25th September 2011

Free # 9  Exposing Religious Spirits

Religiosity is spiritual pretense. Jeremiah 3:10 Judah has not turned to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, says the Lord.

When spiritual pretense gains a strong hold in our lives, religious spirits can demonise us.

Religious spirits are controlling demons who seek to keep a person from the true freedom we can have in Christ.  Galatians 5:1 (NIV) declares, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free; stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again in a yoke of slavery. (this in reference to religious regulation and requirement).

It’s such an incredible freedom, and religious spirits hate it!

At the extreme end, religious spirits congregate, organise and manifest as false religious systems that capture individuals, families, churches, races and nations.

All the religions of the world are manifestations of religious principalities and powers, this includes ‘Christianity’ as a religious system – the most obvious being Roman Catholicism. In the Bible, the systems that religious prince powers dominate are given a code name – Babylon.

It was in ancient Babylon that we first encounter the phenomena of religious pursuit as a substitute for a true relationship with God – Genesis 11.

1. •They built a tower from which to observe the stars and chart their lives.
   

2. •It was astrology not astronomy; it was spiritual not scientific.
   

3. •It was a substitute to having the living God guide and direct their lives.
   

Away from the extreme end, spiritual pretense and religious spirits create an air of spirituality around a person which usually leaves them as a mixture of genuine spiritual freedom and experience, and false or feigned spirituality that keeps up appearances but leaves the person with emptiness, striving and inner restlessness.

1. •Religion is the ugly veneer that the world sees and is consequently repelled from seeking after the Saviour.
   

2. •True freedom in Christ is so completely non-religious that it offends the religious.
   

3. •True freedom in Christ results in inner satisfaction, an honest naturalness, and rest.
   

In Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, the king had a vision of a great statue with different pats of the statue’s body being made of a different element. The head, which represented Babylon itself was a head of gold. Symbolically, both the head and the gold represent how religion manifests:

HeadRepresents the characteristic of having superior spiritual knowledge and behaviour. The head is the most seen feature = need to be “seen” as spiritual.

EarsSeem to “hear” God frequently, it’s OK to hear God, but a religious

person will need you to know about it, often justifying religious

behaviour and personal agendas.

EyesSimilarly, they are quick to share what they “see” or “perceive” – but

these are almost always things that result in control, often

judgmental, and are rarely freeing.

MouthHas a lot of “spiritual” things to say, and seem ill at ease speaking

about the normal things of life in the world - when in such

conversation they feel compelled to put a spiritual slant or opinion on

it. (Can’t we just talk naturally about the RWC without you informing

me that rugby is an idol in NZ, or that we’ve got to be evangelising

the thousands of visitors – can’t we just talk about the game!)

Also – using language that’s not real, but conditioned by a “spiritual” environment, e.g. Hallelujah and Praise the Lord.

MindRomans 12:3-6a. Think more highly than they should – beyond their

measure of faith, seeing themselves more gifted, above the “lower”

members, etc. Results in a drivenness to perform or an exaggeration

of their accomplishments.

GoldIs the precious metal that represents God, or the divine, in the Bible.

But in this instance it’s a pretence – it is desperate to portray itself as

divine. It’s what 2 Timothy 3:5 identifies, those having a form of

godliness but denying it’s power – and adds, have nothing to do with

them. The power spoken of here is the power of the cross, only the

cross has the power to make a person genuinely Godly, authentically

divine.

That whole religious attitude is very controlling, and where religious control operates people loose their freedom.

In Isaiah 47 we discover various characteristics of religious spirits.

1. •Throne (v1) – that’s the whole spiritual superiority thing – used to manipulate and control.
   

1. •Tender and delicate (v1) - religion has this persona of loveliness and calm. Nothing offensive, aggressive or outrageous. Babylon's goal is that all of every creed can safely abide in her and not be offended. Zion, on the other hand, is a place of warfare, fortresses, mighty men, weapons of war. A place of noise, prevailing prayer, aggressive tongues, binding and loosing. Characteristic – a hatred of spiritual warfare or anything even mildly strong or aggressive.
   

1. •I shall be a lady forever (v7) - intolerant of change. The previous verse (v6) on the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily - I've seen too many granny's and grandpa's entering into the excitement, exuberance, aggression and authority of Zion to believe that it's a thing of generation - it's a spiritual bondage! And Babylon has a special snare on the elderly. Demons of tradition, conservatism, intolerance, legalism, doctrinal and denominational pride have to be broken. Spirits of heaviness and seriousness, and of emotional captivity have to be destroyed.
   

1. •pleasures and securely (v8) - it's a lovely, untroubled state. It's a state that leads a person to develop this attitude "I am, and there is no one else besides me". True and undefiled religion is to visit the orphans and widows in trouble (James 1:27)  - someone else's ministry - snotty nosed kids and widows with needs are not for me, don't bother me I'm watching God TV! Jesus warned about the Pharisees who devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayers (Matthew 23:14).
   

1. •Astrologers and stargazers (v13) – the whole Tower of Babel situation - a spirit of independence – seek to steer people away from good healthy expressions of the family of God. Therefore they love to amplify cases of ministry falling, genuine cases of hurt, etc. They promote 'alternates’  - that’s what Babel was.
   

True freedom in Christ has its whole basis on the finished work of the cross, the resurrection and enthronement of every believer. The cross is truly freeing,

In Christ …

1. 1.I am complete! Nothing else is required to make me complete  - there’s not one spiritual or outward exercise that can make me more complete: praying, worshipping, reading, meditating, fellowshipping, fasting, giving are all good things, but contribute nothing to my standing in Christ – I am complete in Christ. If I do these thing it’s because I want to not because I have to. I am free of every requirement!
   

2. 2.I am new! On the cross the old me died. The old me was a sinner, the old me had a sin-nature, the old me had a sin record – every trace of that has disappeared. I am brand new in every way. It is impossible for God to look at me and frown (religious people frown on others a lot). I’m free of every old enslaving inclination, habit, nature and action!
   

3. 3.I am loved! The cross announces that I am loved extravagantly, I am loved unconditionally, and I am loved uninterruptedly and unendingly. I am, therefore, a totally safe and secure person. I am fearless, confident and bold. I am free to say “yes” and I’m free to say “no”. I am free to love God, people and myself extravagantly, unconditionally, uninterruptedly and unendingly!
   

Religion insists on making your freedom conditional – that’s why it’s a “class system” ; it has those who fulfil the conditions fully, partially or hardly at all – that’s why spiritual superiority thrives where religious spirits operate.

If a Christian truly knew just how complete, just how new, and just how loved they were; they would have no need for spiritual pretense, and could never be a conduit through which religious spirits seek to control people or churches.

I know of times when I’ve done something “spiritual” (e.g. prayed for someone on request) when my heart’s not been in it, but I’ve done it not to let another person down – I’ve always felt I was being religious but not honest. Religion can be as subtle as “spiritual” actions to meet the expectations of other people.

Did I mention Babylon?  Who remembers 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.

So where have God’s people been?

Babylon – symbolically, they have been in religion – from spiritual pretence, to demonised by religions spirits, all the way through to being strongly held in a religious system.

Why are they happy?

Because they’re leaving religious control behind and coming into freedom.

Where are they going?

To Zion.

What’s the big deal about that?

Plenty. It’s freedom-city! It’s an awesome place, religion hates it, but God said This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. The previous verse says, the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place.

The Message reads: This will always be my home; this is what I want, and I'm here for good.

Why does God like Zion so much?

Because He keeps running into people, like David, who danced and whirled so shamelessly that he offended religion so much that it lost it’s ability to have any more children!

Not only that, but he started doing things that the law of requirements said he wasn’t allowed to do! Why? Because he was in “freedom-city”, he was in Zion!

In Revelation 14:1-5 John sees the free and victorious church.

v1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.

1. •The presence of Jesus in “Freedom-City”
   

2. •144,000 – symbolic number denoting a people of royal authority.
   

v2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

v3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.

1. •There’s singing
   

2. •It’s not all lovely and calm – it’s thunderous!
   

3. •They sing a song only the redeemed can sing – a new song for a kainos people.
   

v5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

1. •No pretense required because they know that the cross has made them faultless – it’s impossible for God to frown at them.
   

Then over in chapter 18 we read of the fall of Babylon.

v2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

v4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

What’s God saying?

I have many precious people who have been oppressed by spiritual pretense, even those who have been captives in religious systems where demons and foul spirits have made their dwelling.

I hear Galatians 5:1 crying out, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! – Come out of her my people! (Message - Get out, my people, as fast as you can, so you don't get mixed up in her sins, so you don't get caught in her doom). And I hear the great testimony of 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.