DOES SOMETHING HAVE A HOLD ON YOU?

                                                     

Like a locust clings to a tree, creepy things can cling to us.

                                               

The next topic that God put on my heart is a tough one. And it will probably take several posts to complete because there is so much to say. It's a topic that makes many people uncomfortable, and you might be one of those people. 

You might not even read this post in its entirety because you don't believe in the subject matter, or if you do believe, you would rather not think about it because it's just too disturbing. The subject is evil spirits a.k.a. demons...how they affect us, how they get control of us, and how we can be delivered from them. 

I watched a video by Derek Prince and took notes on it. That is where I got the information I'm going to share. But I have an even deeper source of information, which is my own personal experience. I know that the demonic world is real because I experienced it myself. 

I believe that God allowed me to experience a demonic stronghold because he wants me to educate people about the devil's tactics.  Pastors have not done a good job of teaching on this subject. They have failed to warn their flock about this very important danger that affects our lives in so many ways. 

The Bible says, "The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 

If you believe that the Bible is the word of God, then you have no excuse for ignoring that scripture. It's right there. Look it up yourself. That sentence is clearly written in the present tense, so telling me that demons don't affect us today is an empty-headed belief with nothing to back it up. 

At the end of this three-part series, I will share my personal story about the demonic world and how I was affected by it. There have actually been two specific times in my life when I was affected by a demonic stronghold. The first time was back in the early 90's and I didn't really know what was happening to me. It wasn't until I looked back years later that I realized what it was. That demonic stronghold contributed to the break-up of my first marriage as I allowed a spirit of unforgiveness to fester within me. 

Now some of you are probably wondering, how does a confessing Christian become affected by the demonic world? If you are a born-again believer who has accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior, you cannot be demonically possessed. But you can develop a demonic stronghold as a result of sin in your life. Being a Christian does not shield you from your own sins, so you will always reap the consequences of sin, no matter where your heart is with God. 

There are three things that demons can do:

They can torment and torture you. 

They can keep you from knowing Christ. 

And they can keep you from serving Him. 

Those are the goals of demons, and they are relentless in accomplishing their goals. Behind every negative emotion or attitude, there is a demon. 

What are the characteristics of demons? 

They will entice, harass and torment you emotionally and physically. Refusing to forgive someone is an example of sin that will cause emotional torment. The Bible warns that those who refuse to forgive will be released to the tormentors. The tormentors are demons. 

Demons will compel you to do bad things or enslave you with a variety of addictions. They can project evil thoughts and images into your mind. They can deceive people or make them weak, sick or tired. 

Demons often operate in gangs. False religions are demonic, and getting involved in a false religion can invite demonic activity. When I was a kid, we played with a Ouija board, not knowing how dangerous it was. I shudder to think what we invited into our lives through that very naive decision. 

Witchcraft, dabbling in the occult and fortune-telling are dangerous ways to invite the works of demons into your life. Pride and rebellion can also invite a demonic stronghold. 

Some other things that invite demons are fear, rejection, resentment, disappointment, loneliness, misery, depression, self-destruction, unbelief, doubt, lying gossip, criticism, fornication, adultery, masturbation, homosexual encounters, pornography, prostitution, sexual fantasy and lusts.

Frustration in our lives can cause other problems such as overeating, cigarette smoking, alcohol addiction, or an addiction to soft drinks. Coke actually contains a small amount of cocaine. That's how the beverage got its name. All these addictions create an inviting atmosphere for demonic strongholds. I'm not saying a glass of Coke is going to hurt you. I'm saying that becoming addicted to anything is contrary to the freedom God wants us to have in Him. 

If you're still with me and didn't click off of this topic, I invite you to come back for part two, which I will be working on tomorrow and posting within the next few days. This is a heavy subject and it's a lot to take in. So I felt it wise to break it down into several parts. Until then, you can research Derek Prince and his teachings at Derek Prince Ministries USA. He also has a You Tube channel.