Christians can be in bondage
As Christians, the devil will still try and get to us through our mind, will, and emotions, although we belong to the Lord. It is true that Christians cannot be possessed by evil spirits, but Christians can and do become oppressed by evil spirits. Possession and oppression are two different things, but both are directed or influenced by evil spirits. Many Christians have a false sense of security when they think that because they are saved they are safe from the influence of the devil and his evil seducing spirits. Make no mistake, there is absolutely no power greater than the Lord’s; but all people do have a will, including Christians. By following our own will, our choices can invite evil strongholds to enter, or remain, in our lives even after salvation. When I refer to an evil stronghold I mean giving in to repeated temptations to sin, including temptations that appear to go away for long lengths of time, even years, and then reoccur again. These strongholds, many times, are the same strongholds our ancestors had.
Since evil spirits cannot dwell at the same time with the Holy Spirit, there has been much debate over whether an evil spirit can actually oppress a Christian. However, when a Christian is being tormented by evil spirits they need to be set free from their evil oppressors, regardless of what other Christians believe or are telling them. The truth is that the devil is tormenting many Christians and they need help – which is the purpose for this teaching. My document is not written for the purpose of debate, but for Spiritual freedom. This document is for believers. The Bible says if we believe God can set us free. Mark 9:23-24: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:25: When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. The child in this scripture was possessed (controlled) by an evil spirit (a dumb and deaf spirit), and just as the father of this child cried out in desperation, I pray that God’s people are desperate enough to cry out in these last days for help not only for themselves but for others. We must believe that God can set us and our family free. Regardless of whether a person calls it oppression or possession, there is freedom through Christ! Just as the father of this child asked for freedom for his child, we too must ask God to help us overcome any unbelief that we might have of seeing our self or our family free from bondage. When any person (yes even a Christian) desires freedom, the real issue should not be whether we believe they are oppressed or possessed – but the real issue should be are we ready to tell them there can be true freedom in their life through Jesus Christ!
A born again Christian is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. I Corinthians 6:19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? II Corinthians 6:16: And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The Bible says that when we are born again, or saved, we are born of the Spirit. John 3:3-6: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. These verses show us that when we are born again, God’s Spirit, His Holy Spirit, dwells in our spirit man. However, this does not mean that Satan cannot affect a Christian. There are certain areas in a Christian’s life that Satan and his evil spirits can still affect or strongly influence, even to the point of oppression, and these areas are our ‘soul’ and our ‘flesh’. The Hebrew word for ‘soul’ in the Old Testament is “nephesh, neh’-fesh; …sense… appetite… breath… desire… greedy… heart… life… lust… mind… pleasure… will”. The Greek word for ‘soul’ in the New Testament is “psuche, psoo-khay’; …breath… heart… life… mind”. The Greek terms “exactly correspond respectively” to the Hebrew. Notice that ‘lust’ is listed under the ‘soul’. Lust does not only affect our flesh as some Christians believe and teach. Lust can, and does, affect a person’s soul – even a Christian – and Satan uses this lust to war against our soul and entice us to sin. I Peter 2:11: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. In any Christian’s life there is a daily tug of war between our flesh and our spirit man, with our soul being in the middle. Our soul is in the middle of this tug of war because it is our soul that contains our will and our other emotions. Even after salvation our flesh (under inspiration from Satan) attempts to drag our soul in a bad direction; and our spirit man (being led by the Holy Spirit) gently leads our soul to follow after the Holy Spirit’s good direction. As Christians we know that God has already won this tug of war! But, it is our decision to follow after Him daily and walk in His victory in our own life. God is not going to force us to follow after His Holy Spirit’s leading – it is our own choice! If we choose to repeatedly follow after our flesh we will eventually drag our soul and ultimately our spirit man away from God. We must, in our daily life, choose to walk after the Holy Spirit’s gentle leading – and not walk after the ways of our flesh and our emotions. Matthew 26:41 says… “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
As born again Christians we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and Satan cannot cross that bloodline. However, Satan can entice a Christian to cross the bloodline! James 1:14-16: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Any Christian who thinks Satan cannot affect or entice them is already being affected! Believing this just makes Satan’s job easier! It is easy for Satan to entice any Christian that refuses to believe they can be enticed. Or, who does not realize that Satan is at the root of all enticement. II Corinthians 2:11: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Being a Christian should not make us put our guard down; just the opposite. Satan is warring against our soul! We are in a spiritual battle! I Peter 2:11: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. This scriptural warning is for Christians! I Timothy 6:11: But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Important: See my list of suggested "things to remove from our homes and churches" – you’ll also find prayers that will help you in that document!
As Christians, the devil will still try and get to us through our mind, will, and emotions, although we belong to the Lord. It is true that Christians cannot be possessed by evil spirits, but Christians can and do become oppressed by evil spirits. Possession and oppression are two different things, but both are directed or influenced by evil spirits. Many Christians have a false sense of security when they think that because they are saved they are safe from the influence of the devil and his evil seducing spirits. Make no mistake, there is absolutely no power greater than the Lord’s; but all people do have a will, including Christians. By following our own will, our choices can invite evil strongholds to enter, or remain, in our lives even after salvation. When I refer to an evil stronghold I mean giving in to repeated temptations to sin, including temptations that appear to go away for long lengths of time, even years, and then reoccur again. These strongholds, many times, are the same strongholds our ancestors had.
Since evil spirits cannot dwell at the same time with the Holy Spirit, there has been much debate over whether an evil spirit can actually oppress a Christian. However, when a Christian is being tormented by evil spirits they need to be set free from their evil oppressors, regardless of what other Christians believe or are telling them. The truth is that the devil is tormenting many Christians and they need help – which is the purpose for this teaching. My document is not written for the purpose of debate, but for Spiritual freedom. This document is for believers. The Bible says if we believe God can set us free. Mark 9:23-24: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:25: When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. The child in this scripture was possessed (controlled) by an evil spirit (a dumb and deaf spirit), and just as the father of this child cried out in desperation, I pray that God’s people are desperate enough to cry out in these last days for help not only for themselves but for others. We must believe that God can set us and our family free. Regardless of whether a person calls it oppression or possession, there is freedom through Christ! Just as the father of this child asked for freedom for his child, we too must ask God to help us overcome any unbelief that we might have of seeing our self or our family free from bondage. When any person (yes even a Christian) desires freedom, the real issue should not be whether we believe they are oppressed or possessed – but the real issue should be are we ready to tell them there can be true freedom in their life through Jesus Christ!
A born again Christian is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. I Corinthians 6:19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? II Corinthians 6:16: And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The Bible says that when we are born again, or saved, we are born of the Spirit. John 3:3-6: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. These verses show us that when we are born again, God’s Spirit, His Holy Spirit, dwells in our spirit man. However, this does not mean that Satan cannot affect a Christian. There are certain areas in a Christian’s life that Satan and his evil spirits can still affect or strongly influence, even to the point of oppression, and these areas are our ‘soul’ and our ‘flesh’. The Hebrew word for ‘soul’ in the Old Testament is “nephesh, neh’-fesh; …sense… appetite… breath… desire… greedy… heart… life… lust… mind… pleasure… will”. The Greek word for ‘soul’ in the New Testament is “psuche, psoo-khay’; …breath… heart… life… mind”. The Greek terms “exactly correspond respectively” to the Hebrew. Notice that ‘lust’ is listed under the ‘soul’. Lust does not only affect our flesh as some Christians believe and teach. Lust can, and does, affect a person’s soul – even a Christian – and Satan uses this lust to war against our soul and entice us to sin. I Peter 2:11: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. In any Christian’s life there is a daily tug of war between our flesh and our spirit man, with our soul being in the middle. Our soul is in the middle of this tug of war because it is our soul that contains our will and our other emotions. Even after salvation our flesh (under inspiration from Satan) attempts to drag our soul in a bad direction; and our spirit man (being led by the Holy Spirit) gently leads our soul to follow after the Holy Spirit’s good direction. As Christians we know that God has already won this tug of war! But, it is our decision to follow after Him daily and walk in His victory in our own life. God is not going to force us to follow after His Holy Spirit’s leading – it is our own choice! If we choose to repeatedly follow after our flesh we will eventually drag our soul and ultimately our spirit man away from God. We must, in our daily life, choose to walk after the Holy Spirit’s gentle leading – and not walk after the ways of our flesh and our emotions. Matthew 26:41 says… “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
As born again Christians we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and Satan cannot cross that bloodline. However, Satan can entice a Christian to cross the bloodline! James 1:14-16: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Any Christian who thinks Satan cannot affect or entice them is already being affected! Believing this just makes Satan’s job easier! It is easy for Satan to entice any Christian that refuses to believe they can be enticed. Or, who does not realize that Satan is at the root of all enticement. II Corinthians 2:11: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Being a Christian should not make us put our guard down; just the opposite. Satan is warring against our soul! We are in a spiritual battle! I Peter 2:11: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. This scriptural warning is for Christians! I Timothy 6:11: But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Important: See my list of suggested "things to remove from our homes and churches" – you’ll also find prayers that will help you in that document!
