In a leadership group Brett and I are involved in, we have been learning about demonic oppression. Actually, this is a topic we have been studying on our own for the past several years. As the Lord started opening our eyes to more of his truth, we started to notice fellow brothers and sisters who were still chained to sin and false identities. Even Brett and I found we were bound to false ideas of who we truly are.
Thus began a journey into finding out what God sees when he looks at us. I learned that through the eyes of Jesus I am bold, confident, worthy, and completely accepted just the way I am. It feels so great to be free from my false identity. This is not to say those false feelings and thoughts come attack me from time to time, but now I know that those come from demons. I now know I don’t have to allow them to control my thinking. I have been given authority to cast them out of my life and live a life of freedom from their oppressive thoughts.
New Eyes
With this new found freedom, I started looking at people I knew and noticed some of them were bound by lies from demons. Brett and I started to minister to these brothers and sisters. What we discovered was shocking. There seemed to be many times when these sweet, amazing, people didn’t want to be free. It still puzzles Brett and I. We still pray for freedom for these people but also understand we can’t force people to break free from oppression. It is each of our choices to live under oppression or live in freedom.
Something else Brett and I have learned is how much the spiritual affects the natural. We have learned that many times mental anguish is really demonic oppression. Got fear, anxiety, or depression? Those feelings come straight from demons. They enter into your life through a door you have opened for them. This open door may be from something you have done or something your parents or ancestors have done. Regardless, you feel the consequences of demons making themselves at home in your mind.
How do I know fear, anxiety, and depression come from demons? In 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) we are told, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear is a spirit and clearly not a spirit that comes from the Holy Spirit. When we don’t cast the spirit of fear from our lives, we will make a way for more demons to come attack us. You see, the pal of anxiety and fear is depression. I have witnessed dear friends, who were caught in anxiousness, fall into depression. In Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) Solomon teaches us, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.”
Good News
Here’s the good news! If you have surrendered your life to Jesus, you don’t have to live as a prisoner to demons. As a child of God, Jesus gave you the power to cast demons from your life and the lives of others. We see this in action over and over again in the New Testament. Even when Jesus had his ministry here on earth, we see him give power to his disciples and then to 72 other followers to cast demons out and heal the sick.
“And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.” Mark 3:14-15 (ESV)
“The seventy-two returned (from being sent out by Jesus) with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”” Luke 10:17 (ESV) (words in parenthesis mine)
Jesus came to give you peace. John 14:27 (ESV) says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Go to Jesus and give him all your worries, anxieties, depression, and anything else that oppresses you. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NKJV). Peace is the fruit of being connected to Jesus. When we aren’t connected to Jesus, we become weak and susceptible to demonic oppression. Rest in the presence of God, trusting him to take care of you, your kids, family, friends, finances, and anything else that causes you to worry.
Remember, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NKJV). Jesus’ perfect love casts all fear, anxiety, and depression out of your life. Worry and trust cannot live together. You cannot say you trust in God and live in perpetual worry and anxiety. Your fruit proves whether or not you really trust God. Keep your mind focused on the words of God. “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)
Prayer to cast demons out:
Dear Heavenly Father, for too long I have listened to the lies of the devil and his demons. They’ve whispered in my head lies of unworthiness, of guilt, of shame, of worry and anxiousness. No longer do I submit to the worthless teaching of demons! I’ve had enough of being suppressed and oppressed by false doctrines originating from the pit of hell.
Lord, teach me your ways. Teach me your correct pattern of thinking, your righteousness and holiness. Tell me what you think about who I am and the destiny over my life. Today I declare again that I am your child. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! You are my Lord, my King, my God. I submit afresh to you and your Holy Spirit. By the stripes of Jesus I am healed. By his blood I am cleansed. Because of what you did for me, I am now holy. Thank you for forgiving me of everything from my past, everything in my present, and everything in my future. I declare my forgiveness today for all who have hurt me or harmed me in the past. Lord, help me forgive. I choose to forgive every time. I forgive because you forgave me.
In the name of Jesus, I come against all evil spirits of fear, anxiety and depression. You have no claim over my life! I am casting you out by the name and authority of Jesus. Holy Spirit, fill me with your presence, your power, your love, your joy, your peace, and your goodness. I trust in you. In God is all my trust.
In the name of Jesus, I come against all evil spirits that lie to me and block me from fulfilling my destiny. I come against all bitterness in my life and release it to Jesus, placing it at the foot of the cross. Lord Jesus, you came to testify to the truth, so please tell me the truth of who I am. You wrote and ordained my days before I have even lived them, and I agree with what you wrote about my life. I agree with your destiny for my life, and I choose your path and your kind intentions.
In the name of Jesus, if there were any satanic rituals or witchcraft in my life or in the lives of my ancestors, I renounce that today. I break any vows I may have made, willingly or unwillingly, that have given demonic forces control over my life. I wash myself in the blood of Jesus as well as my entire family. The blood of Jesus is not in short supply! And it cleanses me and my entire household. In the name of Jesus, all demons must flee. The Bible says, “Submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Lord, today is a new day. I am a new creation in Christ. I have been washed, regenerated, and renewed by the precious work of the Holy Spirit, who has been poured out upon me generously through Jesus Christ my Savior. Baptize me in your Spirit again today! Touch me by your presence again today, Lord! I need you today! I need you more than ever before! I love you, O God. Thank you for saving me and setting me free. I praise your holy name.
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