Free #2 - Knowing the Enemy

Isaiah 51:11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away

I want to be an utterly free person. No limitations, no fears, no hindrances, nothing binding me or holding me captive in any way. Babylon was more than a historical nation in the Middle East with a great army, but  a demonic system that seeks to capture and oppress humanity anywhere and throughout all ages. 

It is concerning this reality that Paul wrote - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12)

We see that there is some organisation: chain of command, degrees of strength, or difference in assignment in the devil’s kingdom.

1. So a person is not necessarily going to be in a powerful, completely controlling possessive grip; there are powers,  but a host that don’t have that designation. (Host = “a mass of persons organised for war” – Lord of hosts over 250 x in OT).
   

1. The word evil that prefaces the designation evil spirit, as well as indicating ethical corruptness also means ‘harassing, annoying, causing trouble and hardship’. This suggests there are a huge number of demons who can trouble an area of a persons life, but not have the ability to demonize the rest of the person.
   

… you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath … (Ephesians 2:2-3)

1. It would not be an exaggeration to say that we live in a demon-infested world. Ephesians 2:2 indicates that the reach of spirits goes to everyone in the world, and seems entirely natural to anyone who has not experienced the freedom that Jesus brings.
   

1. An honest Christian who is being troubled by spirits immediately knows that something is not right – but the normal course of this world is not to think that way.
   

This raises an important area. Demons seek to remain undetected, and part of that strategy is to convince a person that there’s some shame in being delivered and freed. In Isaiah 47, we read a description of the exposure and destruction of religious spirits (Babylon). In verse 10 we read, For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, ‘No one sees me.’

You can have religious spirits holding churches back for years – they remain undetected in order to keep the church passive and under control – that’s why there can be great conflict when true freedom in worship and in response to God begins to break out.

This is one reason why a local church must choose to be full of love – because where there is a full love:

1. •there is no fear,
   

2. •we are really free to be ourselves,
   

3. •critical attitudes get drowned in love,
   

4. •people discover they don’t have to pretend to be someone they’re not in order to be accepted (which in itself keeps demons away),
   

5. •ministry leaders have an easy life. They’re not running around trying to put out fires and keep things under control. They’re spending most of their time releasing people to be the unique and colourful men and women God has made them to be.
   

If the Devil can hide by masquerading as an angel of light; he can certainly masquerade by  having us think that our negative symptoms are no more than a difficult personal problems (e.g. fear, feeling of rejection, out of control thought life, self-harm, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness).

When that problem won’t be solved or controlled, rather it dominates and controls it’s probably past time to rise to war. Otherwise we’ll live a life despairing that we’ll never change, that this how it will always be. We should always be welcoming of the opportunity to experience greater levels of personal freedom, and should practice warfare at home on ourselves.

We can learn by understanding the three terms used in the Bible: all demons are evil, all are liars, and all are unclean.

ONE. An unclean spirit (Mark 1:23)

1. When we’re not loved, often as a child or teenager, in the way we’re made to be loved – the trauma and confusion associated with of our boundaries being crossed can be seized upon by spirits, who are by nature unclean.
   

1. Especially a failure in proper love from fathers can give rise to a lack of love and respectful care for ourselves – this too, demons can take advantage of.
   

1. This is a very big topic, but basically, the sins of omission or commission perpetrated against us in early life can lead to both personal aberrant sexual behaviour, as well as demonization by unclean spirits.
   

1. When a person becomes a Christian, usually their outward behaviour changes but many need to know that the internal battle they have with their mind and feelings in this area can be won in Jesus Name! We can be completely set free.
   

TWO. A lying spirit (1 Kings 22:22 and in John 8:44 Satan called ‘the father of lies’)

1. Believing wrong thoughts concerning our worth, our loveliness, our future, and even our health, empowers the liar who constructs a stronghold in our lives from which to perpetrate further attacks.
   

1. Such lies may have begun as unthinking words and putdowns from important people in our lives; and in the vulnerability of childhood or youth, become part of a sorrowful construct in our minds and various physical ailments – all demonically pressed upon us.
   

THREE. Evil spirits (Luke 7:21 - harassing, causing trouble and hardship, ethically bad)

1. Because we have a great need to be loved, people have manipulated us to impose their will on us – and we capitulate for fear of rejection.
   

1. This manipulation to impose another will other than the will of the person is called “witchcraft” – the extreme end is to control another persons life and destiny through evil spells, curses and occult practices. This is clearly demonic.
   

1. At the other end of the spectrum the Bible calls “witchcraft” a work of the flesh; the motive is the same – to manipulate and control.
   

1. These controlling spirits are often associated with the wife of one of Israel’s kings – Jezebel. She intimidated with threats, manipulated with pouting emotions – all manner of human means to get her own way – this kind of practice is also seized upon by demons who are fundamentally in the control to cause a person to fail in their God-given destiny.
   

1. Much personal trouble, hardship and harassment results when an evil spirit of witchcraft operates against us. Typical symptoms:
   

1. •Mental confusion and indecision.
   

2. •Depression, heaviness, discouragement and energy drain.
   

3. •A person can feel like a child (husbands feeling like they don't truly have leadership in their own homes) "She, or he, always wins!"
   

4. •Unable to be yourself (fear of rejection) ... strong pressure of expectancy for you to conform to what that person wants.
   

5. •Feel guilt or obligation in the persons presence, i.e. an unreasonable feeling of having  to please.
   

Acts 10:38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.