We do a number of house cleansings each year in our area. A house cleansing is needed when demonic spirits inhabit the house (or the office). They are not attached to the people but the location. They harass any people who come into their territory. When they are present they affect the atmosphere and often enforce curses over the residents. These spirits can be present as a result of past activities in the home such as sexual immorality, violence, or occult activities. But they may also be present as a result of objects in the house. That’s what I want to discuss briefly in this blog because I think his source of demonic activity is often overlooked.

Can objects in the home open doors to demons?

As people brought up in western culture, which tends to either reject the spiritual realm altogether or highly separate it from the spiritual realm, the concept of demonic spirits being attached or attracted to inanimate objects may be a bit of a stretch. But I believe this is a biblical principle and my experiences agree with that principle.

There is a great deal of emphasis on spiritual objects in the scriptures especially when God was speaking to Israel. The warnings were frequent because the tiny nation was always surrounded by cultures that were heavily immersed in occult activities. For example, God told Israel, “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations…you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy…Do not intermarry with them…for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods…Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God…the images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them and do not take it for yourselves or you will be ensnared by it for it is detestable to the Lord your God. Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction” (Dt.7:1-6, 25-26).

Let me add two other verses. “They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons which are not God” (Dt. 32:16-17). “Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold. You will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, ‘Away with you’” (Isa.30:2).

Now, let me connect some dots. Idols, graven images (handmade objects), embroidered representations, paintings, etc. that were in any way connected to the worship or the honoring of false gods were to be totally destroyed. In most cases these objects were to be burned or ground up. Scripture is clear that idol worship is worship to demons. In the Isaiah 30:2 passage, God’s people were instructed to throw those kinds of things away and say, “Away with you!” The Hebrew is literally, “Come out!” or “Be gone.” Those are the very words most often used in the New Testament when people were being delivered from demons.

The principal here is that anything that is an object of worship or that honors something detestable to God can invite the presence of demons. If an object has been dedicated to a demon that object may have a demon attached or assigned to it. If not, these objects will still attract demons. Having something “detestable” (something God hates) in your house is a welcome sign to the enemy. For the Israelites to have something in their homes that honored a demonic spirit was to invite that spirit in. When a spirit is invited, he has a right to operate there and to enforce curses in that home.

Why were marriages forbidden to foreign wives and husbands and why were people groups eradicated in the Old Testament? I believe demonization is the core of the issue. The Deuteronomy 7:25-26 passage above says that those objects, if not destroyed, would ensnare or trap the Israelites. Those words are also used to warn believers of Satan’s activities in the New Testament. Those objects, if not destroyed, would give demonic spirits a continuing right to inhabit the land and afflict Israel.

As for the neighboring tribes, the entire bloodline of those tribes that had worshipped demons for generations was polluted and demonized. The influence of those demons would eventually draw God’s people away and subject them to judgment. Before Jesus began his public ministry which lead to the cross, there was no spiritual cure for demonization. Before the cross, God’s people were to insulate themselves from demonic sources rather than commanding and casting out demons.

Even under the New Covenant we’re are told, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? … ‘Therefore, come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you’” (2 Cor. 6:14-17). Even after the cross, the Lord draws a line between things and people that are of Him and things and people that are of Satan. He instructs his people to touch no unclean thing and he connects unclean things to darkness, Satanic influence and idols.

God is not an egotist who simply is angry because we develop some affection for an inanimate object. That would still constitute unfaithfulness but the bigger issue is that our possession of such things invites the devil and activates curses. God told Balaam that he was not to curse what God had blessed. God wants to bless his people and keep us free. Opening our homes to “detestable things” not only dishonors God but also opens the door for demons and subsequent curses.

Even when we treat these items as art or souvenirs and have no heart to worship them…they still invite demons. We may leave food out on the countertop or on the kitchen floor with no intent of inviting roaches or mice into the house, but the presence of the food that has been carelessly left around will draw them regardless of our intent. Once mice or roaches have found a way in they will multiply. In order to get rid of them, we must not only do away with the food sources that drew them there in the first place, but we must then take steps to get rid of the mice as well. In the same way, in a house cleansing, the objects that attracted demons must be destroyed or removed and the demons themselves must then be commanded to leave in the name of Jesus. Otherwise, the house cleansing will be only a temporary fix.

So what kinds of objects do we need to be concerned with? Obviously, anything that has an occult background or that is associated with false worship must go first. Many people go to Africa, Asia, South America or the South Pacific (or even Mardi Gras) and bring home tribal masks, carvings of fertility Gods, statues of Buda, devil dogs, etc. as souvenirs from their trip. To them they are historical or art pieces but these objects have most likely been dedicated to demonic spirits. They are an open invitation into the homes where these objects rest. Some people will have Ouija Boards, horoscopes, crystal balls, and Tarot cards in their house as curiosities. These are invitations to the enemy as well. There is currently a real fascination with eastern religions, philosophy, music, and yoga. For centuries, all of those things have been designed to put the practitioner in touch with demonic spirits posing as gods. American Indian artifacts that were used in worship or that were dedicated to a spirit (bows, arrows, knives, tomahawks, clothing, etc.) can have insignia’s on them that honor a spirit that Indian’s worshipped. New age signs and symbols, some jewelry, or Masonic signs and symbols have the same effect. There are a host of items like that in Christian homes that we don’t associate with the spiritual realm because we make such a separation between the spiritual and material realms.

Books, movies, music, etc. that celebrate violence, death, immorality, witchcraft, vampires, sinful life styles, etc. honor the things of Satan rather than God. These are detestable things and can be open doors to the demonic. I don’t want to be hyper-charismatic here and have you carry out every item in your house but there are obvious objects that need to be dealt with and the leading of the Holy Spirit may point you to others. I invite you to seriously consider the possibility that demons may take up residence in a home or office if certain objects attract them and give them a right to camp there. If you are serving God but still experience sickness more frequently than normal, always struggle financially, have children who seem to be more rebellious than the average child or teen, or if prayers of faith still seem to be hindered there may be a curse operating in your house because of some object.

If you have demonic manifestations in your house, pray and ask the Holy “Spirit to lead you to any object that has given unclean spirits access to you and your family. When you find it, destroy and then command the enemy to leave in the name of Jesus. If this sounds like superstitious nonsense to you, pray about it. Ask the Lord to speak to you about and see what he says or what he puts on your heart. We have literally seen lives and families changed almost overnight by house cleansings and many of those had objects in them that clearly needed to be removed. We simply need to be wise in the ways of the devil and practice godly principles that the Father has established for his people since the days of the patriarchs. 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,