Spiritual Warfare

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There are nine different degrees of demonization mentioned in the Bible or types of attacks by demons at people:

DEGREE:	DESCRIPTION:	SOLUTION:
Fiery Darts	Flaming Areas of Evil Thoughts	Armor of God
Temptation	Enticement to Sin	Resist Satan by Faith
Imaginations	Self-Reasoning or Worldly Thoughts	Challenge Each Thought
Foothold	Unresolved Sin	Renounce, Reject, Repent
Stronghold	Believing Lies	Believing the Truth
Vexation	Sickness Caused by Demons	Healing, Cleansing
Torment	Crush & Afflict	Bind Strongman, Cast Out
Blindness	Not Saved	Salvation
Bondage	Domination by Demons	Deliverance

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The usual perception among ministers is that demon possession is what happens to people who are not Christians when demons inhabit their body and try to control them. Demon oppression or harassment is what happens to Christians when demons attach them but they cannot enter their bodies. These terms sound simple to use, however, they are really not biblical and just create more confusion. The word "demon possession" is an English translation of the word "daimonizomai" which simply means "to demonize" or be controlled by demons. The translation of the phrase "demon possession" simply creates more confusion and is not a literal translation of the Greek word. The major difference is that when demons attack Christians, believers have a strong defense and spiritual resources against them while those without Christ have no defense. This can become a complicated issue to try to give an explanation. But 1 Thessalonians 5:23 teaches that man has a spirit, soul, and body. The spirit of man is composed of intuition, conscience, and communion. So we pray or communicate to God with our spirit and that is where the Holy Spirit of God indwells when we accept Christ as Savior and become a Christian. I do not believe that demons can inhabit the "spirit" of a Christian. However, the "soul" is composed of the mind, emotions, and will which can be controlled by demons. This is why the Bible commands Christians to be filled and walk under the control of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 5:18). A person (who is not a believer) that is in bondage or a slave is in servitude to Satan and is forced to do exactly what he orders him or her and has lost all his freedom and under his control. A good example of this is what happened to the person in the movie named "The exorcist". The way to have victory when Satan is totally dominating or controlling someone is through deliverance.

The Process of Deliverance:

Step 1:

Have written on paper that your clients sign, a statement that he or she voluntarily submits to your authority during this deliverance session. This is very important because demons recognize authority. A Pentecostal church was performing a deliverance session for a 15 year old girl who had seven demons. After battling with her for eight hours and not having any progress, one of them called me and asked what to do. I said, "Call her mother and ask her, 'Will you delegate authority over the spirit, soul, and body of your daughter for this deliverance session?' The pastor said, 'But her mother dropped her by the church for deliverance.' 'Just humor me and do it anyway!'" I said. So they called the mother and got the authority. Within ten minutes the demons were gone.

Step 2:

Make sure everyone in the session is cleansed of any evil, filled with the Spirit, and has on the Armor of God because they have prayed specific prayers to accomplish these three things:

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18

Step 3:

Make sure there is at least one person to do the talking directly to the person to be delivered. Do not relinquish this position to someone else unless the person is tired and exhausted. Have another person to record any notes. Specific notes need to be taken about the names of the demons, their responsibilities, and how they entered the person.

Step 4:

Start the session in prayer and find Scripture verses to claim regarding victory over the Devil:

Isaiah 54:17

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord ..."

Malachi 4:3

"And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts."

Luke 10:19

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Romans 8:38-39

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers ... nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

James 4:7

" ... Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

1 John 4:4

"You ... have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Ephesians 6:12

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Psalms 91:13

"Treading on the lion and cobra: I will tread on the lion and cobra. I will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot."

Authority to tread on serpents and scorpions:

I recognize that Christ has given us authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt us. Nevertheless, I don’t rejoice that the spirits are subject to us, but I rejoice that our names are written in heaven. Luke 10:19, 20

Demons subject to Jesus’ name:

Even the demons are subject to us in your name, Lord Jesus. Luke 10:17

No concession to the devil:

I never give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:27

Healing all oppressed by the devil:

Just like Jesus of Nazareth, I have been anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that I may go forth doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God is with me. Acts 10:38

Under the authority of Christ:

Under the authority of Christ: Lord Jesus, all authority has been given to you in heaven and on earth. Therefore in response to your command I go forth making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things which you have commanded us. And we know that you are with us always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20

Satan crushed under our feet:

The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under my feet. Romans 16:20

Resisting the devil:

God continues to give me more grace. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore since I make myself subject to God and resist the devil, the devil has to flee from me. James 4:6, 7

Stay vigilant:

I stay clear-headed, self-controlled and vigilant because my adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion. I resist him unwavering in my faith, knowing that my brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8, 9

Untouched by the evil one:

Untouched by the evil one: I know that because I am born of God I do not allow habitual sin in my life, therefore God keeps me, and the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18

Take up the shield of faith:

By taking up the shield of faith, I am able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16

Through forgiving others:

I have forgiven everyone one in the presence of Christ that no advantage may be gained over me by Satan; for I am not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:10, 11

Protected from the evil one:

You Lord are faithful; you strengthen me, and protect me from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Greater is he that is within me:

I don’t believe every spirit, but I test the spirits, to determine if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Yet, as one of God children, I have overcome them; because greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:1, 4

Victorious by the blood and my testimony:

By the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of my testimony I overcome the accuser. I do not love my life, even to death. Revelation 12:11

Victorious by the blood and my testimony:

By the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of my testimony I overcome the accuser. I do not love my life, even to death. Revelation 12:11

More than a conqueror:

In all these things, I am more than conqueror through him who loves me. Romans 8:37

Christ’s death made the devil powerless:

Christ himself partook of our humanity, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of us who through fear of death were all our lifetime wee subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14, 15

Step 5:

Avoid touching the person if at all possible. Demons have a legal right to transfer from one person to another when they are touched. If the person must be held in a chair, pray that God will be between you and nothing evil will be allowed to transfer to you.

Step 6:

You do not have to yell at demons because they are not deaf. Calmly claim your authority in Christ seated in heavenly places above all demonic authorities. Always act like a Christian that is lead by the Holy Spirit and bears the fruit of the Spirit.

Step 7:

Command that the host demon would manifest and tell you his name. For every demon, find out their name, responsibility (what they do), and what legal ground allowed them to enter this person.

Step 8:

Have the person who has the demons, renounce the legal ground or doorways that allowed the demons to enter them and claim they were nailed to the cross of Christ, and command them to leave and to where the Lord Jesus Christ sends them. Do this for every demon until all the demons are gone. Also, take the sword of the Spirit and sever all ungodly ties between this person and any other people, places, or objects.

Step 9:

If the person allows the demons to re-enter him or her, stop the session and show them Scripture verses to increase his or her faith. Only when his or her faith has increased should you continue the session.

Step 10:

When all the demons are gone, pray for the person to be cleansed of anything that is evil, be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and have on the whole armor of God. Review things that the person needs to maintain victory over the forces of evil.

I hope you have learned not to use the same method of fighting against demons in every circumstance. Each situation is different so you have to use a different approach depending on what type of demonization is involved. Review the chart of the nine degrees of demonization and based on the description, decide which one is involved in your demonic problem. Then focus on the unique solution that God has provided.

From the Book: Spiritual Warfare

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