Spiritual Warfare: Curses and Demons
Worship: Out of My Way - Jesus Co.
Outline:
- Introduction
- Defining Wholeness
- Seeking the Supernatural
- What is a Curse?
- Can A Curse Affect A Christian?
- The Goal of Spiritual Warfare
- Demons
- Deliverance Ministry Teachings
- Jewish Exorcism
- Biblical Based Deliverance
- Free From Bondage
Scriptures:
- 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
- Deuteronomy 18:9-14
- 1 Samuel 2:26
- 1 Samuel 16:14
- Proverbs 26:2
- Job 1:10-12
- Numbers 23:8
- Romans 4:5
- Galatians 3:13-14
- Ephesians 6:13
- Matthew 10:1
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- Mark 9:38-41
- John 14:27
Introduction
1 Chronicles 10:13-14
13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of her, 14 and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom over to David, the son of Jesse.
Saul went to a medium to ask her to talk to Samuel who had died
Talking to the dead is just one of the practices we’ll talk about today
There is a rise in popularity of witchcraft and occult practices
We see it in movies
- Harry Potter
- Dr Strange
- Black Panther
Witchcraft used to be illegal
- In the Bible
- In America
- Salem witch hunt 332 years ago
But now it’s common place
There are occult ideas in
- Movies
- Books
- Popular Music
- Comic books
Example: “Hey Siri Lumos”
- “Hey Siri Nox “
Today we are going to talk about the supernatural
Tonight we’ll talk about people seeking after supernatural powers and abilities.
And we will talk about people being attacked ,harassed, and possessed by supernatural beings
Defining Wholeness
Wholeness is about being _______ healthy
- spiritually
- emotionally
- mentally
Free from oppression of
- Our past
- Bad thinking
- Strongholds
- The enemy
We’re talking about
- dealing with life’s current stresses
- being healed from experiences/wounds of the past
We’re promised eternal life
- We’re also supposed to have: joy, peace, patience, and self control here on earth
Through this 4 year series we have identified traits that we defined as the goal for wholeness
Traits of Wholeness
- Authenticity
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Behavior not influenced by external approval / validation
- Living by values and principles
- Setting Boundaries
- Taking ownership of your responsibilities
- Living with purpose and passion
- Optimism
- Confidence
- Not losing control of your emotions
- Free from addictions
- Addressing Conflict with truth and love
- Vulnerability
- Not critical or Judgemental
- Not jealous of others
- Forgive those who have wronged you in the past
- Know that you’re worthy of receiving love
- Not afraid to fail
- Able to manage irrational fear, worry, and anxiety
- Selfless encounters with others
- Not manipulating others trying to control their actions
- You care about how others feel
- Patient
- Don’t give into peer/social pressure
- Can communicate without antagonizing others
- Recognize, manage, and take responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings
- Slow to anger
- Ability to maturely express your wants, needs and desires
- Can listen without reacting
- Can respect others without having to change them
- Can function well… Alone or with others
- Able to take responsibility for our own destiny in life
- Able to maintain a non-anxious presence in the midst of anxiety and stress
- Able to ask for what they need want or prefer clearly, directly and honestly
- Has the capacity to resolve conflict maturely
- Being led by the Spirit
Seeking the Supernatural
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
9 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God is going to drive them out before you. 13 You are to be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations, which you are going to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
- Detestable things
Passing through the fire - human sacrifice
DIVINATION: the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future
- Palm reading
- Tarot cards
- Fortune tellers
- Ouija boards
SOOTHSAYER: The ability to know and tell what will happen in the future
OMENS: a sign of how a future event will take place
WITCHCRAFT: the activity of performing magic to help or harm other people
MAGIC: seeking to manipulate reality for one’s own purpose
- Using higher beings
- Manipulating the perception of reality (ML)
- Illusion/tricks
- Influence/suggestion
SORCERY: The attempt to control or manipulate higher or unseen powers or beings through the use of objects, incantation, and rituals
SPELLS: spoken words which are thought to have magical power
- jinxes, hexes, charms, and curses
MEDIUM: a person who receives messages from people who are dead.
A SPIRITIST: a consulter of spirits.
NECROMANCER: One who calls up the dead
Familiar spirit
- a spirit or demon that serves or prompts an individual
- the spirit of a dead person invoked by a medium to advise or prophesy
idolatry, in Judaism and Christianity, the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God.
These practices have been practiced by nearly every society in human history
Why do people turn to these practices?
Why do people turn to these practices?
We are always seeking ways to overcome our natural limitations. We want to be able to control our future
- These practices allow us to control our future
- The prosperity doctrine gives us a way to control our future
We want to turn to supernatural powers to get what we want.
The Israelites turned to other gods.
Eve sought after knowledge to make her “like God”.
Reasons
- Born into it / family
- Relationships / love
- overriding the other person’s free will
- Revenge
- Money / success / Worldly gain
- Power
- Knowledge
- Future
- unknown
- Control
- Talk to deceased loved ones
- God doesn’t answer
- God said no
- Curiosity
- Protection
- Prevent or alleviate misfortune
- To get a sense of belonging
- Healing
- Culture
Example: Mixed into the culture
- we all know our zodiac sign
- 26% of Christians believe in the zodiac signs
- 3% of atheist
Bottom line
The main reason people seek other spirits is because they have chosen Mammon over God
- They are pursuing the things of the world more than the kingdom
What is a Curse?
a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something
–Oxford dictionary
Most societies on earth are concerned with being cursed
Blessings attract positive
- Curses attract negative
God and Men
1 Samuel 2:26
26 And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
- He was blessed with favor
Favor with God and man
- Attract people and spirits to treat you positively
2 categories (Spiritual, physical)
What do curses attract harm from:
- Demons
- Angels
- Humans
1 Samuel 16:14
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrified him.
- The spirit was “evil” because it was meant to harm him
- Not because it was against God
Can A Curse Affect A Christian?
Proverbs 26:2
Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not come to rest.
What is a curse without a cause?
If someone curses you, you have to have done something to deserve it in order for it to work
Hedge of Protection
Job was righteous
Job 1:10-12
10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
12And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [k]power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job had a ”hedge of protection” from what?
“God's hedge served as a wall to protect Job against Satan and the wicked.“
–Don Smith (The God of Hedges)
Why did he have it?
- Because he was righteous
Based on Your Being Righteous
God could have removed His protection from him if he had sinned
It’s not God punishing you but it’s God removing His protection
God allows it
Your righteousness impacts whether or not God allowed evil spirits to harm you
- In the Old Covenant
They need God’s permission
Numbers 23:8
“How am I to put a curse on him upon whom God has not put a curse? And how am I to curse him whom the LORD has not cursed?
- Someone could only put a curse on you if God cursed you
- You receive curses from God by breaking the law
- A human has influence over how bad the consequences are to you based on the curse from God
Curses are God handing you over to the consequences of your actions
- Allowing judgment to occur
We Obtain Jesus’ Righteousness
Romans 4:5
5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
- Justifies the ungodly
As Christians, we are counted as being righteous regardless of our works
Jesus Took the Curse
Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written: “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”-- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
- Faith is the conduit
The law contained blessings and curses from God
We no longer receive judgment from the law
Jesus redeemed us from the curse of any past or future sin
The Bible tells us that, “like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest” (Proverbs 26:2b). This means that curses made against innocent persons have no effect. The one declaring the curse against the innocent might as well try to dictate where a sparrow in flight should land. God’s children have been justified by God (Romans 5:1) and are therefore undeserving of punishment (Romans 8:1). God does not allow His children to be cursed. No one has the power to curse one whom God has decided to bless. God is the only One able to pronounce judgment.
–GotQuestions.org
This does not mean that Christians won’t experience bad things happening in their life, or attack from the enemy. This means that no one has the ability to put your life into an environment where you attract harm. You can still be the target of a spiritual attack from a person or Satan.
Caveats
The Evil Day: Undeserved attack from Satan
Ephesians 6:13
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
There can be a season in your life when Satan or demons target you for attack and it’s not based on anything you did wrong
This is what we see in the book of Job.
How do we defend ourselves in that “evil day”?
Armor of God (Ephesians 6: 10 - 18)
This is the primary way we fight spiritual warfare
We defeat him with
- Living a life of “truthfulness”
- Moral righteousness
- Believing the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Having faith in God
- Having the hope of salvation
- Reading the bible
- Hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit
- Led by the Spirit
Psychological Element
Based on you believing that you are cursed
Reticular activating system
You create it
- Accidents
- Bad luck
- Health
Example: Placebo drug
- You get healed
You don’t have any contracts with other spirits
The Goal of Spiritual Warfare
What is the goal of our Spiritual Warfare?
Goals
- To move towards sanctification
- Armor of God
- Walk in the Spirit
- Resist the devil
- Avoid temptation
- To know and believe the truth
- Not to believe the enemy’s lies
- Avoiding deception
- Break strongholds
- Spread the gospel to the Nations
- Make Christians
- Disciple them
- Fulfill your specific purpose
Demons
Matthew 10:1
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
- Impure spirits
The disciples were given authority to cast out demons
Demonology vs Psychology
What does this have to do with Seeking Wholeness?
There is a lot of overlap between the problems they are trying to solve and the behaviors they try to explain
Casting out demons or counseling
- Multiple personalities
- Nightmares
- Insomnia
- Depression
Causes
- demon
- Childhood trauma
- Coping mechanism
- Chemical imbalance
Some passages use “evil spirits” to mean sicknesses or mental diseases.
Christian worldview
- Supernatural
- Spiritual realm
Types of Demons / Spirits in Bible
Different demons have different abilities
- Seducing spirits (1 Tim 4:1)
- seduce people away from the faith
- Spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11)
- Cause sickness
- They aren’t the sickness
- Miracle working (Rev 16:14)
- Perform miraculous acts in order to persuade people from the faith
- Spirit of divination (Acts 16:16)
- Tell the future
- The devouring (Malachi 3:11)
- Attacks your finances
- Spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7)
- Spirit of deception ( Isaiah 19:13-15)
- Confusion, distortion
- Mute ( Matthew 8:32-33)
- Deaf and Mute (Mark 1:24)
Demon Possession
- People are demon possessed today
Spirit possession is an unusual or altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors purportedly caused by the control of a human body by spirits, ghosts, demons, or gods.
–Wikipedia
True demonic possession describes a person being taken over by an intruding alien entity which is usually referred to and known as a demon. Almost all of the symptoms of apparent demonic possession, which are often portrayed in highly dramatic ways in films and ‘mockumentaries’ about deliverance and exorcism (including aversion to religious symbols, changes in voice, multiple personalities, and uninhibited rage) can be attributed to factors other than the demonic. In fact, true demonic possession is extremely rare. Most cases of spiritual crises, which are presented and assessed in the context of deliverance ministry, range between spiritual temptation and spiritual oppression.
– Church of England
Can a Christian Be Demon possessed?
It is hotly debated whether or not Christians can be possessed by demons
In Greek, words like “possess“ refer to ownership.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
- This was written to sinful believers
The assumption is that you can’t be a temple of the Holy Spirit and house the demon at the same time
While the Bible does not explicitly state whether a Christian can be possessed by a demon, related biblical truths make it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed. There is a distinct difference between being possessed by a demon and being oppressed or influenced by a demon. Demon possession involves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts and/or actions of a person (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 4:33-35; 8:27-33). Demon oppression or influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior.
—GotQuestions.org
Possession vs Oppression
Possession is
- Own you
- Attach themselves to you
- Live within you
- Control your physical capacities
- Enter you
Christians Can Be
- Persecuted
- Tempted
- Harassed
- Captivated by false teaching
- Enslavement to sin
*We cannot deny the fact that there are people who claim to be Christians who appear to be demon possessed
Most demonic possession is related to occult activities
Michael’s Observation
Where do you see demonic activity?
- Countries/people where occult activities are practiced
- Churches with Deliverance ministries
Deliverance Ministry Teachings
What is deliverance?
In Christian terms, deliverance is defined as release from evil spiritual influences which oppress a person or hinder the individual’s response to God’s saving grace.
Cat deliverance
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClUsUATuhx2/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Common Deliverance Practices
Cast demons out by
- Name of Jesus
- Bind and rebuking
- Plead the blood of Jesus
- Getting the demon’s name
- Olive oil
- Fasting
- Praying
- hedges of thorns of protection around things and people
- Renounce your involvement in any witchcraft/occult activity
- Holy Water
Criticisms Against Deliverance Ministry Methods
- Blaming everything on demons denies our fallen nature
- Methods not from the Bible
- Sources of the information
- Ex-satanists
- Interviewing demons
- Special revelation
- Can lead to bondage and fear of demons
- Always worrying about and focusing on demons versus God
- Denies the need for God
Jewish Exorcism
Tools commonly used for exorcism in Jesus’ time
- Incense
- Potions
- Rings
- Balls of water
- Amulets
- Ashes
- Various spices
Example: The Chosen
Exorcisms existed before Jesus was born
Biblical Based Deliverance
Biblical Deliverance Details
In biblical deliverance we see
- Jesus drove demonic beings out instantly
- Demons addressing the exorcist (Mark 1:24;5:7)
- Verbal demands made of demons (Mark 1:25; 5:9;9:25)
- “Come out of him!”; “What is your name?”
- Demons sent from person to another living being
- Anointing oil used
- Casting out demons cured sickness
- Jesus/apostles didn’t pray to cast out demons
- Demons said the name “Jesus” (Mark 1:23-27)
How to Test the Authenticity
How to Test If Biblical Method
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx-gXcR4kl3mYbhRK4dcB4uUHMy4w_ezk_
- He didn’t say do everything Jesus and the apostles did
A test is
- Did you see Jesus do it or teach it?
- Did you see the apostles do it or teach it?
Authority
Name of Jesus
Mark 9:38-41
38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone else driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.
“In my name”
- In my power
- In my authority
- In my stead
- By my will
7 Sons of Sceva
Authority doesn’t come just by saying the phrase “in the name of Jesus“
How to cast out demons - only authority
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkxUIKej80e/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Free From Bondage
John 14:27
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.
Story: 7 years ago
- I studied deliverance / demonology
- Always binding demons and satan
- Put quotes over my doors
- Threw out books and statues
- Was afraid I needed to study the right prayers and words to say
- I need a special prayer for
- Dream protection
- Breaking Soul ties
- Finances
- Demonic attack
- Anger
- Witches / sorcery
- Occult ties
- Ancestors sin
- Removing curses from objects in my house
- Places I went that day
- Websites visited
- Renounce everything
Experienced supernatural demonic activity
My faith was in saying the right words
Less peace than before I knew about demons
I envisioned demons saying
- “Oh he didn’t plead the blood of Jesus, so we’re good”
- “He forgot to bind me first”
Afraid to teach about deliverance
When I taught about it, I experienced lots of demonic interference
Now I don’t have bizarre attacks
- Distraction
- Temptation
If your doctrine leaves you living in fear that
- Didn’t say the right words
- forget to rebuke something
It’s putting you in bondage
If we have Jesus’ authority then we have Jesus authority
- Our authority is by faith alone
- Satan wants to make you doubt
We don’t have to have the “magic words”
- That’s what the occult teaches
If you have the authority of Jesus you are operating in the “name of Jesus”
- It’s not based on saying the right sequence of words
- It is not based on you remembering and renouncing things of the past
If your theology is making you afraid… there’s a problem
Your faith shouldn’t be in your words
- Your faith shouldn’t be in your works
Your faith should be in Jesus Christ alone
Be free…in the name of Jesus
Instructor: Michael Leadon
Extra
Witchcraft Was an Unforgivable Sin
Witchcraft and sorcery were unforgivable sins in the Old Testament
Exodus 22:18
18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
Leviticus 20:27
27 ‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist must be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; they have brought their own deaths upon themselves.’”
Mercy
What system is in place in the kingdom to exempt you?
Isaiah 38: 1 - 6
1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 and said, “Please, LORD, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept profusely.
4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 5“Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city.”’
- Every time God changed his will it was because of Mercy
The mercy of God can change any negative prophecy that was given over anyone’s life
The mercy of God can
- Reverse any curse … whether or not you deserve it
- Cancel out the judgment you deserve
Grace is getting what you don’t deserve
Mercy is not getting what you deserve
Mercy isn’t just about salvation
Defense against curses
- Righteous living
- Prayer
- Mercy
