Demons are not able to attack people at will.  They must have legal holds, legal grounds or other open doors to justify their entry.  Although Satan’s forces are not invincible they sometimes seem so because of our ignorance of the ground rules, all found in the Scriptures. 
 
Spirits of Rebellion, Disobedience, Stubbornness and Vanity and Effeminacy are given legal grounds to invade men who grow long hair.  This has been confirmed repeatedly in deliverance.  This is labeled a shame in the Scriptures.
           
“Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (I Corinthians 11:14)
 
The question invariably arises, “But how long is long?”  If a fellow must grow long sideburns, a moustache and a beard to prove he is not a girl, then it is too long.  The reverse would be true for females who adopt masculine hair and dress styles. 
 
In the Marines, new recruits are shorn of long hair as a preparation to teach them a tightly disciplined life.  Teen Challenge workers also have found it necessary to trim men’s hair as a part of rehabilitation therapy.  In several cases I know about, the cutting of even a very young boy’s hair resulted in beneficial behavior changes. 
 
In Pigs in the Parlor,  Frank Hammond tells that all his life he had a tormenting history of allergies topped by chronic hay fever.  When he entered the deliverance ministry he quickly discovered that all allergies are demonically energized.  He and others in deliverance were puzzled because repeated attempts to free him failed to dislodge the demons. 
 
Finally, as he sought the Lord for the answer to the puzzle, God spoke to him about destroying a huge Indian arrowhead collection he had started as a child.  When they were destroyed and the curses from them were broken, all the allergy spirits left.  There have been no further bouts with the allergy problems. 
 
In another case, a collection of owls and frogs (ceramics, pictures, macrame, etc.)  was the culprit holding a deadly cancer in place.  The lady with the collection had been given a very short time to live and had wasted away to sixty-five pounds.  When she was warned about the creatures of the night, she at first resisted the idea of destroying them (Proverbs 1:7).  As she got steadily worse, in desperation she cleaned the house of these cursed objects.  Prayer in Jesus’ name was then able to rid her of the cancer spirits.  She did a spectacular turn around and is quite healthy and well today. 
 
In a meeting in northern Wisconsin, I mentioned owls and frogs as objects which should not be in your home.  The next night a school teacher came for prayer saying the Lord had convicted her to destroy her extensive collection. 
 
When I commanded any spirits connected with the owls to manifest, her mouth dropped open and terrible wails came out.  The spirits confessed they were indeed witchcraft demons.  They had come in because of the pictures, ceramics and macrames of owls in the house.
 
Unhappily they shrieked at me, “Why don’t you ever stay home.  It was so nice until you came.  It’s all your fault, Worley, we hate your guts. You know what she did?  She gathered up  every owl in the place and burned and broke up every single one!  She didn’t miss a one, and she loved us so until you came.  We begged her to leave just a few, but she wouldn’t listen.  She just bound us and kept right on destroying them.  It’s just horrible!  Now we’re gonna have to go!” 
 
They were thrown out.  Next I found and cast out six or eight chronic illness and infirmity spirits which had been held in by the owl spirits.  They had made her sickly and weak for years.
 
Frank Hammond tells of a lady who confessed the sin of mutilating her body (by piercing her ears).  She then destroyed her collection of earrings in order to receive a miraculous healing from Bell’s Palsy.  Pierced ears have been connected with some severe female problems also.
 
Tattoos come under the same prohibition and open doors for invasion by spirits.  In Scriptures, earrings of the pierced variety are associated only with slavery, heathenism and harlotry, scarcely fitting adornment for believers.                                           
 
The following is an excerpt from “Inviting Demonic Attack, Booklet #8″ by Pastor Win Worley. Copyright © 1983 by Win Worley, Revised © 1991. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including storage and retrieval system, without securing permission in writing from the publisher, WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite, TX 75185.

If you’d like to obtain your own copy of not only this, but other materials authored by Win Worley, please contact WRW Publications at www.wrwpublications.com

All that I know has been derived from reading Win Worley’s material, testing it against Scriptures, and putting it to practice on the deliverance floor. A great $3.00 pamphlet to start with is “Getting Started in Deliverance, Booklet #11″ by Win Worley through WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite TX 75185. There are so many other booklets that are chocked full of information. There are 50 booklets, each containing 35 pages or more. These booklets are excerpts of Win’s 11 books. You can always ask for a free book and tape catalog from WRW.  www.wrwpublications.com.  There are hundreds of audio tapes, hundreds of video tapes, hundreds of books, tracts, booklets, leaflets, on and on and on. You can learn a LOT about deliverance in a very SHORT period of time by reading some of the material.

I was a little scared at first when I got into deliverance. I too, knew that this is where God wanted me to be, but I was afraid that the demons wouldn’t manifest and I would look like a fool. Well, over time, they finally did begin to manifest when I prayed for people. The first stage was the demons making fun of me. They’d say, “Ooooooh. We’re scared. The Power House, has arrived. Oooooooh. We’re shaking in our boots.” I would always respond with, “I’m learning demons. Give me a little more time.” Other times they would look up and see me holding on for dear life on a guys leg, and they’d start laughing at me and calling me names. “Scared of the dark, are we?” At night, the demons would wake me up at 3:30am in the morning. Then as I sat straight up with my heart pounding a million miles a minute, I would see something like a shadow of a figure come from the door of my room and swoop towards me passing right through me. I’d jump in fear. Then when I prayed for people, the demons would say, “Scare of the dark?”

After a while, I learned how to fight dirty. Then there was the fear that I didn’t have a true Tongue from the Holy Spirit–that maybe my prayer language was demonic. As it turned out, some of it actually was—it was Latin at times and I was saying, “Run away! Run away! The Holy Spirit! Run away!” I found this out through a deliverance session. So I stopped saying those words that kept coming to mind. And since then, the demons hate my prayer language–which makes me only happy that it torments them so.

There was a little apprehension, and fear for some time about praying for people. What if discernment didn’t kick in and I said things that would make the person receiving prayer think I was nuts? As I continued to pray for people, and fight this fear of mine, discernment has gotten more and more accurate. When I sit down to pray for someone now, I usually hit the nail right on the head every time, so I’m glad that the Holy Spirit is working “cleanly” through me besides all those apprehensions and fears of mine (of which I’ve received much deliverance).

So if you are a little apprehensive, don’t worry. You may always be a little nervous. It’s better to be a careful, than to be bold and arrogant. I still start of my deliverance sessions asking the Lord Jesus Christ to give me and the person receiving prayer the discernment to know what to attack and how to go about attacking it. At the end of every deliverance session, I thank the Lord for the miracle of deliverance and for all the deliverance the person receiving prayer received, giving Him all the glory, honor and praise. Without Him, I could do nothing, ya know?

So fight those fears. Force yourself to get in the middle of things.

Men praying for Men, women with women:

As I’ve been thinking and praying about your e-mails, something struck me kind’a funny and I just thought I’d ask–At Hegewisch, where I go to church, we are extremely strict about men always praying for men and women always praying for women. And unless the couple is married, we don’t allow the sexes to mix and match, and even when they’re married, they only pray for a little bit and hand the reigns back over to the same sex to continue fighting. I was curious about this when you mentioned that you were praying for a man.

I’m not asking to be legalistic or anything, but many times, people just don’t think about how demons gain strength from the people around them. Let’s say that the man you are praying for manifests in Lust. All of you go to attack it, but it doesn’t come out. It laughs in your faces and mocks all of you? Why doesn’t it come out? Because, it is feeding off the presence of a woman touching the man, or it is feeding off having a woman within arms reach. It actually will give the demon strength, and the person trying to get deliverance will not get free and go home discouraged and feeling guilty for feeling the way he did towards a sister in the Lord. Same for a man in the company of women and the woman manifests in Lust.

Just curious how ya’ll handled that in North Carolina? It’s a touchy subject that can unfortunately lead to a lot of sexual sin that we try to avoid at HBC. Since I’m not familiar with [the two men's names], I’m not familiar with how things operate.

But just the same, there’s tons of information on the net at the URL I listed above for WRW Publications. You can feast on the titles alone. I hope you browse the bookroom and take a look at what’s available. It would be very helpful and beneficial.
Helping those that the Lord sends:

As for what to do in helping people through deliverance: LET THE LORD BRING THE PEOPLE TO YOUR DOOR. DO NOT SEEK PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR. Win was very plain when he told us that the only way people are going to get free is if they are at their wits end and are willing to do whatever the Lord asks. If it means driving a very long distance to find you, then that’s what it takes. If you go and promote yourself, people will take advantage of you and you’ll pray for hundreds of hours and not really see any real change in people’s lives.

Did you every hear the story of the butterfly? I’m sure you are aware that these butterflies are caterpillars who form cocoons. While inside the cocoon, they transform into a butterfly. When it’s time to come out of the cocoon, the butterfly struggles and struggles to get out, fighting and fighting to break through. Our natural, “Sloppy Agape” tendency is to help the butterfly by pulling apart the cocoon and letting it escape. The problem is that the breaking of the cocoon wall is what gives the butterfly it’s strength. If you help it out, the butterfly will die because it is too weak.

Same principle applies to chickens when they are hatching out of their egg. By breaking the wall, the chick gets its strength and if you help it out, it will die because it will be too weak to survive.

So it is with “helping people.” We’re not in the business to make weak Christians who can’t stand on their own two feet. We have to make sure that when we are helping people, it is because the Lord told us to, and NOT because that “Sloppy Agape” is taking over and we’re just feeling sorry for every little creature that whimpers and wines. It’s a matter of discernment.

Remember, the Lord is the Deliverer. We are not. We pray to the Lord in deliverance that he would free the person. The Lord does not always answer our prayers the way we wish He would. But if it’s time, the Lord will deliver the person from the spirits they are seeking freedom from. Sometimes, people run up in the prayer line to get freedom from a spirit they continue to pick up through habitual sin. As soon as they’re free, they run back into the sin again. Well, the Lord will not be mocked. He’ll allow that person to suffer with that spirit until they’ve learned their lesson that you don’t return like a dog to its vomit. We’ll pray and pray for them, and the Lord will continue to say, “NO!” When this person has learned their lesson, then the deliverance comes. Remember, seven more evil than the first. The Lord knows what’s best, doesn’t He?

Peter says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Pet 5:6).

You just keep learning and keep your nose to the grindstone. Humble yourself to learning all you can, and get deliverance yourself. 1 Peter 5:6 states that God will exalt you in due time. It will be God who will bring people to you and you will be recognized by Scott and James because the Lord is honoring your faithfulness and hard work. Don’t strive to be seen. Just be happy to have a part in the Lord’s kingdom to serve Him.

Just be happy to be called a “worker” a “servant.” The Lord will exalt you in due time.
Spiritual Gatekeepers and the Strong Man:

The term “Gate Keeper” is not in the Bible. It is a phrase used to describe how demons operate. “Strong Man” is mentioned in Luke by Jesus when He stated, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils” (Luke 11:21-22).

The strong man is a demon who has smaller demons under his command. We know that the demons have rank when we read Ephesians, Paul tells us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12). Paul makes a distinction as to what ranks of spirits we fight. There are principalities such as the Illuminati. There are powers, such as corrupt government and evil local politics and lawyers, such as the spirits behind the ACLU. There are rulers, such as the New Age Spirit Guides leading the Educators astray in teaching our children that Homosexuality is acceptable and normal. There is spiritual wickedness in high places.

Satan, as we well know, is not God. He is a created being. And as a created being, can only be one place at a time. Therefore, as a general is but one mind, in order to invade a country, he has dominions under his command which he sends forth. So, as one entity, Satan has dominions under his command–principalities, powers, rulers, etc. The smaller the rank, the less the demon is in charge of.

Therefore, the Strong Man, is a more power ranking demon that the dominions under his command. When Jesus said, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he
trusted, and divideth his spoils” (Luke 11:21-22).

Who is stronger than any Strong Man demonic power? Jesus Christ, the name above all names at which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every tongue, including every Strong Man. So Luke 11:22 says, “But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him” that’s what happens in deliverance. We can bind him, we can drive him out. The rest of verse 22 says, “he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” Well, we know that the thief (demons) “…cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” (John 10:10). What did they steal? Things that originally belonged to us–peace, hope, joy, parts of our soul (mind, will and emotions). So we TAKE IT BACK–we “divideth his spoils.”

The Gate Keepers, huh?

Ever heard of Self Pity? “I’m no good.” And you respond, “You’re right, I’m not.” “I’m hopeless. There’s no way I’ll ever change.” And you respond, “You’re absolutely right. I’m a basket case.” “Things are not going to get any better.” And you respond, “You’re right. Things are not getting any better.”

And now enters Suicide since Self Pity has opened “the door.” “You ought to just kill yourself and put an end to all your problems.” And you respond, “It’s my only answer.” “No one will miss you anyway.”

And now Bitterness enters: “They never paid attention to you before.” And you respond, “You’re right. No one ever does pay attention to me. They don’t even know I exist.”

And now enters Hopelessness: “You might as well give up. There’s no use in trying anymore.” And you start considering ending your life.

And then enters Confusion and Deception and Destruction, and finally a spirit of Death.

What’s happened? Self Pity, the “Gate Keeper” got you to agree with him. When you made an agreement with Self Pity, he “opened the door” for Suicide, then came Bitterness, then came Hopelessness, then came confusion, then came deception, then destruction…

Do you see the domino effect here? The Strong Man may have been Rejection, but it was in command over Self Pity. If you were able to kick Rejection out, Self-Pity would simply get you feeling sorry for yourself, and this would open the door wide for Rejection to come back in. It’s kind’a like a person holding the back door open for all of his friends to get in since the front door is locked.

And again, this “Gate Keeper” phrase is not found in the Bible. It’s a phrase used to describe the way that demons operate. There’s a booklet called, “How Demons Operate, Booklet #16″ Win wrote which explains a lot of this type of warfare and tactics.

Anyway, It’s 3am and I really have to get to bed. I hope I’ve been of some help to you. Do browse the bookroom and see if you find anything interesting.

Michael has always said that we’ve got something to offend everyone in that bookroom.

www.wrwpublications.com
 

The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. (II Timothy 2:24,25)

To refuse deliverance is to reject the only means powerful enough to break the shackles of demonic bondage.  This will make it possible to move into that closer walk and victorious life in Christ Jesus which so many seek. 
 
Savage opposition to the real deliverance ministry is faced everywhere.  Worker’s motives and words are constantly twisted and misunderstood.  We must check to see who is manipulating persons and situations against us. 
 
Press the battle against demonic foes who seek to block.  Defeat of the enemy will allow this message to be scattered.  This in turn will bring multitudes into the reality and power of the kingdom of God.
           
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.  To deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (I Corinthians 5:4,5) 

Here the apostle deals with the case of a disobedient and sinful believer in the church  at Corinth.  In verse 10 of the same chapter he specifically emphasizes that he is not speaking about evildoers of the world but in the church Paul writes:

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

Several arguments are advanced to “prove”  that under no circumstances can a born-again person have a demon.  The most common statement is that a Christian cannot be “possessed.”   This will be discussed later as a misnomer.  In summary the arguments run something like this:
 
1. The believer is inhabited by the Holy Spirit; therefore the demons cannot co-exist within the same body.   The proof text usually used is I Corinthians 2:12; however the verse does not say this.
 
2.  Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil  (I John 3:8), and indeed He did.  In the case of problems caused by demons, the remedy and method of doing this is to cast out the demons in His name.
 
3.  The struggle inside the believer is always revealed to be the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit,  and not a struggle involving demons (Romans 6 and 7).  Were that the case, the conscientious claiming of the promises of God would solve every human problem.
 
4.  The believer is delivered from the power of Satan and his demons (Colossians 1:12,13; Ephesians 2:1-3). Yes, but like many other promises, not automatically, but only as we voluntarily meet God’s conditions for deliverance.
 
5.  The Christian is provided with complete protection from the fiery darts of the enemy  (Ephesians 6).  This overlooks the rather obvious fact that the armor is designed for defense from external, not internal enemies, and also that even so the believer’s armor is not always in place.
 
In spite of these arguments, the dismaying fact remains that born-again Christians, including leaders, are having difficulties and problems which can find no solution in natural infirmities.  Even the endless conflict between flesh and Spirit does not explain the extreme intensity of the battle here.
 
It is no secret that many have become discouraged and filled with awful despair.  Some have dropped by the wayside.  Others have even committed suicide in their desperation and inability to find a solution within the framework of their theological understandings.  Lack of knowledge in dealing with demons can be fatal. 
  
In his tract, Demon Activity and the Christian, Ernest B. Rockstad rightly concludes that:  “Experience, of course is not the basis for the interpretation of the Bible.  Nevertheless, if consistent experiences run counter to an interpretation, the dedicated seeker after truth will set out to find the reason.  There must be a willingness to re-study interpretations under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  He must be prepared to make any necessary corrections so as to be in full agreement with the facts as they are.” 
 
He further points out that understanding the Biblical doctrine of human depravity is essential here.  It should cause one to marvel and wonder that the Holy Spirit would enter a human being under any circumstance.
 
No one can argue anyone into believing that the old fundamental stand against Christians having demons is fallacious.  Donald Jacobs illustrates it this way:  “There once lived a skeptical fisherman who heard unbelievable stories about people catching fish two feet long.  He had never caught one over twelve inches. “One day he caught one three feet long, held it by the tail, shook his head, threw it back into the water and said,`Just another lie.’  Likewise, faced with the evidence of a `real live demon,’ a western man would probably react just about this way. `There are just no such things,’ he would say.” 1
 
There is an excellent presentation of the whole question in Don Basham’s book, Can a Christian Have a Demon?  Non-charismatic writers like Frances Manuel, Merrill Unger, Mark Bubeck, and Robert Peterson also teach that a Christian can have demons.
 
In his very balanced and scholarly treatise, “Demons in the World Today,” Dr. Unger writes, “In demon influence, evil spirits exert power over a person short of actual possession.  Such influence may vary from mild harassment to extreme subjection when body and mind become dominated and held in slavery by spirit agents.  Christians, as well as non-Christians, can be so influenced.  They may be oppressed, vexed, depressed, hindered and bound by demons.” 2
 
Dr. Unger is frank to say that he had written in 1952, “To demon possession, only unbelievers are exposed.”   Twenty years later, he writes: “This statement was inferred, since Scripture does not clearly settle the question.   It was based on the assumption that an evil spirit could not indwell the redeemed body together with the Holy Spirit.” 3   Missionaries from all over the world wrote to him, telling of cases to the contrary and he notes that the claims of the missionaries “appear valid.”
 
Hobart Freeman points out that “….as a result of erroneous teaching and beliefs, which are based neither upon Scripture or experience, Satan has deluded many concerning the question, can a Christian be oppressed by Satan or possess evil spirits? Can one who has never participated actively in any form of occultism be subjected or oppressed?”
 
“The answer to both questions is yes, supported both from the Scriptures and experience.  Believers can be oppressed, vexed, depressed, hindered, bound, and afflicted by Satan or suffer infestation by demonic spirits.” 4 
 
Dr. Freeman differentiates between two states.  One is full possession (where the life and will come totally under the demonization and control of Satan) and the other is an invasion of the mind or body by spirits of infirmity, fear, resentment, doubt, depression, etc.  This condition he terms infestation, which is aptly descriptive.
 
In his helpful pamphlet, “Expelling Demons,” Derek Prince explains facts linguistically which should help unsnarl the semantic tangle. “The New Testament Greek word for demon is `daimon-ion’…in the King James Version …often translated `evil.’  Associated in the New Testament with the noun `daimonion’ is the passive verb `daimonizomai.’  The literal meaning of this verb is `to be demoned,’ that is, in some way under the influence or power of demons. 
 
In the King James Version this verb is usually translated by some phrase such as `to be possessed’ or to be vexed’ by demons or by evil spirits.  However, there is no distinction in the original Greek text to support these (translated) distinctions.” 5 
 
We dare not rest a theological distinction about the work of demons on a distinction in words of a language which does not even exist in the original Greek.
 
The term demon possessed is misleading when used to refer to a Christian, for it implies total ownership and domination.  The Greek text does not use the term.  Those with evil spirits had demons,  or were demoned  or demonized.
 
Jesus commanded evil spirits to come OUT of victims and they obeyed.  Thus, inhabited, infested  or demonized are more accurate descriptive terms than demon possessed or demon possession.
 
Believers were definitely subjected to demonic attack in the Scriptures.  The physical affliction and other disasters of Job are shown to be Satan’s work in chapters l and 2 of Job.
 
In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit (Mark 1:23).  A woman called “a daughter of Abraham” (father of the faithful) had been bound with a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years (Luke 13:11-16).
 
There is no reason to conclude arbitrarily in the two latter cases that the persons involved were not believers.  In II Timothy 2:23-26, where Paul discusses contention and disputings over doctrine, believers are indicated who have evidently slipped and need to “recover themselves from the snare of the devil, who are taken captive of him at his will.”
 
A member of the church in Corinth seems to have been overcome by a spirit of lust (I Corinthians 5:1-5).  Jesus rebuked a spirit of fever in Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39) and he left her and she was well. 
 
In Mark 3:33 and Mark 9:25, Jesus uses this same term to rebuke Satan.  Sickness is described as an oppression of the devil in Acts 10:38.  Jesus often healed by removing spirits of infirmity, which are simply another method of Satanic attack.(See Luke 4:40,41)
 
Consider Peter, who one moment spoke by Divine revelation, declaring that Jesus was the very Christ.  In the next moment he was reprimanded by Jesus, who rebuked Satan in him, saying “thou savourest not the things that be of God” (Matthew 16:13-23).
 
Simon the magician is presented as one who believed and was baptized.  Evidently he had not been delivered from his occult bondage and he was commanded to repent and pray (Acts 8:20-24).
 
How did Satan manage to “fill the heart”  of the believers Ananias and Sapphira? (Acts 5:3)  The apostle Paul himself reports that he suffered buffeting from a “messenger of Satan” (II Corinthians 12:7). 6
 
Dr. V. Raymond Edman, the late president of Wheaton College, wrote the following in answer to a question as to whether or not a Christian could have a demon:  “…The unguarded Christian may have demon possession in the soul, which would affect mental processes and emotions; or in the body, as was the case of the woman who had a ’spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up herself.’  (Luke 13:11)
 
“Of her, the Saviour said when He healed her, `Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, who Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?’ (Luke 13:16) To say that a Christian cannot be demonized in any area of his life is a happy but inaccurate generalization.” 7
 
Paul reproves the Corinthian Christians for receiving another spirit than the Spirit they had previously received (II Corinthians 11:4).  This is a case in which the language of the King James translation does not fully convey the force of the original. 
 
The Phillips translation says: “For apparently you cheerfully accept a man who comes to you preaching a different Jesus than the one we told you about, and you readily receive a spirit and a gospel quite different from the ones you originally accepted.”  Or, as the Living Bible puts it, “You swallow it all.”
 
Paul inquired, in Galatians 3:1, about who had bewitched  the believers to draw them away from the truth.  “Bewitched”  carries the overtones of the use of witchcraft and the casting of spells.  The effects upon them were not just the effects of wrong mental impressions conveyed by false teachers.  It was evil spirits imposing false doctrine through false teachers.  These references emphatically do not suggest that believers enjoy an easy exemption from the activities of demons.  Rather than this they are particularly targeted for attack by them. 
 
Robert Peterson makes an interesting comment: “It appears that the full force of deceiving spirits is directed against the spiritual believer in doctrinal rather than worldly matters, although the latter may be used after the believer has been ensnared by the more subtle means.  In I Timothy 4:1,2 the Apostle Paul gives a full account of how wicked spirits attack the spiritual believer and by deception beguile him away from the faith through the use of false prophets.” 8  
 
This passage begins:   “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
 
Don Basham sums up the matter when he writes that there is an “almost universal sense of fear and loathing toward the whole subject of Satan and the evil spirits.  Many believers have adopted the fallacious idea that if they ignore Satan, he will ignore them.  Scripturally, such a position is indefensible” (I Pt 5:8,9; James 4:7; II Cor 2:11). 9
 
People are mentioned in scripture who were under various forms of demonic control.  Matthew 16:21 recounts two unusual instances.  Peter was first used by the Holy Spirit and then by an evil spirit!  This sort of thing can definitely happen today.   By divine revelation Peter had received the truth about Jesus and declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
 
Jesus verified that this truth was revealed to Peter by the Heavenly Father.  The apostle was an instrument in God’s hands to clearly state this fundamental doctrine upon which the entire body of truth and the church is built.  Shortly after this Jesus began to share with the disciples about His coming sufferings and death.
 
In Matthew 16:22, Peter rebuked him saying, “Be it far from Thee Lord; this shall not be unto Thee.”   Another translation renders this as, “Lord, have pity on yourself.”   Thus Peter was attempting to correct Jesus and to create self-pity, which is demonic.  Evil spirits will drive us to feel sorry for ourselves and our situations.  Thus Peter became an instrument of the devil.
 
In verse 23 Jesus rebuked Peter:  “Get thee behind me Satan.”  He discerned Satan speaking through his follower, trying to dissuade Him from the cross.  His leading disciple was being used by the devil in an attempt to interfere with God’s plans.  Peter became an instrument in Satan’s hands.  This alerts us that even very strong believers can become demonized.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil.  (John 6:70)

The wording is explicit, not one has a devil (demon) but one is a demon.  From the beginning Jesus knew Judas Iscariot was Satan’s tool to betray him.  Tragically, he was called out, had perfect teaching and travelled with an outstanding group of men, but was not changed by the experience. 
 
Through Judas, Satan infiltrated the ranks of those close to Jesus.  It still happens today.  Judas is a perfect example of unregenerate persons affiliating with the church.  They are starched and ironed, but have never been washed!  With a perfect leader and teacher, one in twelve was so thoroughly demonized that he was said to be a demon!
           
When I was with them in the world I kept them in Thy name.  Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition (Judas) that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12) 
 
Strangely enough the Antichrist is the only other person in the Bible who is designated as the son of perdition.
 
It is recorded that Satan personally entered into Judas in Luke 22:3; John 13:2,27.  As he surrendered to devilish lies Satan took over completely.  It is possible that from this moment on Judas was scarcely aware of what he was doing.  When one yields so completely to the enemy he loses control over his physical, mental and emotional faculties. 
 
There is no evidence of genuine repentance, only deep remorse (Matthew 27:3-7).  Like so many today he was not sorry for his sin, he just regretted that he got caught.  It may have been only after the crucifixion he emerged from a kind of trance.  Then he began to comprehend his dilemma. Nobody likes a traitor.  Religious leaders who bribed him wanted nothing to do with him and even refused the return of bribe money.  
 
The apostles pulled back in shock and horror from one they had trusted and counted as a brother.  As so often happens when demon power has run it’s course, the dupe who has been used becomes suicidal.  Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).  Evidently the rope snapped for the record says that “…falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out.”  (Acts 1:18) 
 
In Luke 9:55 Jesus sent the disciples ahead to arrange for lodging and food in a Samaritan city.  Racial animosity flared and the Samaritans refused to receive them.  The incensed disciples came back to the Lord and offered to call fire down from heaven to consume the hostile villagers. 

Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them and destroy them as Elias did?  (Luke 9:54) 

Jesus rebuked them saying, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” They were unaware that evil spirits of Hatred and Revenge were directing them to retaliate and get even.  Angry and frustrated, they wanted swift judgment upon those who had offended them.  When we give way to a desire to get even, we open ourselves to wicked spirits of Spite, Anger and Resentment. 
 
Note that Jesus told them they did not know  that the demons were manifesting through them.  Because they were speaking and acting under demonic influence and direction, the Lord was forced to check them. 
 
When such feelings flood in because someone has hurt or disappointed us, we tend to react angrily and defensively.  Instead we need to examine carefully to see what is actually taking place and move into binding and loosing spirits.    
 
After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, a spirit of generosity swept throughout the body of believers (Acts 5).  People sold possessions and liquidated assets.  They brought the proceeds to the apostles’ feet to be dispersed and managed.  It was a ministry to poor and needy people in the church body.
 
Ananias and his wife were believers who sold something belonging to them.  Because they received more for it than expected they decided to say it brought in less.  The gift was given to Peter, and declared to be the entire amount. 
 
By revelation, Peter asked the man why Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the money.  He had attempted deception with the Holy Spirit in order to make a religious show.  Peter asked him bluntly, “Why has Satan filled thine heart?”  (Acts 5:3)  
 
Ananias and Sapphira’s hearts had yielded to seducing evil spirits who persuaded them to lie.  Because you can neither deceive nor lie to God the couple was smitten and died the same day.  They failed to repent and confess their sin of covetousness.  If God did this today as a matter of course, many churches would be decimated!
 
Two passages in scripture speak of Paul being affected by evil spirits during certain times in his ministry.  On his last visit to Ephesus he gave the Myletis elders a farewell address. 

And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.  Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide near or are awaiting me.    (Acts 20:22,23)  

The Holy Spirit had not bound Paul’s spirit but he was impelled to go on to Jerusalem, overruling every warning. 

He knew that going to Jerusalem meant he would suffer bonds and afflictions.  They sailed to Tyre to stay a week.  Disciples received prophecies warning that there was very real danger awaiting Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:3).
 
The veteran warrior Paul was no stranger to suffering for Christ.  As they tarried in Caeserea many days, a Judean prophet, Agabus took Paul’s girdle.  After binding his own feet and hands he said,

…..Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.  And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.    (Acts 21:12,13)

Paul’s companions and the members of the Caesarean church all pled with him not to go to Jerusalem.  His answer: 

….What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart, for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 21:14)

Having set his course he refused to deviate from it.  Some feel that in this instance he may have been bound by an evil spirit.  However, Paul had a good track record and perhaps he pushed on, knowing and accepting the danger his friends so feared for him.  This is exactly what Jesus did.  “He set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem.”  (Luke 9:51)
 
Paul was received gladly and cordially by James and all of the Jerusalem elders.  For thirty years Paul had attacked legalism and all kinds of Jewish beliefs and traditions, correctly teaching that Jesus was the only sacrifice for sin.  Lies had been scattered that Paul was preaching against the temple and the law; therefore they advised him to shave his head, go into the temple and offer sacrifices.  To pretend adherence to these things now would seem to be compromise.  However Paul evidently felt no check in his own spirit about it.  Doubtless he felt that, like Timothy’s circumcision in Acts 16:3, it was not necessary, but merely expedient.  Perhaps he was operating in the same rationale he indicated when he said that he was willing to become all things to all men that by this he might save some (I Corinthians 9:22).  Later he would write:  “For it I build up or I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.”   (Galatians 2:8)
 
In the temple he was denounced, arrested and imprisoned.  From that day on he was unable to minister openly.  Later he was a prisoner in a rented house in Rome.  Here he was able to reach only a few who came to see him.
 
However this was the period which produced the prison epistles to the churches.  Without a doubt this part of his ministry was the greatest thing he ever did.  These invaluable writings have guided, nourished and undergirded millions in the body of Christ over the centuries. 
 
Some claim that in Acts, chapters 19,20,21 there are indications that Paul erred.  If this be true, then he was subjected to a demonic onslaught so cleverly devised that even the veteran apostle failed to discern it’s purpose. 
 
His personal conviction caused him to keep on going, disregarding all warnings and prohibitions.  Keep in mind that Paul was wiser than his peers in the ways of the Lord and certainly far ahead of any of his modern day detractors. 
 
The word translated “bound”  is a very strong term, meaning you no longer have freedom to decide for yourself.  Something was binding him.  A Christian can be invaded by an evil spirit and be bound.  This can heavily interfere with the operation of the gifts, particularly with discernment. 
 
Believers are to minister, worship and see truth, in the Spirit.  A common example of binding is that many cannot lift their hands to praise the Lord or pray because they are bound in the spirit (Psalm 134:2; I Timothy 2:8).
 
Although we are not to submit to demonic manipulation, we should prayerfully consider what others suggest.  This is particularly true of those who are proven friends of the ministry.  This openness to correction and suggestions coming through friends must be balanced with caution however.
 
When God is sovereignly leading you, others without the vision and insight given you may sincerely try to curb or change your course of action.  Because they are wrong they thereby can be used as tools of Satan to hinder or stop the work of God.
 
It is an awesome responsibility to pioneer a work of God.  Only abject and continuous submission to God will be able to protect you from becoming puffed up and misled.  This is where seasoning and time spent walking with the Lord become absolutely essential.  It is possible that even directed prophecy may be influenced by the vessel through whom it comes.  Therefore it is not always 100% accurate.
 
Had I listened to my peers and others close to me I would have never moved into the stormy waters of deliverance.  On occasions I have yielded to pressures from well meaning friends and associates.  When this overruled my own strong leadings from the Lord, serious blunders occurred. 
 
For example, well intentioned concerns of people around me brought pressures to set aside elders to assist me and ease the load I was carrying.  I had some checks in my spirit about doing it but did not want to seem to be a proud know-it-all.
 
Accordingly, I set aside two men.  For the next five years the ministry went through hell!  They attempted to set in motion covert plans to wrest the leadership of the church from me.  Determined to adulterate the vision of the deliverance ministry they planned to set themselves up as dictators over the little flock. 
 
They wanted me to preach, draw in the crowds and raise the funds.  From behind the scenes they would quietly direct and control everything, including me.  Rather than sharing the deliverance vision of service, they were hungry for power and dominance.  They regarded their positions as an opportunity to take over the ministry for themselves and their sons.  I would have become the figurehead and they the power behind the throne.”   Echoes of Korah!
 
They were set on a course which would destroy the vision and the ministry which God had given to me.  At first I did not want to suspect them of such gross carnality, ignorance and selfishness, but it became more and more obvious as time went on. 
 
Long before these men came on the scene, the church was financially sound.  There was no mortgage and money was piling up in the bank to buy a larger facility.  I had a growing, enthusiastic army of workers, already trained in evangelism and deliverance.
 
Foundations of the ministry were established upon my vision from the Lord and the scriptural foundations I had taught.  When these men walked through the doors of the church, they knew less than nothing about demons and deliverance.  Their families were total disasters, in the occult, drugs, alcohol and sex.  The ministry was the salvation of all nine of their children.   I asked the Lord if I should force them out of the positions.  I had asked the church to set them in and knew the flock would back me in demoting them.  However, the Lord said this would give them an importance they did not have.  I was to  checkmate their moves to hamstring the ministry and in His own time He would remove them. 
 
I fervently promised Him that if he would deliver me and the church from these two I would never appoint any more.  We have many men in the fellowship who function as elders and the flock recognizes and depends on them.  They are elders by function, not by title.  Some people cannot handle titles for Leviathan and Behemoth leap into control.
 
God cleaned house after five years and they fled the flock taking thirty-three with them.  They left, following a false prophecy given by a demonized woman of their group.  Deluded pride convinced them that their leaving would cripple the church and force me to seek their help to restore order.  Instead, the exodus produced the greatest blessings that had come in five years!  (I John 2:19)  Much damage and treachery came to light after they left the fellowship.
 
Almost immediately young people once more began to pour into the church.  The women, whom the “elders”  had discouraged from ministering, again surged enthusiastically into the battle to free the captives.  Offerings flowed in and four months later the $46,000 note on the new building was paid off, making us debt free again. 
 
In Acts 20, “bound in the spirit”  doubtless refers to a spiritual binding but in Paul’s case it had physical implications as well.  When we do not have the peace of God about a course of action it is better to cancel it.  A good rule of thumb is; if you doubt, don’t!
 
With spiritual growth and advancement come greater dangers.  These involve confrontations with stronger and more cunning demons.  Many servants of God crash out from the lofty heights of success.  Unfortunately they may come to believe that their spiritual gifts and successes immunize them from pitfalls faced by ordinary believers.
 
The question arises whether a thirty year veteran like Paul was so deceived that he adopted a wrong course which led to his imprisonment.  If indeed he was led astray, God certainly did make the best of a bad situation.  In Jerusalem the Lord told him to be of good cheer for He was with him and had prepared him to be a good witness in Jerusalem and Rome. (Acts 23:11)  God never rebuked Paul but rather endorsed his course of action.
 
Paul had a great prophetic ministry and was even transported to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12).  He saw things which cannot be explained in human words.  With all his success in the ministry some speculate that Paul may have given place to pride, resulting in carnal confidence.  This is a notorious problem among leaders and especially in people who believe in deliverance.  We must always be on guard lest we trip and fall in this area.  Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.  (Proverbs 16:18)
                               
When the disciples returned from ministry they were rejoicing because demons were subject to them.  Jesus set their priorities straight.  Deliverance on earth dramatically affected things in the heavenlies.  As they were ministering to demonized people, He saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven.

Jesus warned his disciples:   “Not withstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  (Luke 10:20).
 
He was cautioning them to spare them from falling into a trap of pride, self confidence and boasting.  Also He was reminding them that to have their names written in heaven was to be the source if their rejoicing.  The battles here on earth ebb and flow but that which is in heaven is established for eternity.
 
II Corinthians 12:7 declares that lest Paul be exalted above measure because of the abundance of revelations, he was given a thorn in the flesh.  This was a messenger {angel} of Satan, literally a demon,  to buffet him.  This evil spirit had entered Paul’s flesh causing excruciating problems. 
 
It is impossible to know if this was a physical or moral weakness or a combination of both.  One thing is certain, it was so painful that it drove him to his knees.  Many speak of their having a thorn in the flesh.  However, this thorn was given because of the abundance of revelations.   Most of these persons have little or no revelation, but they have huge ambitions backed by powerful spirits of Behemoth and Leviathan!  
 
Three times Paul earnestly sought relief but the Lord refused, saying he must endure and be patient.  It had been sent to keep him from pride.  The mighty apostle was under fierce demonic attack and this was permitted by God for good and sufficient reasons.  Strangely enough most of the other explanations of the thorn come from those who seek to debunk the deliverance ministry. 
 
Probably all illness was brought about by the fall of man which contaminated all nature.  Contact with nature brings us in contact with multitudes of germs.  Workers were dealing with a person infested with tropical amoebas and other parasites.  Manifesting demons declared that they gave life and protection to the invaders.  Evil spirits will not come out with pills or injections.  When sickness does not respond to proper medical treatment, suspect that it is demonic.  Discernment is a spiritual radar which will pick up signals that an evil spirit is operating. 
 
Pray for healing by laying on hands and/or anointing with oil.  If healing does not come it is likely that a strong evil spirit is hidden somewhere in the roots of that ailment.  Demons will not come out by laying on of hands although in some cases this might cause a very violent reaction.
 
There are scriptures which indicate that believers can and do have demons:
           
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another.  Be ye angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath. (Ephesians 4:25,26)

Lying is mentioned in verse 25; anger in verse 26, is followed by an admonition that no place be given to the devil.  This warning would not be necessary unless it was possible to do it.  Through lying, wrath and other sins, believers can and do open the door for demons. 
 
The sun is not to go down on wrath, perhaps because demons are so active at night.  After midnight most people are asleep and restless evil spirits come out to roam and prowl.  They will seek out, attack and harass anyone who is open and vulnerable.
 
Jesus used a parable to warn against going to sleep while the enemy sows tares.  Retiring when upset and angry may well leave one exposed to attack.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:7)

The condition for protection is to forsake evil.  Anger and wrath are sin, not just weaknesses and Paul also mentions stealing and evil speech in Ephesians 4:28,29.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received….. (II Corinthians 11:4)  Corinthian believers had already received the Holy Spirit and Paul speaks of the possibility of their receiving another or demon spirit.
 
Sincerity is no protection for one can be sincerely wrong.  Those snared in cults such as Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Scientists, Moonies, Krishna and other New Age traps may be more sincere than true Christians.  However, this does not rescue them from heretical errors.  Neither will baptism in the Holy Spirit block the reception of demon spirits if the doors are open…
 
Bibliography
     
1.  Demons at Work in the World Today  by Donald R. Jacobs, © 1972 by Herald Press, Scottsdale PA, 15683.  Reprinted by permission, p. 38.
2.  Demons in the World Today,  by Merrill F. Unger, © 1971 by Tyndale House Pub., Wheaton IL, 60187. Reprinted by permission, p. 113.
3.  Ibid., p. 117.
4.  Angels of Light  by Hobart Freeman, © 1969 by Logos International, Plainfield, NJ 07060. Reprinted by permission.  pp.73,74.
5.  Expelling Demons by Derek Prince, © by Derek Prince Publications, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Reprinted by permission, p. 4.
6.  Freeman, op. cit., p.75.
7.  Alliance Witness  by V. Raymond Edmond, April 26, 1967, Vol. 102, #9, p.22.
8.  Are Demons For Real?  by Robert Peterson, © 1968 by Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Moody Press, Chicago IL.  Reprinted by permission, p. 98.
9.  Can a Christian Have a Demon?  by Don Basham, © 1971 by Whitaker Books, Monroeville PA. Reprinted by permission,  p. 51.
 

John 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

The following is an excerpt from “Christians Can and Do Have Demons, Booklet #38″ by Pastor Win Worley. Copyright © 1990 by Win Worley, Reprinted 1993. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including storage and retrieval system, without securing permission in writing from the publisher, WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite, TX 75185.

If you’d like to obtain your own copy of not only this, but other materials authored by Win Worley, please contact WRW Publications at www.wrwpublications.com

The following is an excerpt from “Curses & Soul Ties/Binding & Loosing, Booklet #5″ by Pastor Win Worley. Copyright © 1983 by Win Worley. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including storage and retrieval system, without securing permission in writing from the publisher, WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite, TX 75185.

If you’d like to obtain your own copy of not only this, but other materials authored by Win Worley, please contact WRW Publications at www.wrwpublications.com

We are in the day in which evil deceiving spirits are manifesting their perverting doctrines, is, according to all evidences at our disposal, more than apparent; the evidences are more than adequate, they are overwhelming. The facts reveal the awful activity of the evil forces; the awful bondage of the Church; and the diminishing of the power of the Divine life in the Church as a consequence of such erroneous teaching, which leads into evil practice of such enormity resulting in an evil state of inaction and of sin.

To meet such an army has God no weapons, no warriors from the nobles, and from the people? Is God at rest and satisfied? Should the Church be tranquil? Is there no need for a Divine protest? Is heaven silent in face of this demoralising onslaught? Has the Church no right and no power to cry aloud, “ease me of mine adversaries?“ Legion is but a small fragment of this army of fighting spirits. If God wills the onrush to be checked, has He no plan?

Does a Church groveling in lies please the Author of holiness? Does a Church enslaved to the devil by lies please Him of whom Paul wrote of the necessity of bringing every thought into bondage to Him. Which bonds shall prevail? The Divine or the Satanic? Let the Church declare for the Divine, and cry out aloud and long that all the Divine forces, all the angelic forces, all the human forces, all the forces of creation, yea, every force that exists, be set in an impregnable phalanx against all the forces of hell. Let these move on, mowing them down with each giving and advancing step, as the mower does the standing hay, leaving nothing to them but a thorough defeat, glorious to the victors, but an eternal open shame to the vanquished. But who will join in the battle? Who has a conquering sword, and a stout fearless heart? LET HIM COME. Where is he whose heart is aflame for truth? Let him be foremost, leading on the front rank.

Evan Roberts (1878-1951) – Evan Roberts was the leading figure of the 1904 Welsh Revival. Was used mightily of God to lead the entire land of Wales to God.

HBC response:

I hope you’ll stop by our web site, and read the frequently asked question entitled, “Is Deliverance also for the Unsaved?” In that essay, you’ll find that biblically speaking, salvation must come first, with deliverance following.

I think I understand the heart of your question, though, and that is how does one get around the obvious fact that demons are keeping people from coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?

The Bible addresses this very question…

2 Corinthians 4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (KJV)

The “god of this world” or “god of this age” is of course, Satan.

SATAN

Another common name for Satan in the New Testament is “the devil,” meaning “slanderer” or “false accuser.” Other titles by which Satan is identified in the New Testament include “the tempter” (1 Thes. 3:5); “Beelzebub” (Matt. 12:24); “the wicked one” (Matt. 13:19,38); “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31); “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4); “Belial” (2 Cor. 6:15), “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2); and “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10).
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary,)(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

So if Satan is blinding the minds, or in your own words “spirits of deception and mind control seem to be blocking the hearing of the gospel”, how do you spiritually attack them?

Well, we believe that deliverance is only for the born-again believer, since deliverance is the “children’s bread” (Matthew 15:26, Mark 7:27). So if you cannot biblically (and safely) cast out demons from the unsaved, what is there to do?

In answer to this question, we practice the biblical principle of “binding and loosing” as mentioned in Matthew 18:18, as in other places. There is also a Frequently Asked Question on this topic as well, if you’d like to find out more about it.

I’ve been reading a book entitled, “How to Pray” by R.A. Torrey. It’s an excellent book. In chapter 9, there is a stinging explanation on why our prayers are often times unanswered, and it is not because God doesn’t want to answer our prayers, but because we are walking in disobedience to His word. I’ve included these things in the prayer below.

Essentially, what we do, is that we pray the scriptures something like this, in your case…

“Father, according to your Word in 2 Peter 3:9, you are not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance in Christ Jesus. This is your will, Father, according to your Word. And in 1 John 5:14-15, your word declares, that if we ask anything according to your will, you hear us, and we know that if you hear us, whatever it is that we have asked of you, we know that we will have whatever it is that we’ve desired. So Father, your word declares that your will is that my unsaved friend should not perish, but come to repentance. And Father, I ask, according to your will, that you will cause this person to come to repentance. Since I ask according to your declared will, I know I have what it is that I’ve asked of you.

And Father, according to Matthew 18:18, your word says that whatsoever I bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatsoever I loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. I right now, in Jesus’ Name, bind the spirits of deception, mind-control and any other related evil spirit working against my unsaved friend to keep him from coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Any mind-binding, mind-blinding spirits, spirits of confusion, doubt, and unbelief, I bind you, in Jesus’ Name, so that my unsaved friend might come into the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they can have the free will to choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ. Father, also according to Matthew 18:18, I loose spirits of salvation, adoption, revelation of Jesus Christ through God’s Word in the Bible, counsel, wisdom, understanding and humility upon my unsaved friend to help him understand what God has done for him through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. I pray this according to your word, Father, which is your will, and knowing that I am praying according to you will, I know that you will answer this prayer, so that my unsaved friend will have the free will to accept or reject Jesus.

Father, I also ask you to reveal any hidden sins in my heart, as the Psalmist David prayed in Psalm 139:23, since sin hinders my prayers to you (Psalm 66:18). I also ask that you try my motives to prove them pure, Father, and not selfish. My heart’s desire is that my unsaved friend will bring glory to Your Name, and not so that my life will be easier, or that I might gain something by it, thus fulfilling James 4:3, which says that I ask and receive not because I ask to spend it upon my own pleasures. I also ask you, Father, to reveal any idols in my life that would hinder my prayers to you, according to Ezekiel 14:3. That you’ll expose any stinginess in not giving to the poor, which will also hinder my prayers to you , according to Proverbs 21:13. And if there is anyone that I haven’t forgiven, that you’ll bring these to mind that I might confess and/or rectify the situation so that my prayers will not be hindered, according to Mark 11:25. Also Father, if my relationship with my spouse is not pleasing to you and according to your Word, that you’ll expose this that I may confess it and ask for your help so that my prayers won’t be hindered according to Peter 3:7. And lastly Father, help mine unbelief that my prayers not be hindered according to James 1:5-7.

I ask all these things to further your kingdom, to give you all the glory, honor, and praise, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

This is how we would pray.

The scriptures also tell us to pray until we see it come to pass in Luke 11:5-8 and Luke 18:1-8. R.A. Torrey had this to say: “God delights in the holy boldness that will not take no for an answer. It is an expression of great faith, and nothing pleases God more than faith.” Torrey also points out that MUCH of Jesus’ time was spent in prayer, and for us to think that we only need to pray once and it’s done is to “have gotten beyond [our] Master (Matt 26:44).”

Again, read up on the Frequently Asked Questions page, and follow up on the scripture references I’ve listed above. And most importantly, pray without ceasing as Paul did in Romans 1:9; Ephesians 1:15,16; Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; and 2 Timothy 1:3!

Hope this has helped.

HBC

I saw something mentioned about holy laughter and being slain in the spirit, if that is the right way to say it. What is your church’s standing on them and please enlighten us as to why.

You have a very informative and wonderful Website.

Thank you,

HBC’s response:

Thank you for the encouragement regarding our web page!

This will be very brief (since this is an e-mail), as I could also direct you to a lot of books regarding the subject…

“Slain in the Spirit” is the experience-based event usually encountered when someone places their hand on you and your body becomes overcome with some foreign power. This overwhelming generally causes you to lose consciousness, fall backwards, enter an altered-state of consciousness, etc.

“Holy Laughter” has been ascribed to the Toronto Vineyard Church and Rodney Howard-Browne. Holy Laughter is another experience-based event where a person begins having uncontrollable spasms of giggling, cackling, laughing, etc. during church services. This also accompanies bizarre behavior which
in many cases is improper and out of order. From this has come what we refer to as the “Shaking Jesus” where people shake uncontrollably supposedly induced by the Lord. There’s the “Holy Roaring,” “Holy Barking,” and many other variations.

You can find both these types of behavior and practices in many Word Faith churches, Assembly of God, and Pentacostal Churches. Usually any church that will align themselves with the “Toronto Blessing” or the “Pensacola/Brownsville Florida Revival” will be advocating, if not even encouraging these types of practices.

At Hegewisch Baptist Church, we tend to be sticklers for the Scriptures. If a practice doesn’t line up with the Bible, we throw it out as being unbiblical. In the beginning of something that is “sweeping the Body of
Christ,” we’ll examine it, we’ll study it. We’ll even try it out. But if the fruit produced by this practice is not of the Holy Spirit. If the glory is not all given to Jesus Christ, we call it what it is, heresy. And we believe that both of the two practices indicated above are nothing more than demonic manifestations of demons, masquerading as religious and holy spirits.

Many people who have come to our church have had demons of Holy Laughter, demons of Slain in the Spirit cast out of them. Demons come only to steal, kill, and destroy, and these two above mentioned wicked religious spirits do just that.

If you’ll search the scriptures regarding the “Slain in the Spirit,” you’ll find a few references pertaining to it. Here are some I found:

Acts 9:3-4
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (KJV)

Acts 5:3-6
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (KJV)

John 18:4-6
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. (KJV)

It would appear from these scriptures that to be slain in the spirit is not a “pat on the back” but an open rebuke by the Lord. Yet people seek to be “slain in the spirit.” The Bible gives no indication that this is a
positive, or edifying thing to seek for, yet people want the experience.

And that is why I refer to “slain in the spirit” as an experience-based event, because there is no scripture to back it. “If it feels good…it must be from God” the saying now goes. Unfortunately, if it does not line
up with scripture, it really doesn’t matter how good it feels, and God condemns it.

There is no good fruit that comes from it. People think they’re surrendering themselves to the Lord and He’s filling them with His power, but the Bible never teaches us to be passive, or to let our guards down and just accept whatever supernatural power hits us up side the head. We are supposed to search the scriptures to see if what is being said is true (Acts 17:11). We are supposed to try the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1). The devil will deceive many in the end-times with signs and wonders, we are warned (Matthew 24:24). Yet people think that because they feel something, that makes it of God. But they fail to keep the mandate of the scriptures to test the spirits, try the words of man against the scriptures and beware.

So we oppose being “slain in the spirit” on the basis of the brief examples I’ve listed so far.

“Holy Laughter” is not found in the Bible either. Many times, the advocators use this scripture:

Acts 2:14-16
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (KJV)

As if the “drunken” appearance of the Apostles, in one single verse alone, gives precedence for an entire theology on Holy Laughter. Before John Wimber passed away, the founder of the Vineyard Movement had this to say, “We have no scripture for this supernatural phenomenon, but we believe it be of the Lord.” People falling on the floor, laughing hysterically. People rolling on top of one another without regard to men touching women, and women, men. It’s very immodest and if Jesus were standing there, I think He
would be very displeased with the whole situation.

The advocators of Holy Laughter say, “Laugh! The Lord says Laugh. Don’t question it. Just receive it. Open yourselves up to it.” And 2 million souls die every year without the Lord Jesus Christ in the United States alone. “Laugh!” they proclaim, and the Body of Christ continues to slip into heresy and lack of power in the Lord. “Laugh!” they say and thousands of babies are aborted every year. As our pastor put it, if the Lord were saying anything to the church as a whole at this time, He would be saying, “REPENT!”

It’s sad that people in the Holy Laughter movement overlook the following scriptures:

Eccl 7:3
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. (KJV)

Eccl 7:6
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (KJV)

James 4:8-10
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (KJV)

We occasionally laugh at our church when something is funny (when someone cracks a joke), but we don’t make a religion out of it, we don’t approve of Holy Laughter. We don’t go on crusades to bring in millions of dollars making people laugh. It’s ok to laugh at times, but anything taken to extremes is not a good thing, especially when an entire service is nothing more than cackling, and lack of order (1 Cor 14:40).

These two things, Slain in the Spirit and Holy Laughter, are what we believe to be heresies mainly in the Charismatic Circles of the Body of Christ. The hard line Fundamentalists have their battle with other heresies, like Psychology in the Church among other things.

We at Hegewisch Baptist Church, just like to stick with the Scriptures. We are fundamental in our beliefs, but we are also Charismatic. We believe what’s written in the Bible, and we are very solid in Grace.

There are many books and booklets that have been written by Pastor Win Worley concerning our church and the deliverance ministry of our church for the past 25+ years. What we practice has been time tested and thoroughly scrutinized. We believe in the gifts of the Spirit, we believe in healing, and we believe foremost in the salvation of sinners.

We also have a good sized bookroom filled with material on Spiritual Warfare, books, tapes, and videos against Holy Laughter and Slain in the Spirit. Our pastor often states that there’s something in that bookroom to offend everyone. That we’re an “equal opportunity offender.” We believe in exposing error, and speaking the truth in Love.

If the Lord sends you and your friends to our church for a visit, we’d love to have you. We cast out evil spirits after every regular service. The bookroom will be open. We have many first time visitors every
year by word of mouth alone. We don’t advertise, and we don’t solicit membership. If you can make it, I’m sure you’ll be blessed for it.
 

HBC response:

We also place the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ between us and the person we pray for in deliverance. In addition, we “bind all transference’s of spirits” according to Matthew 18:18 before we begin praying. I believe you are almost correct in stating that the Blood of Jesus is the most powerful thing in the Universe. I believe that the Name of Jesus Christ, in the name of which, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, is the most powerful thing in the Universe…and that if we pray against the transference’s of spirits according to His Word, in His Name, this is what will protect us from transference’s of spirits.

I’ll have to try to find the scriptures “covering ourselves in the Blood” to protect us. It alludes me at the moment where that scripture passage is. The Blood that was placed over the door of the Israelites was to protect them from death–a foreshadow of the Blood of Jesus which covers us and protects us from the second death, eternal damnation…separation from God. As far as the Blood being a shield about us, I’ll have to research.

One thing I’d like to mention before I run, though, is that your friend’s comments about the transference’s of spirits seems to me to be laden with fear. And we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). So red flags ought to be popping up over that one aspect of his belief–the fear of transference’s. At the same time, though, it is common knowledge that witches do in fact transfer spirits from one to another by the laying on of hands. The passage your friend brought up, in context, does refer to the ministry and ordaining someone for leadership in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It would be taken out of context if it’s stretched to apply to the transference’s of spirits, although, transference’s do in fact happen at the laying on of hands.

But in addition to the laying on of hands, spirits transfer from one to another by simply agreeing with one another. Take for instance:

Proverbs 22:24-25
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. (KJV)

The “lest thou learn his ways” we believe to be the transference of spirits from one to another. Much like a child who hangs around with the wrong crowds. Well, what drives the wrong crowds to do evil things? And when that child joins that gang of people, what then drives the child?

We should be careful what church we attend and who we listen to preaching on the radio. Transference’s of spirits can happen from receiving bad doctrine:

2 Cor 11:3-4
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (KJV)

“If ye receive another spirit”–well if since Paul is talking to the Corinthians, who are Christians, who already then have the Holy Spirit, “receiving another spirit” can only apply to evil spirits especially in the context that the preaching is regarding “another Jesus” and “another gospel.”

Transference’s of spirits can happen between good friends. It doesn’t necessarily have to be some stranger or false prophet.

But there is no reason to fear demons, or their transference. We’ve got so many demons to deal with, there’s no reason to fear that we’re going to get a transference that will mar our perfect “100% delivered” status. At the same time, there are transference’s of spirits, and we need to be aware of this and protect ourselves accordingly (Matt 18:18). Being wise as serpents, innocent as doves…

Win wrote a really good booklet on the subject if you want to check out our bookroom. It’s called “Soul Ties and Binding/Loosing Spirits, Booklet #5.” There’s also a video on Binding and Loosing Spirits available which is an incredible resource. You’ll find these both at http://www.hbcdelivers.org/wrw.htm

Win also used to speak about these “famous spiritual teachers” who ran around the country saying “Don’t touch me. I’ll lose the anointing I have on me” before they went on stage. Win said something to the effect of, “I don’t want what he has.” People can really get wrapped up in feeling holy and clean, and yet we’ll always be sinners saved by grace, an imperfect and rebellious people standing before a pure and holy God.

Jesus walked amongst prostitutes and lepers in His ministry. He wasn’t afraid to touch people, was He? He wasn’t afraid to go into the Pharisees houses to eat. He wasn’t afraid to talk and meet people on their level.

Can you see Jesus walking about the streets telling people not to touch Him, afraid that He might get a transference of spirits when He prayed for them? “Now as I apply this spittle and clay to your eyes, blind man, I hope I don’t get a transference of any of your filthy demons because I’m so clean and you’re not.”

And the one time that Jesus did ask who touched him, the woman who had been bent over and sick for 12 years I think it was, pointed her out so that (1) she would know where the healing came from; and (2) that it would be a testimony to the Father’s Glory. People touched Jesus everywhere He went.

And what about Peter, who’s shadow which fell on the sick, healed them. Do you think people weren’t touching Peter?

So I hope I’ve answered your question.

HBC

Do you have an answer to this? We would appreciate any light you could shed on this subject. My friend has been trying to learn everything she can to help her with her husband who has backslidden from the church and together they have a calling as deliverance ministers.

Thank You.

Your brother in Christ.

HBC’s response:

At Hegewisch, we have a scripture posted on the wall which quotes Mark 16:16-18. I’ll print a portion of it here for clarity:

Mark 16:17
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (KJV)

The question to ask is, “Who is called to cast out demons?” If we look at the above verse, we see that “these signs shall follow them that believe.” What is one of these “signs” this is talking about? Well, the next sentence says, “In my name shall they cast out devils.”

So a “sign[s] that follow[s] them that believe” would be casting out demons. Coming back to the original question, “Who is called to cast out demons” this passage would lead us to answer this question with, “them that believe.” Who is “them that believe”? Comparing Scripture with Scripture, we look at the following:
Acts 5:14
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. (KJV)

1 Tim 4:12
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (KJV)

Based on Acts 5:14 and 1 Timothy 4:12, believers would then be another word for Christians. Agree?

Then who are believers? Well they’re Christians? So these “signs shall follow them that believe” would the refer to signs that follow EVERY Christian.

You won’t find the “gift of casting out demons” listed in the gifts of the Spirit over in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You’ll find “discerning spirits” but you won’t find “casting out spirits” which is another function all together–realizing that the demons are there versus casting them out which is putting that discernment’s feet to the pavement.

And I say all this, just to drive a point home that it is in Jesus’ name that we cast out demons. It’s not by a special gift we’ve been giving. It’s not because we’re someone special. It’s in Jesus’ name that “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11) (KJV).

In deliverance sessions, we state that verse to the demons…that they have to kneel before Jesus Christ because it says EVERY knee shall bow. The demons hate that.

The Bible also says that “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: …And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Eph 1:20-21;2:6)

This last passage says that we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies…that God has raised us up to sit with Christ, spiritually, far above Satan, far above the demons…meaning that from where we sit with Christ, in His name, we have authority over the demons. In Jesus’ name, “I command you to come out and go where Jesus would have you go” we often say.

The focus, the name that causes the demons to tremble, is not our name, it’s Jesus’ name. Remember in Acts? The demon said, “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” (Acts 19:15). (KJV)

How did the Jews in Acts cast the demons out?

Acts 19:13-14
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you BY JESUS whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. (KJV)

It’s only in His name, the name of Jesus, that anyone casts out demons.

So if it’s in Jesus’ name, and the casting out of demons is a sign of those who believe in Jesus, it would follow, that there are no “special deliverance ministers” but that in His Precious Name, that we cast out demons, that all the glory, honor and praise may go to Him who is perfect, not to any of us who might consider ourselves “elite” or “special.” We’re just sinners saved by grace, given a Name above all names by which we come unto salvation, by which we pray to our Father, by which we heal the sick, and by which we cast out demons. The focus is on Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

“Being called into the deliverance ministry” is kind’a sad that we have to refer to it this way, because any believer, even a 9 year old, can cast out demons, because it’s all in the name of Jesus. Who delivers? Remember that passage–

2 Tim 4:18
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (KJV)

Besides, remember the book of Joshua, another name for Jesus? Joshua means the Lord Deliverer. How about these passages?

Matt 6:12-13
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (KJV)

Rom 7:24-25
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (KJV)

2 Cor 1:9-10
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (KJV)

Gal 1:3-4
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:(KJV)

2 Pet 2:9
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (KJV)

Salvation is also another word for “deliverance.”

Who saves? God saves. Who delivers? God delivers.

So who are we? What is our role, biblically?

We cast out demons, In His Name. He delivers. We just speak His Word which will not return to Him void.

Am I beating a dead horse here?

I just want to make sure that it is clear that deliverance is free to all believers, because it does not rely on the person, their faith, how special they are, how blessed they are, all of us can cast out demons, In His Name because it is He who delivers, so the burden is on Him, not us. We just have to be obedient to speak His word, and He follows up and proves His word true. That’s all.

So with all that said, demons are evil-angels, fallen angels, all one in the same. If you’ll study a little closer regarding those angels bond up in chains, you’ll find that those angels in chains are the angels which had sexual intercourse with man kind over in Genesis which God destroyed their offspring through the flood.

Here’s an excerpt from Nelsons Bible Dictionary:

ANGELS, FALLEN

Heavenly beings or divine messengers created by God who rebelled against Him and were cast out of heaven. The lord or prince of these fallen angels is Satan <Rev. 12:7-9>. Fallen angels, or messengers, continue to serve Satan; but their power is limited. Judgment awaits them in the future <Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:9>. The fallen angels referred to in <2 Peter 2:4> and <Jude 6> are possibly the beings referred to as “sons of God” in <Genesis 6:1-4>. There is no real distinction between fallen angels and DEMONS.
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

One third the angels rebelled against God when Lucifer thought he could become “like the Most High God.” God, not being able to have iniquity, or sin, in his presence since He is Holy, cast Lucifer to earth with the one-third the angels before there was light on the earth and water covered the globe. Lucifer’s name was changed to Satan and the fallen angels, we now refer to as demons, or evil-spirits. These evil spirits have been judged in that they will be cast into the lake of fire at the end of time, but until them as they await their judgment, they are bent on doing evil and destroying as much as they can before they are incinerated.

All this is in Genesis, Ezekiel, Matthew, etc. There are some really good books you can pick up which will walk you through the Bible regarding demons. One is “Satan: His methods and his motives” by Lewis Spery Chafer, founder and president of the Dallas Theological Seminary. Another excellent book, is “Battling the Hosts of Hell” by Pastor Win Worley, our former pastor who went home to be with the Lord in December 1993. One other excellent book is “War on the Saints: the Unabridged Edition” by Jesse Penn-Lewis with Evan Roberts, Evangelist during the Welsch Revival. There are many more, but these three are great resources. The best three I think exist in the entire world today. They are very Biblical, and very precise. Hope you enjoy them.

You can pick any of those books up at our bookroom at www.hbcdelivers.org/wrw.htm or visiting the church’s web page at www.hbcdelivers.org and skipping over the the WRW Publications bookroom by clicking on the option at the bottom of the menu on the first page.

Also, I’ve done some short essays at www.hbcdelivers.org if you’ll click on the question mark, it will take you to the Frequently Asked Questions pages on Deliverance where I’ve cited topics such as “This is all new to me–where do I start?” or “Can a Christian really have a demon” or “Where can I find deliverance material (books, audios, etc)” and many other subjects.

Hope this answers your question and gets you started on some places you can go research stuff out for yourself.

I’m not a pastor or anything, but from experience, one thing about the husband I thought I’d suggest to your friend–don’t push him. He’ll only rebell all the more. The Lord can take care of him. She’ll have to be a godly example that Christ will magnify and Christ will bring all men unto Himself wherever He be lifted up (”And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32). Although, this scripture is in reference to how Jesus would die, it also applies in the symbolic sense as well.

We have a lot of videos in the bookroom I’m sure he’d be interested in, “What are you saving yourselves for?” by Win Worley is an excellent start, as well as ANY topic on Jezebel, “Hogs versus Heaven”, “Getting a haircut in the Devil’s Barber Chair”, “Suffering for Jesus or Stupidity”, “Swimming in Satan’s Sewer”, “The Cross of Calvary”, “The Gadarene Demoniac”, “Binding and Loosing” and many, many more that are sure to grab his heart and get him turned onto the Lord once again.

I hope I haven’t bent your ear.

If you have any further questions, I’ll try to find out the answer, or steer you in the right direction to find out more on your own.

We’ll be praying for you.

HBC
 

I have been practicing self deliverance for over six months with much success, however, recently I have been having terrible nightmares which seem to be out of the ordinary. After practicing the deliverance prayers of other web sites, I found a little relief, but it wasn’t until I tried your three prayers that I had miraculous results.

In these dreams I am in a very lucid state, there is usually a group of several people inside a geometric shape which seem to be pulling me towards them, but never quite getting there. Then, a horrible being, which is indescribable in nature attempts to have sexual intercourse with me. Often its true appearance is hidden by that of a woman, but when I call on Jesus, it backs off and an awful thing which I can only describe as a gapping wound of blackness and lack of compassion is revealed in her place. After waking in a panic, I feel drained for hours finding it very difficult to move and very depressed combined with a terrible headache. I truly feel that I may be a target of some of the wiccans at my previous employment.

Can you make suggestions which might be helpful?

Many Thanks

HBC’s Response:

There are a few things that come to mind when I read your e-mail. In brief, let me try and explain.

First off, we know that fear comes from the devil and his demon legions..

2 Tim 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)

If God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, then who has? The obvious answer is that it is a weapon of the demons. The Lord has given us power, love and sound mind. Notice also that 2 Timothy 1:7 states that fear is a spirit. It is very clear that it is a spirit, and since it doesn’t come from God in the form of an Angelic ministering spirit, then by default, that makes it a demonic spirit, a fallen angel, and part of the host of Satan.

When demons attack us in our dreams, believe it or not, it is because they are cowards and small. The reason for this, is that if they were more powerful demons, they would attack us in our thoughts during the day and risk retaliation by us who would in turn use God’s word to fight them. But knowing that when we are awake, we will fight back, these cowardly demons who are afraid of retaliation, will attack us in our sleep. This only goes to show that they are not as big as they make themselves out to be.

So some of the thoughts that cross my mind are this:

Demons do not, and cannot torment Christians without legal rights. For instance, in Matthew 18, we read about the servant that owed a lot of money to his lord. When he begged for mercy, the lord forgave him his debt. But when the servant was brought into the same situation where someone owed him money, he did not in turn show mercy as he had been shown mercy. The result
of which is stated in Matthew 18:32-35:

Matt 18:32-35
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (KJV)

Notice that in verse 35, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not…” What is “likewise” done? In verse 34, it answers this question with “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.” Who are our spiritual tormentors? The demons, of course.

When we don’t forgive others, after having seen how much the Lord has forgiven us, the Lord is insulted and because of this ingratitude he allows the demons to torment us in this area. Win used to say it this way, “The Lord uses the demons as a monkey wrench to tighten up loose nuts.” This in turn, drives us back to the Lord where we again ask for his forgiveness for being so selfish and uncompassionate towards others and through this confession, we can then force the tormentors, or demons to leave.

But notice also, demons have to have legal rights…in this case, unforgiveness towards others. Unforgiveness is an open door to the demons in order for them to play the game of “Pile On” and the end result of us is misery and destruction until our stubborn will is broken.

Just like unforgiveness, there are other doors which give the demons legal rights to torment Christians. Again, the Lord allows this in order to teach us NOT to do these things. So the first thing to check for, is to ask the Lord to show you any open doors that the demons might enter through.

A small list of open doors would include: unforgiveness, involvement in the occult (such as oui-ja boards, horoscopes, sceances, eastern religions, reincarnation, transcedental meditation, yoga, karate, hypnosis, New Age, drugs, etc), cursed objects in your house (Buddha dolls, rabbit’s feet, new age crystals, statues or sculptures of pagan gods from Mexico, India, China, etc., Rock and Roll albums, books on the occult like Scientology, Psychic practices, ESP, Kharma, etc), as well as any habitual sins you might currently be in such as pornography, adultery, lying, stealing, etc., etc.

All these things are forbidden and most of them are cursed by God in the Bible. By participating in these things, these curses open doors to the demons.

When you mentioned the Geometric figure in your dream, you might have relatives or ancestors who were part of the demonic cult called Freemasonry, or the Masonic Lodge. Doctrines of cults and false religions were created by demons:

1 Tim 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (KJV)

Heb 13:9
9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (KJV)

By coming into agreement with false religions, we come into agreement with demons, and an agreement with them is an open door.

So before you begin accusing the people you once worked with as being wiccan, do an inventory on your past, your ancestor’s past, and make sure that you’ve closed any doors in your life. When you have, remember this verse:

Prov 26:2
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. (KJV)

A curse causeless shall not come. When we, here at the church, get hit by curses from witches, the very first thing we do is look for the open door. Just like demons, curses cannot come upon us, unless there is a cause for it to come. I’ve read accounts of Satan worshippers who were frustrated in their attempts to curse Christians, because their curses came to no avail (Lucifer Dethroned, William and Sharon Schoebelen). Why? Because there was no cause, no open door that gave legal right for that curse to come upon them.

Remember, the devil can’t do anything he wants. He first must get permission from God. If the devil could do anything he wanted, we’d all have our throats slit in the middle of the night. We are God’s property, and the devil must get permission. Remember, we are in the Father’s hand an no one can pluck us out, not even Satan.

But the Lord allows these things to come upon us in this lifetime to correct us from doing things which are contrary to his Word.

There’s a good booklet, I think it’s only $2 or $3 called “Principles of Deliverance and Mass Deliverance.” In it, there is a series of renunciation prayers that will close the door to a lot of areas of your life. Also, you might be interested in the audio tape called “Sins of the Fathers” by Pastor Win Worley that shows, biblically, how the sins of our ancestors actually produce open doors for demons to attack us through generational curses. Once these curse are broken, the demons can be forced to leave. Also, there is a tape entitled, “Bind and Loosing Spirits” by Win Worley that would also be benificial to you. These are online at http://www.hbcdelivers.org/wrw.htm
This should get you started. Let me know of your progress, and I’ll help out in any way I can. If you’re anywhere near the church, you might consider stopping by and getting some deliverance with the help of others. The bigger demons usually don’t come out without the help of the Body of Christ working together with two or three gathered in His name, and with fasting…

Talk to you soon,

HBC