INTRODUCTION

Author: Pastor Johan du Toit

Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. THE SPIRITUAL WORLD

II Corinthians 4:18 NKJV 
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

The spiritual world is a real place; even more real than the natural, visible world that we live in; because the natural world is temporary while the spiritual world is eternal. The spiritual world is the dwelling place of spirit‐beings. God the Father, the Holy Spirit and angels are all spirit‐beings, and so are the devil and his demons. They are beings without natural bodies like ours. Our bodies give us the right to live on earth as natural beings ‐ it is our earth‐suit; our passport to life on this earth.

Since the spiritual world is more real and of greater power than the natural world, it can influence events and people on the earth. Spirit ‐beings use their supernatural power to accomplish their goals on the earth ‐ whether evil or godly.

In this course we will study the operations of demons ‐ evil spirits under the command of Satan.

2. GOD’S REIGN

God’s kingdom is organized. He is the Father on the throne, with Jesus at His right hand and the Holy Spirit as the heavenly representative on the earth. God gave all authority in heaven and earth to Jesus; there is no one who can rebel against God or overthrow His rule. He is God Almighty, the Everlasting Father! There is no one like Him; He is God forevermore.

Matthew 28:18 NKJV
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

The angels are messengers, and they are organized in different classes or ranks, namely:

2.1 Cherubim

Cherubim seem to be the highest class of angels. When God expelled Adam and Eve from Paradise, He placed cherubim at the gates to keep them out of the garden and away from the tree of life (refer Gen. 3:24).

We know that there were golden images of cherubim on the mercy seat of the tabernacle. Two cherubim with outstretched wings touching each other were placed on the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant, and the glory of God shone in the midst of their wings (Exodus 25:17‐22).

In Hebrews 9:5 they are called “the cherubim of glory”. Cherubim are associated with the glory (or manifested presence) of God, and their duties seem to be proclaimers of His glory, His sovereignty and His holiness.

Cherubim seem to have the ability to appear in different forms. See Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel 1:1‐28 & 10:4,18‐22.

Psalm 99:1 NKJV
The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved!

2.2 Seraphim

Seraphim means ‘burning ones’. Like the cherubim, the seraphim are also closely related to the presence and glory of God.  In class they seem to be close to the cherubim.

We have a good description of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:1‐7. Please read this passage of Scripture now.

Each of the seraphim had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

The very name of the seraphim speaks of its consuming devotion to God.   They continually proclaim the holiness of God. It is interesting to see in Isaiah 6:2 that they stood above the throne of God, so as to cover. We also learn that they flew, so it is understood that some flew while others stood above God’s throne, while they all cried out to one another “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”

2.3 Living Creatures

Ezekiel 1:5‐21 and Revelation 4:6‐9 speak of living creatures. It is not certain whether they are cherubim; there are some similarities, but also some differences in the description of their appearances, but we see them worshipping God around His throne day and night.

2.4 Special Angels

Only two angels are mentioned by name in the Bible, namely Gabriel and Michael.   In emphasis Michael seems to be the greater, since he seems to be the military leader. Gabriel is the special messenger. Both are archangels.

• Michael. His name means “Who is like God?” (Strongs #4317). We read about him in Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude:9 and Revelation 12:7. We see both Michael and Gabriel in action in Daniel chapters  9 &10 when the Lord sent Gabriel to deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayer, but he was delayed by the Prince of Persia, a ruling demon spirit. Michael came to his aid in Daniel 10:13.
• Gabriel. His name means “Man of God” (Strongs #1403). He delivered God’s messages to Daniel, to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the mother of Jesus. We read about him in Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19 and Luke 1:26.

Different kinds of angels are mentioned in the Bible, especially the book of Revelation. Angels are God’s messengers, sent to serve those who inherit salvation:

Psalm 103:20 NKJV
Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word.

Psalm 104:4 NKJV 
Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.

Hebrews1:14 NKJV
Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

3. THE ORIGIN OF SATAN

Read Isaiah 14:3‐21 and Ezekiel 28:1‐19

Satan is a created being, which means he is not everlasting and he is subject to the Creator of all things. The creature cannot rise above the Creator.

Lucifer, or Satan, was created as a cherubim, an angel of the highest class. He seems to have had the special duty of leading the angels in worship, since he was made with musical instruments built into his being.

Ezekiel 28:13,14 NKJV 
You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz and diamond, beryl, onyx and jasper, sapphire turquoise and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.   You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God, you walked back and forth in the midst of the fiery stones. 

Music is important to God. It was invented by God and was and still is used by God, but Satan has perverted it and now misuses it for his own purposes as well!

Open your Bible at Ezekiel 28:1‐10 where we read a prophetic word addressed to the prince of Tyre. This arrogant man said of himself: “…I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the midst of the seas”, but God said: “Yet you are a man, and not a god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god” (v. 2). This person was an ordinary man who exalted himself as a god because he was rich and powerful, but God called him a man; a human being, just as everybody else on the earth.

In verses 11‐19 the prophet Ezekiel prophesies to the king of Tyre, who was indeed more than a human being.

The powerful, human prince of Tyre was influenced by the king of Tyre, a created spiritual being who previously stood in the presence of God. Lucifer (meaning “The morning star”) was created by God to stand in His glorious presence ‐ the most beautiful of God’s creation. In this passage he is described in detail: perfect and beautiful, adorned with every precious stone he was anointed to a prominent position amongst the angels around God’s throne in heaven. Ezekiel 28:13 mentions timbrels, pipes and stringed instruments (musical instruments of praise) which were built into his being. Because he had such outstanding beauty, pride filled his heart and he was cast out of heaven. In Luke 10:18 Jesus says: “I beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven”. There was a day when God expelled Lucifer from heaven and sent him down to the earth (Isa. 14:12), and he came to dwell here and continued his opposition to God from down here on the earth.

In Isaiah 14:4‐23 Satan is addressed as the king of Babylon, pompous and proud, with great authority over the kings and cities of the earth.   Pride is dangerous, especially since it caused such a perfect being that walked in the presence of God to sin and be cast out. Note his declarations in verse 13:

• I will ascend into heaven …
• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God …
• I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north…
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds …
• I will be like the most High.

His desire is to dwell in God’s city:

Psalm 48:1,2 NKJV 
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 

Satan wanted to sit on the seat of authority, God’s throne, to rule over the earth; it’s his heart’s desire and he will do anything to achieve this goal. Everything he does in the world and in people’s lives is motivated by his hunger for power and authority. Authority given by God is a blessing to all, but illegitimate authority destroys. That is why we need to pray for people in authority ‐ the devil wants to use their position to further his dirty goals, and it goes for all positions of authority, whether in the church or in the world!

John 10:10 NKJV 
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy... 

This is Satan’s nature; he is a vicious destroyer of all that is good, of all that is pleasant and all God’s plans and purposes for His children.

In the book of Revelation more can be seen of Satan’s fall from heaven. Chapter 12:7‐9 describes the battle between Satan and his followers, one third of the angels in heaven who followed him in his rebellion, and the armies of God, which resulted in their expulsion from heaven. Before his fall his name was Lucifer (light) but after his fall his name became Satan (opponent, the accuser).

Satan is a created being, created by God to fulfil certain duties in heaven, in which he failed when he allowed sin into his life.

4. SATAN’S REBELLION AND FALL FROM HEAVEN

War broke out in heaven as his rebellion had to be stopped; Michael the archangel and his armies waged war against Satan and his fallen angels.

Revelation 12:7‐9 NKJV 
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Luke 10:18 NKJV 
And He said to them: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” 

The fallen angels are demons who stand in Satan’s service.

5. SATAN’S KINGDOM IS ORGANIZED

Just as it is in heaven, we find different ranks of evil spirits under Satan’s command.

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV 
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

The verse above tells us that there are four kinds of evil spirits, namely principalities, powers, rulers and then the lowest ranks of hosts of wickedness.

According to II Corinthians 12:2 we understand that there are three heavens. We think of the atmospheric heaven, the heavens above the earth’s atmosphere and the heavens beyond that ‐ the third heaven, the dwelling place of God (II Cor. 12:1,2).

Since Satan was cast down to earth where his domain of rule now is, we understand that the ‘heavenly places’ is the atmospheric heavens. We don’t want to speculate on the difference between the various ranks of demons here, but it is clear that some evil spirits have powers and abilities to rule ‐ over countries, cities, people and lower ranking demons.   Jesus told us that a house divided against itself will fall, speaking of demons working against demons, so we do understand that there is unity amongst rank and file in the kingdom of darkness, and that higher ranking demons rule over the lower ranks to instruct and assist them in their dirty work.

Luke 11:17‐18 NKJV 
But He (Jesus) knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?...” 

6. SOME TRUTHS ABOUT SATAN

• He is a real person (Job 1:6‐12)
• He obeys God’s commands (Job 2:1‐7)
• He goes around seeking whom he may devour (I Pet. 5:8)
• He can be resisted (I Pet. 5:9)
• He is the ‘accuser of the brethren’ (Rev. 12:10)

7. SOME OF SATAN’S NAMES

• The devil (Matt. 4:1)
• The tempter (Matt. 4:3)
• Beelzebub ‐ the ruler of demons (Matt. 12:24)
• The wicked one (Matt. 13:19)
• The enemy (Matt. 13:25)
• Murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44)
• The ruler of this world (John 12:31)
• The god of this world (II Cor. 4:4)
• Belial (II Cor. 6:15)
• Prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2)
• The serpent (Rev. 12:9)
• The dragon (Rev. 20:2)

8. DEMONS

• Are personalities (Mark 5:9)
• Are intelligent (Matt. 8:29)
• Resist surrender (Mark 5:7)
• May occupy alone or in companies (Mark 5:9, Matt. 12:43‐45)
• Recognized God’s authority (Luke 8:28,29; Acts 16:16‐18)
• Inflict sickness and various deformities (Luke 13:11; Matt. 12:22)
• Are powerful (Acts 19:13‐16)
• Have evil wisdom (James 3:14‐16)
• Hinder prayer (Dan. 10:12,13)
• Pervert the straight ways of the Lord (Acts 13:8‐10)
• Deceive believers (II Pet. 2:1‐3)
• Cause unnatural affection (Rom. 1:24‐32)
• Teach false doctrines (I Tim. 4:1)
• Tell ‘fortunes’ (Acts 16:16)
• Imitate the departed dead ‐ familiar spirits (Isa. 8:19)
• Hinder God’s people and work (I Thess. 2:18)

Demons will do anything to bring people into bondage, hinder the work of God and deceive and tempt both believers and unbelievers alike.

Demons are bodiless beings who desire to occupy human bodies to do their work. They need human capabilities such as voice, hands, feet, etc., therefore they are always looking for a house to dwell in.

Matthew 12:43‐45 NKJV 
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.   Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first...” 

It has been our experience that people are “home” to a demon spirit often ‐ not always ‐ have more than one. When you begin to cast them out in the name of the Lord, the lowest ranking one will leave first, to leave the impression that the person is free. This is where the gift of discerning of spirits usually operates to show us how many of them still have to go. You will know when you are in that situation!

9. SATAN’S PRESENT AGENDA

The devil has an extensive strategy in place with tentacles that reach far and wide across all spectra of life. He is the god of this world, and he has great power and authority in world affairs. The whole world is in his grip; many of the world powers are under his control and further his aims on the earth. The way is being cleared for the anti‐Christ to make his appearance. His work is subtle and his programs pretend to bring good to mankind, but in reality, he is shaping the minds of men and women to receive his plans without resistance.

Step by step we are being conditioned to drop our resistance to his ways. What used to be sin is not only considered acceptable today, but “right”. Practices that used to be illegal and immoral are now a right protected by government (abortions, etc…). Many sinful practices which God has outlawed, such as deviant sexual practices, are now defended as “human rights”. The laws of the Bible are now regarded with suspicion and branded as ‘fanatic’ and ‘dangerous’.

Dangerous religions which have openly killed countless people in the name of their beliefs, in various places in the world and over many centuries, are being courted and accommodated, while Christianity is being brought under suspicion. In some cases, even so‐called “Christians” revert to violence, such as in North Ireland, to complicate matters and cast a shadow over the true faith of the Bible.

Religious spirits infiltrate the church in order to undermine sound doctrine, in line with Satan’s agenda. The moderator of a mainline church in Canada recently declared on public radio that Jesus was not raised from the dead and that He was not born of a virgin. Homosexuals are being ordained as ministers of the gospel. Diabolic practices ranging from pagan rites, such as Halloween, to “New Age” occultism are introduced into the church and practiced there. Congregants are being desensitized on a variety of issues to neutralize the church and its resistance to the works of the evil one.

Satanism and witchcraft are openly practiced and even brought on television programs, often to attract children. Think of Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings ‐ movies that are so popular these days.

9.1 He Opposes God

Satan has not given up his declared desire to be as God and to overthrow His rule. All his plans lead to this one goal, namely to rule the universe as god. He is everything opposite from God:

• God is light; he is darkness
• God is love; he is hatred
• God gives life; he came to destroy
• God creates; he perverts
• God brings together; he tears apart, scatters and divides
• God is truth, he is a liar and the father thereof
• God forgives; he accuses
• God is the giver of good gifts; he steals and destroys
• God made all things for His glory; he perverted every good thing God gave us. Think of money, music, marriage, sex, etc.

9.2 He Opposes God’s Program

1. BY COUNTERFEITTING GOD’S TRUTHS.

Satan is the author of good counterfeits that look just like the truth, and deceives many away from God. The acute lack of discernment in many Christians today makes them extremely vulnerable to deception and susceptible to false doctrines. He knows how to take advantage of the ignorance of people to steer them his way without them even knowing about it.

The many false religions are evidence of his program. Sincere but ignorant people are drawn into bondage by belief‐systems that require their loyalty and total dedication which often makes it impossible for them to receive the truth.

Even in Christian churches we have many false teachers and ministers who deny the power of the gospel openly, yet they are able to influence many well‐meaning people.

I Timothy 4:1‐3 NKJV 
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 

II Timothy 4:3,4 NKJV 
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

2. BY REBELLING AGAINST GOD.

Satan sowed rebellion in the heart of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden when he tempted them to disobey God. This was an outright rebellion against God. He tried to do the same with Jesus when he tempted Him in the wilderness. Throughout all of his activities in the lives of people and the church, he shows himself to be a rebel. He is openly anti‐God and everything that comes from His mouth. At the end of time, he will empower the Anti‐Christ who will sit in the temple as god.

3. BY DECIEVING THE NATIONS.

In more and more nations of the world the true church is outlawed while counterfeits and false religions enjoy freedom and support. Even in Europe, evangelical and Pentecostal churches are outlawed or placed under suspicion, and many have been closed by the state.

4. BY BLINDING THE EYS OF THE UNSAVED TO PREVENT THEM FROM SEEING THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL (II COR 4:4).

5. BY OPPOSING CHRISTIANS WHO DESIRE TO FURTHER THE AIMS OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

Satan is constantly waging a spiritual war against Christians. This takes on many forms, he discourages, tempts, resists, attacks with all kinds of problems such as sickness, financial failure, marital problems and problems with other relationships (children, family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc…).  Let’s look at a few things we need to guard against:

• Ephesians 6:10‐18 tells us that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare against the devil. Demonic influence flows from the heavenlies to resist Christians and to slow them down or stop them in their walk with God.
• The devil is a slanderer, and he often works on sensitive consciences not standing firm in God’s grace. He attacks them in their weaknesses and highlights the weaknesses of other Christians in order to discourage them.
• He sows doubt in the hearts of Christians, so that they will doubt the love and goodness of God towards them. He plants questions in their hearts about the integrity of the truth of the Word and God’s intentions for them.
• He tempts Christians to sin. He knows how to desensitise Christians so that they will yield to sin and see it as a mere weakness.
  • Lies (including “white” lies)
  • Sexual sins of all kinds, some of which have become the norm today and are considered “acceptable” by many Christians.
  • The world’s value system of materialism, the desires of mammon.
  • Pride ‐ often of false humility, spiritual progress and denominational pride that divides the body of Christ on the earth, weakening the voice and power of the church. Pride may come from good things!
• He discourages Christians through all kinds of difficulties.
• He brings persecution ‐ at school, at work, from other religions and even the government in some places.
• He Infiltrates the church, attempting to weaken it through sin, false doctrines, demonic activity, weak leadership, pressure groups, selfish ambitions, divisions, rebellion, religion, materialism, etc…

All of the above are often the work of demons. While the flesh is often behind many of these things, the devil will take advantage of a door left open for him. We should not look for a demon behind every door and become demon‐conscious, as so many Christians are; they are more conscious of the devil than of God!

Demons do go to church.   They look for weaknesses that create an opening for them to get a foot in the door. A church that gives room to the devil will be a weak church.

10. DEMONS DESIRE TO OCCUPY LIVING BODIES

In the Bible we find three ways in which demons can indwell living bodies.

10.1 Animals may be Possesses by Demons.

We have the account of the demons that entered the pigs at Gadara, which then committed suicide. They first possessed the man who lived in the graves, and then asked to enter the pigs. While they lived in the man, he cut and bruised himself, and then they caused the pigs to drown themselves in the sea. It was obviously a legion of demons under control of a suicidal spirit.

Animals can be demon possessed, leading to unnatural or dangerous behavior.

10.2 Parts of a Human Body may be Under Control of a Demon.

An example of this is the mute man in Matthew 9:32. After Jesus cast the demon out, the man could speak again. His vocal organs were obviously under control of a demon.

10.3 Demons may Make Their Home in a Human Body.

When a demon makes its home in a human body, it uses that body to manifest its nature through it. Think of demons of lust, lies, theft, murder, violence, deafness, blindness, and other health problems, etc… Often people cannot get healed because their sickness is caused by demonic oppression, not by biological disorders ‐ every evil thing.

• We read in Jude: 9 that the devil contended with Michael over the body of Moses. We do not know exactly what happened there, but it seems like the devil tried to get into the dead body of Moses ‐ obviously to speak through it to deceive the people of Israel.
• In Acts 16:16‐18 we read of the slave girl who had a spirit of divination. The demon operated through her through fortune telling. She followed Paul and his company and “prophesied” that they were servants of God. Although she was right about that, she did it through an evil spirit ‐ demons know what is going on in the spiritual world.
• Acts 19:13‐16 tells the story of the seven sons of Sceva, exorcists, who tried to cast out demons from a man “in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches”. Of course, they were not in Christ themselves and the demons knew that, so they overpowered them (through a manifestation of their power in the man) and sent them running away naked and wounded.

11. THREE FORMS OF DEMONIC ATTACKS

We find three escalating ways in which a demon can attack a person.

11.1 Depression

Depression is an outside force depressing the spirits of men. The devil knows that if he can depress a person’s spirit, he will be able to hinder their walk with God and the fulfilling of their creative purpose. Depressed people do not turn to the Lord, but seem to isolate themselves from Him and other believers who may be able to help them. We see such a spirit in operation in the life of king Saul:

I Samuel 16:14,23 AMP 
But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented and troubled him...And when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took a lyre and played it; so Saul was refreshed and became well, and the evil spirit left him.

Of course, we know the Lord has no distressing spirits, but He allowed one to trouble Saul because of his disobedience and pride. The spirit was not in him ‐ he was not demon possessed ‐ but it troubled him.

This is what may happen when we disobey the Lord and expose ourselves or yield to sinful practices.

Romans 1:24 NKJV 
Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. 

Satan knows that if he can keep a person in a state of depression, he will be able to break his resistance and take further control of him.

It is interesting to note that the distressing spirit left Saul when David played on his harp. He obviously played some of his Psalms and worshipped the Lord through his music. Worshipful music has always been a strong force against the enemy‐ he cannot stand the worship flowing from a believer’s heart unto the Lord. The Bible says God will draw near to us when we draw near to Him (James 4:8)! And when God is close to us, the evil spirits will be far from us!

11.2 Opression

Oppression is “the act of subjugating by cruelty”, or “kept down by unjust use of force or authority.”

Oppression is much more than being depressed. It is an exercise of oppression by authority. The Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians and made to serve them against their will. They were turned into slaves to serve them and do their will.

Satan turns people into slaves and make them do things against their will by oppressing them. People become slaves of the devil when evil spirits oppress them. People often become slaves of all kinds of bad habits and lifestyles. They do those things against their will and even hate what they do, but find it very hard to break free because of the oppression. See what the Bible says about Satan:

Isaiah 14:17 NKJV
Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?

The devil loves to take people captive and keep them there for eternity. But he does not have the final say. God provided a Savior!

Isaiah 61:1NKJV 
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound 

Jesus confirmed this to be His calling in Luke 4:18. He was anointed by God to do it!

Peter looks back at the ministry of Jesus on the earth when he speaks at the household of Cornelius, and declares:

Acts 10:38 NKJV 
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.”  

Jesus opens the prison doors!

Oppression comes in different forms. We will look at a few of them:

1. SICKNESS

Peter said He healed all who were oppressed by the devil. Sickness can be an oppression by the devil. In Luke 13 we read of the woman who was bent over for eighteen years, and how Jesus healed her by saying “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” The ruler of the synagogue was very upset about it because it happened on a Sabbath, but Jesus answered:

Luke 13:16 NKJV 
“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound ‐ think of it ‐ for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 

Satan had used an infirmity to bind this woman and rob her for eighteen years, but Jesus set her free.

2. HABITS

Demon oppression may include any habit that a person has difficulty in breaking. All habits are hard to break, and the devil may take advantage of a bad habit to gain a stronghold in a person’s life.

Demon oppression is a serious attack by the devil through the influence of some kind of demon. Continuous yielding to these influences is opening a door to the devil. We ought to resist the influences that demons try to exert on us through the desires of the flesh and mind, not yield to it.

Any demon power can be broken through prayer and fasting, the laying on of hands or rebuking the demons in the name of Jesus (when hands are laid on someone who is oppressed by the devil, it is often revealed either through the gift of discerning of spirits, revelation or when it manifests itself). Demons often manifest during a service where the anointing is particularly strong.

Demons can depress or oppress a person by taking control of his body, a part of his body, or his mind. Sickness or handicap of a part of the body (e.g. some blindness, deafness, seizures, cancers, etc.) can be caused by demonic activity. Some people have problems in their minds, such as compulsive thoughts, inability to grasp certain things or to process certain things in their minds.

We get into trouble with demons when we allow them in through our minds; mainly by what we see and what we hear, but of course also the other senses: taste, feel and smell.

Demons can be cast out in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ if the person is willing; if they’re not willing to let go of demons, there is nothing you can do.

After a demon or demons were cast out of a person, they can return. If the place they left is not taken up by the Holy Spirit, they will certainly try to come back (Matt. 12:43‐45). People need to fill themselves with the Word of God and become strong in order to be able to resist the devil if they want to stay free.

Demons find open doors to people’s lives through weaknesses, sin, bad habits, keeping company with bad people, hurts and offenses (things that others did to them), unforgiveness, fear, hatred, playing

with mediums and people who claim to be clairvoyant, fortune tellers, music, etc… We need to guard our weaknesses and keep the door closed.

11.3 Possession

Possession is ownership. To be demon possessed is to be taken over by the devil, spirit, soul and body. The man at Gadara was possessed by a demon (Mark 5).

Today people who are possessed by demons are diagnosed as having a mental illness and kept in institutions, but in fact most of them are demon possessed. They are a danger to themselves and society. Continuous exposure or yielding to demonic activity may lead to demonic depression, escalating to demonic oppression and eventually total possession.

There are degrees of demon possession just as we are filled by the Holy Spirit in degrees. Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34), the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily (Col. 2:9), but we only have a measure of Him.

12. FAMILIAR SPIRITS

We need to say something about familiar spirits. Some people claim to be able to speak to the dead or call up the spirit of the deceased. I even know of a situation where a girl had the spirit of her dead cat called up. The interesting thing is that a cat has no spirit ‐ animals have souls but no spirits. That girl opened up to a demon that terrorized her and even spoke through her in a man’s voice.

Leviticus 19:31 NKJV
Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 20:6 NKJV 
And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people. 

Isaiah 8:19 NKJV 
And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead-on behalf of the living? 

13. THE NATURE OF DEMONS

Demons have natures, which they wish to express through a human being. Those who cause sickness will express that sickness in a human body and so bring that person in bondage, rob them of their quality of life and eventually, if possible, of life itself.

• There are lying spirits who influence people to lie.
• There are thieving spirits who cause people to steal (think of kleptomania).
• Unclean spirits cause people to fall into unclean habits.
• Violent spirits will cause people to become violent.
• Religious spirits bind people by religious means (worship of saints, religious artifacts, icons, religious music, etc.  This is, of course, things that are religious but not truth).
• We also find spirits of jealousy, hatred, heresies, envy, etc…

We must understand, however, that not all sinful practices or affections are demon‐inspired. We have a long list of sins in Galatians 5:19‐21 that are attributed to works of the flesh, not demons. The flesh can never be trusted! Of course, if we allow the flesh to have its way freely in these things, we may attract the attention of demons and present them with an open door to our lives.

14. OCCULT PRACTICES

The devil has a very wide array of means to lure people into his web. These include witchcraft, magic, divination, astrology, necromancy, spiritism, telepathy and other occult practices. He knows what appeals to people and how to take advantage of it.

This is a study on its own, and a field that grows continuously so that it is impossible to give a complete list of things that can be classified under this heading. Everything that claims to be out of the natural that is not of God, is of the devil. Some do not know the difference between the works of God and that of the devil.

Deuteronomy 18:10‐11 NKJV 
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 

The “New Age” movement is deep into these things and practices many different forms of contacts with demons. Some of these forms even have similarities with the Christian faith, and the ignorant are drawn into it believing they are serving the Lord our God.

We list some of those practices here:

• Palm reading
• Tea leaf reading
• Interpreting dreams/omens
• Different kinds of healing other than medical or Divine where supernatural power is involved
• Telepathy – transferring or reading thoughts from one mind to another (ESP)
• Crystal ball gazing
• Ouija boards
• Divining rods/pendulums
• Psychic activities
• Astrology – (Isa. 47:13‐14)
• Necromancy ‐ consulting the dead
• Spiritists ‐ those who claim to talk to the dead or see forms of the dead
• Card reading
• Horoscopes
• Fortune telling
• Clairvoyance ‐ ability to see things that are not natural
• Premonitions

15. POWER OVER THE DEVIL AND DEMONS

15.1 The Authority of the Believer

Luke 10:19 NKJV 
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” 

Mark 16:17 NKJV 
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons...” 

Jesus gave us this power, and it has never changed. Every believer has the power and authority to cast out demons in the name of Jesus! The command was not given to ministers, but to believers!

The devil has no power above the power of God. All things were put under the feet of Jesus (Eph. 1:21‐ 23). When we command him in the name of Jesus, we speak with the authority of Jesus and he has to go ‐ he has no option but to obey and leave.

15.2 Our Weapons

We have powerful, infallible weapons against the enemy, namely: the blood of Jesus, the Name of Jesus, the Word of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. These things, whether used collectively or separately are always effective in the casting out of demons.

• The Blood of Jesus is God’s final answer to the devil and his works. There is power in His blood! Demons flee when the blood of Jesus is mentioned, whether in a song, in a sermon or in direct command to them. The blood of Jesus is a frightening reminder of their defeat Jesus inflicted on them when He went down to hell to pay the penalty for our sins.

Revelation 12:11 NKJV 
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 

• The name of Jesus bears all the authority in heaven and earth, and the devil knows it. Now we need to know it too, and act upon it!
• The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Jesus used it when the devil tempted Him in the desert, and he fled from Him (Matt. 4). The Word of God is the truth that sets us free. When we speak the Word to Satan or his minions, they must obey because it is not our Word but God’s, and it has the same power on our lips as it had when He spoke it!
• The anointing of the Holy Spirit is God’s power abiding in and upon the believer. It is able to break yokes, lift burdens and destroy the works of the devil (Acts 10:38).

No believer has to fear the devil ‐ he fears us! He obeyed the disciples and apostles, and he obeys us when we come against him in the name of Jesus and His authority.

Luke 10:20 NKJV 
“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dickason, C. F. (n.d.). Angels Elect and Evil.

Hagin, K. (n.d.). Satan,Demons and Demon Posession.

Nelson, T. (1982). The New King James Version Bible. Thomas Nelson.

Thom, D. (n.d.). Demons and Witchcraft.