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

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

Demon-Possession and Deliverance

How do you know if someone is demon-possessed? What did Jesus do when He encountered someone who was demon-possessed? In my last post, you learned that the term “demon” is used interchangeably with “evil spirit” or “unclean spirit.” A person who is demon-possessed is controlled by an evil spirit. Evil is immorality, harming others, and being destructive (Dictionary.com 2026). A person who hurts others and is destructive is controlled by an evil spirit.

Because of my family heritage, I had several evil spirits that controlled my thoughts and behavior. Both sides of my family have a history of practicing witchcraft in some form. When you play around with any form of witchcraft (seances, tarot cards, fortune telling, ouija boards, pow wows, voodoo dolls, etc.), you are inviting evil spirits to possess your spirit. Please read my post about the reality of the spirit world. I inherited spirits that passed from one family member to the next. My sin also invited evil spirits to oppress my spirit and influence my thoughts. I am free from all of them through the authority of Jesus Christ.

Demon Deliverance

There are two distinct examples of how Jesus dealt with the demon-possessed. I am looking at two different accounts of the same situation. Each person, Mark, Luke, and Matthew, all witnessed the same account but recorded different perceptions about it. The first account, and most detailed, is when Jesus encountered the Gerasene Demoniac. I will use the Inductive Bible Study method, which focuses on observation, interpretation, and application to study these Scriptures.

Mark 5:1-13 states, “They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. ²And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ³He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. ⁵Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.⁶And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ⁷And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” ¹³So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. ¹⁴The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.”

Matthew 8:28-31 states, “And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. ²⁹And behold, they cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’ ³⁰Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. ³¹And the demons begged him, saying, ‘If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.’”

Observation:

Demon-possessed people are often fierce, violent, or hostile in nature, and they may be unusually strong. They frighten others with threats and hostile actions.

The other observation I made was that the demons knew who Jesus was right away, which tells me they were angelic beings who once dwelt in heaven with Jesus. They knew He was the Son of God. They also know that the lake of fire was created for them and they would be tormented (2Pet. 2:4).

Interpretation:

John 10:10 states, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” People who are destructive are either demon-possessed or oppressed by demons. I will write about oppression in another post. You can tell if a person is controlled by an evil spirit by the fruit of their behavior and words (Matt. 7:15-20 and Matt. 12:33-35).

Application:

Jesus Christ has the authority to command the demons to leave. If you are a follower of Jesus and He dwells in you through the Holy Spirit, you, too, have the authority to tell the demons to leave in Jesus’ name. There are many more examples throughout the New Testament.

Another Encounter with a Demon-Possessed Man.

Mark records another encounter with a demon-possessed man. Mark 1:23-27 states, “And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.’ ²⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ ²⁶And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’”

Luke 4:33-36 gives another account: “And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.’ ³⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶And they were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!’”

Observation:

The unclean spirit knew Jesus was from Nazareth and spoke to Him, asking if He came to destroy” us”, which means there may have been more than one unclean spirit. Or, it could mean the spirit knew their judgment from when all the rebellious angels were thrown out of heaven. In the previous account with demons, they knew Jesus was God and had power over them.

When Jesus rebuked the demon to be silent and cast it out, the strength of the demon threw the man down before coming out of him. Mark said the demon caused the man to convulse, and it cried out loudly before leaving the man.

Interpretation:

Jesus didn’t ask the man if he wanted to be free from the demon. Jesus didn’t send the demon to any specific place either. When a demon leaves a person, it is unpredictable what they will do. When you read accounts of demon deliverance, there is some form of commotion when they leave. Jesus did not speak to the unclean spirit this time. Demons are deceiving spirits, so you should not engage a spirit, but command them to come out.

Application:

You have the authority to command unclean spirits to leave as well, if Jesus is the ruler of your life.

Conclusion:

Demon possession is real, and you will encounter demon-possessed people whether you know it or not. If a demon presents itself, you have the authority through Jesus Christ to command the demon or demons to be gone. I remember when God showed me that I had a spirit of pride. When I prayed and said it was to be gone from my life, I could not breathe; my chest heaved for many seconds before the spirit left. After it was gone, I could breathe so much better, and I felt a weight lift off me. A long time ago, I visited a Franciscan priest who was a spirit-filled, born-again Catholic and had a deliverance ministry. I asked him to pray a deliverance prayer over me to deliver me from any demons I may have had because I had uncontrollable anger. He found one from my mother’s side, and when he commanded it to come out, I felt it leave. Again, I felt a weight lift off me, and I could breathe better.

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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 Spirit World Through Jesus’s Eyes, Introduction

Have you ever wondered if a person had demons or oppressive spirits? What would that look like? In the coming months, I will explore the unseen world through the eyes of Jesus. My posts will be biblically based using the Inductive Bible Study method, which focuses on observation, interpretation, and application. We know the Bible says that angels are ministering spirits for those who are to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). They give us messages (read the Christmas story as an example) and protect us (Ps. 91:11). Angels obey the word of God (Ps. 103:20).

Last year, I wrote about mental health. As I was praying about what to write this year, the Lord impressed on my mind to do a deep dive into how we can know when we are dealing with a demon or oppressive spirits, and what to do. I lead a Bible study in the prison system, and I have seen the evidence of demon activity in the women who attend my Bible Study. I have cast out demons as well. And, I have been attacked by demons/evil spirits. I will explain how I knew and what I did about it. Our mental health is also influenced by unseen evil forces.

Misconceptions About Demons

I am surprised by how many people do not believe that Christians can be afflicted by demons. And how many Christians believe that when Jesus died on the Cross, he defeated Satan, which is true, so we are victorious over them, which we are. But what many Christians are not aware of is how they are unwittingly inviting evil spirits to oppress them through their sin and thought life. Then, I know some Christians who rebuke everything as if a demon is behind it. If a door is stuck, they rebuke the demon that is causing it to stick. YIKES! We need a balanced biblical view of demons, evil spirits, oppressive spirits, and Satan. I generated 16 pages of scripture references, so I have plenty of factual material to teach from.

The Three References to Evil Entities.

So what is the difference between demons, evil spirits, and Satan? The Bible uses all three references. I am not an expert on this topic, but I have firsthand experience. Let’s look at what the Scripture says.

Demons are known to be the fallen angels who followed Lucifer in his sin and were thrown down to the earth with Satan, who is also known as the devil. Revelations 12:9 states, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

Demons are spirits, 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.” King James reads, “When …, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, ….” The New International Version and New American Standard Version read, “When… many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word…”

Evil spirits are demons. Luke 8:2 explains, “And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” Here is another example of evil spirits also being demons: Acts 19:15-16 states, “But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ ¹⁶And 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.” We know the demons who possessed the men at Gadarenes knew who Jesus was (Matt. 8:28-29). The evil spirit in the man in Acts 19:15 also knew Jesus, which suggests that evil spirits are demons.

Concludion

I described two spirit entities, demons and evil spirits; to respect your time, I will write a separate post on Satan. We do not have to fear the devil, evil spirits, or demons because Jesus Christ has given us the authority to command them to leave. BUT many of us give the evil spirits the right to oppress us. I will elaborate on that in another post. YOU can live in victory and freedom through Jesus Christ.

Blessings.

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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.

Ten Ways to Overcome a Critical Spirit

Where does a Critical Spirit come from? We all tend to see how others can do better or be better, so we feel the need to tell them. This is not bad if it is done in love and received as being loving. Being criticized often feels like being judged. The problem is, we don’t like to be told what is wrong with what we did. When we feel criticized, we feel rejected, and we don’t want to be with the person who criticizes us. Has this ever happened to you? How did it make you feel? How is your relationship with the person who criticized you?

Why Are People Critical?

I was a very critical person for many years. The Lord showed me that I had low self-esteem, so I would criticize others to make myself look better. I had a judgmental stronghold that was built by a critical mother, and I felt like I could never be good enough. The critical spirit is fueled by anger. So the first way to overcome a critical spirit is to work through all the bad memories of when someone criticized you and you felt rejected. First, ask God to show you the earliest memory or strongest memory of when you felt judged or criticized (Psalm 139:23-24). Don’t relive the experience and don’t talk about it. Immediately forgive the person for what they said to you and ask God to release and heal the resentment, rejection, and anger you felt and still feel. Then ask God to remove the spirit attachment to that memory. Next, ask God to show you the next painful memory of criticism, then forgive, release, and remove the attached spirit. To learn more about how and why healing your memories changes your life, read my online book at hopeforcompletehealing.com.

How Do I Change My Heart From Critical to Caring?

The remaining nine ways to overcome a critical spirit are adapted from Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook by June Hunt.

Humble your heart to see your sin and your immense need for God’s mercy. Next, see others’ significance in God’s eyes, and when you criticize them, you hurt God. Pray and ask God to help you show the same grace to others that He shows you (James 4:11 and 2:13)
Put on and practice showing compassion for others (Col. 3:12). Look closely at the life of Christ to learn His compassionate way of confronting the truth. Pray that you will be controlled by Christ’s love for others (1Cor. 16:14 and 1John 4:7) .
Draw out the heartfelt needs of others (Prov. 20:5). Pray that God will give you a discerning spirit as you seek to draw others out and encourage them with what they are doing right.
Offer acceptance to others (Rom. 15:7). Realize that everyone has an innate fear of rejection and a deep yearning for acceptance. Pray and ask God to be a channel through which He extends His grace and values others.
See the God-given worth in others (Luke 12:6-7). Ask God to help you treat every person, especially the one most problematic to you, as someone with God-given worth. And pray that the Lord will not allow you to despise anyone whom He created and loves. If you despise someone, ask God to show you why, forgive them if they have hurt or disappointed you, then ask God to give you mercy toward that person.
Praise the positives in others (Phil. 4:8). Ask God to help you see the positive and right things people are doing, and be thankful. Also, ask Him to help you see others as He sees them and value them as He values them.
Refuse to wound others with words (Col. 3:16 and Eph. 4:29). Prayerfully consider the possibility that what you are criticizing in someone may be something God wants to deal with you about. Before speaking words of criticism, ask a wise friend to evaluate the content and tone of your words. Realize that after critical words are spoken, you can never take them back. If you need to share how someone has hurt you, ask God for the right words as His instrument for good, and pray that the other person will receive what you have to say.
See the unmet needs of others (Phil. 4:19). Instead of judging the inappropriate actions of others, seek to understand the need behind each action. If someone is critical of you, realize that their words reveal that they have unmet inner needs (for love, significance, or security). Realize that people don’t always mean what they say, nor understand their own deepest needs.
Rely on God’s Word and God’s Spirit for wisdom (Heb. 4:12). Memorize James 3:13-18 about what the wisdom from above is and is not. Pray that God’s Spirit will teach you spiritual truths and lead you to speak these truths in love (1Cor. 2:13).

Conclusion:

A criticism begins as a thought, which is in your control. Ask God if it is necessary for you to address the issue; if so, ask God how you should address the issue in love. For example, our church was practicing for the Christmas program. The choir director got mean with the children’s program director. I witnessed it and knew it needed to be addressed because the other person is easily offended. I prayed about how to address the critical words spoken by the choir director and asked God to direct my words. I called her, and when I described what I witnessed, she immediately saw her sin and repented. She called the children’s program director and apologized. The next Sunday morning, she apologized to the whole church. Since that time, I have noticed that she is more careful with her words. But the damage is done.

Jesus explains in His first sermon how we are to act as His followers. Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus also said in Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38) This is the great and first commandment. 39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40) On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” Let everything you do be done in love. Before you can love others well, you need to fix your love issues. See my page on resolving love issues.

Love From a Pure Heart

How to Respond to Criticism

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are 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 what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.

The Best Way to Manage Stress

Would you agree that fear and powerlessness cause the greatest stress? For something to be stressful, it has to trigger an emotional response from the amygdala, the emotional part of your brain. When your amygdala is activated, it raises your cortisol levels, which is your stress hormone, and you have a physical reaction: either fight, flee, or freeze. The longer you remain in this stress reaction, the more adverse physical symptoms you will have. There are many articles about the effects of Cortisol and how to reduce stress, which I linked below. In this post, I want to share my experience on the best way to manage stress.

How to Overcome Stress – https://hopeforcompletehealing.com/2025/02/02/how-to-overcome-stress/

20 Ways to Relieve Stress – https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-relieve-stress

Trauma and Cortisol: Their Impact on Mental Health – https://integratingpulse.com/articles/trauma-and-cortisol-mental-health-implications/

Managing Stress With Prayer

Friday nights, I go to the County Jail to lead a Bible Study with a co-teacher, Sandy. An inmate, who never went to church or read the Bible, asked if overcoming her addiction was as simple as praying. I said, “Yes.” So I put together a Bible study on prayer —why and how it works. During the next Bible study, a stressful situation happened to one of the inmates. But before I tell you about it, I need to share some of my Bible study so you understand how I helped the woman overcome the overwhelming stress.

I knew something was wrong because she turned red, was breathing faster, and looked terrified. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, “The CO (Correction Officer) was carrying reds.” I asked her what “reds” meant. She said you are put in a red uniform when you are in lockdown, and everything is taken from you. She felt she was going to be put in reds because of a verbal altercation she had with another member of the Bible Study, who then refused to come. The fear that the red uniform was for her sent her into a panic. I was on the spot to prove that prayer works.

How Prayer Works: Outline.

What is prayer? – It is our power connection (find an electric outlet). It’s useless unless you plug into it, but it is available when you need it. Prayer is useless until you plug into God, but you must be connected to Him through believing. (1Cor. 2:5, Rom. 1:6, 1Cor. 1:18).

What is faith? – It is our connection to God as we trust Him. Faith is our power cord that connects our spirit to God, the Almighty Spirit. He is our power source that we access through faith (Heb. 11:1 & verse 6, Gal. 5:5).

What is submission? – To yield to the authority, control, and power of another, also called surrendering. Submission turns on the power and allows God’s power to work in your life. If you are prideful and want to stay in control, then your prayer does not turn the power on. Submitting to God’s will allows His power to flow in your life and make changes.

What is sin? – It is disobedience to God, and it separates us from God, so our prayers are not effective until we repent and submit to God’s will. Sin causes power outages that need to be fixed so power can flow again. Sin separates you from God (Is. 5 9:1-2 and Ps. 66:18). Repair the break through confessing and repenting (1John 1:9, Acts 3:19, 8:22).

To learn more about prayer, please see my page called “Posts about Prayer.”

Why Prayer Works: Outline

I then explained to the girls the four realities of the Spirit world to understand why prayer works. Read my post called “Four Realities of the Spirit World” for complete details.

Reality one: We are spiritual beings in a physical body living in a spirit world within a physical world. (Jm. 2:26, Lk 23:46, Acts 7:59).

Reality two: God is an eternal Spirit being, which means He has always existed. He is also an all-powerful Spirit-being that is present everywhere. (Rev. 1:8, 1Cor. 2:11, John 4:24, 2Cor 3:17).

God’s desire from the beginning of time is to be in a loving fellowship with mankind. Fellowship also means companionship, and some call it a relationship. (1Cor. 1:9, 1John 1:3, and Isaiah 41:10-13 tell us that God holds our hand through our spiritual being.

Reality three: The devil and demons are evil spirits who are fallen angels. These evil spirits want to keep us from being in fellowship with God. And they will deceive and tempt us to please our sinful, fleshly desires and live independently of God. (1Peter 5:8-9, Matt. 4:1-11). James 4:7-8; “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.”

Reality four: God the Holy Spirit replaces our sin-corrupted spirits and gives us a new life, and we become born again spiritually (see 1Peter 1:3 & 1 Cor 6:17). We get this new life when we believe with our heart and confess out loud that Jesus Christ is God the Son, who died to pay the debt for sin, forgives our sins, and frees us from sin’s control (see John 1:29; 1John 4:15; 1Peter 1:18-19; Colossians 1:14; & Galatians 5:1).

Conclusion:

Because God is our power source, and prayer is how we access His power, this makes prayer the best way to manage our stress and also become free from addictions and habitual sin. So, when Amanda had the stress reaction, I had her practice praying and giving her fearful thoughts to God and to bring in His peace and joy, and if she were put into reds and locked down, that God had a purpose for it. Rather than letting Satan steal your peace and joy, take the fearful thoughts captive, command them to be gone, and then focus on praising God. She immediately calmed down. I told her that it is okay to be upset when something bad happens, but dwelling on it will give fear power over your emotions and behavior. Praying causes you to focus on God’s power to help you. Where you allow your mind to focus will be the direction you go. Do you want to live in fear and anxiety or in peace and joy? Prayer is the best way to manage stress.

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are 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.