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Why Everyone Needs to Be Disillusioned

Disillusionment is sometimes associated with betrayal. At other times it is connected with naivete. Whatever the immediate reason for our disillusionment, somewhere we had expectations that were dashed.

Humorous (for us, but painful for them) examples of disillusionment can be seen on old episodes of auditions for the TV show, American Idol. (Note the title, which itself is an illusion.) Every season people who thought they were great singers were unceremoniously told that they could not sing by the judges. Someone had led these contestants to believe that they had great voices, and they believed it. They suffered under the illusion that they were wonderful, when they were actually awful. The judges disillusioned them. They were forced to face the truth about their singing ability. Many of them became angry and lashed out at the judges, declaring they did not know what they were doing. It was funny in one way, but tragic in another. In the last analysis, it was very necessary. Now they could get on with their lives rather than waste their time in the pursuit of a fantasy.

Most of us serve illusions of one sort or another, about ourselves, others, marriage, work, God…  While counseling young couples who are preparing for marriage, I usually tell them that the man hopes his wife to be will never change, but the woman hopes to change her man. They both likely will be disappointed, or disillusioned. We try to put our best foot forward during the dating or courting process. After we tie the knot, we tend to relax into our “normal” way of doing things, which may be a surprise to the spouse. Sometimes young couples go into a marriage expecting that their spouses will be responsible for certain things, as they saw modeled in the home in which they grew up. I often ask the couple during counseling, “Who will clean the bathroom?” “Who will handle the finances?” “Who will wash the dishes?” “Who will do the cooking?” Where will you spend Christmas? Thanksgiving? Do you want children? How many? You get the point. These are things to talk about ahead of marriage to avoid unwelcome surprises.

We all tend to be deceptive and become deceived. Women wear make up to create an illusion of beauty that is not naturally there. We all tend to “put our best foot forward” in order to help (deceive?) people to like or accept us. But if we get people to like the illusion we project, do they really like us? We are afraid they will not like the real us, so we become hypocrites of the best (worst?) sort. I have always said that true friends know what we are really like, but love us anyway. What a relief to let go of pretenses! It is delightful to meet and relate to truly honest people, even if it makes us a little uncomfortable.

Many, if not all, of us, have illusions about God. It is popular today to imagine that God is all love – that he would never condemn anyone to hell. But that is not the God of the Bible, is it? When God revealed himself to Moses, he told him that his name is “I Am Who I Am.” Not “I Am Who You Want Me to Be.” This is very important, because, if we serve our illusion of God but not the real God, are we not idolators? Jesus is the Truth, not an illusion created by us to match what we want God to be. A big part of life, especially for the disciple, is coming to terms with who God really is and surrendering completely to him.

Many disciples have illusions about ministry, too. We receive a “call” from God to serve him, but we often imagine what that will look like based on what we have seen others do. We may end up pursuing God’s real call on our lives or our imagination of what that should be. As you have already guessed, if we pursue an illusion, eventually we will become disillusioned.

I remember when we first launched what was then called Liberty Church here in Burlington, NC, I had my five and ten year plans. I had been taught to treat the church somewhat like a business in that regard. (We did not start that way, but over time as the home church in Greensboro grew, we resorted to worldly ideas. That was serving an illusion for sure because the church is not a business.) I had the illusion that we would quickly grow to the 400 number and would need a building to accommodate that crowd. Thirty-four years later I now realize that in reality I have grace to be a small church pastor because that is what I have always been.

Whatever grace is upon our lives will produce fruit in keeping with that grace, not in keeping with some illusion we have.

I am much happier now just being who God created and gifted me to be, instead of reaching for an illusion that was always just beyond my grasp.

Illusions can work just the opposite, too. Some people labor under the illusion of inability and incompetence instead of believing that God can and will use them to do his work. Moses was just such a man. Early in life, Moses felt called or sensed the inner desire to help the Israelites. He tried doing it in his own way, but was quickly thwarted and disillusioned. He fled to the desert where he spent decades tending sheep for this father-in-law on the back side of the desert. Then one day God appeared to him and commissioned him to go back to Egypt and liberate a nation. Moses came up with excuse after excuse. He had been so disillusioned in himself that he had lost faith in God.

We are never to allow our disillusionment to spill over into unbelief.

God wants disillusionment to spur us on to pursue him and the truth. We want to move from self-confidence to God confidence.

Illusions are a type of lie that the Bible calls a “stronghold.”

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV)

Beginning with Adam and Eve, mankind has shown a propensity for believing lies. Satan knows this and is a master deceiver. Jesus identified him as the “father of lies.”

In general, people accept lies more easily then they do the truth.

One salacious slander is usually more easily believed than a hundred truthful protestations of innocence. Knowing this, politicians use smear campaigns to “dirty up” their opponents.  People remember the dirt, even if it is later refuted. Sadly, once people make up their minds, it can be very difficult or impossible to change them. Delaware Senator Joe Biden and company pulled this ugly trick on Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court nomination. Everyone should read Judge Thomas’ biography to see what this man had to overcome on the road to greatness.

To be blunt, illusions are lies. If we believe a lie, we need to be disillusioned.

Disillusionment takes place when it becomes evident to us that the lie we once believed is not true.

This can be very traumatic. Some people never recover; while others are able to learn from their mistakes and move forward. Can you imagine how difficult and it would be for a college professor who built his or her entire career on promoting Darwinism and evolution to come to terms with the truth of intelligent design and specific creation?

There are perils and benefits to being disillusioned. Jesus’ disciples, like us, needed to be disillusioned in certain areas. They had false ideas about Jesus’ mission and their roles in God’s kingdom. Despite the fact that Jesus repeatedly warned them that he would be crucified and rise again, his disciples were not able or willing to process that reality and expected him to lead a glorious revolution against Roman oppression. When the truth finally dawned on them, it was very painful. In their pain and confusion, all of them except John deserted the Lord at least temporarily.

When we are afraid to confront truth, it makes it probable that we will adopt a convenient illusion.

The Benefits of Peter’s Disillusionment

Just before his passion, Jesus told his followers that they would be scattered when he embraced his assigned destiny to die as God’s Lamb.

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32  But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33  Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34  Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35  Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. Matthew 26:31-35 (ESV)

Peter believed a lie about Jesus’ destiny, and he held on to false beliefs about himself, too. He imagined that he was much stronger and more faithful to Jesus than he actually was. His confidence was based on trust in his own strength and convictions. He was proud and due for a fall, and he was not alone. The other disciples said the same thing, but Jesus chose Peter to be an example to us all.

When Jesus was first taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter sprang into action, just as he promised Jesus that he would. He took his sword and attacked those who came to arrest Jesus, cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus commanded him to put away his sword and healed the wounded man. (Matthew 26:52-56)

It was one thing to die defending Jesus, but quite another to find out that Jesus had no intention of resisting those who came to kill him. Peter was ready to die fighting, but apparently not prepared to die without a fight, as Jesus did. Peter was disillusioned: he learned that following Jesus was not what he thought. His confusion led to his denying the Lord three times.

Why did Jesus call Peter out on this earlier, when he prophesied that before the rooster crowed he would deny him three times? I believe it was to help Peter hang on by faith after the denial. Knowing that Jesus knew in advance about his coming failure must have given Peter hope. Jesus did not reject Peter for his faithlessness under fire. Luke’s account of the incident adds some important details.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33  Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34 (ESV)

Knowing that God selected us to belong to him, despite knowing all about our sins and weaknesses in advance, should give us all great hope, just as it did Peter.

Peter needed to be disillusioned. He needed to find out that he was not everything he thought he was. He needed to discover that God loved him despite his sins and weaknesses. Disillusionment brought humility.

I feel sure that Peter was never the same afterward. His faith in himself was less, but his faith in the grace and mercy of God was far greater.

The Peril of Judas’ Disillusionment

Judas was another disciple who became disillusioned, but he did not benefit from it. His idea of who Jesus was (and is) and what it meant to be his follower was overthrown. He gradually realized that Jesus was not on a trajectory to acquire wealth, power, and fame (of which he would be sure to share). Rather, he apparently became offended at Jesus’ disregard for money, when Mary anointed him with expensive oil prior to his death. It was just after that pivotal event that Judas agreed to betray Jesus for a fee. The sad part is that Judas never found room for repentance. His disillusionment led to his destruction.

What we do when we are confronted with the truth makes all the difference.

Principles for Handling Disillusionment

Following these principles can help us to profit during the times when we become disillusioned. Otherwise, we may become permanently embittered and disabled by disillusionment.

  • Decide to follow Jesus, no matter what. Following Christ means we surrender ourselves to his Lordship. This means we give up control over our lives, choices, and destinies. If we live a surrendered life, it will help us to hang on faithfully to Jesus, even should things get painful and confusing to us. Disillusionment will not rock the world of a surrendered person. We know we are serving a person who ultimately controls everything and is working all things for our good and his glory. (Romans 8:28)
  • Become well acquainted with the Bible. Disillusionment becomes necessary when we believe a lie. We can insulate ourselves from deception by embracing the truth of God’s Word. If we value truth above all else, we will be thankful when God delivers us from believing a lie.
  • Develop the habit of being thankful. Thankfulness reveals a heart that is humble and surrendered. The Bible teaches us that thankfulness glorifies God. (Ephesians 5:20) God works in and through disillusionment for our benefit, if we keep our eyes on the Lord. Thank God for any area in which you are struggling. You will experience a new measure of God’s grace when you do.
  • Expect to encounter suffering and tribulation in life. One of the greatest illusions many Christians face is that following Christ should be trouble free. Quite the contrary, God uses suffering and pressure to make us more like Jesus. Those who are ready for such things will find it much easier when suffering arrives on the scene. (1 Thessalonians 3:3)

Prayer

Jesus, you are the Truth. Thank you that you are leading me into more and more truth. Please deliver me from any area in my life in which I believe a lie. Help me to pass through every period of disillusionment and come out on the other side a stronger and more devoted follower. Help my faith not to fail, Lord. I give you thanks for how you are working all things together for good in my life. May I bring glory to your name. Amen

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How to Cast Out Evil Spirits

This is the 25th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can access the rest of the articles by clicking here.

 

Evil spirits are master intimidators and inveterate liars. They will use every trick in the book to convince us that we have no ability or right to get rid of them. The usual shenanigans include telling us that they are too strong for us, are not going to do what we tell them, have a right to be there, or to try to convince us that we have some area of personal sin that disqualifies us from ministry. For t his reason, before every ministry session I spend time declaring aloud and reminding myself, the person(s) with whom I am working, the Lord, and any demons present that my righteousness is derived solely from Christ, not my own performance; my authority is Christ’s authority, and I am his personal representative; and Jesus is Lord over the ministry session (and everything else). I also invite the Holy Spirit to oversee everything and ask him to work in and through me to help the other person.

If setting people free from demonic oppression depended on my righteousness or my authority, I would fail, but since it solely depends on Christ, I will succeed, and so will you.

This means that evil spirits must do what we command them to do in Christ’s name. We don’t have to raise our voices or struggle in any fashion. We don’t need a band of strong men to hold down a demonized person. If we resort to such tactics, it reveals that we think that the battle is ours instead of the Lord’s and have been deceived from the very start.

The Theology of Deliverance

The theology of deliverance is simple. When Jesus died and rose again, he stripped Satan of his authority and right rule over humans.

He certainly removed the devil’s right to oppress people who are submitted to Christ.

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14  having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB)  

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. Luke 9:1 (NASB) 

These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17 (NASB)

Jesus defeated Satan when he died and rose again. Drawing upon that future victory, Jesus empowered his disciples to minister in his name even before he went to the cross. How much more can we who live in the aftermath of the resurrection do the same!

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." 18  And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19  "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20  "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." Luke 10:17-20 (NASB)

Today, post-resurrection, we are in “mopping up” operations in which we are enforcing the victorious reality of Christ’s lordship. As representatives of Christ, we speak and minister in his name, releasing his authority. It is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to back up our words with God’s power. Let me repeat this essential point.

We proclaim Christ’s victory over demonic oppression, thereby releasing his authority to set captives free. The Holy Spirit then enforces what we say and makes it happen. He is the power behind the authority.

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28 (NASB)

Casting out demons is a clear sign of the presence of God’s kingdom. Unless we understand that the Spirit is the power behind Christ’s authority, we may resort to using fleshly means to try to cast out spirits, much to the devil’s delight.

Getting Ready

During a ministry session, we should depend on the Holy Spirit to give us insight, wisdom, discernment, and whatever else may be needed. I recommend asking him to be in charge of the session. Next, bind any evil spirits in Christ’s name, commanding them aloud not to act out in any way that might hinder or distract from Christ’s work. I tell them to keep quiet and not manifest in any way, unless by permission of Christ. If we do this, we will eliminate any showy demonic displays that are intended to provoke fear and confusion. In addition, having prayed in such a way, if a demon manifests or is otherwise discerned or detected, I assume that it is God revealing to us that it is time to deal with it. Remember, demons are never the main attraction. Instead, we should be far more interested in discerning how they got there, what has kept them there, and in helping the people to whom we minister repent and renounce whatever opened the door to demonization in the first place.

Depending on the Spirit’s Guidance

Once a demon and its entry point have been discerned with the Holy Spirit’s help and any sinful behavior or beliefs renounced, it is time to cast out the evil spirit.

Jesus and Paul cast out spirits without going through these steps, but I am not usually in the marketplace when this ministry happens, as they were. I have the luxury of being able to take the necessary time to get to the root of the matter. I suppose this is another example of what the Bible calls a “variety” of ministries in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians12:5) Once again, I believe we should never simply assume that we know what to do.

Always ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Thinking we know what to do, simply because our doctrine is correct or we have ministry experience is potentially harmful.

King David knew how to fight battles, but when he went up against the Philistine armies, he asked God for a specific strategy. (2 Samuel 5:22-25) We should do the same.

Steps to Deliverance

  1. Lead the person to confess and renounce any sin, wrong belief, generational sin, occult involvement, etc. that opened the door to demonic oppression.
  2. Ask the person to submit to Christ. Salvation is all about lordship. James wrote that the first step toward resisting the devil is to surrender to Christ the Lord. (James 4:7) We should lead the person who needs deliverance to pray a simple prayer of surrender to Jesus the Lord, especially in the area where the evil spirit has been oppressing him or her.
  3. Proclaim Christ’s victory over all the power of the enemy and over the particular spirit and area of oppression in focus. Remember: the gospel is a proclamation of Christ’s victory and Lordship which includes an invitation to be forgiven and set free from everything that has held us captive. (Acts 13:39) Saying it aloud is important. (Isaiah 61:1 and Colossians 2:15) We have no reason to think Satan can read our minds. Using our voice is crucial in gaining freedom. God uses the authority of the spoken word, enforced by the power of the Holy Spirit, to cast out evil spirits.
  4. Command any oppressive spirits to leave in Christ’s name and authority. Expect them to obey because they must.

Dealing with Obstacles

Occasionally we will encounter an obstinate demon, who apparently refuses to bend the knee to our command. There could be a couple of reasons. The first thing to do is ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Secondly, perhaps, there is yet some “hook” that we failed to discern and renounce, which the Holy Spirit wants us to address. Thirdly, ask the person receiving ministry if there is anything yet not covered. Fourthly, it might be profitable to bind the demon to speak the truth and and ask it why it thinks it can stay. The answer might be illuminating for further ministry. Always be aware that whatever a demon says, since there is no truth in the devil, has to be judged in light of God’s Word and the witness of God’s Spirit. If another layer of sin, pain, deception, or generational devastation is uncovered, address it as before. Then go through the deliverance process again. Here is a list of potential obstacles.

  • Unconfessed secret sin or vow
  • Undiscovered generational sin
  • Unconfessed or unrenounced occult involvement
  • Agreement with a lie
  • Pride – “My” demon is so strong that not just anyone can cast it out.

Remember: there is nothing a person may have done that can effectively block deliverance. It is all a smokescreen.

Always be aware that the demon simply is being obstinate and testing our faith and resolve. In this case, let us remember that the battle is the Lord’s, not ours. When I encounter this sort of thing, I use the approach of turning the evil spirit over to Jesus for him to deal with as he sees fit. I am not going to waste my time arguing or struggling with a disobedient demon.

How do we know when the evil spirit has departed?

The Holy Spirit operates in and through individuals in a variety of ways. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) In my case, I often have an inner confirmation from the Holy Spirit when a spirit leaves. I don’t know how to describe it except that it seems to be a kind of inner “whoosh.” I am sure that this is not helpful to you at all, which is good, because the last thing we need to do is try to copy someone else. God can confirm that a spirit has been cast out in any number of ways. First of all, remember that we do not even need a confirmation. We operate by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) However, thankfully, God may give us an inner or external confirmation. Often the person receiving ministry feels deliverance happening or senses the result of a spirit having left, as in a sense of release, joy, freedom, peace, etc. A minister may “see” it leave through spiritual discernment. (1 Corinthians 12:10) The person being delivered might have some sort of physical manifestation, such as coughing, gagging, etc. Regardless, we base our faith in God’s Word, whether we see any evidence or not. Demons must obey our commands given in Christ’s name. Period.

I remember a case when a person who was delivered approached me a few days later to let me know how much “lighter” she felt. In the aftermath of deliverance, she realized how much the spirit had previously affected her, even though she had been oblivious to its presence. If there is no immediate outward or inward confirmation, ask the Holy Spirit if anything more needs to be done. If everything is clear on his end, simply move on, trusting God to confirm the deliverance in whatever way or time he sees fit.

Deliverance requires faith and is usually a partnership between the one receiving ministry, the minister, and the Holy Spirit.

That is why it is very important to do whatever teaching is required up front so that the person receiving ministry has faith in the efficacy of Christ’s triumph, our authority to speak in Christ’s name, and the Holy Spirit’s power. We want to leave no room for doubt or hesitancy.

My next article will conclude this section with talking about what to do after deliverance.

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Release from Demonic Oppression: Biblical Names of Common Demons

 

This is the 24th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. To access the rest of the articles, click here.

 

A once popular book, Pigs in the Parlor, presented a model which taught ministers to look for demons behind almost every resistant spiritual problem people might experience. In contrast, the Bible only acknowledges a relatively small group of demon names. If we are going to be properly cautious and biblical, I believe we would do well limit ourselves to calling demons by biblical names. For example, there is no biblical precedent for calling an evil spirit a demon of nicotine addiction. This does not mean that demons cannot contribute to such an addiction. I am sure they do, but being so specific is not found in the Bible.

As mentioned before, demons oppress people in a variety of ways, using fear, intimidation, and deception. Below are the names given to these spirits by the Bible.

  • Demon (daimonion) – Matthew 7:22. This is the general term.
  • Evil Spirit (pneuma poneros) – Matthew 12:45. This is also a general term. All demons are evil. This goes for ghosts, poltergeists, etc. There is no Casper the friendly ghost. Don’t be deceived by the current fad of ghost busting. To learn more about this, consider reading Seeing Ghosts through God’s Eyes by Mark Hunnemann.
  • Unclean Spirit (pneuma akathartos) – Matthew 10:1. This is another general term, but one we in the West do not often use. The opposite of clean or holy is unclean or defiled. Unclean spirits defile what they touch. Jesus, the Clean One, cleanses unclean people with a touch. Part of his ministry was and is to drive out spirits of uncleanness.
  • Spirit of Infirmity, Weakness, or Sickness (pneuma astheneia) – Luke 13:11. Some sicknesses and diseases are caused by evil spirits. We must discern whether we are dealing with a “simple” sickness or one that is demonically induced. One requires healing. The other, deliverance.
  • Spirit of Fear, Timidity, or Cowardice (pneuma deilia) – 2 Timothy 1:7. Some spirits inspire fear in those they oppress. Spirits can only minister to others who they are and what they have. Perfect love (Jesus) drives out all fear.
  • Spirit of Python, Fortune Telling, Divination (pneuma puthon) – Acts 16:16. Evil spirits inspire false prophecy and other forms of divination (knowing things by means of an evil source). This is one reason why we must steer clear of demonically inspired sources of information, which include Ouija boards, fortune telling tarot cards, astrology, etc.. Satan always desires to bring people into bondage through false knowledge. He will reveal just enough truth to hook people, but his ultimate desire is to enslave and destroy us by means of clever lies.
  • Spirit of Slavery (pneuma douleia) – Romans 8:15. This spirit keeps people in bondage, often through fear and intimidation. Addictions may be at least partly caused by such a spirit. I believe these spirits are also at work in false religions and legalism.
  • Spirit of Antichrist (pneuma antichristos) – 1 John 4:3. This is the spirit behind false worship and false messiahs. It denies Christ and inspires others to do the same.
  • Spirit of Stupor (pneuma katanuxis) – Romans 11:8. This spirit seeks to dull people’s ability to hear and respond to God and the Gospel. When people start nodding off when anything spiritual is happening, it might be because of this spirit. Of course, they might be suffering from a lack of sleep, too.
  • Lying Spirit (ruach sheqer) – 2 Chronicles 18:22. This spirit works to keep people deceived. Some people are motivated by this spirit to lie. Others are lied to by this spirit. In the biblical example cited, lying spirits inspired false prophets to lie to the king to induce him to take a course of action that would result in his death. Today perhaps the legacy media is the closest parallel.

What evil spirits do according to the Bible.

  • Afflict – to apply pressure
  • Harass – to distress or trouble
  • Dispirit – to throw down
  • Oppress – to exercise power over
  • Torment –  to make a person hurt himself and cry out
  • Inflict physical problems – such as sickness, deafness, blindness, muteness, seizures
  • Try to destroy – such as throw someone into a fire
  • Make insane – such as the Gerasene demoniac
  • Unclean spirit – Afflicts with impurity, sexual or otherwise
  • Terrify – to fall upon, startle, terrify (Saul)

When we minister, one of our responsibilities is to accurately discern and diagnose what are the sources of the bondage being experienced by the people we seek to help.

If we discern the operation of an evil spirit, it is very helpful to comprehend the nature and scope of that spirit’s oppressive influence. Some believe it is necessary to name spirits by an exact name, such as when Jesus cast “Legion” out of the demoniac. This however was the exception, not the rule. Usually Jesus simply commanded the spirit using a generic name, such as unclean spirit.

We can depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal to us what we need to know and do.

Remember, demons by nature are liars and manipulators; so, be extremely careful when extracting information from them in a ministry session.

Once we know exactly what spirits we are dealing with and how they gained access to the person, we are ready to lead him or her through the deliverance process, which will be the subject of the next article.

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Release from Demonic Oppression: Diagnosis Demons

 

This is the 23rd article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. To access the rest of the series, click here.

 

Have you ever sensed the presence of a demon or evil spirit? How did you do it? Was it a feeling? Something said? Something you saw? Were you sure about what you discerned, or did you merely have a suspicion? Being able to accurately discern the presence and activity of the demonic in people’s lives is a very important aspect of helping them find freedom. Trying to cast out what is not there is an exercise in frustration and confusion. Failing to discern a demon can leave it in place to continue its harassment of the individual.

Demons in general prefer to be hidden. They also sometimes can be quite bold. I remember once when a young man looked me in the eye and said that the demon in him was going to jump on me. I suppose he did this to try to intimidate me in some way, but it didn’t work. Demons use fear and intimidation when they can no longer hide. One deception is for them to pose as being too strong for the ordinary follower of Christ to handle, but we will get to that in more detail in a future article on how to cast them out.

There are two general approaches to diagnosing the presence of demons.  The first is to assume that demons should be the first thing we look for as a cause of sinful behavior or oppression. The opposing view, which I prefer, is to look for demons last of all, unless there is some reason to think otherwise. In my experience in counseling, demons are rarely the main event. They may seek to block or distract us from continuing along the road to genuine healing and deliverance. I also believe that demons get blamed for things that are more rightly attributed to the “flesh,” a lack of proper repentance and teaching, embedded lies, unhealed pain, and generational issues.

Demons, however, often lurk in the midst of the snarls of interconnected bondage issues, and we should not be surprised to find them.

In fact, I have had more dealings with demons while engaging in Personal Prayer Ministry than at any other time. This is because PPM goes to roots of bondage, where demons try to hide.

One of my most humorous episodes with a demon occurred just after my opening prayer in a ministry session. The person awaiting ministry clearly heard in his spirit a voice say, “I am not going to leave either!” We both laughed and cast out the spirit, deeming that the Lord was showing us that it was time for it to go. Probably the most interesting deliverance in my experience took place over the phone. A demonized person I had never met called to ask if I cast out demons. We talked a bit and set up a time to get together in person. (This man had attended one of our small groups; so, it was not totally “out of the blue.”) Before ending the call, I asked if I could pray for God’s protection over him until then. As I prayed in English, I felt a strong desire to pray in tongues. I asked him if that would be okay, to which he readily agreed. As I prayed in the Spirit, he began to manifest evidence that he was being delivered. He was choking and gagging and knew instinctively that the Holy Spirit was setting him free. The most interesting thing to me was that I was not consciously exercising my authority in Christ for his deliverance, but I suppose that I must have been praying for it or commanding it as I spoke in an unknown heavenly language. (Romans 8:26-27) It was obvious that the Holy Spirit wanted it out immediately. Before that, I did not even know it was possible to cast out a demon while praying in the Spirit. Afterward I witnessed another person get delivered as I prayed in tongues, but that was after I commanded the demon to leave in English. It was one of those recalcitrant spirits who protested having to leave.

But how do we know when we are dealing with a demon? Some people (a la Pigs in the Parlor) believe demons are behind nearly every affliction known to man. I reject this notion, preferring to limit myself to demons identified in the New Testament. However, I must admit that once when ministering to a woman who had been unable to quit smoking, I asked her if it would be okay to check out the possibility of a demon being behind her addiction. I did not think it was, but recently someone had encouraged me to consider the possibility, and I thought it would be worth a try. She agreed; so, I asked Jesus to reveal to us if a demon was involved. My wife and I commanded any evil spirit present to manifest itself somehow so we would know. Amazingly the woman immediately had a terrible taste in her throat. We concluded that this was God answering our prayer. We cast it out, and she stopped smoking immediately. I suppose God had a good laugh at my expense, but I still don’t go looking for demons behind every affliction and addiction.

I always depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal to me whatever I need to know, since I am not clever enough to figure it out on my own. This has been the secret to whatever success I have experienced doing PPM over the years. I know it is his ministry, not mine.

I try to be alert for clues that there might be demonization, and, if I find any, I then ask the Holy Spirit to show me clearly what is going on. We don’t want to make a mistake, and here is why. If we try to cast out a non-present demon, the person will get no relief. This may cause the person to draw one of a couple of wrong conclusions. They may think the demon is too strong for Jesus, or they may think deliverance in general does not work. Lastly they may lose confidence in our ministry to them. None of these is good. We also should never offer anyone the false hope that simply casting out a spirit will solve all their problems. The “flesh,” which is much more difficult to deal with, remains, and it cannot be cast out.

As a matter of covering all the bases, it is good to routinely ask if the person we are counseling has ever dabbled or practiced the occult. In fact, before engaging in PPM, I ask those who will be receiving ministry to complete an extensive application which asks these sorts of questions up front. There is no sense waiting until you are far into ministry before finding out crucial details.

Occult involvement will often open the door to demonization. It is the devil’s realm powered by the demonic.

Once my wife and I were ministering to a woman who complained of never having been able to speak in tongues. I felt impressed to ask her if she had ever been involved with the occult. She said that she had practiced witchcraft. I asked her if she had ever repented and renounced that sin. She told us that she did not know she needed to. We led her through the process and cast out the associated evil spirit, during which she said it felt as if there were a huge anvil on her chest. When that spiritual pressure lifted, she experience deliverance and started speaking in tongues immediately. My advice is to always suspect demonization when there has been occult involvement, which includes a vast array of things from Ouija boards to palm reading, from tarot cards to seances, from witchcraft to Satanic worship, and the list goes on. The application form I use covers most everything.

Discerning demons is a gift of the Holy Spirit and part of the ministry of Christ. It is intuitive and works differently in individuals.

I know a minister who said she could “smell” demons. Some “see” them by the Spirit. You may simply be able to know that they are there intuitively. Sometimes I am able put the puzzle pieces together to ferret out one. Then I like to ask the Holy Spirit to confirm it. I often command the evil spirit, if it is there, to manifest itself in some clear way under Christ’s authority and oversight, without making a scene; so that we will know. Demons must obey our commands given in Christ’s name. Sometimes I know for sure that I am dealing with a demon, but at other times I move forward on the reasoned guess that we are dealing with an evil spirit, asking for Holy Spirit confirmation. Each person has to gain experience by doing the ministry. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I also like to pray for Jesus to reveal the true nature of the demon, especially if the person regards it as a friend or helper. The woman I mentioned in a previous article who had the “friendly” spirit of death did not want to let it go until Jesus showed her how ugly and evil it was. Then she was ready. People need to have their eyes opened to spiritual reality. Satan loves to appear as an angel of light. The Holy Spirit will bring the demonic into the light where the evil is exposed and can be properly renounced.

In summary, we trust the Lord to show us when we are up against demonic oppression and to give us his strategy for getting rid of it. Remember, it is God’s ministry not ours. He is the one with the wisdom, authority, and power to get the job done. We are his representatives or ambassadors. In my next article, I will write about various kinds of demons we may encounter.

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Release from Demonic Oppression: How Do People Become Demonized?

 

This is the 22nd article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can read the other related articles by clicking here.

 

How do demons gain access to people? Can they simply “jump on” someone? Are we helpless before them? Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves and free ourselves from their oppression? These are all good questions that I will attempt to answer in this and future articles.

Thankfully demons cannot randomly demonize anyone they choose.

God is sovereign, and the devil can only operate with God’s permission. (Read the Book of Job.) If demons could oppress anyone and everyone at will, we would see significant demonization everywhere. In general, God protects us from Satan and his minions, but certain things can open the door to demonic oppression.

Demons are all around us for sure, but for them to be able to significantly oppress us, they must somehow gain access to us. God’s protective barrier must be breached. Solomon gave us from insight into how this can happen.

He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. Ecclesiastes 10:8 (NASB)

In general, we or someone who has protective authority over us must break through God’s protective wall by sinning to open the door to demonization.

Adam took the lead in this, but our ancestors and living members of our families, along with other authority figures, whom God gave to protect us, sometimes fail miserably at their responsibility and actually facilitate those under their care to suffer oppression.

Demons gain access to harass people in a number of ways. If we think of them as flies, it can be helpful. (Interestingly, one of the devil’s names is Lord of the Flies or Beelzebub.) Flies are attracted to putrefaction and wounds. Where these two things are present, flies usually will be on hand. One can spend his time swatting flies or treating what attracted them in the first place. Over the long haul, the latter course of action will be the most effective.

One way to think of this is that demons look for a wound, a “nest,” or a “hook” in people to set up shop. Because unhealed traumatic inner pain is so devastating, it cries out to be resolved. If we do not find healing in Christ, demons often come knocking to offer their version of assistance.

I can offer a couple of examples from my own ministry experience.

A certain young man was abandoned as a baby and treated horribly by significant adults in his life. As you can imagine, he developed a deep seated rage. He eventually realized that he gained a certain level of notoriety and prestige of sorts when he allowed himself to be taken over by rage and became violent. He was physically quite strong. A spirit of rage became his “trusted friend” and “helper.” I remember telling him that he was going to need to let go of that and start trusting God to be his protector. At that point and into the known present, he has been unwilling to make that transition. The “nest” this demon settled in was composed of the pain associated with abandonment and abuse coupled with the lie that rage was his only hope of being someone significant. I suspect that he was not the first in his family line to make this connection with a spirit of rage.

Another example was a woman who unwittingly was exposed to a spirit of death, most likely when her mother took her to see a spiritualist who channeled demons. During a particularly painful time in her life, she would console herself with the thought that, if things got bad enough, she could always escape through death. This is one of the perverse ways the devil seeks to “solve” our problems. When we identified the spirit, she was initially hesitant to get rid of her longtime “friend,” not realizing how malevolent it was. It had been a sort of “safety net” for her. We asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to her the nature of this spirit, which he did on the spot. Once she made the decision to renounce it, we commanded it to leave, and she was set free. She told me later that she was amazed at how free she felt afterward. This evil “friend” had been with her a long time, weighing her down in ways she hadn’t realized. The devil usually wants to remain hidden from view, operating in darkness.

In addition to trauma, certain personal sins can be gateways to demonization.

Involvement in the occult is especially sinister. This can be something seemingly innocuous as children experimenting with a Ouija Board or Tarot cards. Likewise, sexual activity with demonized people can open the door to oppression. In general, if we abandon ourselves to sins, we run the risk of demonization. Unfortunately, we can also be demonized when others sin against us. Sexual and other forms of abuse by adults may open the door to demonic oppression in its victims. I know this does not seem “fair,” but the devil does not care a bit. He is what may be called an equal opportunity oppressor. When parents and other trusted adults fail to be protectors of those under their care, but instead open a doorway to evil in their homes, children may be scarred for life. After all, the entire human race came under the devil’s “thumb” because of the sin of Adam. Conversely, we experience freedom because of the obedience of Christ.

Sometimes demons are passed down generationally.

I remember working with a woman who was experiencing recurring nightmares. During ministry, I discovered that her grandmother was trying to recruit her to take up the family tradition of witchcraft. She renounced any such involvement and claimed her freedom in Christ from this torment. The nightmares stopped immediately.

A great first step in getting rid of demons is to remove what gave them access in the first place.

A way to look at this is to imagine that we have a front and a back door to our hearts. If we kick demons out of the front door without locking the back door, what good have we done? (Matthew 12:43-45)

The first step toward gaining freedom is to close and lock the back door, the place where demons gained access to our lives in the first place. This means we must first deal with bitterness, personal sins, generational sins, lie-based strongholds, and traumatic pain. Then we will be ready to be set free.

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Release from Demonic Oppression: Introduction

This is the 21st article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can read the other related articles by clicking here.

 

In the New Testament, there is no word for being “possessed” by a demon. Regrettably, some Bible translations refer to demonization as possession, but the Greek word used is daimonizomai, which simply means to be demonized. All sorts of arguments have arisen as a result of using the inaccurate idea of demon possession to prove that believers in Christ cannot possibly be possessed or owned by an evil spirit because God owns, possesses, and inhabits every believer.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NASB)

I fully agree that God does not share ownership of his children with the devil.

However, if we approach this issue using the actual Greek word, daimonizomai,  it becomes clear that we are not talking about possession, but oppression.

Jesus taught us that the devil’s agenda is to kill, steal, and destroy. He does this work primarily through deception and fear. When Jesus walked the earth during his itinerant ministry, Peter tells us that the core of his efforts went toward releasing people from demonic oppression.

"You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 (NASB)

In this verse the word translated “oppressed” literally means “being under the power of.” This is a good way to describe demonization; although, not everyone Jesus healed had a spirit of infirmity. Some were just sick, but sickness is itself a manifestation of sin’s curse and the devil’s domain.

The devil seeks to use people to accomplish his purposes. He works to deceive us into aligning with his God dishonoring quest. Interestingly, demons have a desire to inhabit people. In my opinion, this is most likely due to two reasons. First, God created us to be temples for his Spirit. Demons wish to spoil what belongs to God. Secondly, human bodies are pleasant and useful habitations for demons, giving them a place of “rest” and providing them with the means to act out their destructive desires.

Demonization can take many forms, anything from a person crawling around on the ground as a snake to being harassed in the mind by oppressive sinful thoughts and temptations. It can also include a vast array of physical problems, which Jesus commonly addressed during his public ministry – deafness, inability to speak, crippling arthritis, and epilepsy, just to name a few. Demonization can also manifest itself as it did in the Gadarene demoniac, who lived in constant agony, alone among the tombs, cutting and generally hating himself and his condition. His pain was so great that, when he saw Jesus, knowing our Lord could set him free, ran to him and begged for help. Paul encountered and set free a young woman who had psychic abilities that came from being demonized by a spirit of “python” which used her as its mouthpiece.

During Jesus’ day, it was not uncommon to encounter obviously demonized people. Today we generally lock such persons away in institutions or heavily medicate them into a stupor. Nevertheless, many others suffer in less obvious ways. One of the devil’s chief weapons is deception. He has managed to convince a great many people that evil spirits are not even real, but were used by primitive peoples to explain medical and mental problems they did not understand.

Believers who hold that the Bible is the inspired Word of God cannot dismiss the reality of demons.

In addition, if we wish to help people get free, we should not quickly conclude that Christians cannot be oppressed by demons. I have seen evidence of such oppression far too often to pretend it does not exist. When our theology does not match reality, something is wrong with our doctrine. My goal in these articles is to help us to properly understand the scriptures regarding demonization in order to help people find freedom in Christ.

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Jesus, the Healer of Our Souls

This is the 20th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling.
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. 2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:1-3 (ESV)

So far I have covered how deeply embedded lies and generational devastation contribute to bondage.

Deep unhealed wounds and the associated traumatic pain can also interfere with our experiencing all that Jesus died to provide. This article looks at how the Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

As a matter of review, the devastation experienced because of unconfessed and unforgiven generational sins and their attached judgments is overcome through actively claiming and applying what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. I covered this in my previous article.

Lie-based strongholds are defeated through our recognizing and renouncing any lies we have believed and replacing them with promises and truths from the Bible. The truth sets us free from the power of the lie. (John 8:31-32) We must learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide us through this process.

When it comes to deep pain, however, neither the authority of the resurrected Christ over all generational devastation nor the bondage breaking power of the truth is the complete answer.

Deep traumatic pain requires the healing touch of Jesus.

Identifying what component of bondage is at work in a person allows us to apply the proper remedy.

The Relationship between Inner Hurts, Embedded Lies, and Demonic Oppression

By way of review, all sin and bondage is lie-based. Sin began because a satanic lie was spoken, believed, and acted upon, which opened the door to a lifestyle of sinful independence with its resultant pain and destruction. When we encounter pain in our lives, we usually attempt to understand and make sense of it in order to protect ourselves by using the carnal (unspiritual) mind (the sarx or “flesh”). The carnal mind lacks wisdom and weaves for itself another layer of deception. The lies we believe, when acted upon, can introduce even more pain, setting the cycle in motion once again. Demons often take advantage of this state of affairs and may present themselves as our “friends” who are trying to help. Demons look for a “nest” of lies and pain to set up housekeeping. Sometimes they rely upon some sort of “hook” in our souls, such as involvement in the occult. Such demonization may go back generationally. I hope it is becoming clear to us why deliverance from bondage needs to address all four of these interrelated areas.

Identifying the Presence of Inner Hurts

Hurts and wounds of the soul are carried on the inside of a person and may be invisible except for how they affect us.

Their presence is often revealed by exaggerated emotional responses, bizarre behaviors, and irrational thinking. When our reactions are out of keeping with the provocation, inner hurts and associated lies are likely beneath the surface. Where there is smoke…

In the process of asking the Lord Jesus to set us free from inner hurts, embedded lies, generational devastation, and demonization, it is usually a good idea to begin where the pain is the greatest.

In fact, the reason most people even seek out help is because the pain has become unbearable. A good practice for each of us when we experience emotions that are not from God’s Spirit is to ask the Lord what is going on inside us. If we listen to the Spirit, he may reveal to us bondage breaking truth and provide healing. This has happened to me.

Healing from inner hurts usually involves the complete package of deliverance. We repent for known sin, identify and claim freedom from generational devastation, ask Jesus to heal our pain and replace lies with truth, and cast out any attached demonic influence in Christ’s name and authority. (Demons are not always part of the problem, however, and should not be addressed unless they are discerned with the aid of the Holy Spirit.) Unless we use this broad approach to deliverance, we may leave key components to bondage in place.

Usually our pain has an historical basis and is directly connected to events we experienced, to words spoken over us, or to attitudes expressed to us. None of these things has the power to bring us into bondage unless we believe some lie as a result. Jesus experienced all sorts of negative things in his life, but never reacted sinfully and never came into bondage.

For example, when a parent fails to love his or her child properly, it may break the heart of that little one. As a result, depending on the personality of the child, the response might be to become afraid, depressed, angry, or maybe just shut down emotionally in an attempt to wall out the pain. Lie-based strongholds are often generated as we try to understand and cope with our pain. We may come to believe that we have no personal worth, because our parents did not value us enough to live with us, spend significant time with us, or speak affirming words to us. We may feel shamed and think there is something inherently wrong with us, causing everyone who is important to us to eventually leave. As you can imagine, believing such things triggers corresponding behaviors that can be a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, we may expect to be rejected; so, to protect ourselves from that pain, we reject the other person first. These hurts must be healed, and the lies must be addressed and replaced with God’s truth. The generational side of things usually needs to be addressed as well.

At times we need to consider that some events have produced a deep level of hurt in an entire group of people. Think of what happened at Wounded Knee when the US Army massacred an entire Indian village. Dee Brown wrote a book entitled Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which communicates some of the pathos attached to that event. A once proud people was reduced to living in poverty on reservations supplied by a government that systematically lied to them, destroyed them, and divested them of their territories over several decades. You would have to ask a Native American what kind of pain still remains and how has it affected both mental health and personal fulfillment and happiness. Poverty, hopelessness, and alcoholism run rampant on reservations. This is a generational inner hurt accompanied by generational lies and probable demonization.

Unless these past injuries are properly addressed, we may be hindered in moving forward with life. Jesus can heal us from the pain associated with our personal, group, or family past, too.

Binding Up the Brokenhearted

How does Jesus bind our wounds and heal our broken hearts? When Jesus launched his public ministry, he clearly told his followers what its focus would be by quoting the prophet Isaiah.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1 (ESV)

The poor in this passage are those who have been so reduced by their neediness that they crouch and cower. Captives are those who have been conquered and made prisoner. The oppressed are people who have been “broken to pieces,” and part of their breaking has been the rending of their hearts. Many people have hearts that are thoroughly broken. They often are incapable, without proper mending, of feeling emotions properly or trusting God completely. Faith comes from the heart, and if the heart is broken, how can we feel or trust fully? That is one reason why the healing ministry of Jesus is so needed.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NASB)

Jesus endured the crushing pain of abandonment, false accusation, betrayal, fear, powerlessness, rejection, invalidation, and confusion. All the common maladies of the soul fell upon him as armed bandits might fall on an innocent, defenseless traveler. Jesus offered no defense but, full of trust in his Abba Father, went to his death as a sheep to the slaughter, as the Lamb of God.

The crushing Jesus experienced provided for our well-being and healing.

Jesus is not indifferent to our pain. He experienced it for himself and knows exactly how to heal it. In fact, he has already paid the price for our healing and restoration, but we must go to him, just as the woman with the issue of blood relentlessly pursued Jesus until she touched the hem of his garment and was healed.

Finding healing in Christ begins with the understanding that he cares, loves, and feels deeply for us. He knows about our pain – how it feels, where it came from, and what it has done to us. He also paid the price in his own soul and body to provide our healing.

If we will believe that Jesus is God the Healer, Jehovah-Rapha, and believe that he has already paid the price for our healing, and if we will come to him in faith, asking him to heal and restore us, we will experience healing at his hands.

Likely this pursuit of healing will require us to revisit the memories of when these things happened to us, reopening old painful wounds and unsealing long repressed pain. We will need the courage to allow ourselves to once again feel that pain and ask Jesus heal us. This has been labeled “inner healing” or “healing of the memories.” It is simply recognizing that our pain has an historical origin of which Jesus is aware. He was there when it happened; although, we knew it not. He knows what it felt like, what we were thinking, the lies that were set up in our hearts, etc. He also knows exactly how to set us free because he is the Wonderful Counselor! (Isaiah 9:6)

If we take these painful memories to him and ask him to speak his healing words of truth to us, the results will be amazing. He is far more willing to set us free than we are in coming to him.

Some of us were so deeply hurt that it will take a great amount of bravery and trust in Jesus to allow him to reopen the doors to the hidden places in our hearts. This is what blocks many from the pursuit of freedom. But Jesus can be trusted completely. He will be careful and tender with us on our journey to freedom. Just as surely as he delivered the woman at the well in Samaria from her pain in John Chapter 4 and set the adulteress free from her condemnation and pain in John Chapter 8, he will do the same for us. He is the Healer of our souls.

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Practical Prayer Steps to Overcome Generational Devastation

This is the 19th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can browse the other related articles by clicking on the link in the above sentence.

 

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live. Isaiah 58:12 (GW)

Here are some practical prayer steps we can take to experience freedom from long standing generational devastation.

  1. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, prayerfully identify and bring to the Lord any observed repeating generational devastation in our family line. This includes behaviors, beliefs, addictions, diseases, embedded lies, traumatic hurts, and demonization.
  2. As a representative of our families and on behalf of our families, repent for any known ancestral sins and ask Jesus to release our families from any looming judgment associated with past unconfessed and unforgiven sins. (Note: We are not asking Jesus to forgive our ancestors personally. We are asking forgiveness on behalf of the family still alive, who may bear the brunt of judgment against those past sins.)
  3. Repent of any personal participation I may have had by committing the same sins.
  4. Claim Christ’s victory over generational sins, judgments, and the resulting devastation for ourselves and our families. Remember: Jesus already won the victory at Calvary. (Galatians 3:13-14) We are tapping into that victory by faith. When our faith couples with God’s promises, God’s power is released.
  5. Declare Christ’s victory over embedded lies and pray for truth to permeate the family, setting us free. (John 8:31) (Note: The way we help others find freedom from embedded lies is the subject of another article.)
  6. Declare Christ’s victory over traumatic hurts and pray for his healing to touch every wounded area. (Note: This is covered later in another article.)
  7. Declare Christ’s victory over every form of demonization and ask for specific deliverance over family members. (Note: I will cover this in detail later.)
  8. Ask the Lord to bless us and our families in a way that directly contravenes the observed generational devastation. For example, if rage has been a problem, ask the Lord to make us gentle and patient. If poverty has been a generational problem, ask the Lord to prosper us and help us become generous givers.
  9. Thank the Lord for setting us free, even before we may observe any behavioral change.

When I minister to people for deliverance from generational devastation, I try to go through these steps for every identifiable generational issue. Usually this process is outwardly uneventful, but occasionally the person receiving ministry may have an emotional response which indicates the presence of an embedded lie or traumatic wound. It is possible to encounter demonization when going through this process as well. We may not realize the extent of how Christ is setting us free until later, when we realize we did not react as we had before. I have seen significant deliverance by praying in the way described above, and I encourage you to give it a try.

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Overcoming Generational Devastation: Standing in the Gap

This is the 18th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. The associated articles can be found by clicking on the link in the sentence above.

 

The Victory Has Been Won!

I have heard many people pray something like this when helping a person dealing with the effects of generational devastation: “I break the power of (you fill in the blank for the sin, curse, or devastation) in Jesus name.” I cringe at such prayers; although, I think the Lord graciously honors them.

My understanding of the gospel is that it is a proclamation of who Jesus is, what he did for us, and what he will yet do. It is an announcement of victory over Satan and his forces, including sin, sickness, death, and the traditions of men. It includes an invitation to repent, be forgiven, receive eternal life, and become God’s completely reconciled child. It also includes the expectation that anyone who accepts the gospel will follow Christ as his disciple and be part of his missionary army of disciple makers. (If you wish to read more about the gospel, click here.) For this reason, I believe our prayers over people suffering generational devastation should be more of a prophetic pronouncement of their liberation, based on Christ’s finished work, along the lines of Isaiah 61.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; Isaiah 61:1 (NASB)

Jesus taught us that we have what some people call the power of binding and loosing. The idea is that we have authority in Christ, which is enforced by the Holy Spirit, to bind and loose people. Here is what Jesus said.

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 (NASB)

Without delving into the details of what is meant by binding and loosing, the point I wish to make related to what we are studying is the following:

  1. We have authority from Christ to declare that people have been set free.
  2. This authority is based on what Jesus has already accomplished for us.

This takes all the pressure off of us in this matter.

Our only job is to stand by faith in the victory Jesus has already won.

But let me caution you here: anyone who does this should prepare for battle. The devil does not like to let his prisoners go any more than Pharaoh wanted to allow Israel to leave Egypt.

Standing in the Gap

The mental picture associated with standing in the gap is someone who becomes part of the wall where it is broken down and gets between the enemy and the people under attack – a sort of mediator or savior, a hero, a knight in shining armor. In the Old Testament, many cities had defensive walls for protection against enemies that often roamed the countryside. Broken down walls became the symbol of abject defeat and humiliation because enemies could come and go unhindered, leaving the people defenseless. When people find themselves in such a situation, they need a rescuer to rebuild the walls and stand in the breach during the process. Nehemiah was an Israelite who was consumed with a desire to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, which had been destroyed by the Babylonian army. The words below describe his heart in the matter and illustrate perfectly what it means to become a “repairer of the breach” or an intercessor, a person who stands in the gap for others.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, 2  that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3  They said to me, "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire." 4  When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5  I said, "I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6  let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned. 7  "We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8  "Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9  but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.' 10  "They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11  "O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:1-11 (NASB)

Nehemiah was granted permission by the king to carry out this momentous task. He met with fierce opposition every step of the way. It required great courage and wisdom for him to begin, continue, and finish the task. Along the way, he instructed his men to build and be ready to defend against threats of attack from Israel’s enemies.

When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16  From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17  Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18  As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. Nehemiah 4:15-18 (NASB)

Standing in the gap means that we choose to be someone who takes responsibility for standing by faith upon God’s promises for the benefit of ourselves and our family, or others, so that generational devastation will be stopped in tracks and God’s blessings will begin to flow.

It means we are ready and willing to endure whatever attacks may come our way. It will be worth it.

True Heroes

Those of us who have never been in combat cannot know what it is like. Saving Private Ryan made an attempt to recreate the horrors of D-Day. I cannot measure how successful the movie was in doing this, but it did give me a new appreciation for the soldiers that helped win our freedom and the enormous price they paid on that fateful day. Soldiers did not get to choose whether they were to be in the first wave or land later in the day when the worst was over. Those whose lot it was to be among the first paid for it with their lives, but their courage and determination pushed back the enemy, making it easier for succeeding waves of troops to push their advantage forward. The progress made that day was minuscule in terms of ground gained, but major in terms of obstacles overcome. It would be wrong to compare what they did on D-Day to what General Patton’s tank forces did later in relation to ground gained in a day. I imagine you see where I am going with this.

Those who volunteer to be the first in their family line to stand in the gap against long standing generational devastation are like those soldiers on D-Day. They deserve our admiration, encouragement, and support. Those who succeed will establish a new family legacy built on Christ and are true heroes.

The Devil’s Smack Down

Whenever some long oppressed person tries to stand to his or her feet in resistance, the oppressor usually tries to intimidate that person with a vicious retaliation. The devil tries to dissuade all would be intercessors by fiercely attacking them. When Moses announced to the enslaved Israelites in Egypt that God was going to rescue them, the first thing that happened was that Pharaoh retaliated, making their lives even more miserable.  This was very discouraging, and it required Moses to stand by faith for the people. He had God’s promise. That was enough for him. It must be enough for us, too, when the devil tries to smack us down.

Spiritual warfare is real. If you don’t yet believe it, try sharing the gospel. Try breaking loose from generational devastation. Try leading a church or a worship team. Try being a disciple making parent. You will quickly find out. Our warfare is not against people. Ultimately we must make a stand against spiritual forces of evil, who may use people.

We are able to fight by faith by standing on the what Christ has already done. We start off as victors in this warfare.

Our job is to stand in his victory against every counter attack.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10-13 (NASB)

As Winston Churchill so famously said and demonstrated:

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Those who make the decision to become family heroes by standing in the gap against generational devastation need to adopt these words for themselves. We are able to stand with the help of almighty God.

The next article will give steps we can take to secure our families’ freedom in Christ.

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Hello, Elephant in the Room

This is the 17th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. The rest of the articles in this series can be found by clicking on the link in the previous sentence.

 

Those who argue that there is no need to address generational devastation at all in light of the New Covenant usually use Ezekiel 18 as a proof text.

"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20  "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. Ezekiel 18:19-20 (NASB)

Properly interpreting and applying this passage in a New Covenant context is the focus of this article.

In order to understand Ezekiel 18’s impact on the subject of generational devastation, it is necessary to separate judicial judgment and sentencing from the law of sowing and reaping.

For example, if a father is a drug dealer and is apprehended by the law, his children will not go to jail with him. However, they will be negatively impacted by his incarceration. This is simple enough to grasp. The children will suffer the absence of their father in the home, with all that means – lack of income, lack of presence, lack of affirmation, lack of discipline, lack of wisdom and guidance, and lack of protection. The negative effects of the father’s imprisonment may last for a lifetime or even generations, especially if the sons in the family buy into the lie that their lot in life is to follow in their father’s footsteps. Or the daughters may accept the embedded lie that they are not loved and cannot depend on men. The poverty that will likely accompany the loss of their father may limit the children’s access to many things in life and may tempt them to try to better their situation illegally. Also the absence of a father may contribute to the proliferation of the single mom household pattern, which is all too prevalent today. Many low income communities are experiencing this type of generational devastation.

Children often suffer generationally; even though, they are not judicially sentenced for their father’s crimes.

The mechanics of reaping generational devastation, as described above, consists largely of the planting of deeply embedded lies in the hearts and minds of children which often persist into adulthood. In addition, it involves the creation of traumatic and painful wounds in the hearts of children, which, left unhealed, can negatively influence decision making and behavior into adulthood. It may also involve demonization, since people, especially young children, may be tempted to befriend evil spirits posing as imaginary friends and “helpers.” This may sound strange, but it happens a lot and will be covered later.

But let us consider Ezekiel 18 from another angle. Even though God commands us not to punish children in courts of law for the crimes or sins of their fathers, God may do so in his heavenly court.

We have that from no less an authority than our Lord Jesus himself.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,30 and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'31 "So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.32 "Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.33 "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? 34 "Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.36 "Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.38 "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! Matthew 23:29-38 (NASB)

Jesus wept over the children of Jerusalem, knowing that they would reap the whirlwind of God’s judgment, when it finally fell upon the nation in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans. Those children in his hearing would be somewhere around 37 years older when judgment came. They would be the adults in positions of power and influence at that time of reckoning. Children who not even yet born were “in” their fathers when their fathers sinned. Children who were alive when their fathers sinned, as was the case with the children present when Jesus spoke the words above, still reaped the consequences for what their parents did – the judicial punishment for killing the Messiah. The only way out was for them to repent and renounce the evil deed, which is exactly what happened on the first New Covenant Pentecost.

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." 37  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38  Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." 40  And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" 41  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.Acts 2:36-41 (NASB)

Those who responded in faith to the Gospel message, were released from the awful prospect of being judged by God after death for rejecting and killing the Messianic King, but they still lived in a land that was under God’s judgment, because the vast majority of the leadership and populace refused to acknowledge their awful sin.

Unrepentant sin, even that of long dead ancestors, demands that God’s justice and judgment be released. When a person dies, their guilt does not evaporate. It gets passed to succeeding generations, who often replicate and participate the sins of their fathers.

When children do not renounce the sins of their fathers, according to Jesus, it puts them in agreement with their forefathers.

It’s not enough for descendants merely to say, “I did not do it.” From God’s point of view, we did do it, indirectly, perhaps, in and through the actions of our fathers.

As I pointed out earlier, this is hard for a Westerner to swallow; yet, if we are to be biblical in our thinking, we must.

God requires repentance from us on behalf of our fathers, which is one of the first steps in undoing the effects of generational devastation.

The Bible gives us numerous examples of this very thing. (E.g. Nehemiah 9:2; Jeremiah 14:20; Daniel 9:16-21)

In addition to forgiving those who repented, Jesus warned his forgiven followers to flee Jerusalem when they saw God’s wrath in judgment approaching. (Matthew 24:16) As is usually the case, I suppose that there were some who did not heed Christ’s warning and were caught up in the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who did obey escaped. Lot’s rescue from Sodom and Gomorrah was a Old Covenant picture of this. Sometimes, however, descendants cannot escape. An entire nation may get caught in the trap of reaping the whirlwind of God’s judgment. I fear what may be ahead for the USA for the horrific sin of slaughtering over sixty million innocent babies! May God have mercy on us and turn this nation back to him!

Summary

In conclusion, Ezekiel 18 states a principle that human courts of law should not judicially sentence children for the sins or crimes of their parents. However, in God’s heavenly court, when it comes to the judgment due our sins and the sins of our ancestors going back to Adam, this is only true for those who come under the New Covenant through believing the Gospel message and declaring allegiance to the risen Lord Jesus. Jesus took our guilt and punishment upon himself.

Believing the Gospel, however, though it releases us from condemnation to the lake of fire, does not necessarily release us from reaping the consequences of parental and personal sins.

God’s judgment looms over unconfessed and unrenounced generational sin. If the people and leadership of the United States were to suddenly reverse course regarding legalized abortion, repenting, confessing, and renouncing that sin, would that be enough to avert judgment? Only God knows the answer, but it will surely go better for those who do, especially at the final judgment.

Ezekiel 18 does not absolve children from reaping the non-judicial consequences of their forefathers’ sins. Suffering, embedded lies, traumatic pain, and demonization can devastate families for generations, unless someone decides to stand in the gap. God is raising up intercessors who will approach God’s throne on behalf of their families to ask forgiveness and release from any previous sins and looming judgments, and to pray for blessings to be released in keeping with God’s purposes in the New Covenant. Will you be one of those people? I will show you how in the next articles.

"Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell. Isaiah 58:12 (NASB)
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