---

 

REMOVING EMOTIONAL BLOCKAGES THROUGH PERSONAL SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Click the play button to begin video lesson and follow along with the class notes below the video window. When you complete this video, click the "Lesson Assignment" button at the bottom of this page to open the lesson assignment.

Some roadblocks in the process of life transformation can be removed quite readily. Others are more stubbornly affixed, blocking the way for forward movement or growth. In order for this process to progress, blockages must first be identified, then the battle must be fought and the ground taken in order to begin to move forward again. In most cases the ministry will resemble a counseling or healing process more than a battle.

Certain traumatic experiences and the fears they generate keep individuals clinging to floatation devices in the shallower end of their lives so to speak. Often what they find themselves clinging to may be wreckage from their past, be it an imperfect or sinking floatation device. In this way our wounds become our identities, because they are the most pivotal and memorable experiential benchmarks in our lives.

This study is about is slowing down the treadmill of life and taking the time and energy to actually help people walk out of their darkness — Giving them a helping ministry hand up. You do not just abandon a car because it's gone into ditch. You call in a tow truck or a mechanic and get them back on the road and running again.

You do not have to be an ordained deliverance minister to cast our demons. The main qualification is that you are a believer: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;" —Mark 16:17 KJV

My wife and I had our first experience with deliverance prayer by accident many years ago in Iowa. We were ministering at a hospital nursing home through our local church. I shared a message. A very angry looking woman in a wheelchair glared at us the whole time I was speaking. After the message we visited and prayed with some of the patients and to my surprise, She asked for prayer. During the prayer she said she felt a warm sensation and immediately her countenance changed and she became joyful. At the same time my wife, who had been tempted to take a critical spirit for some other reasons became sullen and withdrawn. Later we discerned there had been a transference of spirits. We prayed and cleared that up. Later I asked my Pastor at that time specifically about the activity of demonic spirits. He brushed off my question as superfluous and unnecessary, but from that point onward, we began to see God repeatedly bring this type of ministry across our path.

Many avoid deliverance ministry because of all the hype and misunderstanding surrounding it. We must not allow that to discredit the real ministry and keep people from receiving genuine deliverance. We should openly encourage people to partake of this type on of ministry, allowing God to shed light on the areas of their lives that need deliverance. The good news is that this type of ministry is not just for professional clergy. It is commonplace and God wants us to realize it’s available to every believer both to minister and to receive such ministry. In Luke 10:17-20 we see "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" —KJV. In other words, the new birth is a greater miracle than deliverance. This type of ministry should be taken as normal and expected. Our delegated power over all the power of the enemy is part of our salvation. God through the Holy Spirit has given us the gifts and more than enough power to overcome devils by the authority of the Blood and Name of Jesus.

It is very important to know that demonic entities are legalists and they know their rights. In Ephesians Chapter 4:26-27 (KJV), Paul says: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." The greek work for place is "topos", elsewhere rendered "license", a word that has within its meaning: a "space marked off, an inhabited place, district”, and metaphorically meaning "the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly" and "opportunity, power, and occasion for acting". We certainly do not want to grant the devils a special marked off place in our lives! From this passage we can deduce that within the realm of the unseen spirit world there exists cause and effect and laws.

When sin patterns and wrong beliefs are allowed to become entrenched they open doors for heavier spiritual oppression. I do not say these things so that you might become fearful and but rather that you might gain insight and begin to close off your open "windows, doors, and passageways" that may be allowing these things into your life.

In many cases, spiritual oppression is emotional oppression that has calcified and petrified so that it has made an apartment of sorts for a more powerful and entrenched form of demonic oppression. What is vitally important in personal spiritual warfare is to realize that in most cases we are in the driver seat regarding the sourcing, cause and "licensing" of this type of dark oppression. Even if the oppression came from something that was done to us, we are still the ones who should be proactive in escorting that oppression from our lives.

Derek Prince comments about the importance of Getting to the Roots: "For such radical problems the gospel offers radical solutions, because the gospel itself is very radical… The literal meaning of radical comes from the Latin word radix which means “root.” Therefore, something radical is “that which goes to the root.” In that sense, the gospel is radical. It goes to the root of the problem. This is what John the Baptist said in describing the gospel in Matthew 3:10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire." This is a picture of how God intends for us to deal with our problems… It is not enough to chop off a few branches. The tree will go on standing and growing. Even if you chop off the trunk, the life will continue in it and little green shoots will appear. But if you cut the roots, you are finished with the tree.” In God’s plan, the ax is laid to the root of the problem."

Teaching concerning spiritual warfare and deliverance is becoming more and more commonplace in the Christian community. It is a truth that God is restoring to the body of Christ in the present day. We are learning that there is an invisible realm that must be dealt with spiritually and not just through the realm of medical science or psychology.

The following succinct teaching about deliverance and spiritual warfare is from the website GreatBibleStudy.com


THREE PARTS OF DELIVERANCE

The process of deliverance often consists of three main parts: Tearing down strongholds, removing legal rights and then casting out the remaining demons. If you try to cast out demons without taking away the strongholds or legal rights that they are holding onto, then you can't really expect to achieve a complete successful deliverance. Removing these two blockages is vital in going about a complete and successful deliverance.

TEARING DOWN STRONGHOLDS

A stronghold is a faulty thinking pattern based on lies and deception. Deception is one of the primary weapons of the devil, because it is the building blocks for a stronghold. What strongholds can do is cause us to think in ways which block us from God's best. Two very destructive and common strongholds are where you see God incorrectly, and where you see yourself incorrectly.

Strongholds are birthed and dwell in deception (which are lies and false beliefs), so naturally the cure is to bring the truth in God's Word on the scene. You debunk the lies of the enemy, with the truth, which is in the Word of God! The Bible says that our weapons are mighty for the tearing down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."). What is our primary offensive weapon? "…The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Eph 6:17. Truth dispels deception and lies, and therefore the more truth you bring into a situation, the more the darkness must flee. This is where it's important to grow in God's Word, is because it is your primary weapon for tearing down the strongholds of deception that the enemy has been feeding you.

In John 8:31-36, Jesus tells us that we can be held in bondage due to strongholds in our lives. And His solution was to, "continue in my word... and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (v. 32-32) Strongholds are torn down as we meditate on God's Word, which is truth!


REMOVING LEGAL RIGHTS

What are legal rights? A legal right is something that can give demons an opportunity to enter or harass us, or gives them the right to remain in us even when we try to cast them out. Some of the most common legal rights that are faced when ministering deliverance are:

Sins (especially willful sins):

When we commit sin, it gives the enemy a legal right to affect or bother us in one way or another. The deeper the sin, the bigger the door that is opened to the devil. When a person allows unholy thoughts to enter their mind, it can open the door to a demon of lust, which eventually causes the person to commit adultery and the matter is compounded. It starts when the enemy tempts us to think the wrong thing, then when we accept it and make it a habit, it opens the door for the enemy to move in further, then behind the bad habit which can be formed, lies a demonic compulsion that isn't easily resisted. If the person continues down this path, he continues to open more doors to the enemy, and eventually that person finds himself committing adultery, rape, etc. because the feelings and desires the demons push on that person are irresistible. Once he commits those sins, mega doors are then opened, and the problem is like a snowball going down the hill. Sin opens the door to demons, which push us in the direction to more sins, which open us wider to more demons, etc.

The remedy? Repentance! Verbally confess and repent of your sins that have given the enemy legal rights in your life. If you recognize a particular sin or sins that has opened the door to the bondage you are seeking deliverance from, it helps to specifically repent of that sin. Any larger or gross sins you can remember are always good to repent of specifically.

1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins. If we don't confess our sins and instead we hide them from God, it leaves that sin remaining in our lives. We need to confess our sins in order to be forgiven.


Soul Ties

It is possible for two persons to share spiritual ties (like spiritual bridges that connect the two persons). Some of the most popular and destructive soul ties are formed during an adultery or fornication. 1 Corinthians 6:16 warns us not to have sexual relations with a prostitute because we become one flesh (flesh as in soul realm kind of flesh, not a physical flesh) with that person. This ungodly soul tie is like a rope between two persons that demons can use to their advantage to cross from one person to another. If that person had demons tormenting them, and you had sex with them, it unites the two persons, and therefore a soul tie is created, and the demons tormenting that person can also have rights to torment you. This does not apply to married couples, because there is no unhealthy soul tie created from sex within marriage. The Bible says that the marriage bed is un-defiled, and defilement is required to create an evil soul tie.

The remedy? Repentance, renunciation and breaking of soul ties! First, specifically repent of the sin which caused the soul tie to be formed in the first place. Then you can use your authority in Jesus to break and sever the unholy soul tie. Saying something like this should do the job, "I now renounce, break and sever all unholy soul ties created between myself and _____ through the act of adultery in Jesus' name!"

There can also be soul ties between yourself and another person, without any sexual relationship involved. Sexual relationships are one of the best ways to create a very strong soul tie, but it's not the only way. Other soul ties can be created through unhealthy relationships, such as being so close to a parent that you take their advice over God's advice. Again, repentance and the breaking of the soul ties in Jesus' name is the way to go about solving this problem.

Another thing that could hold back the breaking of a soul tie, is a physical object given to you from the other person, through a sinful relationship. If you were given a ring, or a love gift through an adulterous relationship, for example, then those gift(s) can hold the soul tie together. If the gift is valuable, and not necessarily bad in itself, then it's best to sell the gift. If the gift is demonic or unholy, then it's best to throw away the gift.


Demonic Vows

A demonic vow can be like a spiritual signature that the enemy uses as a legal right to gain access into our lives. Demonic vows can be made consciously or unconsciously. Often when a person joins a cult coven (a group of witches), they are required to make vows with the devil. Demonic vows can be made unconsciously just by dabbling with the occult. Just by getting curious about the occult and reading forbidden materials (including horoscopes) can give the enemy your spiritual signature; it tells the enemy know that your interested. Jesus warns us not to make any vows at all. The only vows I can see are practical and good are those made during a marriage ceremony.

The remedy? But if we have made vows that do not glorify God, then we should repent and renounce those vows verbally and seek God's forgiveness. Do this verbally; because vows are made verbally, breaking them is also done verbally.

Unforgiveness

When we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us. When God doesn't forgive us, it leaves our sins remaining, which can give the enemy legal rights into our lives. Read Matthew 18:23-35, and keep in mind that the tormenters they are referring to, are demons. The legal ground the enemy may be standing on to torment you may very well be rooted in unforgiveness! I've heard that the single most common reason that people aren't healed, is because they are holding unforgiveness in their hearts, and I believe it! Forgiveness is not an option; it's a necessity!

The remedy? Repent for holding bitterness in your heart against others, and make a solid choice to forgive those who have wronged you (also confirm your choice by verbally forgiving them), and release the bitterness and hurt from your heart against them.


Ancestral Sins

When you involve yourself in the deeper sins or the occult world, you not only open demonic doors in your own life, but also in the lives of your children and grandchildren (Exodus 20:5). If your ancestors have committed gross sins or been involved in the occult, then it's a good idea to confess those sins (to the best of your ability... God knows your heart), and ask Him for forgiveness (Leviticus 26:40-42). Even though you personally aren't guilty of those sins, they may have caused curses in your life, and those curses need to be broken. Common ways to tell if ancestral sins are involved is if your siblings or ancestors have experienced or are experiencing the same or similar problem that you are.

The remedy? The legal grounds have already been broken! If any spirits are remaining, they must be cast out.


Childhood Rejection

Much demonic bondage is caused during childhood. For example, if a parent shows rejection toward their child, a spirit of rejection may enter.

The remedy? If you have been rejected by either your parents or somebody else, you must make a solid choice to forgive that person(s), and release the hurt in your heart against them. The spirit of rejection is usually present in these situations, and should be renounced.


Points of Weakness

When the person experiences weakness, such as emotional shock, physical trauma, fearful experiences during childhood, and other areas to which the natural walls of defense in the physical, spiritual or emotional system of a person are weakened, it leaves us vulnerable for the enemy to attach himself to us. The same is true with drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, and especially true with drugs, because they lower our defenses, and since demons thrive on weakness, they love to move right in and setup camp.

The remedy? If there was any bitterness involved (say somebody caused the traumatic experience for you, and you are still holding it against them), then you must forgive the person who hurt you, and repent for harboring bitterness in your heart against them. If the point of weakness was caused by your own sin, such as drinking or drugs, then confess and repent of that sin. If the demons entered solely through traumatic experience, and none of it was anybody's fault, then the demons are 100% trespassers in this situation, and need to be told to leave!


Spoken Self-Curses

The words we say have spiritual value, the Bible says to bless and not curse, and that the tongue has the power of life and death. If you walk around saying, "I wish I could just die," a demon may hear you and can go to God and say, "Look, she wants to die!" and here comes a spirit of death. There is a book titled, "Blessing or Curse: You can choose," by Derek Prince, which deals with this topic of curses in much detail.

The remedy? Take back what you spoke against yourself; renounce it! Repent for speaking such thing(s), and break the curse(s) in Jesus' name!


Cursed Objects

Physical objects can carry spiritual value, such as idols, occult books, rings, movies, charms, etc. If you brought any Indian or pagan religion artifacts into your home, you could be opening the door for demons to enter and bother the people within your home. Land can also become defiled by the sins of it's owners (Leviticus 18:27).

The remedy? Burn, destroy or get rid of any physical objects that you have located that could be cursed. Isaiah 2:18, "And the idols he shall utterly abolish." It is Biblical to burn cursed objects. Repent for bringing such objects into your home if you are responsible for them! Land can be cleansed by prayer and repenting of the sins of the previous owners.


Renounce Demons

Renounce any known demons that have been invited in (ex. spirit guides), and any interest or involvement in the occult or Satanism. Also renounce any demons that you know need to be cast out. This helps let the demons know that you are no longer interested in having them around.


Other Helpful Things to Look For

When did the bondage start? Try to pinpoint how the problem started and what gave the demons the ability to enter. Look for any involvement in the occult, sins, vows, traumatic experiences, etc. along with any unusual happenings emotionally, spiritually or mentally. ©GreatBibleStudy.com


WHEN WE NEED SOME HELP

I believe most Christians would say that they want to go deeper in their spirituality. But in the process of going deeper we invariably run into things that stand in the way and seem to block this from happening. When it comes to identifying our own stumbling blocks, our perspective is often not able to separate the forest from the trees. We keep running into brambles and fallen trees trunks that block and obscure our way. We are in dire need of some spiritual chain saws and work crews to move aside that which would impede our progress.

This is where deliverance ministers, counselors and pastors can be called upon to help facilitate the process. When the true spiritual roots, legal rights, and strongholds are dealt with first, casting out of the evil spirits is accomplished much more readily.

---