November 26, 2007

• Recognition and Discernment of the Demonic in Us and in Others Part 2 by Pastor Don

  Continuing the Bible study – you may want to read the previous entry.which gives the background and deals with the demonic in the body realm.

  The Demonic in the realm of the SOUL. Remember, the soul is our mind, our will and our emotions. Some people, no matter how their lives are going are never happy, they are compulsive in certain areas of their life, and live in an emotional realm. There is a spirit of depression that they can’t seem to break free from. Some are manic, or hyperactive, and never have a sense of emotional balance. The demonic convinces the mind to tell the emotions that this is what they are feeling, and that it is OK. No matter what, they feel that it will be a lousy day. That is a demonic influence that keeps a person down like this.

  Sometimes the demonic gives a person a to do list that is oppressive, giving them so much to do that they are weighted down by the amount of things to do, and no matter how organized a person is, they will never get things all done. Sometimes Pastor Don says that the demonic tries to convince him that he has so much to do that he will never accomplish it all – but the reality of the situation is that he is an organized person and the list of things he has to do is perfectly doable. But the demonic wants him to stop doing God’s work and uses oppression to try and convince him that he can’t do all God wants him to do.

  Sometimes the demonic gets a person so busy with things that are good, things that they know in their intellect are godly things, but they are not the things God has in mind for the person. They can be meaningless to God at that particular time, or pull a person away from the direction that God has for their life. A person can get misdirected, do something hollow and get willful in that area. But are they producing fruit?  They can get so opinionated, refuse to apologize when an apology is due. When they are in a willful state, they have to say to themselves, “Wait a minute,” so that they can step outside of the feeling and examine it. Their spirit can be so bombarded with feelings that they yield to the emotions.

  Some of the demons that oppress us, we get used to, so that we end up feeling, “I have a right to be depressed. I have a right to be manic.” Some of us are loquacious, we talk too much, and we end up talking ourselves into false feelings. If you keep speaking the feelings, your soul man can dig a hole and your body falls into it.

  The demonic will try to tell us that we will be happy IF – IF we move to a new house, IF we get that new car, or new dress, but these do not keep us happy, for we often want more and more. The demonic will try to keep us distracted, telling us that the emotional realm must not be denied, and that we need to respond to any thought or feeling that pops up in our head. Or we tell ourselves that we are physically ill or tired or depressed or unhappy, we will have faith for these conditions because faith comes by hearing.  So what are we hearing? What our soulish mind tells us or what the word of God tells us?

  Emotions will tell us that this (something) is going to make me feel better, but then we find it doesn’t.

  Pastor Don says that when he is feeling down, he goes to the movies, seeking out a movie that touches a sense of victory. For him, the movie Gladiator works. (Heather’s comment I suspect that Gladiator is a man sort of a movie, we women may choose a different movie.)

  Pastor Don told us that in the emotional realm we need to feel victorious.

  Then there is the demonic that touches us in the SPIRIT REALM.

  We need to discern if we are hearing from the Spirit man or someone else.

  The essence of the Spirit becomes evil when it is influenced by evil thoughts continuously. Noah was told to build the ark because Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Our thoughts of evil continually will pollute our spirit man. We can become polluted by what we think on a daily basis, so we need to monitor our thought life, to take every thought captive.

  We sometimes think that when the demonic attacks that it is because we are not doing good, that is not true.

  We can start out doing good – and then satan comes in and turns the good to evil.

  For example we can want to do a good job, and then one day it changes to how can I pull one over on a client. Or we can have a strong drive to succeed that turns to a bully spirit that takes advantage of another. It is also evil to think, “I am worthless or no good.”  We can go into battle, get cleaned up in our lives, and then get so caught up in the spirit that we do not do much about our body and soul. The devil tries to bring us to our lowest depths.

  Pastor Don shared about a woman he met when he was on tour with a band before he became a pastor. This woman picked up men and then wanted them to do bathroom things to her. Her level of self hate and worthlessness indicated that evil had penetrated into her spirit. Adolph Hitler and Eichman thought evil continually and participated in it to the point of genocide.  People at times volunteer themselves to evil.

  A person can get to the point where their spirit had to do the action, but even if they become that far gone, God can get through and heal them – Son of Sam made a miraculous turn around in his life.

  Pastor Don was asked how can a person get to the point where their spirit is turned over to the demonic? He said that the demonic gets control over one aspect of the life of a person, and causes an over focus on the self, everything and every one else does not matter or count, only the self counts.

  1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

  1 Timothy 4:1-2 (AMP, Pastor Don did not use this, but I liked the added info) BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared (cauterized),

  This doctrine is “Me first,” “I choose to do it my way.” Pastor Don said that this kind of searing is like cauterizing a wound, but the infection is still inside festering. The wound may seem to be healed on the outside, but damage is still being done. In order to have true healing, all the infection needs to be removed.

  2 Timothy 3:1-5  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

  2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP – again it gives more info, but Pastor Don did not use it) BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

  This is so prevalent today, for many have become lovers of themselves. And they have an external form of Godliness. This evil gets so deeply into their spirit and we turn away because we can’t reach or convert them away.

  The key is that the demonic attempts to get all the way down to the spirit of a person and control the symptoms.  The process is different at times, but it begins by raising up in people a prideful selfish desire to obtain something at any cost, in spite of anyone else. It involves placing “MY NEED” above my character,  MY NEED above the Word of God, and even above my real needs. If you are overwhelmed with selfish desire, feel things all need to be validated to you, and your self is rock hard, it could be a symptom of a demonic root.

  The Spirit filled believer can give themselves over to a demonic spirit as easy as an unbeliever. Both can be oppressed or possessed. For if the self is put above God, the person opens the door to the demonic. One way the door is opened is through money.

  Pastor Don pointed out that many mega ministries start out in a Godly fashion, but then the need for money causes some to veer from the truth of the Bible, to preach a word that is watered down so they do not offend those who are donating, and a demon spirit can get in the ministry and deceive the minister. For example, a demon spirit may tell the person that because of their ministry they need 300 pairs of shoes, or a private jet, or a huge house. Now the truth is that you can have these things and still have God first, but if you have a spirit of mammon, and you love money more than God, then it has turned to the demonic. It is not money that is evil, but the LOVE of money. Some of the mega ministers lose the focus on God and begin to feel that they are something special.  Recently several mega ministries have come under the scrutiny of the government, and Pastor Don is praying that these ministers have been scrupulous with money – if not, that the truth comes out and that the ministries are shaken and get back to God’s purpose. Pastor Don says that he does not touch the money at church at all. He even chooses if possible, not to open the safe.

  Pastor Don said that the ego and self is the problem when covetousness comes into being.

  Then the Pastor Don dealt with the demonic in the REALM OF MONEY

  2 Timothy points out that men will become lovers of themselves, lovers of money. Remember money in and of itself is not evil, it is the LOVE OF MONEY that is evil, for it becomes an expression of selfishness, and the root of selfishness is pride. If a person who handles money is prideful you can see a demonic influence about it, for the purpose of being rich for them is OWNERSHIP. They really believe that this is MY WEALTH, rather than that they are stewards of the money. When they have a spirit of ownership they are afraid to lose it. When they get to that point money has YOU, and you have been oppressed. We need to be prepared to lose all. Remember, we have it all because God controls it, but he wants us to use it wisely. There is enough for everybody.

  The World concept of community is destroyed, for there is a fruit of wanting what they couldn’t have. And now they are looking for united ownership

  We get caught up in believing that this is MINE, I’ve GOT to have it, and get attached to money, position, and wealth.

  But God is the provider, he has provided it for men, but not for ownership. The person who has a problem with the demonic in the area of money finds it very painful to give. They refuse to understand the concept of tithing, and do not want to be a blessing, or they tithe hoping to receive a blessing, sometimes tithing way out of proportion to their income hoping to receive a huge blessing. When a person is out of balance in the area of money, there is room for the devil. Very, very, very seldom does God want us to borrow money on our credit card to sow a seed.

  The solution to the demonic.

  2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

  If a person has demonic influence they need to begin to believe the reality that they are a new creation in Christ. The Word of God will not return void. Therefore any habit you have that is influenced by the demonic you must bring to Jesus Christ. Eventually, as you give it to Christ, it will lose its power over you, as you become more filled with His Word and permit Him to take control of your life.

  Pastor Don then shared a few Biblical examples.

  Acts 16:16-18 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortunetelling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

  This girl was hearing from the spirit – but it wasn’t the Holy Spirit, it was the demonic. The words she was speaking from the spirit had a negative benefit. The spirit had to be driven out of her in the name of Jesus. But Paul did not pick up about the spirit immediately, it took a bit of time before Paul realized that it needed to be cast out.

  Pastor Don pointed out that we can have demonic influence in our life and not detect it. God brings focus to it so that we can become aware of it when He’s ready to deliver you. God made it evident to Paul about this woman’s spirit of prophesy so that Paul was able to then deal with it.

  Pastor Don then told us that that at times the demonic will come on strong to try and prevent a person from preaching. Paul was in great trouble for casting out the spirit, for it affected the income of the slave owner.

  Sometimes we are blind and do not realize that we are in adversarial conditions, but we need not be afraid, for the demonic force is more afraid – and that is the key. Pastor Don said that a little fear can prevent victory. YOU CANNOT CAST OUT ANYTHING UNLESS THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MANIFESTS. PRAY UNTIL HE DOES  MANIFEST AND KNOW THAT HE WILL MANIFEST. If you are not afraid it will come out. It can do no harm unless you think that “I’m involved,” Or you do something fleshly. We don’t have authority, the Holy Spirit has authority THROUGH US. It is the Holy Spirit that signs the checks we write.

  Acts 8:9-25  But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

  Simon the Sorcerer got born again, accepted the Gospel. But money and the desire for power colored the Gospel. He wanted to buy the power. Peter told him to repent and get right with God.

  Ananias and Sophira also had a problem with money, holding back some. God had no problem with them holding back some finances, but He did not like them lying about it and pretending to do what they didn’t do – which was give all to the common fund.

  One of the members in the Corinthian church was sleeping with his father’s wife. The church was not confronting this sin, and such a sin could pave the way to an even greater and deeper sin.

  Even the Church can be deceived. Theology goes bad when people step outside the Word of God, and that opens the door for satan to come in and deceive. You can have deliverance of the Spirit but destruction of the body, if you are not diligent to speak the whole counsel of the Word of God. You cannot embrace sin and tolerate it, people need repentance. It is ok to love the sinner, but it is not ok that they are doing the sin. Believe for repentance.

  We need to remember that it is God who does the delivering, but we also have to be aware of where the demonic is acting in our lives and in the lives of those around us. God is more powerful than demons, and He is the conquerer, but we must repent, stay strong in the Word of God, and make sure that we do not leave doorways open for the demonic to come into our lives.

  Praying your day is blessed,

  Heather

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