Author: Joyce Holzman Hanscom

I am a certified Mental Health Coach through Light University. An author. A Bible teacher for Good News Clubs and incarcerated women in the county jail. I teach about how to discover a new reality through memory transformation. Discovering a new reality is achieved when you heal emotions from painful memories and transform negative heart issues. When false beliefs are transformed by truth, then you can love from a pure heart and make wise decisions. There is hope for complete healing.

HOW TO TELL THE TEACHING OF DEMONS

Can you spot counterfeit money? For example, a bank teller can spot counterfeit money because they handle real money all day. Have you heard a speaker and known in your spirit that they were not speaking the truth? The only way you can know for certain between the teachings of God and the teachings of demons is to know God’s Word inside and out. To know if you are being deceived by demons, you must read a good translation of the Bible (i.e., English Standard, New King James, New American Standard are good translations.) 1Timothy 4:1-2 states, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.”

First—Know the Truth.

Remember, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2Cor. 11:14), and he is the father of lies (John 8:44). 2Corinthians 11:15 states, “So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” A great many preachers, teachers, and writers do not speak the truth but lies to appeal to those who do not believe the truth of God. John 8:47 states, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” You need to know God and the truth of God to know the teachings of demons. The Apostle Paul wrote in Acts 13:10, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

Many preachers, teachers, and prophets are captured by the deceit of Satan and are held captive to do his will. The Apostle Paul wrote the following instructions to Timothy. 2Timothy 2:23-26, “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24) And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

Second—Test the Spirits.

The following Scripture from 1 John 1 explains how you can know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error. Colossians 2:8 states, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

1John 4:1-6 explains, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2) By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

4) Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5) They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6) We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” Also, be careful of the books you read because many are written by false teachers. They take a verse and create a false doctrine out of it without considering the whole truth. This is how Satan deceived Eve.

Colossians 2:20-22 explains, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?”

Third—Check the Fruit.

2Peter 2:1-3 explains, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3a) And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words.”

Many false teachers have infiltrated the church, deceiving many into believing lies or half-truths. They teach just enough truth to sound credible, and they live sinful lives. The Apostle Peter said to look at how the religious leaders live. Do they follow their sensuality and fleshly pleasures? Are they greedy and use the money they receive for their own use, like buying private jets and maintaining several mansions, etc.? Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-16, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16) You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

Conclusion

Jesus warned His followers that many false teachers and prophets are in the world, but to be aware of them. I list three ways to tell a false prophet/teacher who teaches the message of demons.

Know the truth of God by reading His Word every day. Make sure you read an accurate translation and not a paraphrase, which is man’s interpretation and is full of error.

Test the Spirits to see if they confess Jesus as the Son of God. Many books are written that do not teach the truth.

Check the fruit they produce. Compromise shows the Christian leader is a false teacher and cannot be trusted.

**********

All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright-protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Demon Oppression and Healing, Part Two.

Do you remember the week-long evangelistic healing services? Many people were healed of diseases and demon oppression. Most of the healers were treated skeptically and ridiculed by the religious leaders, and were falsely accused just like Jesus and the Apostles were. It is rare to hear about healing and deliverance services today, but we still need them. When people heard that Jesus was in the area, they flocked to Him for healing and deliverance (Luke 6:17-19). Luke 7:21 states, “In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.”

Demons oppress us in many ways: sickness, poverty, addiction, mental illnesses, and so on. In my last post, I explained what oppression is, what to look for, and how demons cause illnesses. I pointed out how oppressive spirits have names, and Jesus called the spirit by name. The Bible talks about demon oppression a lot, so I felt I needed to make a second post to do this topic justice.

The more you are aware of how demons oppress you, the sooner you will recognize them and send them away. Remember, oppression is a physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing condition that seems impossible to resolve. For example, people suffer for years with depression and anxiety, which could be an affliction from oppressive spirits.

Jesus is Ridiculed and Falsely Accused by the Religious Leaders.

Matthew 9:32-34 states, “As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33) And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, ‘Never was anything like this seen in Israel.’ 34) But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus responds to that accusation in Matthew 12:22-28. “Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23) And all the people were amazed, and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’ 24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.’ 25) Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26) And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27) And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28) But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.’” (Also read Mark 3:22-30; and Luke 11:15-23). Luke 11:20 states, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Observation:

When people were delivered from demon oppression, they were healed.

The religious leaders accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, who is Satan.

Jesus knows their thoughts and explains that Satan can’t be divided against himself.

Jesus says that the power of God is how He casts out demons.

Jesus is the kingdom of God.

Interpretation-Application:

Ministers who are anointed by the Holy Spirit to heal and deliver people of unclean spirits will be ridiculed and misunderstood by religious people.

Stand strong in the Lord and obey God in the anointing He gives you. Know that there will be religious people who will be critical of you.

Apostles Continued Healing and Deliverance.

Acts 5:12-16 tells us, “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13) None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14) And more than ever, believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16) The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

Philip’s Ministry in Samaria.

Acts 8:4-7 tells us, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5) Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6) And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7) For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.”

Observation:

Signs and wonders were regularly done among the people, and many were saved.

People listened to Philip when they saw the signs.

The sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits (demons) were healed.

Interpretation-Application:

Not only did Jesus give the Apostles the power and authority to go out and heal the sick and those afflicted by unclean spirits, but when they were anointed by the Holy Spirit, they had the power.

We, too, can be anointed by the Holy Spirit and have the power to heal the sick and demon oppressed.

Believers must also want to serve God through healing and deliverance to be effective as God’s ministers.

Conclusion

People are healed or set free from addictions when the oppressive spirit is cast out. Don’t be afraid to take a stand against afflicting demons and command them to be gone and never come back in Jesus’ name. If you had a spirit of affliction, then it would go. Acts 10:38 states, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” If God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, He would anoint you as well if you ask. Luke 11:13 states, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The Apostle Paul knew He needed the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what God had called Him to do. 1Corinthians 2:3-5 states, “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” When people experience the power of God, that is when their faith grows.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

What is Demon Oppression?

Do you sometimes feel burdened by life’s hardships or feel heavy in your spirit? Is there anyone you know who is constantly struggling? I know many people who struggle their whole life with one setback after another. What is going on? This is a good time to remind you that we are spirit beings in physical bodies, living in a spirit world within the physical world. Our spirits are influenced by the spirit world, which affects our physical and mental health. Even Christians are afflicted by oppressive spirits when their minds are focused on the physical world and not the heavenly realm.

Oppression is feeling overwhelmed as if carrying a heavy burden. It can be a mental, physical, or spiritual burden. Last year, I addressed mental oppression, such as depression, anxiety, resentment, fear, stress, sadness, loneliness, and so on. You can read those posts here. This post will show how demons cause physical oppression related to illness and physical impairments. The following scriptures show how oppressive spirits, which are also demons, cause illnesses.

Matthew 8:16 states, “That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.” Also, Acts 5:16 states, “The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

Can Demons Cause Illnesses?

Many Scriptures combine casting out spirits and healing. Here is a good example. Mark 9:20-26 tells us, “And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21) And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. 22) And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ 23) And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24) Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ 25) And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ 26) And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’”

Observation: There is so much to unpack in this passage.

The boy had an oppressive spirit since childhood.

When the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy down and convulsed him.

The spirit tries to kill the child.

The father begged Jesus to have compassion and help the child.

All things are possible for those who believe.

The father asked Jesus to help his unbelief.

Jesus calls the spirits by name and commanded the deaf and mute spirit to leave and never return

The spirit cried out but obeyed, and left the boy unconscious, but he wasn’t dead.

Interpretation:

How did the boy get the oppressive spirit?

When we believe, it releases the power of God to heal.

Remember, nothing is impossible for God.

If we lack belief, we can ask God to help us with our unbelief and to have compassion.

We serve a compassionate God.

When a spirit leaves a person, it usually cries out and throws the person to the ground.

Application:

I have known children who have epilepsy with the same symptoms as the boy in this Scripture passage. Modern medicine cannot help them. But in Jesus’ day, they were healed by rebuking the spirit causing the seizures.

Every illness is not the result of a demon, but many are. If you have a condition that the doctors cannot help, it may be because of a curse or an oppressive demon.

I get painful leg cramps at times. When I rebuke the oppressive demon causing the leg cramps, they go away. I know many people who suffer from leg cramps.

There are times I get a migraine, and I realize it is from a demonic attack. When I rebuke the spirit, it leaves, and so does the migraine.

Before going to the doctor, try rebuking the spirit causing the condition and ask God to have compassion on you and heal you. You will be amazed by what happens.

Disabling Spirit Affliction.

Luke 13:11-13 tells us, “And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12) When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, ‘Woman, you are freed from your disability.’ 13) And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.” 13:16 also explains, “And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

Observation:

A woman suffered for 18 years with a disabling spirit.

Jesus said that she was bound by Satan.

Jesus had compassion on her and called her over.

He spoke and set her free from the spirit of disability and laid His hands on her.

She was healed.

Interpretation:

Jesus sees you and the spirits afflicting you.

He wants to heal you. You can be free from the disabling spirit and from being bound by Satan.

The woman had to obey Jesus and go to Him when He called.

Application:

Since Jesus is in heaven, He has given those who believe the authority and power over all evil and disabling spirits.

We need to obey His calling to us and draw near to Him so He can heal us when we believe.

Conclusion

When you or someone you know is afflicted with an illness that medicine can’t help, consider a disabling or oppressive spirit. You have the authority and power through the spirit of God in you to command it to leave and never return in Jesus’ name. See my post titled, Can anyone cast out a demon? Acts 10:38 explains that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and receive forgiveness for your sins and receive Him into your heart, you receive divine power through the Holy Spirit.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

SIGNS OF DEMON INFLUENCE AND SIX STEPS TO PREVENT IT

Can a Christian be influenced by demons? The signs of demon influence are all around us. Do you know what sign to look for? I will also explain how to remove demon influences. To understand if you are being influenced by the devil, you need to know that he is the source of evil.

We are all born with a sinful nature that influences us to go our own way and not God’s way. Our sinful nature is easily lured to please our fleshly desires for sex, drugs, alcohol, gaining wealth, power, and so on. When we sin, that is evil against God; evil is also harming someone sexually, physically, or emotionally. Evil is the opposite of goodness and love. Doing good things is loving and benefiting another person and helping them. All sin and evil deeds are punished by God. Sometimes, He allows Satan to have his way in you to hopefully bring you to repentance (1Cor. 5:1-5).

Submit to God and resist the devil.

Both my parents were Christians who professed Jesus as their Savior. They were even baptized by the Holy Spirit, yet they were both influenced by the devil to do evil. They were not submitted to God and did not resist the devil’s influence (Jam 4:7). My mother was a bitter, angry person and spoke destructive words, so I never felt loved or safe. My father was a thief and addicted to pornography, which led him down the pedophile path. How can this be? Remember, evil is harming people and not loving others as God commands. Evil actions begin as a thought that is within your control, which begins by submitting your mind to God and resisting the devil’s influence.

Six Steps to Prevent Demonic Influence.

Once you have acknowledged you are a sinner in need of forgiveness and asked God to come into your heart, you also need to follow these six steps to stay on the path of life that leads to heaven. James 4:6-8 explains, “But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ 7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

You must put off pride and put on humility (James 3:13-18).

You must desire to please God and fear Him by submitting to His authority in your life (Matt. 10:28).

Resist the devil by putting off sinful thoughts and putting on Jesus and making no provision for the flesh (Rom. 13:14).

Draw near to God. Hebrews 10:22 states, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Repent of all sin.

Renew your mind.

It is one thing to pray the sinner’s prayer; it is another to open your heart and let Jesus in to change your mind and heart. The Bible is clear that we are to put off our old life and put on a new life, in the likeness of God, Holy and righteous (Eph 4:22-24 and Col. 3:5-10). Colossians 3:5 states, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Jesus explains to the religious leaders in Mark 7:20-23, “And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21) For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23) All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’” The good news is that when you open your heart to Jesus and submit to Him, you have divine power to live a godly life (2Peter 1:3-11).

What fruit do you produce?

Jesus tells the religious leaders that a tree is known by its fruit in Luke 6:43-45 and Matthew 12:33-37. Mathew 12:35, Jesus says, “The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” To know if you are being influenced by the devil to do evil, listen to what you say (Matt. 12:34). Also, ask God to search your heart and mind and show you what your treasure is (Jer. 17:10 and Ps. 139:23-24). The writer of Hebrews wrote in 3:12, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” This verse is about believers who have not submitted to God’s work in their lives to transform their thinking and actions. God wants to abide in us, and we in Him, to produce good fruit (John 15:4-6).

I met my first husband in church. He professed to be a Christian and got his license to be a pastor, yet he was very abusive and wicked. After our divorce, he went from one woman after another and no longer walks with God. Inviting Jesus into your heart does not mean you let him sit in the foyer, where you spend time with him occasionally. Jesus wants to dwell in the entire house and remove all that is not holy. 2Corinthians7:1 states, “Since we have these promises (2Cor. 6:14-18), beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” The fear of God is putting away all our evil thoughts and doing good. This is why many pastors and Christians succumb to the schemes of the devil and fall away from their faith in God.

Conclusion

Saying the sinner’s prayer and acknowledging you are a sinner in need of forgiveness is the narrow gate we all must pass through to walk the path of life (Matt. 7:13-14). But if you stop there, you can easily go back to the path of destruction. Walking the path of life requires putting off your old self and its evil desires and putting on your new self, which is the image of Jesus. Removing, putting off sinful, fleshly desires removes the devil’s influence in your life. Does your life reflect Jesus, who loves, forgives, and serves? Or does your life look like the devil, who hates, is bitter, kills, and destroys relationships with hurtful words and harmful, evil deeds?

RELATED

How Does The Devil Scheme Against You?

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP DEMON INFLUENCES

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

How Does The Devil Scheme Against You?

So, how are we caught in the devil’s schemes? Do you believe you can’t be deceived by the devil? You learned in my previous posts that even Jesus’ disciples were deceived. Deception is to mislead and appear to be true, but it is not. How do you know if you are being deceived by an evil spirit you do not see?

The anatomy of deception or temptation.

This post contains excerpts from my book, Fighting Unseen Battles. In my last post, I explained how temptations open us up to do the devil’s will through our thoughts. Thankfully, we can take every thought captive and submit them to God. Satan’s deceptions follow the same strategy, so let’s look at the first temptation pattern in Genesis chapter three:

Satan tempts Eve to doubt and question God’s words and motives when He asked her in Genesis 3:1, “Did God actually say?” And then in verse four, Satan says, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” His suggestion creates the thought that God was withholding something good from her. Temptations are lies that generate false beliefs.

The forbidden object looks enticing: “saw that the tree was good for food” (Genesis 3:6).

She desired to disobey and eat the fruit: “and that it was a delight to the eyes” (Genesis 3:6).

She believed the lie that she would be like God, which created pride: “the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6).

She acted on the lure to disobey God and sin: “she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband” (Genesis 3:6).

Consequence of falling into Satan’s temptation to sin.

Ever since Adam and Eve lost in the first encounter of deception with the devil, we have struggled with a sinful nature. Sin is doing evil when we forsake God and disobey His loving, protective commands (2Chr. 12:14; Jer. 2:19). Sin has consequences. James1:14-15 explains, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15) Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” The Bible says you are dead in your sin (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13a; Rom. 5:10, 6:23, 8:10). Dead means no life, no energy, and no growth, like a branch cut off from a tree. Dead is how you feel when you sin; you may become fearful, depressed, and feel purposeless and devoid of hope and life. Shame and guilt are also consequences of sin.

How to master our thoughts.

Cain became angry and wanted to kill Abel. God spoke to Cain in Genesis 4:7 and said, “Sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is toward you, but you must rule over it.” God is telling Cain to rule over or master his thoughts of anger and jealousy, but he did not and killed his brother Abel. Sin begins as a thought that leads to desire, so God uses the image of crouching to show how sin is waiting to control our thoughts. We are to master all our thoughts and make them obey God’s commands. Namely, to love Him and to love others.

Cain was angry because Abel’s offering was accepted by God, and his wasn’t. Anger is not a sin because God also gets angry, yet He is perfect (Num. 22:22; Judg. 2:12; Rev. 14:10). According to Webster’s dictionary, anger is a feeling that may result from injury, mistreatment, opposition, and so on.

Is anger a sin or an indication of something being wrong?

Our anger indicates that we are offended by a perceived unfairness or unmet expectation. The term offended, according to Webster’s dictionary, means to feel irritated, annoyed, or displeased because of someone’s sin, negligence, or disregard. Ephesians 4:26–27 states, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” We sin when our anger causes us to retaliate against the person who hurt us, by returning an evil for an evil or an insult for an insult (Rom. 12:17; 1Thes. 5:15). The devil tempts us to act on our anger and to sin against another person, but don’t give him that opportunity; take your thought captive.

The Bible says we are to do what is good and honorable to everyone, even those who hurt us (Rom. 12:17). 1Peter 3:9 even says, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” God wants us to rule over anger and not let it rule us, but to bless those who offend us or do evil to us, which is hard to do on our own. Through our fleshly desire, we are tempted to retaliate and make the person pay for hurting us. God said we are to forgive and live in peace with everyone as far as it depends on us.

Conclusion

Everyone is susceptible to being deceived by the devil. Remember, he roams about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, so be watchful and stand firm in your faith (1Peter 5:8-9a). You are in a spiritual war that is full of offenses and deceptions that lure you into sin and spiritual death (Eph. 6:12). Every day, you need to put on the full armor of God. You can take every thought captive and make it obey God (2Cor. 10:5). Knowing what the Bible says is necessary to know the truth, so you know when you are being tempted to sin and do evil. If you do fall into temptation and sin, immediately turn back to God and seek His forgiveness. 1John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Don’t let Satan deceive you that you cannot be forgiven and made right with God. Take all thoughts of guilt and shame captive and command them to be gone, and tell yourself that you are forgiven and a new creation in Christ Jesus.

If you are interested in knowing more about this topic, I encourage you to get my book, Fighting Unseen Battles.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP DEMON INFLUENCES

Do you wonder why you or your loved ones are struggling? Why do you or others sometimes feel hopeless about doing what is right? In my first post about Jesus’s perspective on the spirit world, I said Christians could unwittingly invite evil spirits into their hearts to oppress them. You will learn how to recognize the schemes of the devil to deceive you and how to stop them. The devil works in your mind to deceive and tempt you. 2Corinthians 11:3 explains, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” In this post, we will look at three examples of temptations, the results, and how to stop the temptation before you sin and invite the devil to occupy your heart and mind.

In the last post, I explained how to successfully fight against the devil’s attacks. I will expand on that. 2Corinthians 2:11, Paul said, “So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” Put on the full armor of God so you are not outwitted by Satan’s schemes or designs. The devil’s number one scheme is temptation to get you to disobey God and sin so you will be separated from Him (Is. 59:2). If Satan can separate you from God, then he can oppress you and cause all kinds of troubles in your life. Repentance is the only solution to defeat Satan if he does tempt you to sin. 1Jonn 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Remember, Jesus is your advocate (1John 2:1-2).

Temptation of Judas Iscariot

One sad example is when Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, was tempted by Satan to betray Jesus for money. Judas followed Jesus for three years and believed He was the Son of God. Luke 22:3-4 tells us, “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4) He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.” The Apostle John wrote in John 13:2 that “During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” And in John 13:27, he says, “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

Because Judas opened himself up to Satan to sin, he then tempted Judas to kill himself. Matthew 27:3-5 states, “Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ They said, ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself.’ 5) And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.” If Judas had repented, then Jesus would have forgiven him. Satan is the thief that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life (John 10:10).

Observation: Satan first put it into Judas’s mind to betray Jesus. Then Judas acts on the temptation and seeks a way to betray Jesus. He still had a chance to take that thought captive and rebuked the enemy as Jesus did when He was tempted. In the Gospel of John, he said that the devil put it into Judas’s heart to betray Jesus, which involves feelings. Then, when Jesus pointed out Judas at the last supper, Satan entered into him. Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would betray him. God knew Judas’s heart, that he valued money more than Jesus and would do the will of the devil. Judas kept the moneybags, and he would keep some of the money given that was to take care of the poor (John 12:6).

Interpretation: We all have weaknesses that the devil will use to lure us to sin. For Judas, that was money. He never repented of his sin of stealing, which was why the devil was able to enter him. James 1:13-15 states, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14) But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15) Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Application: All temptation begins in the mind, so when you are tempted, take the thought captive (2Cor. 10:3-5) and verbally put it out of your mind, then put into your mind the truth found in God’s word. So, putting on the armor of God and reading your Bible each day will help you know the truth and speak the truth into Satan’s lies and temptations.

Jesus Overcomes the Devil’s Temptations

Jesus is your example for how to overcome the devil’s attempt to destroy your life. Read Matthew 4:1-10 about how Satan tempted Jesus and how He responded to Satan using God’s word, the truth. Jesus told Satan to be gone, and you can do that also. The only way to overcome the temptations and deceptions of the devil is to humbly submit to do God’s will and speak the Word of God.

Satan tempted Ananias and Sapphira

Other believers who were tempted to sin were Ananias and Sapphira. You learn about them in Acts 5:1-11. Again, the temptation involved money. 1Timothy 6:10 states, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” The Apostle Peter said that Satan filled Ananias’s heart to lie. The followers of Jesus were selling their property and donating the proceeds to help those in need. The consequence of lying to God was devastating.

1) But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3) But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

4) While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

5) When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Observation: When Ananias gave the money to Peter, he made it appear that he gave the whole amount. Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, knew in his heart that Ananias did not give all the proceeds from the sale. The consequence was being struck dead by God, which caused all who saw it to fear God and not do evil and sin. The same thing happened to Ananias’s wife.

Interpretation: When you are tempted, Satan fills your heart with deception to justify your sin. He will make you believe it is okay and nothing bad will happen. It is never good to sin. It breaks trust with God and with others, and there is always consequences.

Application: When you are tempted, ask God to help you do what is right, not what you feel like doing, which may be Satan working in your heart. Make no provision for your fleshly desires (Rom. 13:14). Ephesians 2:1-3 explains, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Evil spirits work in those who disobey God by following the passions of their flesh and not walking in righteousness.

Conclusion

Temptation is inevitable, and it begins in your mind. When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, He included the line, “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one.” Jesus included that line because He knew we would be tempted by the devil as He was. Jesus successfully defeated all the devil’s attempts to get Him to sin by using scriptural truths against him. That is what we must do when we are tempted by the devil. My book, Fighting Unseen Battles, identifies Satan’s deceptions and lures and the Scriptural truths to defeat him.

The Apostle Paul was concerned that those in Thessalonica who believed would be tempted to sin and to turn away from the faith. 1Thessalonians 3:5 states, “For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.” The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church in Corinthians10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

We have hope because Jesus suffered when tempted and now helps us when we are tempted (Hebrews2:18). All you need to do is recognize that you are being tempted to go your own way and do what feels good to you, and not go God’s way. If you have God’s armor on, you will recognize when you are being tempted and can call out to Jesus to help you do what is right. Hebrews 4:15-16 states, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The only way to stop the devil’s destructive work in your life is to humbly submit to God’s will, put on God’s armor, and speak the Word of God to overcome the temptations and deceptions of the devil.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

FIVE WAYS TO FIGHT THE DEVIL SUCCESSFULLY

Do you know people who make life difficult for you or others? Have you struggled with an argumentative person? I have. Have you considered that Satan is influencing you and those around you? Sometimes I am influenced by Satan when my mind does not resist him, and I am not submitting to God. When that happens, I become selfish, want my way, and am easily offended and unforgiving. A Scriptural example is found in Mark 8. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, but when Jesus tells him that He will die and be raised up again, Peter protests. In verse 33, Jesus then rebukes him, saying, “‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”

The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2) Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3) For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This verse explains the levels or ranks of demons. Remember, if you or others do not submit your minds to think on the things of God, you are also not resisting the devil’s influence on your life.

The last post described how believers respond to demons who afflict them and also to being set free. I described four responses:

a) Stand firm in your faith.

b) Be devoted and fully submitted to God when you are set free.

c) Do nothing, then the demon returns with more demons.

d) Be thankful and know that God’s grace will help you deal with the affliction, and His power is great in our weakness.

In this post, we will study Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn five more ways to respond to the devil. I will not go into great detail, but if you are interested in learning more, please check out the series of posts I wrote on spiritual warfare on the Spiritual Warfare Posts page.

1–Be Strong Through Jesus Christ.

10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Observation: We are to be strong in the Lord, not ourselves, and not in anyone or anything else. We can only be strong in God’s strength and in His might.

Interpretation and Application: We can only be strong when we are in the Lord; that is, when our minds are set on Him. We cannot fight against evil spirit forces in our own strength, which is why we must be fully submitted to God through repentance of sin. 2Peter 1:3-2 states “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then receive Him now into your heart and ask Him to forgive your sins, so nothing separates you from God the Father (Rom. 10:9-10).

2–Put on the Armor of God.

11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Observation: “Put on” is a command. The whole armor of God means all of it, every piece described below. We can only stand against the schemes of the devil when we have the whole armor on. Yes, the devil schemes about how to trip you up and cause you to doubt God, just like he did Adam and Eve. 2Corinthians 11:3 explains, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Interpretation and Application: Verse 11 does not say how often we are to put on the armor of God, but it is safe to say that every day would be a good start. It does not say when to put on the armor of God, but the safest time is the first thing in the morning. I have a prayer model to help you do this; use the PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD PRAYER MODEL. Paul talks about the devil’s schemes. Schemes mean to plot, plan, design, strategies, and so on. Remember, Satan is the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8). In 2Corinthians 2:11, Paul said, “So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” Put on the full armor of God, so you are not outwitted by Satan’s schemes or designs.

3–Do Everything to Resist the Devil and Stand Firm.

13) “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Observation: The previous verse, verse 12, explained that we are in a spiritual war against the ranks of demons. Therefore, the whole armor of God is needed to withstand or successfully resist on the day you are tested or tempted by evil spirits. Next, this verse tells you to stand firm when you have successfully resisted. James 4:7 tells us that when we resist the devil, he will flee.

Interpretation and Application: I often forget to be prepared and to stand firm every day. I forget that I am a spirit being in a human body living in a spirit world within the physical world. I need to be reminded to put on the whole armor of God, so I can successfully resist temptations and oppressions from evil forces at work against me or others. Taking up the whole armor of God is a mental discipline because Satan works in our minds.

4–Put on Truth, Righteousness, and Peace.

14-15) “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

Observation: The armor is already on before you stand firm against the evil day. Each piece of armor represents a characteristic of Jesus Christ.

Interpretation and Application: Jesus is the truth and the Word. When you read, memorize, and do the Word of God, you are putting on truth. When you put on Jesus Christ, you are putting on righteousness. Romans 13:14 states, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” When you put on the shoes of peace, you walk as Jesus would. 1John 2:6 states, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Also, Hebrews 12:14 states, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

5–Keep Faith, Salvation, and the Word of God Close to You Through Prayer.

16-18) “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

Observation: Faith, Salvation, and God’s word are imperative to stand firm against the assault of the evil one (the devil and his demons). Continual prayer in the Spirit is how you stay alert.

Interpretation and Application: If you relax in any way and do not keep on the whole armor of God and take up the shield of faith, you will be destroyed. Our faith is a shield held up through prayer and reading God’s Word. Praying at all times helps keep these necessary components of the armor close to you. Colossians 4:2 tells us to “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” We are also commanded to keep alert with all perseverance to be watchful, that means, don’t give up and don’t let your guard down.

Conclusion:

The armor of God is something we forget about. We lay down our shield of faith, don’t read the Bible, forget to pray, and then wonder why we aren’t doing well and have so many problems. Too often, watching TV takes up most of your time, and you don’t have time to read your Bible and pray. Remember, if you are a child of God, you need to keep your mind on the things of God above, not the things of this world. TV is a gateway to worldly thinking. The five more ways to deal with the demonic realm are as follows:

1–Be Strong Through Jesus Christ.

2–Put on the Armor of God.

3–Do Everything to Resist the Devil and Stand Firm.

4–Put on Truth, Righteousness, and Peace.

5–Keep Faith, Salvation, and the Word of God Close to You Through Prayer.

If you are interested in learning more, please check out the series of posts I wrote on spiritual warfare on the Spiritual Warfare Posts page.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

DEMONS AND BELIEVERS RESPONSE

Can demons afflict and oppress Christians? Many Christians believe the lie that the devil and demons do not afflict Christians because Christ defeated them, and He did. The fact is, Satan is still very active. 1Peter 5:8-9 states, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9) Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” First, Satan is our adversary, who wants to destroy our faith and oppress us. Second, Satan is seeking to devour anyone who is not vigilant or sober-minded. Third, we are to resist him. Your response is to remain firm in your faith in Jesus Christ (2Cor. 15:3-4). While resisting the devil, you need to submit to God at all times (James 4:7). If you are not submitted to God, then the devil can and will attack you.

No one likes suffering and being oppressed by a demon, let alone seven. This post will cover three accounts and how the believers in Jesus Christ responded. The first account will be how Mary Magdaline responded when delivered from seven demons. The second account will be how believers should not respond when delivered from demon oppression. The third account is how the Apostle Paul responded to being harassed by a demon.

Mary Magdalene is delivered from seven demons.

Not much is known about Mary Magdalene, but the Bible says that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after He rose from the dead. She was a devoted follower who cared about Jesus and ministered to him. Mark 16:9 records, “[[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.” Luke recounts this event in 2:2, “And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.”

Observation:

Jesus healed her of evil spirits by casting out seven demons.
It appears that Mary Magdalene believed Jesus when He said he would rise from the dead on the third day.
She went to the tomb early on the third day, which could explain why Jesus appeared to her first.

Interpretation:

After Mary Magdalene was delivered from the seven demons, she followed Jesus and devoted herself to Him.
She became the first evangelist by obeying Jesus and telling His disciples that He had risen.

Application:

We all have some form of demonic oppression afflicting us, whether we know it or not. It could be worry, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, chronic sickness, etc. For me, I had habitual anger, which was controlled by the oppressive spirits attached to trauma memories.
Not everyone will go to a deliverance service, but those who do experience tremendous freedom.
I became free from oppressive spirits attached to trauma memories as I submitted them to God for healing and forgave those who hurt me.
If you have a habitual sin or chronic issue, please seek someone who understands deliverance and hopefully trauma memories, and ask for help.
I discovered that my deliverance prayers in my book remove all sorts of oppressive spirits when trauma memories are healed, but sometimes it is helpful to have people pray for you.

Fill the void with truth.

Once the demons are cast out, you need to fill the void by submitting to Jesus Christ and growing in your knowledge of God’s word. Here is an example of what happens if you don’t fill the void left by evil spirits. Luke 11:24-26 explains.

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

Observation:

Cast out unclean spirits wander about seeking rest.
They will return to the same person if they do nothing.
They will bring more evil spirits with them.
The evil spirits dwell with a person and oppress them even worse.

Interpretation: If you don’t fill your life up with the Spirit of God and truth after being delivered, then the evil spirit will come back with more evil spirits, and your life will be worse than before.

Application:

When you get rid of an oppressive spirit, you need to fill the void with God’s truth and devote yourself to Jesus Christ and live in this world as He lived.
My book explains how to identify wrong beliefs from trauma memories, heal trauma memories, cast out any attached oppressive spirit to the memory and wrong beliefs, then replace the wrong belief with God’s truth.
Go to hopeforcompletehealing.com to find these prayers.

What to do if the Spirit will not leave.

If Satan was defeated by Jesus, and he was, and can no longer harass Christian believers, then why was the Apostle Paul afflicted by a messenger of Satan? Let’s look at 2Corinthians 12:7-10.

7) So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

9) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10) For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observation:

Paul is given a messenger of Satan (demon) to harass him, which was to keep him humble.
NOTE: Paul was NOT possessed by the demon, simply harassed, in other words, oppressed. He likened it to a “thorn in the flesh”.
He prayed earnestly for God to remove it, but it persisted.
God said that His grace is sufficient to help Paul endure the harassment.
God’s power is made perfect in weakness.
Paul chose to give God glory for his weakness, to experience more of God’s power.
Then he chose to be content with the demonic harassment.

Interpretation:

The text does not say who sent the harassing spirit. But I do know from experience that people who minister will be harassed by evil spirits. I explained that in the last post.
God heard Paul’s prayer, but chose to let the harassing spirit be for this time to keep him from becoming prideful.
Paul chose to be content and be at peace with his suffering for the sake of Christ. He kept his mind set on the truths of God, not his suffering.
There is a suffering that comes from our own doing. Peter describes the two kinds of suffering in 1Peter 3:17 “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” And 1Peter 4:15-16 states, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”
Though Paul was a Christian, he was still afflicted by a demon, and God allowed it.

Application:

It is very humbling and hard to endure suffering.
Pray for God’s deliverance.
If God chooses to give you grace to endure, then choose to glory in the power He gives you to endure.
Pridefulness is a sin, and it separates you from God. God did not want Paul to become prideful. God does not want us to be prideful either.
I made a habit of asking God to show me any prideful spirit in me.
The hardest thing for us to do is be content when we are suffering. We naturally want to complain rather than be thankful in all circumstances (1Thes. 5:18).
We are called to suffer with Christ. 1Peter 4:13 states, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” Also Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Conclusion

Demons will afflict Christian believers; it is how you respond that makes the difference. Mary Magdalene devoted herself to following Jesus Christ. The man who had a demon cast out did nothing, then seven more came back. To prevent that from happening to you, you must fill the void with God’s truths from the Bible and draw near to Him. The Apostle Paul chose to be content and thankful, giving glory to God for the strength to endure the harassment. Remember, 1Peter 5:8-9 states, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9) Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and the truths behind them. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles. Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Can anyone cast out a demon?

Who has authority over evil spirits? I am writing a series of posts about the spirit world through Jesus’ eyes. Today’s post is about how only Jesus has authority over spirits and gives that power and authority to His disciples. In my first post, you learned the difference between a demon and evil spirits. In my second post, you learned the difference between spirit oppression and demon-possession. The Bible is clear that demons, Satan, and the devil exist and how destructive they are. When you look around our current world, you see the evidence of demonic and Satanic destructive influence on mankind.

Luke 9:1-2 states, “And he (Jesus)called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” Matthew 10:1 states, “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits (NIV; evil spirits), to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

Observation:

Jesus gives his twelve disciples power and authority over all demons (unclean and evil spirits), to cast them out of people and cure their diseases.
Jesus also gave them power and authority to preach about the Kingdom of God and to heal every sickness and affliction.

Interpretation:

Jesus is God and has all authority over evil spirits.
These spirits still exist and continue to afflict people.
People still need deliverance to be free of diseases and afflictions.

Application:

We have power and authority through the Holy Spirit -Jesus within us to cast out demons.
Have you invited Jesus into your heart and received forgiveness of your sins?
If you have, then you have the authority to do what the disciples did. Read, “Four Reasons for Authority in Prayer.”

Luke 10:1 states, “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” Luke 10:17-20 “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ ¹⁸And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’”

Observation:

Jesus sent two people out to preach and minister to people.
Jesus gave many others the power and authority over demonic spirits using His name.
He gave them authority over all the power of the enemy, and the enemy will not hurt them.
Jesus saw the effect of their prayers when Satan fell from heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 16:19, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” See my web-book to learn how I do this.
The 72 men were amazed that the demons were subject to them.

Interpretation:

Jesus uses us to prepare people’s hearts to receive Him.
Jesus refers to demons as serpents and scorpions. Also read Ps. 91:13.
Satan continued to have access to heaven to bring destruction to people’s lives. See the story of Job as an example.
The men Jesus gave power and authority to believed in Him as their names were written in heaven, which I believe refers to the Book of Life.

Application:

We, too, have been given power and authority over demonic spirits in His name when we believe in Him.
We, too, can intercede for people and destroy the devil’s work in their lives.
We, too, can tread on the enemy and suffer no harm. 2Thessalonians 3:3 states, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

So, can anyone cast out a demon? You will learn what happens to those who do not have authority over demons in the following Scripture passage in Acts 19:11-19.

11-12) And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

13) Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”

14) Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.

15) But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”

16) And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17) And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.

18) Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.

19) And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Observation:

God has power and authority over all the spirits and healing. Even the Apostle Paul’s handkerchiefs that touched the sick healed them, and evil spirits came out.
God is almighty in power and has no limits.
The demons (evil, unclean spirits) know the name of Jesus has power.
The demons will speak through the person they are possessing.
Demons can hurt those who do not have the protection of Jesus Christ.
Sorcery and magic arts were practiced even among the believers.

Interpretation:

It appears from verse 12 that evil spirits are often involved with human diseases and sickness. We learned that from my last post, when Jesus healed the sick girl by delivering her from a demon through her mother’s faith. There are many other scriptures with the same correlation.
Only those whose names are written in heaven have the power and authority to cast out demons.
When the people saw how the evil spirit through one man took on seven and beat them up, they became fearful. They then confessed their sins and burned their books on magic.

Application:

If you have any occult images, games, or books concerning magic or curses, even innocent ones like a Buddha or any Hindu figures, you need to destroy them immediately.

Also, if you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have the authority to break all curses from your ancestry. See my web-book for more details.

Conclusion:

The only people who can pray and cast out demons in Jesus’ name are believers whose names are written in heaven. When the Holy Spirit resides in you, you have the power not only to preach the gospel but also to cast out demons and heal people’s diseases. Next time you or your family feel uneasy or agitated, consider praying and commanding any intruding spirits to leave your home in Jesus’ name. When I feel depressed or really tired for no reason, that could be oppression from an evil spirit. I take authority over any spirit attacks on my mind or body, and command the spirits to be gone in Jesus’ name. I feel immediate relief.

Blessings.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

A Mother’s Faith and Demon Deliverance

Do you remember the story of the Canaanite woman who came to Jesus about her daughter who was severely oppressed by a demon? How did she know her daughter was oppressed by a demon? How is it that we, today, are not aware when we are being oppressed by a demon? Let’s read this account in Matthew 15:21-28 and learn how a parent has the authority to ask God to deliver their children from demons.

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Observation:

The news that Jesus was in the area brought a foreign woman to seek healing for her daughter.
She first asked for mercy.
She knew that Jesus was the Son of David and called Him Lord.
She presented her need for Jesus to heal her daughter, who was oppressed by a demon.
Jesus would not answer her because His mission was to reach the lost sheep of Israel.
She continued to cry out to Jesus, asking for mercy and for His help.
She humbled herself by kneeling before Him out of worship.
Jesus was not inclined to help her and even called her a dog.
In great humility, she responded that even dogs eat what falls from the table.
Jesus was amazed by her faith and gave her what she asked for.
Her daughter was healed instantly.

There is another account in Mark 7:24-30. And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29And he said to her, “For this statement, you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

Jesus was trying to hide, but He was so famous, even in the Greek region called Cannon, that they knew where to find Him.
In this account, the daughter was described as having an unclean spirit. I explained in a previous post that being oppressed by a demon and having an unclean spirit are synonyms.
The mother wanted Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter.
The last post I wrote describes how you know if you are being oppressed by a demon.
Jesus spoke the word, and the demon left the child, and the child was healed.
When the mother went home, the child was well, and the demon was gone.

Interpretation:

The woman was considered a heathen because she was born in Phoenicia in the Canaan area, which is now modern-day Syria.
The King James Version said that the woman’s little girl was grievously vexed by a devil.
By calling Him the Son of David, she is acknowledging that He is the Messiah.
The woman’s approach is an example for us.
- She boldly came to Jesus with her request, knowing Jesus was the only one who could help her daughter.
- She humbled herself and worshiped Jesus. Even when He told her He was not there to help her.
- She was persistent in her request.
- She was specific about what she wanted Jesus to do.
- She believed Jesus could deliver her child from the oppressing demon.
Casting out demons also heals the person. Every person whom Jesus cast out a demon was also healed.

Application:

A parent or grandparent has authority over their children and can petition God to heal or deliver their children from every oppression.
We need to be humble, specific, and persistent. This passage does not say how long she pleaded with Jesus, but in Matthew’s version of the story, the disciples said the woman kept crying out after them. The New American Standard version said she kept shouting at them.
We also need to have faith like this heathen woman and believe that Jesus can and will heal our loved ones.
Often our afflictions are the result of demon possession or oppression, which appear to be the same. Possession refers to having control or dominance over a person’s spirit and body. Oppression is the exercise of control over a person’s spirit and body, causing hardship and suffering.

As a school teacher, I had to take authority through Jesus Christ to command demonic spirits to leave the classroom. Every time I had to do this, there was immediate peace, and the student who brought the demon with them calmed down. Once, I had to sit in a detention room with a first-grader and his aide. The student kept talking about wanting to be a bully and his Pokémon cards. He would not do his school work and would not cooperate with any of our instructions. The aide had to leave to use the bathroom, and the detention room had a glass wall facing the principal’s office, so I stood next to some filing cabinets and prayed softly for the demons to leave the boy and the room, in Jesus’ name. At that moment, the boy sat up straight in his chair, and we had no more problems the rest of the day. He even finished all his schoolwork. The aid was amazed by this, so I told him what I prayed, because the aid was a Christian as well.

I also teach a Bible study at the county jail and have encountered many demons throughout the years. Before I go into the jail, I pray and ask God to protect me, and I put on the armor of light (Rom. 13:12) that dispels the dark forces of evil. I also ask God to remove all demonic spirit attachments from the girls before they come into the room. One girl said that the only place she feels peace is when she comes to our Bible Study.

**********

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.