THE CHRISTIAN LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Here is one thing that divides most Christians! Christian level of Satan’s activity. It is most troublesome for us to understand and accept. The warfare is one of the most needed in ministry, facing the worldwide Church today.
It's called The Christian level because it deals with the dark plans being calculated and custom made to try and defeat you and me as believers. The believers exist in most Churches today.
Throughout this study, I realize that the word “demonized” is offensive, according to Meriam Webster dictionary the definition is clear.
Demon (definition):
1a: an evil spirit
• angels and demons
b: a source or agent of evil, harm, distress, or ruin
• the demons of drug and alcohol addiction
confronting the demons of his childhood
There is an enigma of demonized Christians and needs some clarity. True believers can't be demon possessed; Satan can't entirely control or possess the children of God.
Here we need a word of affirmation, true believers through actions of sin, either their own or that of others against them can become influenced and afflicted.
And of course, when this happens they need deliverance, to cut down those areas or strongholds in one’s life. In cases where it is severe, that will usually require the help of others, to become completely free. If it is mild, they can practice self-deliverance if they have been instructed correctly.
To be, means that Satan, through his demons, exercises direct, partial control, over an area or areas of a person's life, a believer or unbeliever. To define these strongholds, we need to examine ourselves.
Have you opened the door to abusive alcohol usage, how about drugs, even over the counter, nicotine, bad eating habits brought on by depression, anxiety, critical spirit, judgmental of others, suspicion, manipulation, lies, you can’t help but lie, possessiveness, the list goes on and on?
The traditional or Protestant Church has denied the possibility of believers "demonized" but admits they can be harassed, oppressed, afflicted and tempted by Satan through his demons, but still, denies they can be "demonized” if they are a true Christian. The frequent basis of this assumption is that the Holy Spirit will not or cannot dwell in the same body with demons.
Again, the issue is not always that of demonic indwelling, but more of demonic attachment. Demons can enter the body of a sinning Christian. The Holy Spirit can’t prevent demonization just as it does not prevent the Christian from sinning.
“The Holy Spirit can’t prevent demonization just as it does not prevent the Christian from sinning.”
It can be the other way around. The Holy Spirit will enter the body of an individual even if demons are dwelling there. The Holy Spirit is not afraid of demons. Nor do they contaminate Him by their sinfulness any more than He becomes defiled by the sinfulness of the believer's human activities. The Holy Spirit is there as a presence and guarantee for the new believer’s final deliverance from any afflictions.
THE ENIGMA OF "DEMONIZED" CHRISTIANS
Two explanations for the enigma of “demonized” Christians:
First, they were “demonized” before their conversion to the Lord Jesus. I am affirming that all demons do not automatically leave the body of affected unbelievers the instant they turn to Christ. In the case of severe “oppression,” even when unbelievers brought to Christ through a gospel of power, there is still no guarantee that all the demons have left. Therefore, there is a need for spot follow-up counseling.
More time should be required in pre-counseling than the actual deliverance session itself; then time needs to be set aside for post advice to train methods of staying in warfare position to combat attacks.
To do this, the believer needs to stay in the Word of God, establish their faith and the use of Spiritual Warfare Armor.
The believer has at least a threefold protection against the attacks of the enemy. These levels are the hedge of God as indicated in Job 1:10; the Angels of God as described in Psalms 34:7; Zechariah. 3:1; and Hebrew 1:4, and the shield of faith in Ephesians 6:16. Although all are available to us as believers, nothing is automatic.
God, in His grace continually protects us from many of the missiles of the enemy. If this weren't true, we all would not survive his relentless attacks. Most carnal Christians are included too. Otherwise, our churches would be filled with “oppressed” believers. However, be sure to remember that because of sin a demon may be able to gain a foothold in the believer’s life.
We, believers, should keep in mind the fact that demons are sin personified. In other words, they thrive on sin, they exist to spread sin among God's people, and they attach themselves to areas of sin created by believers. It doesn't matter where, it can be in the workplace, at home, school and socially, in church and if possible they will enter a believer’s body. It is only partial, never total.
It is important for a believer to have pre-counseling to confess sins, and be responsible for understanding God's Word, reject those demons and know how they create havoc in our lives.
Fortunately, the demonic condition of most Christians is mild. They maintain an almost normal life. At times, they begin to see and feel something is wrong with them, but they don't think it is a dark spiritual power, of course not, the enemy will lie to you.
They become bound by unexplainable fears, confusion, uncontrollable emotions, and any other kind of phenomena. Usually, certain sins dominate their lives, if not in actual, open sinful activity, at least in their thought life, imaginations, or fantasies. The areas can boil down to probable four sin areas.
Illicit sexual practices of fantasies / deep-seated anger, hatred, rage and rebellion / often leading to destructive and self-destructive impulses / a sense of rejection, guilt, poor self-esteem, unworthiness and shame / strange attraction to the occult and the spirit world. Often, but not always, with a desire for illicit power over their circumstances and other people.
These need not require some long and hideous deliverance session, only someone who knows the spirit world and help them get free and teach them spiritual warfare and continue self-deliverance, see James 4:1-8.
DOOR THAT GET OPENED TO CHRISTIAN
Discussing both mild and severe areas where sin exists in believers, there seem to be at least three (3) major doors through which demons enter a human life.
1st door is at birth. Some are born “oppressed” and described as; generational sin, familial sin, demonic transference, and demonic inheritance or the law of inheritance sin.
We are shown clearly in biblical teaching that the sins of parents have potentially dangerous consequences upon their children, up to four generations, this is described in Exodus 20:5; 34:6-7; Deuteronomy. 5:5-10.
This law of inheritance of evil is not automatically binding. Neither is the opposite law that the children of godly parents will automatically love and obey the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 outlines this.
Both scriptures reflect general principles of order within God's Kingdom. That, under normal circumstances, will prove to be true.
2nd door is through child abuse, again in four areas, sexual, physical, psychological and spiritual.
Mental abuse generated from when a child involuntarily receives demonic psychic or occult powers that are passed down through the family line if that child is subjected to a spiritual ceremony with the purpose of moving demonic, supernatural or occult powers into their bodies.
Ceremonies can be when a curse is placed upon them. Ritual mental child abuse is horrific and usually, happens when all four of these happens.
3rd door is that a Christian gets afflicted by his or her voluntary sinful actions in childhood, youth, or adulthood. These activities usually occur in the realm of sexuality, the occult, and destructive interpersonal relationships.
The western world has experienced an openness and especially in the United States to demonic powers, our society seems to have been captured anew by the brazen sexual extremism, occultism, Satanism, and witchcraft. Christians are suffering demonic harassment and oppression at an alarming rate.
“Christians are suffering demonic harassment and oppression at an alarming rate.”
Next week we discuss specifics on handling these situations, Jesus taught us “how to.”
John Cento
Overseer, Mission Wildfire International
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