WATER SPIRITS

 

Really, there is nothing like water, air or body spirits, we attach the label simply because of the likelihood of the places and habits these evil spirits tend to display. The Water Spirits are an army of the Kingdom of darkness. Most demons Jesus encountered either came from water or where commanded to go into the water (Mark 5:11-13; Rev. 17:1-6).  Even just looking at God’s creation it is exciting and notable to realise that the earth itself has always been covered with water (Gen. 1:2).  Geographers tell us that seventy percent (70%) of the earth’s surface is water, and biologists confirm that the human body is seventy percent (70%) water!

 

Moreover, we are told that the foundation of the earth and the world in its entirety lies upon the waters (Ps. 24:1-2).  And God is said to have established His own throne upon the waters (Ps. 29:3-10; Rev. 4:6; Ps. 104:5-6).  It is therefore unarguable that the waters have a definite influence upon humanity.  It is also observation that God could have destroyed the first world with water due to the influx of water spirits.  Water spirits were powerful and laid claim to creation, dominion, power and wealth (Ezek. 29:3). 

They manifest themselves in water places such as pools, swamps, streams, rivers and oceans and in the water spaces of the human body!  Those in the human bodies are among the most difficult and do pause abnormal resistance to deliverance. The network of the water spirits includes individuals, families, communities, cities and nations.  The Queen of Heaven discussed earlier is closely linked to the water spirits (Jer. 44:17-19).  People may, without their knowledge, serve these spirits in their traditions, cultures and religious practices.  Libation, which is a ritual of paying homage to the familiar water spirits by pouring beer into the river, is common place in many parts of the world.

 

Common characteristics of water spirits, like any other evil spirits, include immorality, seduction, witchcraft and hindrance to spiritual growth.  Many people are initiated in the water spirit realm through ungodly family ties, idolatry and ancestral worship.  Unholy sexual activities like incest, adultery, fornication, unnatural sexual practices are some of the quickest ways of finding entrance into this evil Kingdom.  Water spirits leave behind many effects, and among the most severe are the following:  broken homes and broken marriages in which case divorces for no apparent reasons and separations become the norm; there is considerable loss of desire for ones legal partner which culminates in constant quarrels; victims experience all sorts of sexual abuse in dreams and in most cases there is barrenness and infertility especially among women.

 

Other effects of the water spirits include: juvenile delinquencies, stubbornness of children and disobedience to their parents.  Lies, fighting and promiscuity are rampant.  These said spirits eventually tie the victims’ lives, inheritance and destiny in the water (Nehum 2:6-13).  Also bewitchment and all forms of spiritual harassment are common outcomes.  In Christian ministry these spirits cause failure in God’s work; pollute spiritual music and worship in the church; and induce sporadic spiritual weakness, prayerlessness, lukewarm and lack of commitment in the Lord’s work.

COVENANTS

 

A covenant is a formal agreement that is legally binding.  Terms, conditions or reasons normally exist for the covenants to be made.  It can be between a person and another or between parties. A covenant is not a contract; in the former one party is greater than the other. Covenants are made with the idea that they will never be broken while a contract could be terminated at any time by either partner. There were many covenants that were made in the Bible such as the Adamic, the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, the Davidic, the Messianic, the Old Testament, and even the ultimate one of all, the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. There are various types of covenants associated with demons, namely:-

 

Latent (Hidden) Covenants: Things done or said sometimes in innocence may bring or might have brought these covenants.  Most vulnerable are those who do not remember the dreams they dream.

 

Dream Covenants: These are usually with demons trying to impersonate themselves into some already dead relatives.  Since man is also a spirit, this is a big possibility and care should be taken. It is vital therefore that we take caution and refuse to entertain thoughts that claim that those that have died are still with us.

 

Sexual Covenants: These come when one commits adultery or fornication with a man who will not marry her later.  This is so serious that it may bind the two forever due to a blood covenant.  Life is in the blood.  There is a life sharing immediately.  No wonder the Bible says that one who commits adultery with a prostitute becomes one with her. 

In the olden days the penalty was death (Lev. 20:10) or if there was repentance (2 Sam. 12:13), great suffering followed. When a sexual relation is done with God’s will and there is conception, the child is considered God’s child (Gen. 4:1).  When, however, done outside God’s will that child is cursed and an evil covenant is made between the parties.  However, if one of the parties becomes a Christian and is willing to stay with his partner, the children are sanctified by the virtue of the believing partner.

 

Mistakenly Made Covenants: People enter into Mistakenly Made Covenants through deception by the devil.  Sometimes this can be by wearing clothes of a witch or shaking hands with a witch.  When these are done to one who is not a Christian and was planned, the person suffers a covenant.  To others it can be through washing in medicines (especially prescribed by witchdoctors), or making tattoos on the body (more serious because it involves blood especially if that blood is to be sacrificed to the demons).   

 

Religious Covenants: Especially among those who have entered ‘cult churches’ either for prayers, weddings, thanksgiving, harvest, fasting, sleeping, bathing in the river, worshiping or even becoming full time members.  Be careful, don’t join such ‘churches’ or participate in whatever ritual you do not understand in these churches. (Jere. 44:17-18).

When people want to seek promotion, prosperity, fame, power, protection, they are made to swear oaths of allegiance to Satan. Satanism, sorcery, witchcraft, doorways, horoscopes, palm reading, reading occult books, films, playing Ouija board and magic arts - usually with their blood promising not to leave the society nor disclose secrets, are predominant routes through which people enter into the occult world. 

Religious Covenants come through some forms of initiation ceremonies, puberty rites, title rites especially chieftainship rituals, burial rites, naming ceremonies (whether you are being given a name as a baby or adult does not matter) and some tradition circumcision rites (this excludes medical ones). They can also come through food sacrificed to idols (Acts 15:28-29).

When we pray for food we sanctify it for our nourishment in the name of Jesus and all who eat share in the blessings.  The same is true when food is offered to demons. Those who eat the food dedicated to demons share in the curse (1 Cor. 10:14-22). Trespassing the Boundaries: Visiting witch-doctors’ houses, spirit churches, fortune tellers, palm readers, star-gazers or grave yards for prayers is a trespass and the devil demands that such people pay for it.  He never forgives and never forgets.

 

Inherited Covenants: Those who have grown in idol worshiping families or witchcraft practicing households should take particular caution.  Our fore-parents (or parents) might have made covenants which involved the unborn babies, and that could have been you or me.

 

Blood Covenants: These are sometimes made by lovers who pledge to marry each other.  They cut each other and mix blood (sometimes in beer) then drink it.  This is a very stubborn covenant and involves the following characteristics:-

 

-Such people cannot make a decision without the other.   

-When one is sick in one place another in the other place may be feeling it.

- They might die at the same time.

 

Blood Covenants are perpetuated through sexual relations. When two people have sex with each other they are saying in the strongest language that they love each other so much that they solemnly give all of themselves to each other.  When one breaks the covenant, a curse may result unless there is repentance and or deliverance (1 Cor. 6:16).

 

CURSES

 

A curse is word or phrase or sentence calling for the punishment, injury or destruction of something or somebody.  It is a violation of blessings and a violent expression of evil upon others.  Curses hinder blessings and induce all kinds of miseries. Parents (Exodus 21:17), rulers (Exodus 22:28, Acts 23:5), the deaf (Lev. 19:14), enemies (Luke 6:27-28), God’s people (Gen. 12:2, Num. 23:8, Num. 24:10) and God (Job 2:9-10) cannot be cursed. But a land or community (Josh. 6:26, 1 Kgs. 2:18-20, 1 Kings 16:34) as well as an individual or a family can be cursed (Gen. 49:3-4, 1 Chro. 5:1-2).

Curses can come through breaking covenants (Joshua 9:18, 2 Sam. 21:1-6), inheritance from parents (Exodus 20:5),from parent’s deliberate sins (2 Sam. 12:10- 16: 22, 2 Kings 2:23-25),from negative words, especially by those in authority, (Prov. 18:21), through deliberate disobedience to God (Heb. 10:26, Deut. 28:15), as a consequence of misappropriation of God’s glory (Isaiah 48:8), as well as from magic persecution (through spells ,and so on).

But curses could also be generated through fake religions (such as joining secret sects, cults, and so on) and there are also self-imposed ones (binding statements to oneself). Negative words spoken by those in authority, illicit and unnatural sex (Heb 13:4, Rom. 1:25-28, Lev 18:1-20), injustice and oppression (to the poor, needy) (Is. 1:28, Exodus 22:22-24), unfaithful priesthood (Mal. 2:1-2) and doing God’s work deceitfully (Jere. 49:10) are known to bring curses. But a curse can come from God, too. (Prov. 3:33, Ps. 119:21).

Curses operate through chronic illness, fruitless deliverance, miscarriages, barrenness, delayed and broken marriages, poverty, chronic mental breakdowns as well as untimely deaths (Ex.23:26, Gen.2:18, Is. 4:1, Deut. 8:18). Believers in Jesus Christ are, however, blessed. No curse can come upon a born again Christian. What God has blessed no man or demon can curse. This is the reason why believers are more than conquerors! But we have a responsibility to reach out to the lost and to the bound and through Jesus Christ minister salvation and deliverance to them.

THE ‘QUEEN OF HEAVEN’

 

The “Queen of Heaven” is a female spirit, which tends to release spiritual currents aimed at polluting the Church.  This kind of spirit first operated in Queen Jezebel wife of Ahab the King of Judah (1 Kings 19:1, 18; 16:29-33: 21:5-25; and 2 Kings 9:30-37).  It is referred to as the Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 7:8; 44:18-27) which means without co-habitation.  It cannot live with anyone unless it is allowed to dominate, control and manipulate the other party.  It always targets man in leadership but its agents are always the females.  It uses the alluring endowments of the female physique, the sophistry and cunning of harlotry to trap men (Rev. 12:1; 18:1).

 

The characteristics of this spirit are: Manipulation and seduction using flattery and false praise; pride; insecurity; destructive anger; and intimidation. It hates humility; true prophets; and intercessory prayers because they expose its dealings and hold on man. It brings ambiguous visions and words that contradict God’s will. It rekindles past failures and causes strife. It is covetous; perverse and looms with bad motives.

Perversion comes through fantasy, imaginations and pornography. It does not give and it is enticed by riches. It has a façade that makes it unapproachable and difficult to confront when it does wrong. It carries a spirit of resentment and embitterment towards men and it is unforgiving. It may push a man in a position of leadership and exercises control over him and always attacks after a great victory!  This spirit is master at the use of blackmail. And it refuses ‘no’ for answer. It is known to exhibit double standards and hypocrisy.

 

When this spirit takes up its throne, it manifests itself as the Queen of Heaven.  In this place, she uses the curse of sorrow to torment humankind (Gen. 3:16-17).  She likes to manifest herself as goddess Iris, which means, “She who weeps.”  She is also known as “The mother of sorrows.”  Today, she appears mimicking as a weeping mother. When the curse of sorrow is not removed from the soul it becomes a stronghold of sorrow that attracts evil.  This paralyzes the grace of God upon a Christian and human efforts take its place. 

Sorrow when it is matured in an individual becomes associated with the fear of death, heaviness of heart, depression, brokenness of the spirit, despaired hopelessness, sadness, grief, dejection, melancholy and even despondency.  Paul defines this type of sorrow in (2 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 2:4-5; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Heb. 2:14-15; Heb. 10:10; 2 Tim. 2:11 and Rom. 8:34).

 

Moreover, the Queen of Heaven is master at setting up and imposing on man religious rules, rituals and laws which deceive man into idolatry and legalism.  Covetousness, greedy and false images become the idol of a victim’s worship.  The powers behind these fake image enables Satan achieve his desire to be God (Ps. 18:4-5; Proverbs14:12-13; 15:13 and Is. 14:13-14). It is therefore not true that those who claim to have seen the apparition of Virgin Mary saw the real Mary, the mother of Jesus. Those people innocently but deceptively, saw the Queen of Heaven.  We need always to test the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:4).

When it comes to cosmic warfare or warfare in heaven places, the battlefield sharply shifts from the mind to the real spiritual realm.  Strategic battles are not fought on earth – but in an area referred to as the Heavenlies..  The Heavenlies are the second realm of our present world. 

 

The purpose of the rough sketch below is to help us understand the way the world is structured from the spiritual point of view, and this will also serve to locate the area of our interest, the Heavenly Places.

 

The earth: Is the home of the mortal human beings.  Any spirit that wants to exist on earth needs a body because it is entering into a tangible world.  Demons and Satan will either have to find agents or possess a human or animal body in order to function on earth. This, as we shall see, limits them a great deal.

 

Hell: Or the cosmic grave is the abode of wicked human spirits, spirits that once had physical expression in the body, but were cast here due to their unregenerate nature.  It is said to have been made for the devil and his angels (demons) and man is only an intruder there (Matt. 25:41).  Hell is a place of fire and torment, and since man’s soul which never dies goes there, a physically dead man will be spiritually conscious in hell and experience all that a soul is capable of: sorrow, pain, thirsty, hunger, regret, and many more (Luke 16:23-24 ).

 

The First Heaven: Is our atmosphere.  Man has reached here physically.  The stars, the moon, planets and even the sun abide here.  The atmosphere reveals the glory of God and it is commanded of them to continue to do so (Ps. 150:1b).

 

The Second Heaven: Is our area of concern. It is the place of great conflicts; spiritual battles are either won or lost here.  It comes in between earth and heaven.  Satan and his angels operate here, but Jesus and his saints are also found here far above the abode of the diabolic.  As we shall see, our blessings are also decked here awaiting our commands to be released.

 

The Third Heaven: Is the throne of God and His holy angels, twenty-four elders and the spirits of the saints who die in Christ (Luke 16:22; Rev. 14:13; Eccl. 3:21). The third heaven is what is known as the heaven of the heavens. It is the place of superlative glory and grandeur. The third heaven can only be described as splendid, majestic, opulence, magnificent, etc. It is the place of unspeakable beauty, the desire of all mankind. Jesus said that when we pray we should address our prayers to our Father who is in the third heaven. This is our destiny, hope and the place of our true rest. In (Psalm 148) we read:

 

^“1Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.²Praise him, all his angels: praise him all you stars of light.³Praise him, sun and moon: praise him, all stars of light.⁴Praise him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters that be above the heavens.⁷Praise the LORD from the earth, you dragons, and all deeps.⁸Fire, and hail; snow; and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word.⁹Mountains, and all hills; fruit  trees, and all cedars;¹⁰Beasts and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl;¹¹Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth;¹²Both young men, and maidens, old men and children.”

 

Three things come out from this passage.  Firstly, the world is demarcated into three: heavens, heights and the earth (1, 7).  These are our third heavens, second heavens and first heaven (for the second and first heavens are part of the heights) and the earth. Secondly, the constitution of the third and first heavens and the earth are drawn.  Angels and hosts (who may include other celestial beings as well) are found in the third heaven. 

Note that God Himself is part of this but we omit Him because He is the reason why the angels and other hosts exist.  (2 and 4) give us the composition of the heavens; (3) tabulates the contents of the first heaven: the sun, the moon and the stars.  The earth comprises dragons (or great whales), deeps (or great seas), hot and cold deserts, mountains, hills, fruit trees and other trees including grasses, vicious animals, edible animals, reptiles and birds.  The earth also includes very important peoples and ordinary men.  It also includes males and females, young and old.  All these are found in (7 and 12).Thirdly, you will notice that the passage is silent on the composition of the second heaven, which is listed as part of the first heaven (referred to as heights (1)).  My task will be to explore the heavenlies and disclose tremendous secrets imbedded therein.

 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is very important in the discussion of the heavenlies. The letter to the Ephesians gives us deep truths about the nature and operation of the kingdom of Satan. But we are also equipped with God’s armour in dealing with the satanic forces. It is thus the most appropriate book to use if we want to understand spiritual warfare. Ephesus or modern Turkey has always been known to be the seat of Satan.  Necessarily, when Paul talks to the believers in this region, he is concerned about a higher strategy than just ground level warfare.  Here to win, he needed to confront the enemy from his seat of influence. All our scriptural references shall come from Ephesians. The following are the biblical philosophies of the heavenlies:

 

The Heavenlies are the Storage House of the Believers’ Spiritual Blessings

 

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.”(1:3).

 

 This verse reveals the storage source of our spiritual blessings.  They are in the heavenlies or the heavenly places.  The blessings are already there because God “has blessed” us already.  Every believer in Christ is entitled to his or her blessings.  Blessings are endowed capacity to increase in all things- finances, good health, favour, fullness of life, progress, victory, and the list is endless.  God has already blessed us spiritually – because spiritual things are afterward and permanent (1 Cor. 15:46b).  Spiritual blessings are easily transferable into the physical things.  God is Spirit (John 4:24a) and, immortal and permanent.  All the blessings that we need are in the heavenlies.
 

Christ Jesus is Seated Far above in the Heavenlies

“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principalities and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet ….” (1:20-22).

 

In terms of position, Christ is also in the heavenlies but very far above the evil powers.  In other words, his feet step over the heads of His enemies.

 

Believers are also seated with Christ in the Heavenlies

“Even when we were dead in sins, he has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”(2:5-6). 

 

Christians are wonderful beings, physically they are on earth but spiritually they are located in the heavenlies. Notice that our sitting is strategically better than the principalities, powers, dominions or the might because we are ‘in’ Christ who is sited far above them.  Rationally, fighting from the earth against the powers of evil disadvantages us since they will stand over us.  But, as it is, we are more advantaged than them, as our position is much higher.

The Believers’ Enemies are also Stationed in the Heavenlies, but Much Lower in Position

 

(Ephesians 1:20-21; 6:12) both allude to the fact that our enemies are in the heavenlies.  Because our blessings are in the heavenlies (Eph. 1:3) and our enemies are also there (Eph. 1:21), the concept of war looms large. It is also the reason that although we know that we are truly blessed, our blessings do not seem to materialise as easily as we suppose.  That is why Apostle Paul advises us to wrestle, fight and enforce your victory. Once we defeat the enemy in the heavenlies, blessings will have no option but to pour down to us. 

Our spiritual blessings and victory are tied to our warfare.  Those who innocently or ignorantly presume that since God loves us all things will come to us without struggles are deceived.  In the Bible the images for battle and warfare run from Genesis to Revelation. God has surely blessed us already (Eph. 1:3) yet our enemies are sited next to our parcels and our warfare will propel our blessings towards us (Eph. 6:12). The good news is that ours is a good fight; it is the exercise of our faith in the already finished work of redemption through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

  

The Strategic Position of the Church in the Heavenlies

 

The Church has a very special place in the heavenly places.

 

“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.”(3:10).

 

The place of the Church is to startle, to amaze, to demonstrate God’s wisdom to the enemies of God.  Our role as a Church in the heavenlies is one of producing the end result of the process.  We need to show by the power of Christ the outcomes of salvation – saved souls, healed bodies, delivered persons.  We have got a pyrrhic victory to demonstrate to the principalities and powers.  Potentially, there is no space for demons to operate freely because Jesus has covered all things. 

 

“Wherefore he says, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into lower parts of the earth?  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above the heavens, that he might fill all things).” (4:8-10)

 

Jesus is the Head and the Church is the Body. When the Head ascends or descends the body follows likewise.  But presently Jesus is in heaven and His body is on earth.  Yet positionally, and since the body is part of the Head, the assertion that we are sited with Him in the heavenly places is correct.  The position of the Church in the world is as the diagram represents:  it is at the centre of spiritual events. 

It is potentially in the heavens but practically on earth.  It can change the course of things on earth because it can change them in the heavenlies!  Jesus has filled all things – the only man to trail the Hades and still sit at the right hand of God.  Hence, He has descended to the lowest parts of the earth (or hell) and He has also ascended to the highest heavens.  The diagram below demonstrates the privileged position of the Church in the heavenly place:

  

DEMONOLOGY

By definition, demonology is the study of demons.  Demons are disembodied fallen angels whose domain is in the unseen world.  Demons, together with Satan, were defeated and thrown out of heaven because of rebellion led by Lucifer (Rev. 12, 28 and Is. 14:12-15).  It is believed that demons make up a third of all the angelic beings created by Jehovah God.  Being spirits, demons can only function in a living creature such as in animals or human beings (Mark 5:2-11).

 

The Satanic Hierarchy

 

Satan has a very well organized kingdom.  It is important for me from the outset to clarify that Satan is not to be ranked equal with God.  Satan is a created being and prior to his fall, he was an arch (chief) angel, just like Michael and Gabriel.  So Satan is a prince and is at equal footing as the other two holy archangels. Apart from Satan, God has revealed that there are other ranks in the demonic world.  According to (Ephesians 6:12), they include: Principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and wicked spiritual hosts.

 

Principalities:  These are chief demons from the Greek word ‘arches’.  They are leaders or magistrates.  In the Satanic kingdom they are ranked as Generals, a position just lower than their Commander-in-Chief who is Satan.  From the English “territory” or “jurisdiction”, principalities are princes over countries or extended territories.  The demon that delayed Daniel’s answer was a prince over Persia (Dan. 10:12, 13).  Many times principalities take up the names of the regions or countries over which they have demonic jurisdiction, for example, prince of Persia. 

 

Powers:  The Greek word ‘exosias’ is the English equivalent of powers translated as authorities.  Thus there is a level of evil spirits who govern the notorious evil world and who give enormous political, social or economic powers to their adherents.  Satan would have tricked Jesus into succumbing to this power had Jesus not been conversant of his schemes (Matt. 4:8-9 and Luke 4:5-6).  While principalities control some countries of the world at large, powers govern in the affairs of some of those nations.

 

Rulers of Darkness:  The Greek word ‘Kosmokratoras’ for rulers can be translated as lords of the world or simply princes of this age.  These demons dominate through bondage.  They rule over affairs of men and are involved in the day-to-day activities of men.

 

Spiritual Hosts of Wickedness:  These are the majority and they carry out the decisions of the other three.  It is interesting to note that they occupy the heavenly places or high places.  This means that they hinder the flow of our spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).  Being hosts means that they are the military unit of the Kingdom of Darkness trying to oppose God’s will (Rev. 12:7-9).

 

 Satan, Chief of Demons

 

At the helm of the Satanic hierarchy is Satan himself.  He is a demon and the chief of all demons.  He is called the devil (Matt. 4:1,5,8,11; 1 John 3:8,10; Jude 9; Rev. 12:9,12, 20:2); father of lies (John 8:44); the god of this evil world (2 Cor. 4:4); and an infidel or unbeliever (2 Cor. 6:15). 

Satan is also known as the prince of the bottomless pit or the angel of the abyss; the destroyer (Rev. 9:11); the angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14); star of the morning or son of the dawn (Is. 14:12); and the enemy or an avenger (Ps. 8:2).  Satan is the evil one (Mt. 6:13; John 17:15); the adversary (1 Peter 5:8); the destroyer (Job 15:21; 2 Thess. 2:3); the accuser of the brethren, the tempter (Gen. 3:1; Matt. 4:3; 1Thess 3:5); and the dragon (Rev. 12:7-13; 20:2). 

Moreover, we find Satan being referred to as the serpent (Gen 3:1-4: Rev. 12:9; 20:2); the deceiver (Gen. 3:13; 2 John 7:2; 2 Thess. 2:3); and he is Beelzebub, the ruler of demons (Matt. 12:24).  From his names, it is plain to notice that Satan’s scheme is camouflaged in blame, deceit and darkness.  Many of his names not only reveal his character, but also suggest his tactics in warfare against the body of Christ.

While it is not an issue to those in Christendom to disbelieve the notion that Satan never exists, many in the so called ‘civilized societies’ still believe that Satan does not exist and claim that he is simply an evil personified.  This is a blatant lie from the “father of lies” himself. Satan’s cleverest trick is to convince the world that he does not exist.

If you have confronted damned evil spirits at a personal level, the way I have, you will forever shut your mouth to the deception about the nonexistence of Satan.  He is real, and his mission is spelled: to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a).  Millions are trekking to hell every year either because they disbelieved or they were deceived to believe that Satan never existed.  Change your mind.

 
I have placed Satan at the same level as the other archangels, Michael and Gabriel, because I want to clarify the notion that they are all princes.  This also will help clear the notion which attempts to place God at the same footing as the devil.  God is the Creator and Satan is a created being.  The place of human agents would include Satanists, warlords, sorcerers and witches, magicians, astrologers, masonries, spiritists and so on. 

Unbelievers are potential to the hierarchy.  Unbelievers, however, are the chief reason for the salvation plan as discussed in Chapter Nine.  The satanic hierarchy targets them and we, as an army of God, are called to liberate them from the diabolic shackles.  Failure in our spiritual warfare and evangelism leave them exposed to Satan’s schemes.

 

 Satan’s Arsenal

 

Satan’s arsenal comprises three weapons: sin, accusations and strongholds.  The first two are very much known by almost every Christian and so little time will be spent on them.  But our concentration will be on strongholds, which is the most unpopular yet deadly weapon of Satan against the Church.

 

Sin: Sin is Satan’s active weapon.  He is known as the tempter (Matt. 4:3).  Like a guided missile, sin seeks us and when it hits us, we know it immediately because of its wages, which is death.  Sin could variedly be defined, but its biblical equivalence is that is the, “Transgression of the Law.” (1 John 3:4.).  It could be viewed as a single act of transgressing or it may be viewed as a state in which all men are or have been (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8). 

The consequences of sin are physical death (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12).  The wages of sin, under the age of the reign of Christ, is spiritual death (Rom. 6:23).  The seat of all sin is the heart (Matt. 15:19), because out of it comes all things one says or does.  Because man was in sin, God loved man and sent Jesus to save him from it (John 3:16; Acts 10:43).  The unpardonable sin seems to be the denial of the power of God which is invested in Jesus Christ (Matt. 12:31) and the deliberate blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

 

Accusation: This is a passive one.  Like a trap, it is superstitiously set up for us to fall into.  Satan himself is described as the accuser of the brethren (Job 1:6-12; Zech. 3:1, Rev. 12:10).  He did this day and night before God’s throne, which left us susceptible to him here on earth.  Even after we have been forgiven, he keeps on reminding us of each and every sin we have committed.  Satan uses accusations to generate anxiety strong enough so we will come out from under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6).  This is why Peter admonishes us, ‘casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7).  Satan’s objective is to paralyse us, very much like an animal that has fallen into a trap (2 Tim. 2:26; 1 Pet. 5:8, 9).  Likewise, we know when this weapon has been used against us successfully, because we lose our freedom of movement in Christ.  Creeping anxiety takes over.  Fear replaces faith, and despair overtakes hope (2 Tim. 1:7).     

 

Strongholds: A Stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchallengeable, situations that we know are contrary to the will of God. In (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Paul talks of speculations, knowledge and thoughts, and we know that these are found or do take place in the mind.  The principle of a stronghold is founded upon the manner of olden military castles.  These were built on strong rocks usually around a raised hill.  They were guarded day and night.  Due to their strategic location, enemies were spotted from a far and necessary action against them was predictable.  From this, five facets or characteristics of spiritual strongholds are identified:

 

They are located in the mind:  Being located in the mind, they are triggered by speculations and assumptions, which are suppositions that cannot be proven.  And the mind is forced to believe a lie.  Since the mind is the centre of our thoughts as well, our belief system is captured and bound.

 

They are made up of seemingly “Good Thoughts”: The mind is the thought producing centre.  The evil thoughts that our minds produce are more easily spotted and identified.  It is the so-called “good thoughts,” but not “godly thoughts” that our minds are incapable of identifying.  That is where Satan initiates carnal and disastrous processes to pin us down.  It is vital, therefore, to distinguish between godly thoughts and good thoughts

 

They develop in the shadow of our “Strengths”:  Satan targets more our natural strengths than natural weaknesses.  This is because he knows that we are hesitant and constantly are aware of our weaknesses and we keep a keen watch over them.  Little wonder the Bible says: “Wherefore let him that thinks he is standing take heed lest he falls.” (1 Cor. 10:12).

 

They are activated by traumatic past experiences:  Normally it is the experience we had in the past that was shameful, painful and debasing.  Satan plants these as reservoirs of defeat.  Every time he reminds us of these he cripples our progress.  This makes it impossible for us to do the will of God.  Part of the solution is in realizing that once God forgives He forgets.   And that a righteous man might fall even up to seven times, but the Lord will raise him or her up each time!

 

They create a double mind that causes both spiritual and emotional instability: In the Bible we are warned: “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (Jas. 3:1).  God will honour our sense of consistence in spiritual ministry.  What the devil does is to wonder our mind about so that we are incapable of doing well always.

 

Strongholds, therefore, are to be destroyed and not remodelled nor repainted and covered.  In the absence of doing this, we may find situations where someone one day expounds on God’s wisdom and the next day acts on wisdom that is earthly, natural and demonic.  Strongholds are therefore deadly.

 

Stages of Demonization

 

Demonization, a process of demon possession, seems to occur in seven stages:

 

Regression:  This is the state in which a person begins to backslide from the purposes of God.  This stage is acutely characterized by withdrawing from reading God’s word and from prayer.

Repression:   At this second stage, a person becomes silent and unable to express oneself freely.  Natural feelings and desires are held back.  Worship, service to God and spiritual ministry are also held back.

 

Suppression:  This is a stage of gross instability and the victim feels as if he or she is being abnormally squeezed down.  Unhappiness and disinterestedness become the norm.  Joy is stolen and serving God becomes a form of ritual and not based on the true love for God.

 

Depression:  The spirit of the victim is broken and crushed.  Medical examination may not detect any problem and yet the person is sick.  There is a conflicting state of mind and confusion becomes the norm.  Suicide and lack of self-expression is the hallmark.  The person under depression will characteristically be staring in the space and is absent-minded.  Fluctuation in moods is almost the order of behaviour.

 

Oppression:  Oppression as a fifth stage is when the victim feels heavy-laden and feelings of anger and cruelty are prevalent.

 

 

Obsession:  The mind of the victim becomes so completely obsessed that he or she is occupied with thoughts of evil and lies.  There is an idea that one needs a special thing in life.  Obsession is detrimental because it could cause the victim miss the will of God or explicit opportunities because of being obsessed with an ‘ideal’ in mind.  Insecurity and habitual sins become common placed.  There is now no sense of morality; sin is done almost willfully .

 

Possession:  This is the final stage of demonetization.  The victim is totally under the control of demons.  Physically or spiritually the person is a puppet of demons; heartless and vulnerable.  Such people are known to be shy to look intently in the eyes of a spirit-filled person and they frequently have red eyes.

 

Sources of Demonization

Born again believers cannot be possessed by evil spirits because Christ and the devil cannot live in the same body. Non-believers and backsliders get possessed by demons through the following means:-

 

Transference of Spirits:  Positively, when God created man He transferred His spirit into him (Gen. 2:7).  Moses, similarly, transferred his spirit into 70 elders (Num. 11:16-17).  Elijah, too, transferred his spirit to Elisha through a mantle (2Kings 2:1-12).  From here, it is clear that words and clothes can transfer spirits.  Paul exemplifies this when his handkerchief transfers healing power (Acts 19:12).  Leadership authority is also transferable (Num. 27).  But negatively speaking, evil spirits can also be transferred through words, clothes and associations (1 Cor. 15:33; Pro. 13:20).  Laying on of hands can definitely transfer evil spirits.  Care, therefore, should be taken as to who lays hands on who.    

 

Negative Anointing:  This comes through the laying on of hands by people who are in witchcraft, idolatry, Satanism, and so on.  Religious spirits or certain bad habits like lust, adultery, fornication or gossip, to mention but a few, may be transferred through this, note (1 Cor.15:33).

 

Ancestral Worship:  This usually takes place through libation.  This is the pouring out of alcoholic beverages in the river to evoke the ancestral spirits (familiar spirits). 

 

Illicit Sex:  This is the commonest way.  Sex done outside of marriage with a demon possessed person transfers demon into the other person.  Adultery, fornication and puberty rites are potential ways through which demons get transferred (cf. 1Cor. 6: 15-16).

 

Inheritance:  Just as much as parents are able genetically to pass on features of the body and attitudes to their offspring, so often it is easier to pass on spiritual habits to children by inheritance. Witchcraft, poverty, polygamy, prostitution, alcoholism, divorce spirits, hypertension, failure, chronic sickness, and so on could be inherited this way.

 

Demons could be transferred through holy water (Ps. 3, 7) in which case the water is first dedicated to evil spirits then partaken.  Magic        or occult books, pictures, tattoos, foods dedicated to idols and worldly music have all been known to have the potential to transfer demons.  Backtracking is the technique satanic singers use to entice the young generation into the demonic world.  Immorality, sexual pervasiveness, homosexuality, and others are known to be the result.

 

Characteristics of Demonic Presentation

 

Demons are physically strong (Mark 5:3; Acts 19), boastful and filled with pride.  Demons, which indwell a person can range from one to as many as 70,000 or more (Matt. 12:43-45).  Demons are filthy (known as lords of the flies or carriers of filthy things).  They are basically liars like their master the Devil (John 8:44). 

They also come to steal (our peace of mind, assurance and good health), kill (both spiritually and physically) and to destroy (our good character, our relationships and so on) (John 10:10). The people who are demonized could do the following, based on Mark 1:26ff: scream, shake violently, convulse, weep, laugh hysterically, writhe, faint, sigh, groan, choke, wretch or even vomit.  However demons are not to be feared because of the authority delegated to us by our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Luke 10:19). There are various ways of knowing when one has demons. Many times, dreams can reveal that one has demons.  The following manifestations are commonplace: -

 

Eating or Drinking in Dreams:  Normal dreams can also manifest this.  But if the eating and drinking in the dreams is frequent and usually cause trouble, then there is reason to suspect.

 

Flying in the Dreams:  This sign is associated with witchcraft.  This is known as blind witchcraft.  Some people do walk in sleep.  They may even open the door and walk outside which to most people is normal and tolerable.  However, blind witchcraft is also known to do the same.

 

Sexual Intercourse in Dreams:  We are social as well as psychological beings. We may be affected by what we see, hear, feel, touch and even smell. This means that we may occasionally dream having sex with those we admire. However, demons more often than not are known to abuse their victims sexually in dreams. This incapacitates them spiritually and is a cause of barrenness, miscarriages and or delayed marriages or divorces.  Sometimes, the demons may even kill the physical partner of the demonized person.

 

In our discussions on the demonic world we have already established the fact that demons are of various scopes and are specialized in different wicked aspects.  Principalities and power and rulers deal with the issues of power, dominion, wealth and influence.  Water spirits deal with matters of morality and relationships.  Among the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the water kingdom also are the spirits known as incubus or spirit husbands and succubus or spirit wives. 

An incubus, derived from Latin: to lie upon, is an evil male spirit that lies upon women in their sleep to have intercourse with them.  The succubus, derived from Latin: to lie under, is a female spirit that comes at night to have sexual relationship with men. Whilst asleep, these spirits will come to the victim with fondling hands, caressing hot lips and tongue to stimulate lustful sexual feelings.  The affair at first may seem dream-like leaving the person thinking he or she is just dreaming things.  The affair can be pleasant and could even be consummated.  But the end result will be guilt and deep shame. 

These spirits delight in generating all kinds of normal and deviant sexual experiences.  Yet the pain, fear and mental anguish that are inflicted on the soul of the victims are deadly. Once these spirits possess a person, he or she becomes enslaved.  The person, without his or her will is forced to do what he or she has come to hate.  In fact, to these spirits, later on, it does not matter whether these experiences produce pleasure or pain.  The demon is only interested in enjoying the lust it generates. 

The person eventually sinks lower and lower and becomes more and more animistic, sickeningly filthy and loses a touch on restraint. The issue of spiritual spouses is a crucial one to many millions on the globe.  Apparently this problem knows no status, race, colour or gender.  People of all kinds are affected.  It becomes even problematic because most victims are unable to disclose the ordeal due to fear of being considered abnormal or weak.  Most people grapple with bizarre dreams they will never share with others. Spirit husbands and wives hate the institution of marriage with perfect hatred.  They can be classified into a number of categories.

 

Physical Spiritual Spouses:  These operate physically and some of their victims can actually see them.  There are people who actually suffer from demonic sexual harassment while they are wide-awake.  They become sexually excited even when there is no living soul around them.

 

Conscious-Unconscious Spirit Spouses:  Some demonic sexual harassment are conscious while others are unconscious.  Majority of victims will claim that they are unconsciously molested.  Demons prefer to keep their victims ignorant in order to buffet them.

 

Spiritual Prostitution:  These spirits do not limit themselves to only one person.  They attack as many persons as possible.  They cause more havoc by attacking many victims.  They are never satisfied with only one spouse.  They delight in changing sexual partners, as in normal prostitution. 

         

Wandering Spirits:  Some wicked spirit husbands and wives are mandated to wonder from person to person.  They can operate in many cities, nations and even continents.

Masquerades or Camouflage Spirits:  This category of spirits often take-up the appearance of someone who their victim would hardly reject.  When an evil spiritual spouse comes in the appearance of someone you are fond of, you are overpowered and you may not resist the advance.  Many people have been sexually abused not knowing that evil spirits hid under the facial appearance of the said loved ones. 

Many people who are desperate for marriage and do vocalize their admiration for particular individuals are susceptible to having dreams of those individuals either marrying them or having sexual intercourse with them.  It is not God answering their prayers; it is the masquerades doing their jobs.  Don’t you wonder that many people who claim God showed them their husbands or wives in the dreams never were married by those very people?

 

Family Spirit Husbands and Wives:  Some families may harbour spirit husbands or wives.  Such personalities usually marry every member of that family.  The evil spouses generally have sex spiritually with every member of the family.  

 

Hermaphrodite Spirit:  This spirit comes against its victims with both male and female organs.  The spirit has different functions and attacks different victims. Other Spirits Associated with incubus and succumbs are the spiritual twins which are spirit husbands and wives operating like physical twins.

 

Wicked and violet spirits category is the other.  This category of spirits is violent when sexually abusing their victims.   Victims wake up with excruciating pain in their reproductive organs, just when they wake up from a sex dream.

 

Resident Spirit Husbands or Wives:  May be harbored by some people.  These spirits live with their victims and once the victim closes his or her eyes they begin to abuse them sexually.

 

The legacy of spiritual spouses is known to destroy virtues.  It destroys the virtue of anyone they have sex with.  Sex dreams always portend failure, calamity and non-achievement. These spirits, moreover, are known to siphon the power of God.  Many anointed servants of God lose power in this way.  Whenever an evil personality succeeds in luring you into having sex in the dream, you will wake up the next day feeling empty spiritually.

 

Late marriages are the obvious results of the demonic sexual affair.  Many victims think of marriage seriously when they are passed prime age.  These characters would have been coming across potential partners in the past, but the spirit partners would have been preventing marriage. 

Caution:  Some people who are victimized in this way not only fail to get married if they don’t get help through deliverance, but  even when they get marriage, evil spiritual spouses will still attempt to make them childless. Marital conflicts are commonplace in the lives of the victims.  Confusion comes between the physical partners, a situation that could lead to divorce.  For those in courtship, a small quarrel could cramp a good relationship.  Some people will never allow their relationships end into a marriage.  All the attempts start well and end up worse, for no apparent reason!  This is because the spirit spouse induces spirits of hatred, which make it impossible for relationships to last. 

 

Moreover, these spirits could cause untold misfortunes to their victims.  Profitless hard work is irritating.  But spiritual spouses delight in allowing their victims to work hard, but would not allow them make any profit.  You will dream and plan and execute, but no single drop of your sweat will be rewarded.  They will allow a woman to conceive but do anything to prevent normal birth. All these could be very rampant among the unbelievers.

 

Bathing in Dreams:  Bathing either in showers or rivers on an abnormal frequency in dreams could be a sign of water spirits.