YOU HAVE DOMINION OVER SATAN AND EVIL SPIRITS (Part 2)
PART 2
Seven steps of Satan’s destructive plan.
Regression, repression, suppression depression, oppression, obsession, possession.
We must know these signs of demon power at work and understand them before we can combat the devil and be victorious. Only then can a fearless servant of God break the bonds and set the person free by the power and authority of God given to us by His Son, Jesus. The first and seemingly minor attack starts with regression.
Level 1 Regression
Regression is the first step of the devil’s attacks. It is a battle against a person’s God given abilities of release and expression. To regress in human personality is to go backward in spiritual force and power. We are created for progress, advancement and understanding toward being holy and a saint of the Lord. When this goes into reverse, it is the first warning that negative powers are evident and at work. Satan is trying to drag you back to who you were before God set you free. Many Christians start out on fire for the Lord when they are first saved. They cannot wait to share their freedom with others. Then the enemy starts speaking lies, doubts and slowly starts putting that fire out.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addresses the need to move forward
Luke 9:61-62 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
If you find yourself doubting God’s love and acceptance, and your joy in fading, take a stand immediately. Command the evil spirits to #1 be bound and gagged so they may no longer speak, #2 leave and never return. You must say this by the authority of Jesus. He is your Lord and has given that authority to you. I talk to demons like bad children. You don’t have to yell, just speak with absolute knowledge that they are doing wrong and must submit to Jesus’ authority and do what you say.
If you do not recognize the attack and let it continue, the forces of Satan can be emboldened to take stronger action. He then adds heavier bonds in hopes of his end goal when the victim is helplessly bound by complete possession.
Level 2 Repression
God desires expression from us. Anyone who represses that function is doing the work of the devil. One who represses is to destroy the natural expression God gave us at birth. A repressed personality takes away the joy and gladness of life. God did not create human lives to be restrained by an abnormal environment. Unfortunately, the second step toward demon possession is often found in churches and religions as men seek to condemn believers who struggle in sin and are learning to be holy. They may have good intentions, but God is in control of our walk and salvation. Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with you. He wants to send His Spirit, the Holy Spirit to live inside you, teach, guide and comfort you. Our job as Christians is to love and walk as a testimony, not condemn. God, through the Holy Spirit, convicts His children to turn from sin. We need to trust God to do his part and pray for those still struggling.
Because of this evil spirit of Condemnation (rooted in pride) some people go to church and never experience the joy of salvation. They walk into the church, sit down and when the meeting is over, they leave. They have done their duty for another week. Many church members go to church as though it were a funeral parlor. If God did manifest himself in any way it would scare them to death. It is the devil that makes people act like this. Satan wants to steal all the joy and happiness from every human.
David faced this from his wife. She got angry because David danced before God when they brought the Ark to Jerusalem. Here is how David responded
2 Samuel 6:21-22 —I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.
David gives us a key to defeating an attack of repression. He stands his ground, saying it is better to celebrate the Lord and be humbled in our own eyes. If we allow the enemy to repress our joy and celebration, he can move into the next level of suppression
Level 3 Suppression
Suppress means to “abnormally crush” as to suppress or destroy information. This information is the good news that God is on our side and we have authority over the forces of evil. Satan is very smart on suppression. It represents another step toward deterioration of emotions, and the destruction of complete personal happiness.
When feelings are not expressed, they are suppressed or held back. Let us realize that the devil causes suppression of the spiritual life. Suppressed people are not energetic about anything, even disinterested in what goes on around them. This is the beginning of a dark spiral that can lead to Level 4 Depression.
We defeat the enemy with the word of God. Focus on what He promises us:
Romans 8:14-15 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
When we submit ourselves to God, we give him control over our lives. We give him our worries, fears and troubles, knowing that He is good, He loves us, and will work things out for us.
Level 4 Depression
It is very sad that a great number of people in America today are so depressed. Depression is a broken spirit, a person who is so pressed down until their spirit is crushed. God does not want anyone depressed and sad. But many men of God in the bible have faced depression. You are not alone in the struggle. The devil takes advantage of people who allow him to suppress their joy and moves in with conflict and confusion and a sense of helplessness. That will destroy their happiness, their home, their business and maybe even their lives through suicide. Depression can reach a point in a person’s life to where they have lost all hope.
This is where people see no need in even trying any longer. This is a big step toward complete satanic control of a person. God does not depress mankind; the devil is the depressor of human life. Paul writes about the difference between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
We can be sorry and sad without feeling condemned and hopeless. When you are convicted by the Holy Spirit to change your life, you will be sorry for your actions, but not depressed or condemned feeling like there is no hope. If you are deep in sorrow and regret, know that God forgives and will strengthen you to overcome the sin in your life. If you feel overwhelmed, cry out to God. Command the enemy to leave and be quiet by the authority of Jesus. Claim you forgiveness and redemption.
Level 5 Oppression
The fifth stage is one through which the devil drags a person down to destroy and possess him. This is oppression.
Acts 10:37-38 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
To oppress someone is to weigh him down with something he is not able to carry. Jesus says he is the good shepherd and we his sheep. Sheep are not animals meant to carry large loads like a mule or donkey. When we worry about things out of our control, we carry burdens not meant for us. And this causes a breakdown in our bodies. Stress is the root cause of many diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and even cancer. It even weakens our immune system allowing us to get sick.
Millions of people are oppressed and suffer from every kind of bug and disease. I believe it is natural to be healthy, and un-natural to be unhealthy. Disease brought on by stress is one of the devil’s tools. But Gods word says Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Jesus tells us this in the Gospel of John.
John 8:43-45 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Satan wants to torment people, he wants to hurt them, he wants to mock and laugh at God while he does it. But Gods people do not have to suffer this terrible fear, anxiety and stress. One of the great blessings of Christianity is a strong mind that is capable of rejecting the unreasonable demand of fear.
To defeat oppression, focus on this verse”
Romans 8:14-15 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Fear is bondage. It creates anxiety and stress that can overwhelm our lives. Bondage is not of God. Fear is an evil spirit and Satan loves to use it against us.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Satan wants to burden you with a feeling that all your trouble and misfortune is punishment from God for some great sin you committed. This is a lie from the father of lies. All of these fall into the category of demonic oppression. Oppression can be overcome by exercising your Christian dominion and authority over the devils’ power. You do this by faith, prayer and action. Ask God to give you divine power in your life to strengthen your inner being. Then take action.
Command the spirit of Fear out of you mind by the authority of Jesus. He is your Lord and you are under His protection.
Level 6 Obsession
A negative obsession always destroys the human personality…totally… Science has even given it a name: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. At this stage of demonic domination, the person hurt by Satan may need to be delivered with the assistance of a strong spirit filled believer. When faced with obsession outside help is often necessary. The reason is that obsession changes the mind. Black becomes white and white becomes black. A straight thing is now crooked and a lie becomes the truth. The loss of perspective causes the person to be out of step with everybody else around him or her. They often don’t realize that their obsessed with some kind of wicked thing.
So, what is obsession? By definition it is an act of an evil spirit in causing a person or impelling him or her to an unreasonable action. It usually has no relationship with reality. Obsession can come through as jealousy, hatred, sin and many other avenues, to invade a human’s personality. An obsessed person eventually has no willpower. He or she has no strength to resist and they become as a slave. Their mind gets on one track and it is impossible to change their thinking.
Only the divine power and the authority of Jesus Christ and the deliverance of the prayer of faith can set them free. Obsession can and will lead to possession. If you need help with an obsession, reach out, we are available to help. You can break free by receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Level 7 Possession
Possession is an area where extreme caution is necessary. The step from obsession to possession is a big step. The devil would like to push every obsessed person fully and finally into his clutches of full possession. Up to this stage a person is not totally demon possessed. A demon possessed person is under total complete jurisdiction and control of the devil. Many people think that you cannot be possessed if you are a believer. You may have the wrong definition of possession.
Possession by the devil means that he controls your actions, your body, not your spirit. When you give your life to Jesus, he seals your spirit with the Holy Spirit, but your body and mind are still free and can be possessed or controlled. Think of it like a football (American) game. You are the ball. When you follow God and obey him, He has passion and you take ground or yardage for Him. When you are possessed by Satan, he controls you and you start taking ground or yards for him and darkness.
When possessed, you have no mind or control of what you do. Satan is not just the master of all that persons thinking and doing. He has full control of that life. Many believers have given into moments of rage and anger. Then they say later, I don’t know what possessed me to do that. Well, I do, it was Satan. He is helpless in the hands of a diabolical monster.
A demon possessed person cannot look directly at Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God that swells in you has authority, or jurisdiction over demons. The demons must submit to God’s authority that is in you when you submit to God.
How does someone become demon possessed? Most often, it is a slow process started in the earlier stages mentioned and we don’t even realize that the Devil is controlling us. Demon possession often begin with the association with others already under the Devil’s control. Sex with a possessed person can let that demon into your life. Participating in idol worship, or communing (talking to spirits) like a Ouija board or Séance can be an invitation to possession. Parents who practice witchcraft and worship Satan can give him authority over their children.
Good NEWS… The power of demons is no match for the power of God. Even the man who had legions of demons possessing him was free to run to Jesus for help in Mark chapter 5:
Mark 5:6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”
Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the demons recognized Him as the Son of God, and begged for mercy. Jesus’ last words to his disciples were giving them the same authority. And not just them, but all who belong to Him.
Matthew 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
The same power in Jesus who set the captives free two thousand years ago can set them free today. Nowhere does the bible tell anyone to be afraid of the devil.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
We have the authority to make him run. When we start playing in his territory by refusing to follow God, we are in danger. So, stay out of the Devil’s territory. Allow God to lead and direct you in all things. When you play with sin, you can cancel the covering of the blood that keeps you safe. It gives permission to Satan to do as he pleases. Do not give in to anger and let it control you.
Ephesians 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.
There are all sorts of demon spirits. There are too many to put into this lesson. Some are jealous spirits, blasphemy, lying spirits, all these evil spirits must be cast out before people can be totally free.
So, what is a Christian? A Christian is a person that has asked God to forgive them for their sins, accepted His son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and believes that he died to redeem you by the shedding of his blood as a sacrifice, was resurrected and is sitting at the right hand of the Father making intersession for you.
John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Know you have authority over demons:
Every Christians right by the blood and the name of Jesus, is to have dominion over Satan and his evil spirits. A Christian is one who exercises dominion, knows how to appropriate the fullness of Gods provision. He lives a victorious life above and beyond fear, superstition and evil curses. He or she is forceful in Christ. They are warriors.
We can learn from Jesus. When Jesus answered Satan during the great temptations, He declared “it is written”. It is written is the way we defeat the devil.
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Man has never fully taken advantage of the true power of faith. God still waits for some heroes of faith to use the divine dominion, or authority that He gave in the Garden of Eden.
Another aspect of dominion is action. God does not give power to the inactive. Jesus said, he that believeth on me, these works that I do shall he or she also do. It is not enough to know Gods will you must do it.
It is time for the followers of Jesus to rise up and take the authority that He gave us with His death and resurrection.
Stay in the word,
Brother Andy
