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!
Anyone still active on this thread?
I know I had a spirit take control. It was the good and evil battling it out.
I heard the Lord speak to me at one time then I got into astrology and had someone manipulating my mind I also got in to Goss up and I have to keep breaking free of this, and times I had to lie to cover things that were so stupid, but I don’t know which spirit has been attacking me some say probably leviathan, but I just need to know and the prayers I need to say and do I need to fast to get rid of the spirit. I want the Lord in my life and I want the Holy Spirit and I want to know if I’m speaking in tongues correctly have I been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
I want FREEDOM/DELIVERANCE from Sexual Intercourse spirit.
Can anyone tell me where/who to talk to to get help with this?
I’m overwhelmed with everything around me and tired no motivation. Pray for me to be set free my joy restored. In Jesus Name Amen
activate Psalm 91 over our lives, families, and businesses. i pray for you
I’m overwhelmed with everything around me and tired no motivation. i pray for motivation, and focus
Pray for me to be set free my joy restored. In Jesus Name Amen
I have allowed the spirit of control to operate in my relationship with my partner. At first I thought maybe if I showed more love and more attention that things would change. I’m not knew to knowing the different spirits that can operate through people, I just got blinded by my own desires which cause me not to see. I really don’t no any other way to call it what it is but a controlling minupulation and decietful spirit..The relationship is so toxic and I don’t even know how to walk away. There has been physical abuse but now that they see it’s no win in that department they use words and other things to try and control me. So I ask for your prayers.
Adneva Brown
So encouraging
Sir, millions thanks for this. I am one of those who are battling spirit of monitoring, delays, accidents, nightmares, mind confusion, voices esp Muslims festival songs and prayers, people talking bad about me etc. I will really appreciate if you may help with more guidance regarding this. Otherwise, thanks for this first help.
God bless you for saving lives
Paul Loruba
I’ve been restrained held back ,restricted, confined, deprived
Feeling I’ve been controlled forced to do things without any though
Something or someone is has had control over my life and my decisions
I am so tired of the daily routine how am I letting this happen
A sudden change happened, suddenly
I started hearing these voices that I’m hearing today, three years ago
Like person is talking to me
Not by using a phone
Not talking to me face to face or from a distance
Something beyond this physical world
supernatural, spirits
Telepathy extrasensory perception
Communication by some other power
But I feel like I’ve been restricted ever since I was a kid
Like I was controlled but not fully aware that I was
But now I’m seeing things differently
Why I was forced to make decisions about my own life
Why my freedom has been taken away
Distasteful things that I’m getting
Like someone is poisoning me
This controlling spirit has made me
Forced me to make decisions that has changed the whole course of my life
Decisions that
Now what am I suppose to do about that?
Just accept it
The reason I’m having difficulties and where I’m at right now
Powerless
I’ve read in a book “Often times people are bound by witchcraft but don’t know how to be free”
I’ve read books prayers scriptures from the Bible
And discerning spirits
I challenge you to Pray the prayer Lance said out loud over very line you just wrote friend. Read each individual expression/idea you wrote – then the prayer.
That’s 30 prayers
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Taste and see that the Lord is good.