to homes or other locations to afflict and harass whomever is within their reach.

However, Paul counsels us, “And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” ( 2 Cor. 2:11, NRSV). Most translations read schemes rather than designs. Paul also tells us, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph.6:11). The truth is that Satan uses intelligent designs or schemes to entrap and sidetrack God’s people. If we give him no thought or assume he has no interest in us or our children we will certainly step into his trap. As believers, we have no need to fear this enemy because He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world, but we are instructed multiple times to be alert, to be aware, and to keep watch so that the devil does not gain access to us or our family. Remember, in describing Satan, Jesus said that he is a thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy (Jn.10:10). He doesn’t wait for us to search for him. He comes. Unclean spirits assigned to locations attempt to do the same through influence. They especially want to steal your peace, your faith, your love and destroy your family in order to draw you away from the Father. They want to impart fear, sorrow, anger, lust, and conflict which then undermines your peace, faith and love.

With that in mind, let me make a case for demonic spirits being assigned to locations (homes, businesses, geographical areas) so that they can influence or harass those who come into their arena. To begin with, let’s consider Pergamum. Jesus spoke to his church there and said, “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives” (Rev.2:13). In one sense, Satan’s influence and his demonic servants can be found in every city, but a throne represents exceptionally strong rule and dominion. Over the centuries, Satan had established a stronghold of influence in Pergamum. Pagan worship invited and fueled the presence and influence of demons. Satan desires to be worshipped as well as those who reflect his nature. Satanic or pagan worship draws unclean spirits. So great was the influence in Pergamum that Satan had stirred up persecution against those who followed Jesus to such an extent that Antipas had been put to death.

We see the same demonic influence in Ephesus where the temple of Artemis (Diana, Moon Goddess) stood as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. As the apostles preached Jesus in that city (Acts 19-20), many sorcerers saw the power of Christ, repented, and burned their books and scrolls full of incantations. Soon, however, Satan stirred up other men who then stirred up strong opposition in the city in opposition to the church. These cities represented strongholds of the enemy where there was an exceptional concentration of demonic influence and power.

If you have traveled much and have any spiritual sensitivity you have experienced this spiritual reality that can be felt in the natural realm. Believers who visit certain sections of New Orleans, Salvador (the spiritist center of Brazil), Las Vegas, Haiti, pagan temples in Asia, etc. will tell you that they feel something in the city and even sense a dimming of the atmosphere on cloudless days. These cities, nations, and locations are thrones or places where Satan has an elevated level of authority because sin has been promoted and encouraged and because demons have been honored and worshipped.

In Peru, the ancient gods of the Inca’s are still worshiped. Their influence is so great that some have been incorporated into Catholic worship. One of those ancient demons is Pachamama, the earth goddess. In some Catholic churches in that nation you will find statues of Mary, Jesus, and Pachamama. Missionaries have had encounters with this spirit while working in Peru. A few years ago a demonic spirit appeared in the hotel room of two missionaries who were holding meetings in the area, identified itself as Pachamama, declared its rule over the valley, and threatened to kill them if they didn’t leave. They didn’t leave but went on about their business. This is an example of territorial spirits who have been given dominion over geographical areas by Satan and by those who surrender to their influence.

Paul is clear about such spirits when he says, “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). Realities of the spiritual realm are reflected in the natural realm. There are rulers in the spiritual realm and rulers in the natural. There are armies in both, battles in both, and assignments and strategies in both realms.

Authorities in the natural realm rule over nations, territories, cities, organizations, groups and individuals. It is so in the spiritual realm as well. In the book of Revelation, the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Chapters 1-3 are each addressed to the “angel of the church in….” This could just be a literary construction or angel could be translated “messenger,” but would we really reject the idea that God would assign an angel to watch over and minister to a group of believers that we call a church? After all, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Heb.1:14)? In the book of Daniel, a demonic prince fought against an angel that God had sent to Daniel. That spirit is identified as the prince of the Persian kingdom (Dan.10:13). That was a demonic principality that had been given authority over a nation and assigned to influence its people and events for the dominion of darkness. We are told in several texts that pagans who sacrificed to idols were sacrificing to demons. It is not unreasonable to assume that the “high places” or geographic locations where demons were worshipped would be infested with demonic spirits waiting to affect those who came to the altar or go home with worshippers.

If demons are assigned to establish dominion over nations, territories, cities, people groups, probably churches, and organizations why not to lesser locations as well – homes, businesses, areas of a town, etc.? It is not unreasonable to assume that they gather in places where they are worshipped or where sin is promoted or where occult practices take place. All of these things occur in homes as well as in pagan temples and cities known for their immorality.  Wouldn’t demons be attracted to these places no matter whether they are in Haiti or West Texas?  As in the natural realm, those who are assigned to larger areas typically have more authority while those who are assigned to lesser locations typically have less authority. I say “typically” because some smaller locations and individuals are very strategic and may be assigned to a spirit with greater authority.  Many houses have more than one spirit operating in them and some can be more powerful than others.

Part 2 in my next blog.

On Monday morning, pastor Donnell Jones shared some essential thoughts with our staff on overcoming that moment when life and ministry seem overwhelming. I want to share the gist of his message along with some of my own thoughts but wanted to make sure that you knew Donnell was the primary source and that his thoughts were seriously worth sharing with you.

In his gospel, Matthew tells us, “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (Matt.26:36-39).

As we read the gospels, we always see Jesus unafraid, in control, and the master of every situation. But the night before the cross, he confesses something that must have stunned his inner circle of Peter, James, and John. In the darkness of the Garden, he confesses that his soul is overwhelmed with sorrow or heaviness to such a degree that he needs them to watch and pray with him. They have always needed him, but now he desperately needs them. The idea of Jesus being overwhelmed is disconcerting. Yet we have to remember that Jesus faced the cross as a man, not as God.

Secondly, we need to note that his soul was overwhelmed, not his spirit. Our soul is not our spirit. Our soul is comprised of our will, our mind, and our emotions. Our spirit is the eternal part of us that the Holy Spirit quickened and renewed when he took up residence within us. It is that part of us through which the Spirit leads us, reveals God’s will to us, and through which he renews and transforms our thoughts, emotions, and will. But that is a process. The soul is a kind of middle ground or even battleground between the spirit and our fallen nature or “the flesh.”

When the enemy attacks us, he either attacks us through the flesh with infirmity or disease or attacks our soul where he fills our minds with thoughts contrary to the will of God and with thoughts that stir up the negative emotions of fear, hopelessness, shame, lust, anger, and so forth. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the enemy was attacking Jesus with fear, heaviness, and maybe even doubt that what he was about to do was even worth the suffering that lay ahead.

In his soul, Jesus was tormented and overwhelmed. When we feel overwhelmed by life, it is our soul that is overwhelmed. As Graham Cooke says, “ Our circumstances are not the problem. Our perspective of our circumstances is the problem.” When our soul looses sight of the Father, his goodness, his resources, and his vast, unconditional love for us, we can feel overwhelmed and sorrowful unto death. Those who contemplate suicide are in that position. That is where Jesus found himself that night, just minutes before his arrest and a few hours before the beatings would begin.

In that moment, Jesus asked, “Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.”   At that moment, Jesus only wanted out. His soul saw no way to face what lay ahead. And yet, as he confessed his fears and sought God, his prayer changed. “He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matt.26:42). Before, Jesus prayed, “If it is possible….” Now he prays, “If it is not possible…” The word “if” can often be translated “since.” Jesus could have been saying, “Since it is not possible to take this cup away….” Something has shifted from his soul not being able to see his way through the next few hours to seeing that the Father would walk with him through the suffering he saw ahead, no matter how hard. His soul was no longer so overwhelmed because he had poured his heart out to the Father and had received strength from the Spirit. We are told by Luke that an angel came and ministered to him in that moment and strengthened his resolve. His third prayer was the same as his second.

When our souls are overwhelmed by sorrow, loss, difficulty, or even responsibility, we often look elsewhere for comfort rather than going to the Holy Spirit who is the Comforter. We go to friends, food, therapists, medications, and assorted addictions to get us through, rather than to the Spirit who is our friend, our counselor, and our guide. Friends are good. Therapists are fine. Food is essential. But only the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are enough. When Jesus went to the Father three times, he was engaging with the Spirit and heaven responded with a ministering angel. His soul began to receive hope and strength and the feeling of being overwhelmed with sorrow unto death began to lift.

We should take heart from Jesus who is our model. First of all, even those who have great faith and an intimate relationship with the Father can come to a place where his or her soul feels overwhelmed by life. That is not sin…or Jesus sinned. Jesus did not suppress those feelings but shared them with those he was close to for prayer and encouragement. But more than that he cried out to the Father and asked for strength, hope, and encouragement from the throne of heaven. He pressed in until the Spirit ministered to his spirit which then ministered to his soul. His perspective changed. Light could be seen in the darkness.

The goodness, love, and power of God became anchor points for the soul and Jesus was able to move ahead. He is our model. When life feels overwhelming we should follow in his steps. At some point, Jesus was given or given back a supernatural perspective that looked beyond the cross to all that his suffering would accomplish. The writer of Hebrews spoke of that when he said, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb.12:2).

In the midst of feeling overwhelmed, Jesus was given an eternal perspective by the Spirit that everything he was enduring was worth it…even to the point of joy. There are times when we need that perspective. That is why Paul counseled us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). In every circumstance, God has a purpose for our good. He does not always create the circumstance but he will always use it for our benefit. Sometimes, we need a glimpse of his purpose. Like Jesus, we can ask for it and when we receive the eternal view of what we are going through, our soul will be strengthened.  And remember, it is your soul that is overwhelmed, not your spirit – so tune into what the Spirit is saying to your spirit. In that moment, even your prayers will change.