This is our fourth and final article about demons. We've covered what demons are, what they can do, and what areas in us they can influence. Now it's time to learn how to get rid of them!
First, let's talk about how they got in. We referenced Matthew 12:43-45, when Jesus talked about unclean spirits finding their previous house (person) empty and bringing their friends to live there. This gives credence to the discussion last email about demons operating in gangs, and it also gives us a clue into how they inhabit us: there is nothing in us to take up their place. They also choose moments of weakness and/or moments we choose to commit sinful acts or are involved in Satan's influences.
Moments of weakness occur from outside influences on us. For example, a child can be subject to rejection from parents, friends, family members, etc., and then in their moment of sadness or confusion as to why they were rejected (without really knowing that's what was happening) the demon of rejection enters. In another example, James 3:16 warns us that evil is where envying and strife is. Strife in broken homes, with parents in conflict, can cause a moment of weakness for a child. As children, we did not (and they do not) have the spiritual strength or knowledge to defend against such demonic attacks. The demons enter and wreak havoc in our lives without us even realizing, things happen in our lives that we don't understand, and it just gets worse as time goes on.
Other moments of weakness can occur through moments of emotional shock or sustained emotional pressure. 1 Peter 3:5,6 says women are considered daughters of Sara (or holy women) if they do good things and are not afraid. The Greek word translated to afraid here is phobeo, which can mean "to be struck with fear," "startled by strange sights," and "to be put to flight by terrifying." Being involved in a terrifying incident, or even seeing it, can cause a moment of weakness allowing a spirit of fear to enter. It can even affect individuals to the point where they're terrified to do things like drive a car or even leave their house. Emotional pressure is not a single terrifying incident, but a constant wearing down of our strength to resist. Things like constantly being judged or put down by someone we love, a constant struggling to make ends meet and always falling short or things never seeming to go right for us, fall into this category.
Sinful acts as an opportunity for demons to enter is pretty self explanatory, but being involved in Satan's influences in the world might not be. We talked about spirits of divination (psychics, fortune tellers, extrasensory perception) and interacting with these will provide an opportunity for demonic entry. Other satanic influences may be less obvious in this age since they're downplayed so much, or are even glorified by having tv shows featuring them: mediums, ouiji boards, drugs, magic (not sleight of hand), spells, incantations, charms, chants, etc. The word translated to sorceries in Rev 9:21, pharmakeia, literally means use or administering of drugs. The word impostors in 2 Tim 3:13 is translated from a Greek word meaning enchanters, and enchanting is used in many satanic rituals. Remember, this verse is about Paul's warning about the end of the age, and it's definitely clear the prevalence of these things has only grown over time.
False religions are some of the most widespread of Satan's influences. Exodus 20:3-5 warns us that involvement in idolatry (a key aspect in many false religions) will visit iniquity to the third and fourth of our generations. This means from our great-great-grandparents until us, if anyone was involved in idolatry we will feel the effects. That's 30 people's actions that could affect our lives! And false religion can take many forms, but there are a few ways we can identify them:
Acknowledging, or believing in, more than one god (All the Greek gods that were worshipped)
Practicing idol worship (Hinduism involves worshipping idols (they even call them idols))
Teaching that human beings can ultimately become gods (in Mormonism, they believe humans can become gods)
Teaching that people can achieve righteousness by their own efforts (A belief in karma)
Offering some form of esoteric knowledge available only to a privileged few (Scientology and any other involving levels (freemasonry, mormonism, etc.))
A couple other examples allowing demons to enter are laying on of hands (in certain situations) and idle words. 1 Tim 5:22 warns of laying hands on a person hastily, which shows this causes a spiritual interaction we need to be careful about. This should be done prayerfully and reverently vice hastily. As far as idle words, we discussed in a previous email that words mean things, and in this case they mean that we can voluntarily open the door for demons with our words. Phrases like, "I wish I were dead," and "I'd be better off dead," invite the spirit of death, and "I'm sick and tired," invites spirits of infirmity and tiredness.
So how do we get rid of these "henchmen?" You can seek help, but be careful since there are many who don't fully understand what's required and resort to theatrics, believing physical assault or dramatic actions are necessary to expel demons. Or, you can turn to the Lord for help. If you choose this route, I recommend doing these things out loud, as there is something about speaking them that proves or encourages conviction in you:
Affirm your faith in Christ as your Savior and High Priest of confession (Heb 3:1)
John 1:29, 1 Cor 15:57
Humble yourselves, stripping yourself of any pride and asking God for help
1 Pet 5:5-6
Confess any known sins, and if you need help, ask the Holy Spirit to bring them to your mind (and don't forget about your ancestors! Exodus 20:3-5)
1 John 1:9
Repent of those sins (turn away from them completely and vow to never do them again)
Proverbs 28:13
Forgive all others who sinned against you
Mark 11:25-26, Matt 18:23-35
Break with occult and false religions, remove any artifacts of them from your life and destroy them, confess and repent of your involvement or interaction with them
Deut 7:26, Acts 19:19
Prepare to be released from every curse over your life
Gen 24:1, Gal 3:13-14
Take your stand with God
Romans 8:31, James 4:7
Expel: tell it to leave and blow it out (remember, the Greek word for spirit means breath)
Then put on your full armor of God (Eph 6:13-18) and fill your heart and your life with God's Word, so when those demons come back they'll see no room in their old house for them to live! And make sure you stay away from any thing or person that was involved in causing your demonization (1 Cor 15:33). To help with those steps for deliverance, I've copied Derek Prince's recommended prayer below. I hope something from my four part series on demons spoke to you and helped in some way!
Love you all and God bless you!
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You are the Son of God and the only way to God-that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again so that I might be forgiven and receive eternal life.
I renounce all pride and religious self-righteousness and any dignity that doesn't come from You. I have no claim on Your mercy except that You died in my place.
I confess all my sins before You and hold nothing back. Especially I confess...[speak your sins here]
I repent of all my sins. I turn away from them and I turn to You, Lord, for mercy and forgiveness.
By a decision of my will, I freely forgive all who have ever harmed or wronged me. I lay down all bitterness, all resentment and all hatred. Specifically, I forgive...[speak who you forgive and what they did to you]
I sever all contact I have ever had with the occult or with all false religion-particularly...[speak specifics]. I commit myself to get rid of all objects associated with the occult or false religion.
Lord Jesus, I thank You that on the cross You were made a curse, that I might be redeemed from every curse and inherit God's blessing. On that basis I ask You to release me and set me free to receive the deliverance I need.
I take my stand with You, Lord, against all Satan's demons. I submit to You, Lord, and I resist the devil. Amen!
Now I speak to any demons that have control over me. [Speak directly to them, by name if possible] I command you to go from me now. In the name of Jesus, I expel you!
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