Overcoming Demonic Harassment II

Saturday 21 March
READ: 1Sam.16:14-16
MORE LESSON: Gal. 5:19-21

We understood from yesterday's devotion that demons are wicked spirits who seek to pervert men's destiny and de-humanize them. Demonic invasion into peoples' lives is usually very subtle, systematic and progressive. In other words, demons don't just jump at people, take hold of their destiny and turn it the way they want. It is important to know that demons, being spirits, are everywhere. Demons are very mobile, and will take possession of anything (animate or inanimate) if they find the environment conducive.

What are some of the things men do that make them vulnerable and susceptible for demons to settle on?
1) Indulgence in unrighteousness: when you give yourself over to doing what you know is not right.
2) Blatant disobedience.
3) All forms of immoral sexual practices.
4) Indulgence in the works of the flesh listed in Gal. 5:19-21.
5) Involvement in cultural and traditional practices that have their foundation in demonism.
6) Friendship with unbelievers and people who have given their lives to serve demons and Satan.
7) Involvements in cults and occult festivals and feasts (1Cor. 10:19-20).

How do you keep demons away from settling on you? To keep dust away or remove dirt from your cloth or body, what do you do? You dust off or clean up by washing with water. In the same manner, demons are dusted off when we pray o attend take part in prayer meetings. They are washed away by the water of the Word when we come under the ministration of God's Word. This is the reason why you must not keep away from fellowship and prayer meeting.

Other preventive measures include:
i. Consistent renewal of your mind and thoughts with the Word of God – Rom. 12:2;
ii. Keep your spirit, soul and body holy- Rom.12:1;
iii. Mind your company- I Cor. 5:9-11;
iv. Regularly plead the Blood of Jesus on your whole being;
v. Keep your spirit constantly busy with the Word of God;
vi. Avoid pornography, unscriptural audio or video movies and occasionally take a fast and ask God to purify you afresh;
vii. Spend time praying in tongues often.

Prayer/Action
* Declare: I shake off every unclean spirit that seeks to attach itself to me, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to purge you of every demonic attachment and spirit.
* Lay hands on your head, ask the spirit of God to come upon you afresh now.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, let my appearance before You at all times be filled with testimonies, in the name of Jesus.

Overcoming Demonic Harassment I

Friday 20 March
READ: Matt.10:1-8
MORE LESSON: Mark 5: 1-8

In order to be free from demonic harassment, we need to understand who demons are and how they operate. Apostle Paul warned that the devil will take advantage of us if we are ignorant of his devices (2Cor.2:11). It is pertinent that believers understand who demons are, and how they operate in and around men's lives.

Demons are spirit beings. You may recall that Apostle Paul said in Eph.6: 12: We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Demons are wicked spirits. Although demons can dwell in anything - animate and inanimate, human beings are their ultimate targets if they are able to gain access. Their goal is to de-humanize the life they control, reduce the life and destiny of such individual to a sub-human being. That is why in scriptures demons are also regarded as unclean spirits. Have you wondered why during prayers of deliverance a human being begins to wriggle and move like a snake, crawl like a cat or bark like a dog? That is a demon whose mission is to reduce the destiny of that life to that of an animal whose characteristics are manifested at deliverance. Demons are wicked and must not be allowed to take over any life.

Jesus gave ample time of His ministry casting out demons:
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them: Matt. 4:23-24.

Jesus also gave His disciples power and authority to cast out demons. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease: Matt. 10:1. As wicked as demons are, they are subject to the believer at the name of Jesus. Therefore, do not fear or beg demons; they are to be cast out. You are ...to cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken: Deut. 6:19.

Prayer/Action
* I take authority over every unclean spirit operating in and around your life today, in Jesus’ name.
* I command every demonic harassment against your life to cease now, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to anoint you for signs and wonders like the apostles in Matt. 10:1.
Take time to pray in tongues today for a minimum of 30minutes .

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Oh Lord, encourage me with a miraculous surprise before this month runs out, in Jesus’ name.

Freedom from Demonic Manipulation IV

Thursday 19 March
READ: Matt.12:22-23
MORE LESSON: 2 Cor. 10:4-6

The Scripture reading today is about this men; one was blind and dumb man and another one who was dumb and demon possessed. Blindness and dumbness are physical infirmities of the body. The section of the brain that is responsible for the co-ordination of speech or sight may have been affected for a man to be dumb or blind. If the problem is not resident in the brain, it may be with the tongue or vocal cord and the eye balls. These are cases the medical experts can explain and attempt to provide remedy for. If they cannot solve their problem, they advise you to live with it all the days of your life. But for the cases in today’s passage, demons were responsible for the dumbness and blindness. When they came before Jesus, He went after the root cause.(Matt.9:33, Luke 11:14).

What lessons do we learn here about demons and physical infirmities? 1) Some of the physical infirmities people carry around and are battling to treat in the hospital are the work of demons. 2) Demons can reside in and manipulate tissues, organs or systems of the body, causing them to manifest symptoms of infirmities. 3)Such infirmities are better treated only when the demons are cast out. Medication alone, as we observed three days ago, will not address the matter. 4) The plan of the devil against you is to waste your meagre resources. So he plants a demon on one organ or system of your body in the name of sickness. Except the demon goes, you will waste all your resources on medication to no avail. This was the situation of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years; she had spent all her living upon physicians, and could be healed by any doctor until she touched the hem of Jesus' garment (Luke 8:43-48).

Friend, take a second thought over the neurological, gynaecological, oncological, and psychological cases you are battling with in the hospital. Could there be a demon at work? While you continue your hospital medication, also seek the intervention of the Lord Jesus- the Great Physician. He is doing a ward round today, and is now by your bed side, right there in your room or hospital bed. You can touch His garment now, and you will be free and made whole. Stretch your faith like the woman with the issue of blood. When it became tough, she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole: Matt.9:21. Those who look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith are never disappointed. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live: Num. 21:8.

Prayer/Action
* LORD Jesus, heal me and I shall be healed, save me now and I shall be saved.
* Make intercession for someone who is sick today and ask God to heal and deliver him/her.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every predetermined destination that the enemy has said will be my last bus stop, I decree by the Holy Ghost, shall be the beginning of a better life for me, in Jesus’ name.

Freedom from Demonic Manipulation III

Wednesday 18 March
READ: Mark 7:24-30
MORE LESSON: Ephesians 6:11-14

Today's Scripture reading is about a Greek woman who demonstrated her faith in the LORD Jesus to get her daughter free from demonic harassment. Although the Scripture did not tell us the nature of this demonic harassment, it is obvious that it was something the mother could no longer put up with. She might have gone everywhere looking for solution but to no avail. So, when she heard about Jesus, she came and fell at His feet. To fall at someone's feet in Jewish culture is an act of worship and prayer. She knew exactly what was troubling her young daughter, ...for she had an unclean spirit (demon). She also knew that the solution to the girl's predicament is for someone with a higher spiritual authority to cast the demon out of the girl. As she stood before Jesus, she wasted no time telling stories but directly besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter (vs.26).

It is unfortunate that some Christian parents do not seek to know the root of what is troubling their children and wards. They are either so busy or too carefree to watch over their children and to observe the troubles early enough to nib them. When children begin to behave strangely and manifest vices like stealing, lying, cruelty, wickedness, inordinate actions, continuous drop in school performance, etc, some parents suppose that such behaviours are characteristics of adolescents and that soon their children will outgrow and pull off such. Other parents flog, beat and nag at their children until they and the children become frustrated. You must understand that there are unclean spirits (demonic forces) behind vices. Ephesians 2:2-3 tells us that there is a spirit at work in the sons of disobedience referred to as the prince of the power of the air. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Your child's destiny is under threat and you must arise to confront these spirits; cast them out of your child, and the behaviour will change. If you can't do it, go to genuine servants of God who will cast out the spirit by God's Word only; not by holy water, holy oil, special candles or incenses, sponge, or any form of sacrifice. You and your household can be free from demonic harassment today if you care to bring your matter before the feet of Jesus.

Prayer/Action
* Say - “Jesus, I surrender my life and home to you for deliverance and total freedom ."
* Arise Lord; rescue my children from spirits that may have risen against their destiny.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I reject manifestation abortion this year, in Jesus’ name.