This is an interesting body of information that I encountered years ago from Derek Prince, the Oxford scholar and celebrated deliverance minister.
Derek talked about the difference between works of the flesh and works of the spirit. It is a mistake to think that the soulish realm does not exert a form of psychic energy that has power to influence people. Note that Paul lists “witchcraft” as a work of the flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, WITCHCRAFT…” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Why is “witchcraft” listed as a work of the flesh? The root of witchcraft is the carnal desire to dominate, manipulate, intimidate, and control. It shouldn’t be a surprise that those who operate in a spirit of control are completely convinced of what they believe God wants to do. They do not walk with an awareness of how to judge their own flesh. When they pray, preach, or prophesy, there is an element of manipulation that flows out of them. People are praying, but they’re praying in a manipulative way rather than praying in the Holy Ghost. These works are “soulish” and under the right circumstances they converge with a counterfeit spirit that makes people think it is the Spirit of God! This becomes a very strange influence indeed, called “religious witchcraft.”
- How does this spirit operate? Do you ever wonder what the connection is between Muslim fasting and prayer and the works of Jihad that manifest so intensely during those cycles of time? Or to bring matters closer to home, what happens when you have a number of people that are praying together, joining hands in agreement about what they are convinced God wants to do—but their intention doesn’t at all reflect God’s heart or vision? You can expect that those prayers, thoughts, and agreements go somewhere. I think that these prayers empower demonic attacks that show up in the form of psychic prayers, or you could say, mental bindings. Something comes over you that stifles your freedom and hijacks your joy. Suddenly you have lost all sense of spiritual connection and a whole host of alien thoughts and desires try to take root. When that happens, it might be necessary for you to stop and ask “Where is this coming from?” Realize that everyone has plans for your life—but not everyone truly knows what God wants to do in your life in this season.
- How does this relate to the season we are in? We are living in a time when we must activate Psalm 91 over our lives, families, and businesses. The blessing of God covers ALL of life, not just the parts we view as spiritual. The political division in the nation is evidence that fragmentation is increasing in nations and in culture, but as this occurs, God's people are called to walk in another realm. This is the focus of our 7m Summit in Dallas, September 9-11.
- How can I stay protected? This is one reason why we pray without ceasing. The Bible tells us to “Keep yourself in the love of God” (Jude 1:21). This is possible because of the power of the blood of Jesus. You simply have to declare, “Father, I apply the blood of Jesus now to my mind and to my heart. Show me if there’s anything You need me to deal with, or any forgiveness issues that are in my life. I repent for partnering with a spirit of control, whether consciously or unconsciously. I ask You for Your peace and I ask You for Your empowerment. In Jesus’ name.” Pray and pause. The stronghold you wrestle with could be rooted in the soulish, manipulative prayers of others—but this prayer will break it!
Question: What are some areas of your life that need set free from this manipulation? Conversely, have you allowed this controlling spirit to operate through you? Comment below to join the discussion—and check out 7mSummit.com!
As One!
Lance
P.S. Pray for “discerning of spirits” more than ever before!
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Thank you for this short but very in pack full message. I have struggled with all of these in my life, marriage and family. I want to be totally free this. I trust in you Lord for your guidance and wisdom.
Pray against the Spirit of rebellion, Jesus will help you Brother.
Don’t give up
God bless you
Keep praying Brother, Jesus Christ really help us ! Be blessed Brother
Very good ! Amen !
Very good, thank you.
I did recognized this spirit in the church in the day that I did refused to put up my hands just because the daughter of pastor wanted, he was really angry, anyway, witchcraft is string in the church, manipulation because they are disobedient to the Word of God, anyway now women teach men in the church 1. Timothy 2 teach us different, Freemasons teaching in the Sunday schools classes, the make Halloween party, just a bit different, Valentine’s day, st Patrick day, etc etc etc !! That’s make me vomiting. Not easy to fight against the rebels in the church or others places !!! God bless you, anyway Derek Prince was the best teacher I have had after God,Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. ????
This man I’ve been with for years, we got married then never was together as a couple…for 21 years now. Ive had Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for the last 10 years and he demonstrates a controlling,aggressive,vile spirit constantly. I have my own room but he comes in and cusses me,yells vile things…even spits. He hears my teachings on TV,my Christian music,says its nice then later he’s at it again. Never see he is at fault For Anything,Never will discuss anything to solve it as its me…hasn’t tried to ever kiss me or be near me as a husband for 21 years now. And he doesn’t have that much to do because I push myself to do my own things so he only has a little he has to do. He Always gives me orders and\or will throw a fit real bad. How do I Pray about this?
YES . I WANT TO GET DELIVERED
You nailed it on the head perfectly. I’ve been searching for an answer to my question for about 6 months now. I found a book one day and the title jumped out at me. Itl was “The Gospel according to Spiritism”. I flipped thru it and took what i read out of context and thru the book down and went on my way. But 20 minutes later, all of my focus was on that book. I had to have it. It “dominated” my mind. I went back to pick it up but didn’t read it for a month or so. Once I did, I noticed it was very well written. That book was full of knowledge that I found so enthralling, and I couldn’t put it down…….long story failing to be made short lol…….after reading that book I felt like I had just accumulated such a vast amount of the knowledge of God. But I started noticing that I was looking up videos about “moving things with my mind”……psychic crap. As soon as I saw one person move something, I instantly knew I could do it too. And I could after only a lititle while of focusing hard enough. Then I became interested on how it all worked; if I cold prove it scientifically…..and actually I can. I noticed that I can manipulate things with my mind i.e. water, trees, the weather, even some electronic things. But I began to wonder, if this really was from God? Why would God give me such a curiosity about it so much to where I started looking up verses in the Bible to prove my point. I could………kind of. But I still wasn’t convinced it was from God. The more I kept using my mind to manipulate the weather around me, the more “omens or signs in nature” I would start seeing. Like literally seeing things like Hebrew writing in the sky along with very dark demonic faces in the clouds, or when I was inside during the rain……I would go outside and almost immediately the clouds would open up and the sun would be shining for about 10 square mIles around me but raining everywhere else. I would also get a really ultra high pitched ringing in my ears. Still not convinced it was from God but hoping I just didn’t have it down quite right yet………I still was almost obsessed to find the answer.
(There’s way more to the story actually), but thru talking with a few people i trusted, I began to notice I was strated to get addicted to it. The more I used this power the more I liked it, and the more I wanted. Until I started watching videos on YouTube about the signs of the end times 2019……….literally scared the “hell” out of me……the whole time this was going on tho, the name “Elijah” kept coming to me and wouldn’t leave. I now know why. The spirit of jezebel is at work in the church and wants nothing more than the prophets of the Living God dead. I was born and raised a christian yet I was led astray for a good minute. I thought that spiritism was from God as well. And I need to add this one very important fact…..not one time did the author(s) of that book of lies (“the gospel according to spiritism”) ever acknowledge that Jesus shed His blood on the cross or acknowledge Jesus Christ as theit Lord and Saviour and that He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
Literally……ssssssounds like a ssssssnake……..wrote that book. It was a very cleverly disguised lie. But anything false, no matter how well it tries to imitate the Truth, it will always be…..it will not ever stand against the Voice of Truth which is absolute, and it is the Living Word of God. Quite literally the Word(s) of God is our (s)Word of the Spirit. And even more glory to God because today on my Bible app……the verse of the day was psalms 91:1. I prayed almost the exact prayer you said to pray. And I’ve been able to resist those urges and pray against that garbage. No wonder it was God putting just elijah’s name in my mind that wouldn’t let up….and I’m so thankful.
The only reason that I can see that elijah was able to call down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice and the enemies of God is ONLY because he was obedient to the will of the Father and was submitted to Him 100%…..I think Elijah as well as Elisha didn’t do a thing unless God said so. The bible says “elijah prayed to the Lord for the rain to stop”………notice how the bible didn’t say, “and elijah took it upon himself to stop the rain”? In other words, Thy will be done Lord…….not mine.
He had enough faith to move mountains…..but didn’t unless God told him to do so. Do not ever take your eyes off of Jesus. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight. LITERALLY!
the funny thing is, this article feels manipulative
91 Ps. Is my favorite scripture that my mom give it to me before she passed away and then my dad giving it to me and it shocked me because it was the same scripture that she give them to me I knew it was confirmation that she is watching over me right now with God because I was abused in my marriage for many years I never told anyone not even my parents I hit it from damn only person knew what’s his mother because I confided in her which was the best of friends she did not like what her son did to me she even put him in jail for me and she also told him if you do not want that girl you take her back to her people cuz you are not going to abuse her around me because you have a good wife and she’s so great mother to your children and she loves your children by other women and she takes care of them and she also works three jobs to help you she loves you so much the bottom of her heart you would never find a good wife a woman like her so you better treat her right cuz I love her and you need to love her like you say you do appreciate her take care of your children cuz you look good father so be a good husband to her cuz I raised you right son that’s what she used to tell you all the time. We had been married over 30 some years I thank God but now we are divorced since 2013 he crippled me but I have a forgiving heart I went to Matthew 18 chapter 21-22 verse and it tells you about a forgiving heart if your brother sins against you he falls down 77 times you forgives him guess what I did and I still forgive you and love him too and ask God to forgive you and her that he will I forgive them both and also ask God to give me strength in my body. Courage to keep the faith to move on with my life with him my Lord Savior Jesus Christ because he’s in my head of my life each and every day keeps me and watches over me day and night and cover me which he is blood and I thank you every day and every night when he wakes me up early in the morning to pray for my community and this whole United States and other countries even once in the hospitals nursing homes the shut-ins that cannot get out to go to church and all the pastors evangelist teachers prophetess and bishop and all of his other accommodation and I don’t want to forget his priest God love us all we all belongs to him we all continue to pray for one another I do it every night and every morning and asking God to cover each and every one of us so you do it likewise. And I also asked God the continue to give me his power and keep his Spirit Within Me and also keep me meek and humble like a dove and wise like a serpent and continue to give me his wisdom and understand it and knowledge. please keep me in your prayers and I do likewise I always ask God for favor and I pray for favor over my life and I’m asking you to ask God to bless me with high favor Wherever I Go even in high places because I need it I wouldn’t ask it if I didn’t because I’m still fighting for stuff that I’m going through that I know that God is still working things out in my favor from my divorce and I thank God for the recovering oh my access that he is given to me I claim it in his name Jesus Christ my Lord savior. He said in his word with one or two touch and agree in the midst of it in his name it’s done and I have faith and believe it. That’s out of Matthew the 19th Chapter
When I read this article, in conjunction with the previous article, ‘why can’t we all get along’, I can see that we need discernment as to what we’re dealing with, in any situation.
My issue is, I have felt manipulated by Christian leadership, and I am losing faith in the church of Christ, locally. Because I sense that people want to use me, where I might ‘fit’ best, there doesn’t appear to be any consideration (from the Holy Ghost), as to what God has for me, now.
A case in point: recently, I returned full circle to a church that had split over five years ago. On the surface, it has appeared that I am welcomed back; but already the pastor has preached two messages of expectation toward me (how & where to serve, because I should bow to his wishes?), when he should have talked to me, personally. (I believe he was answering an email from me, stating that I was glad to be there, but that God would have me pray for him and the congregation, for now.)
I question myself, wondering if I’ve heard from God about this, and I believe I have. So, I will get together with him, face to face, and hopefully resolve it. I don’t want to be considered rebellious or that I can’t honor leadership, but this is recurring in a bible study I attend, too. The guy that runs it is playing games (manipulating) with how we all participate in prayer, testimonies and in sharing wisdom. Both of these situations could stem from their past upbringing, and I, myself, could very well be hiding behind a hardened wall that hasn’t been destroyed, yet.
Indeed, keep me in Your love, God!
I have been guilty of this control issue for years. It’s so selfish and unloving. Iam so ashamed. Thank you for these words and prayers. Thank God for His word. Now I know I must also live by this not just talk it.