Serious Warriors of the Faith,
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – Not something most of us have been taught sitting in our peaceful pews. No, it’s not the preacher’s fault. We haven’t wanted to hear anything that would disrupt our peace and our plans. But, guess what: Satan’s happy for us to stay that way, because failure to face this spiritual reality is akin to attacking a very capable army without battle plans or maps. Like the citizens of modern Israel, we are in a constant battle whether we like it or not.
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – I feel like I need to say this at least twice to help it sink in. Our times are desperate and we need to wake up to the enemy that threatens to take away our freedoms. There is a war raging around us, and it’s not the war on terrorism (though that is a good analogy). The war we are engaged in “is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. It is the battle where “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…”
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – What are these strongholds Paul warns us to destroy? It is the strongholds that the enemy has erected through the curses that we have inherited, or called down on ourselves. Do me a favor: Go to www.biblegateway.com and do a search on “curse”. How many results are returned? Can you believe it is 145 verses in the NKJV? Have your ancestors dabbled in the occult? Aborted a baby? Joined a fraternity that required oaths? Are you worshipping any false gods? And it doesn’t take a witch doctor to put a curse on someone. Have you told your child that they would never amount to much, that they are stupid, accident prone, or that their children will be just like them (i.e., as bad)? Have you said these things about yourself? Then you have given the enemy license to establish a stronghold.
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – Let’s be honest, if you live in America, you are most likely under more than a handful of curses. My suggestion, go read Derek Prince’s book, Blessing or Curse; You Can Choose. The eyes of your understanding will be opened to a major strategy of the enemy, and you will be led into a freedom that will change you life. For those of you that need help immediately, I offer you this prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that You are the Son of God and the only way to God; and that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. I give up all my rebellion and all my sin, and I submit myself to You as Lord. I confess all my sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness – especially for any sins that exposed me to a curse. In particular, I repent and ask forgiveness for [name those that the Holy Spirit brings to mind]. Release me also from the consequences of my ancestors’ sins. By a decision of my will, I forgive all who have harmed me or wronged me – just as I want God to forgive me. In particular, I forgive [name those that the Holy Spirit brings to mind]. I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic. If I have any “contact objects,” I commit myself to destroy them. I cancel all Satan’s claims against me. Lord Jesus, I believe that on the cross You took on Yourself every curse that could ever come upon me. So I ask You now to release me from every curse over my life – in Your name, Lord Jesus Christ! By faith I now receive my release and I thank You for it. Amen.
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – Go back to your Bible search engine and enter “demon”. You should find roughly 73 verses (and all but a handful are in the New Testament). In his book They Shall Expel Demons, Derek Prince points out that Jesus never sent anyone out to preach the Gospel without specifically instructing and equipping them to take action against demons in the same way He did. If this is not true today, Prince asks, “Who has changed? Jesus? The demons? The Church?
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – Because they have a will of their own, expelling demons is a much more difficult and dangerous proposition. Prince recommends not trying this without careful spiritual preparation, direction from God, and help from one or two others. For that reason, I recommend you read his book and proceed as the Lord would lead you. There are people in the Body of Christ – probably in your fellowship – that have been place their by God to help in this area. It is His desire for us to find joyful, Spirit-filled ministry in the victory that He has won. It takes deliberate action on your part to get free from the curses, demons and stronghold that make the battle more difficult.
Curses create strongholds, and demons inhabit them – If you have been called and equipped for deliverance ministry, I want to encourage you to be bold and let your brothers and sisters know about the war that is going on, and how you can help them. I have not been called to this are of ministry (yet?), but I know enough to know that we need more of our fellow warriors set free from the curses that create strongholds and the demons that inhabit them.
Warring with you,
Rob