Breaking the Spirit of Death: How Demons Gain Access & How to Stop Them
Excerpted from Deliver Us from Evil.
The Lord has given me a special gift called spiritual discernment, which allows me to recognize a demonic spirit at work in someone’s life.
The way the gift works for me is a little hard to explain, but the easiest way I can describe it is that whatever is demonically bothering someone else will bother me in the same way. For example, if someone is dealing with a spirit of suicide, when I get inside the person’s metron (personal space), I will feel suicidal myself. As soon as I leave his or her metron, the self-destructive urge goes away. I know it sounds a little strange, but the Lord has used me to save many people’s lives with this Holy Spirit gift.
A case in point: One Sunday morning during worship at Bethel Church, I was walking through our congregation, greeting our people and loving on them. I came upon an older couple who’ve been part of our congregation for decades. They are pillars in our church and community. When I reached over to give the wife a hug, I had this overwhelming sense that I wanted to kill myself. Stunned by the experience, I quickly walked away to gather myself. As soon as I did, the “sense” left instantly. So I casually returned to her side to see what would happen, and the urge to take my life promptly returned. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “How are you doing?”
Instead of saying “Fine,” she said, “What do you mean, and why do you ask?”
I decided to take a risk and tell her what I felt. When I did, she burst into tears and blurted out, “For six months, I’ve been plagued with a strong urge to take my life. I’ve never been suicidal before, but it’s so intense!”
I asked her if I could pray and ask the Lord what had opened the door to this attack. She gave me permission, and we both bowed our heads and asked the Holy Spirit to show us how the spirit of suicide had gotten access to her. Immediately, I received a very clear picture in my imagination of a grandchild causing her a ton of pain. So I inquired, “Do you have a grandchild who has caused you a lot of distress?”
“Yes! Yes, I do!” she said.
I probed deeper: “Did your emotional pain ever get so bad that you said to yourself, If this gets any worse, I can just end my life to exit this agony…?”
“Yes, oh my, yes! I made that exact statement to myself.”
“Well, you made a deal with the devil by looking to the spirit of death to comfort you, instead of asking the Lord to send the Comforter to bring you peace,” I explained.
“What do I do now?” she inquired.
“Ask Jesus to forgive you, and then renounce the spirit of death,” I counseled. She agreed, and I led her through a short prayer of repentance. Then we quietly renounced the spirit of suicide. There was no manifestation or drama, but I could sense it lifting off her.
In another service not long afterward, I was waiting for her in the sanctuary, near where she and her husband normally sit. She came right up to me, beaming with joy, and proclaimed, “It’s gone! I’m totally free! Thank you so much!”
Deliver Us from Evil
Kris Vallotton
Points to Ponder
Unfortunately, this story of making deals with the devil and opening doors for an attack is quite common. It’s important to understand that demonic spirits are real, but that they have no authority in the life of a Christian unless that person gives them permission. When we make decrees of death, dabble in lifestyle sin, or entertain bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, self-pity, hatred, etc., we are making deals with the devil!
Scriptural Meditation
Ephesians 4:25-27
“Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, because we are parts of one another. BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Insight
In this passage, the apostle Paul exhorts us not to let our anger linger overnight and gestate into sin such as bitterness, hatred, or unforgiveness. He teaches us that unresolved anger, left overnight, opens the door of opportunity for the devil. So much of what people call the “warfare” that they face is actually due to an open door with a welcome mat. In fact, willful sin is like leaving the porch light on for the prince of darkness!
If you are plagued by suicidal thoughts, don’t panic. Remember, “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The next thing to do is check all the doors of your life and make sure they are closed and locked. Ask the Holy Spirit if you have made any deals with the devil. If you have, then break your agreement, repent of your sin, and call out to God to deliver you. It’s really that simple!
Activation
Storming the Gates
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” (Psalm 100:4).
Write down two things you are thankful for.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Truth Infusion
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Write down something here that the Lord tells you about how He feels about you. Trust that He will tell you something new every day because His love for you is endless.
Meditate
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night…” (Joshua 1:8).
Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any lies the enemy has told you that you have believed are true. Record them here.
Live It
“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22).
Now it’s time to break any agreements you have made with the devil, repent, and call out to God. Feel free to use your own words, but if you’d like some guidance, you can use this prayer:
Father, thank You for showing me where I have made an unholy agreement. In Jesus’ name, I break agreement with the lie that_______________________. I repent and ask You to forgive me for believing this lie. Lord, will You replace this lie with Your truth?
You can’t cower in fear when you stand on truth!
Are you struggling through the fog of fear, anxiety, or depression? Do you feel broken, suffering alone in the shadows?
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