Spiritual Warfare: Overcoming Evil

 

YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/D1U0ZWzeWiE

 

Deceiving Spirits

 

I would like to begin this study in our series by discussing the key component of Satan’s schemes. This refers to how he initiated his interaction with humanity and how he continues to tempt and lead people astray. I am referring to deception. Deception is a powerful weapon of the enemy; indeed, one could say it is the cornerstone of his operations. Satan is a master of fraud, and his grand con is being perpetrated worldwide, deceiving both the world and the Church. Scripture says that he, “…Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 20:3, NKJV).

 

The Cambridge Dictionary describes the word deceive in this way: “To persuade someone that something false is the truth or to keep the truth hidden from someone for your own advantage.” The trouble with being deceived is that people remain unaware of the deception! After all, those in darkness cannot see! Jesus warned that the Antichrist would deceive many by claiming that he is the Christ (Matthew 24:5; 11). I believe we are in a period that the Bible calls the last days, and a characteristic of this time is deception by demonic forces:

 

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1; emphasis added).

 

Of course, no one has heard a demon teach, but these evil spirits implant their thoughts into the minds of those open to demonic influence, whether they perceive it as the enemy or not. How can one discern whether the teachings are of demonic origin? Scripture instructs us to evaluate everything by the written Word of God: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn” (Isaiah 8:20). If teaching aligns with the Word of God in its context, then it is safe to trust a speaker’s words and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you.

 

Satan’s Schemes

 

Just like a master con artist, Satan has planned and schemed to separate as many people from God as possible. We must be aware of his strategies:

 

¹⁰If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:10-11).

 

The context of the passage above revolves around the forgiveness of a believer after he had been disciplined by the Corinthian church for his sin. Now that the man has repented, Paul counseled the church to forgive him and welcome him back into fellowship so that Satan would not exploit the situation and outwit the people of God with superior ingenuity or cleverness. Unforgiveness and resentment can cause a spiritual cancer of bitterness to grow within a church. Satan is very well acquainted with the distance that unforgiveness creates between a person and God. He strategizes to separate people from one another with a wall of unforgiveness. Jesus warned that if we want the Father's forgiveness, we must forgive others. “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15).

 

I must be honest and say that there have been times when I was unaware of Satan's schemes during my Christian life, and perhaps you have been as well. Satan employs many plans and strategies to gain a foothold in a person's life, gradually corrupting their mind and heart. It often starts with a minor sin, but he never stops there. He looks for an entry point through an unacknowledged sin—an area in our lives where we disagree with God. This can begin with a hurt or an offense, causing thoughts of bitterness. It is frequently a progression of sins that become habitual, creating a stronghold that is difficult to break with willpower alone. Confession to God and repentance break the legal hold of the enemy and uproot thoughts and actions from becoming more deeply entrenched in the soil of our lives. Marcus Aurelius said, "A man's life is what his thoughts make it." Take care of your thought life, and your soul will prosper. Regardless of their origin, your predominant thoughts will govern your immediate actions. If you sow a thought, you will reap an act. If you sow an act, you will reap a habit. If you sow a habit, you will reap a character. If you sow a character, you will reap a destiny. Good thoughts that are allowed to take root in the soil of your character will develop into good habits and ultimately bring great peace to your soul.

 

Control of our thought life is something we must master to overcome temptation in our lives. It is in our thoughts that the battle starts. A continuous flow of evil thoughts that go unacknowledged, unchallenged, or unaddressed will develop into habits that can empower unseen demonic forces aiming to enslave and potentially destroy your life. Whenever someone consents to sin, they grant power and territory to demonic spirits to control and manipulate. It is as if we provide demonic spirits “food” to eat, making them stronger. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). What does it mean to prowl? The image depicts a lion, perhaps unseen, hiding in the shadows, moving back and forth with its eyes fixed on its prey, attempting to find the right moment and a weakness through which it might attack. The Greek word translated above as devour means “drink down, gulp entirely, and swallow up.”[1] C.S. Lewis, in his fictional account of an elderly demon named Screwtape training his nephew Wormwood in undermining the minds, wills, and emotions of Christians, writes:

 

"To us, a human is primarily food; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours, the increase of our own area of selfhood at its expense."[2]

 

Demons express themselves on Earth through people who yield to their temptations. The more a human being follows the direction or bidding of an evil thought from demons, the stronger their hold over that person becomes.

 

Different Degrees of Attack by Satan:

 

Moses warned the nation of Israel that if they departed from God’s commandments, their moral corruption would be disciplined (Deuteronomy 4:1-6). The religious leaders, the Pharisees, taught that corruption could be prevented by strictly adhering to extra-biblical rules of cleanliness, engaging in an elaborate ritual of washing their hands before eating, and proudly displaying their cleanliness and self-righteousness to avoid anything that could make them unclean and corrupt them (Mark 7:1-5). However, Jesus spoke about what truly makes a person unclean, saying:

 

¹⁴Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’” ¹⁷After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? ¹⁹For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) ²⁰He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ²¹For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’” (Mark 7:14-23, emphasis added).

 

In your opinion, what is the essence of Jesus’ teaching in this passage? How can the expression of evil from inside a person corrupt them? How can someone be made clean?

 

One of the primary ways Satan and his demons can impact a person's life is by sowing thoughts into his mind, thereby affecting his emotions and ultimately his will. Your mind is a seedbed that receives seed thoughts from three different sources: God, Satan, and your spirit, i.e., the real you that occupies the tent of your body (2 Corinthians 5:4). Those who have suicidal tendencies may be suffering from demonic oppression. The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus said that He came that we “may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Satan tries to convince a person that there is no hope and cajoles (cajole means to persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery) him into self-destruction. Of course, demons are not content with merely destroying individuals; they express their personalities by using people as tools, as "food," or to acquire a beachhead or foothold in their lives.

 

In addressing this theme, the Apostle Paul said, "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26-27). Paul says that if you carry a grudge or harbor unforgiveness toward someone, you give territory and ground to the Devil. First, it becomes a foothold, but if not checked by confession, repentance, and forgiveness, it can become a stronghold in your life that seems to have a power all its own. The English word “foothold” is translated from the original Greek word topos, which means “place.” However, as mentioned in the Ephesians passage, it can also signify that we can give a possibility, opportunity, or chance for Satan to gain a foothold in our lives if our anger evolves into resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, and other sins. We must remember that the Lord said to his enemies, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34), so give no territory to the enemy, lest we become slaves to sin.

 

5 Different Degrees of Bondage or Slavery to Sin.

 

1) Foothold. Demons tempt people with lures that draw them away, hoping they will bite into the temptation. What is a lure? It is a temptation to do something that we typically would not do, but the bait offers some form of reward that appeals to our fundamental nature as humans. A temptation for one person might not appeal to another. From the unseen realm, demons observe which weaknesses can attract us or tempt us, and they can manipulate the situation to present us with the reward. Temptation can be resisted and rejected. Failing to resist and reject the enemy’s temptations allows the enemy a foothold to intensify his attack on a person’s soul to the next level. The demon will often wait until a habit is formed but will not provide the expected high or fulfillment. We need to recognize our individual weaknesses. James warns us about the lures the enemy uses:

 

Let no one say, when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown, brings forth death. (James 1:13-15).

 

James’s use of the word "lure" is interesting. Just as a fisherman uses different types of lures to catch a particular kind of fish, there are certain temptations that are effective with individuals based on their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Staying alert to our own vulnerabilities and being transparent with God and others is also a key factor in overcoming temptation when we are led astray by our own desires or weaknesses. The good things that God gives us never have a “hook” in them; He only offers good gifts. In contrast, what the enemy presents to us is at best a cheap counterfeit that ultimately will never satisfy.

 

Often, a person does not realize that he is under spiritual attack by Satan until the enemy follows up his success at enticing you with accusations of guilt and shame. When under spiritual attack and tempted, I sometimes picture myself taking Satan to the end of a pier and booting him off! Other times, I have merely said, “Get out of here, Satan.” I only do that when I am alone; I don't want people thinking I am crazy! When I am around others, and a tempting thought arises, I imagine grabbing the thought in the air and throwing it to the ground. Use whatever strategy helps you resist temptation! Fill your mind with good things, and you will find that this also breaks the power of temptation, as there is no such "good soil" in your thoughts.

 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

 

Do you have a strategy for when you are tempted in a specific area of your life? Share your thoughts with your group.

 

2) Manipulation. In this stage, demons establish a foothold to become a knee hold at the door to your spirit. The door is not yet open to demonic control, but it becomes increasingly harder to resist if the vice is not checked, repented, renounced, forgiven, and forsaken. It may be alcoholism, drugs, pornography, or pride—you name it! If you traffic in the darkness and obey the voice of the evil one, habits form along the lines of the temptation to which you surrender. What is a habit? It is an automatic reaction to a specific situation, a settled or regular tendency, or a practice that is hard to give up. When the enemy manipulates us in this way, and we give in, our will becomes shaped by dark, evil forces, making it difficult to say no.

 

3) Oppression. If a person does not cast down thoughts and imaginations of the mind that we know are sinful, the enemy manages to gain a level of control over us. Whoever we choose to obey will rule our lives: “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). Sin desires to shape us into its image, making us become like the one to whom we listen and obey (Genesis 4:7). An oppressed person often experiences negative and somewhat forceful thoughts that suggest pursuing a particular avenue of sin and more compulsive ideas.

 

4) Obsession. At this level of spiritual attack, a person becomes a slave to sinful habits and demonic control. When this point is reached, it is noticeable to those around the person. They often seem "weird," or "out there," or just plain different. A believer can sometimes perceive that a person at this stage of obsession is not altogether there but may not be able to put a finger on it. A more mature believer quickly discerns what is demonic. When a person is demonized to this level, there is often a breakdown in their sanity and ability to reason. The demons have control to a degree where thoughts of harm to others and themselves come to mind. Those who want to unalive themselves are often at this stage, driven by guilt and wicked thoughts, and unable to find inner peace. Sometimes, there are chemical imbalances at work along with overlapping physical, mental, and spiritual issues. However, there is always hope because Jesus came to bring deliverance to our whole being: body, soul, and spirit.

 

5) Demonization. The demons called Legion that inhabited the Gadarene demoniac brought him to this level of demonization. Day and night, the man cried out in anguish in the graveyard and was driven by the demons (Mark 5:1-20). When sin is expressed and allowed to corrupt a soul to this degree, the enemy gains such a level of control that, at times, the person's spirit is set aside and disregarded completely. When such a phenomenon occurs, the demonized individual can find themselves in a dream-like state. There are mind-altering drugs that can also bring a person to this point.

 

People who are demonized to this degree often report hearing destructive voices, although they are hesitant to share this with a counselor. Remember the story of the boy whose father told Jesus that he often “falls into the fire and often into the water” (Matthew 17:16). A stronghold of demonic control often seeks to drive a person to suicide. At this stage, the demons frequently claim that the person belongs to them. I believe no one is ever too far under Satan’s dominion to be brought to Christ and restored to complete mental and physical health.

 

There are various degrees of bondage to Satan and demons, but everyone on Earth can call upon the name of the Lord to be delivered. I believe those in the early stages of demonization are capable of casting down evil thoughts, temptations, and habits. The prophet Isaiah says: “Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion” (Isaiah 52:2). I believe it is possible to free oneself at all stages, but it is often more challenging due to the level of control exerted by the enemy. If a person is in the later stages of demonization, it is always best to have a trained team of mature Christians who will pray for deliverance. The Scripture is never without hope: “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). This word, “saved,” is the Greek word Sōzō. It means to be safe, delivered, made whole, and preserved from danger, loss, or destruction. If you feel that you or a loved one is under demonic oppression, you are never without help! Call sincerely and urgently upon the name of the Lord and lay down everything that has put you or them in such a condition. Remove anything occult from your home, including books, music, pictures, games, and videos. Renounce every dark deed that has allowed the enemy to gain territory in your life. Repent and make no excuses to God (“repent” means to have a change of mind concerning your sin, to turn around and live your life toward Christ). Ask Christ to forgive you for whatever weighs heavily on your soul. If a person is crying out for freedom from oppression, God can break every yoke! (Isaiah 58:6).

 

Satan’s Tools

 

The Scriptures provide many examples of the enemy using individuals as tools. We have already examined Satan’s attempt through the Apostle Peter to turn Christ aside from the cross. At that time, Peter was unaware of who was motivating his words. Jesus spoke abruptly to the spirit using Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). Judas serves as an excellent example of someone used as a tool of demonic activity. The sin that overcame him was greed:

 

Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:6).

 

All the demons had to do was supply ample reasons to Judas's mind over time, gradually corrupting his heart and mind until there came a moment when Satan had an access point to enter him and use him as a tool to betray the Master. Judas had abundant evidence to convince him that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, but he chose to harden his heart and was unwilling to believe. Even after three years of walking in ministry with Jesus, he remained an unbeliever: “‘Yet there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him” (John 6:64). The Scripture says that Satan entered him:

 

²and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus (Luke 22:2-4).

 

When the act of betrayal was over and Judas saw how he had been duped into being Satan's tool, all the enemy had to do was suggest that Judas was beyond forgiveness. He likely had oppressive thoughts after selling Jesus to His enemies—thoughts that drove him to unalive himself. We don't know how far Judas was demonized or if Satan entered him as a one-time event to use him. Still, it seems highly likely that the enemy gained entry through Judas’ love of money and the deception that accompanied stealing from the moneybag (John 12:6). He set his heart and will to sin even though he had witnessed instances of Jesus knowing people’s thoughts.

 

Judas chose to walk in willful sin, and Christ will not violate a person's will. The fact that he could observe the life of Jesus close at hand and yet remain an unbeliever shows the depth of hardness in his heart. Was his final act of unaliving himself one of regret, remorse, or merely an act of despair? We cannot be sure, but by observing his life, it was not the life of a believer. It appears that, after Satan had finished with him, he was disposed of merely as a tool that had served its purpose, driving him to end it all (Matthew 27:5). If you are a slave to sin, you will open yourself to oppression and a strong, stubborn will against God ultimately ends in disaster (Proverbs 29:1).

 

What’s the difference between accusations and condemnation from Satan and the illumination and conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit? What is the best response to each of these?

 

One significant difference that I notice is that when the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, it is a gentle voice to which I must pay attention. He prompts a thought that makes me aware of something that hinders me from moving forward with Him. This conviction has nothing to do with His love for me because His love is always constant. It relates entirely to my effectiveness and my ability to abide with Christ and enjoy the abundant life He provides. The Holy Spirit’s conviction brings illumination, or light, into my life and upon my path to point out something specific, enabling me to agree with Him on the matter and move forward. The enemy's accusation leads to nagging guilt that weighs heavily on the soul. It does nothing but impede my journey, offering no signposts or help to find the way to forgiveness and restoration.

 

I don't think Satan entered Judas' life for the first time on the evening of the Last Supper. It likely occurred over a period, perhaps many years before he met Christ, during which he succumbed to his desire to thieve his way ahead in life.

 

Once again, I refer to C.S. Lewis's fictional book about demonic strategies to corrupt humans, titled The Screwtape Letters. The elderly demon Screwtape provides advice to his young apprentice, Wormwood:

 

You will say that these are very small sins, and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [The enemy mentioned here is the Lord Jesus]. It does not matter how small the sins are, provided their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards will do the trick. Indeed, the safest road to hell is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.[3]

 

Some Helpful Tips

 

1) Dedicate your home to God. More than twenty years ago, when we lived in England, we rented an old house in the countryside that had once served as the servant quarters for a large house next door. On the first night, my wife Sandy and I had to sleep apart because there were only two single beds in different rooms, and we had not yet moved our double bed into the house. During the night, I had a terrible dream that felt so lifelike that I knew it was demonic. I immediately prayed with Sandy, who was also having trouble sleeping, and we sensed an evil presence in the house. We took authority in prayer that night until we felt we could finally rest.

 

The following day, we took some oil as a symbol and went through the house room by room, praying and claiming authority over any demonic forces present, making the sign of the cross with the oil in each room, and dedicating our home to the worship of God. Since then, we have never encountered a problem, and in each house we have moved into, we have cleansed and dedicated it to the worship and presence of God as a family.

 

2) Do the opposite of what the Devil would like you to do. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The enemy of our soul hopes that we will respond with hate toward those who mistreat us, but Jesus told us to do the opposite of what the enemy would expect. We are to love our enemies by finding practical ways to bless them.

 

3) Praise God amidst oppression in your thought life. Never underestimate the power of praise during times of darkness. When King Jehoshaphat was attacked by an enemy far more powerful than Israel, he went before God and pleaded for His help. God assured him that he would not have to fight this battle. Jehoshaphat's strategy from the Lord was to send out the worship team at the forefront of his army, and the enemies of Israel fought against one another (2 Chronicles 20). Demons cannot endure prayer, intercession, and worship.

 

4) When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.

 

5) If fear ever assaults you during the night (or at any other time), call on the name of Jesus! The name of Jesus holds all authority in the unseen heavenly realms. If you ever experience nightmares or night terrors, or feel frozen in fear unable to move, call upon the Name of Jesus! If you can’t talk, say it in your mind. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).

 

6) If hopelessness comes your way, seeking to depress you about your situation, count your blessings to God. There have been dark days in our lives when we did not know what to do. During times of difficulty, we have found it helpful to write down all our blessings for which we are thankful. Don’t just write them down; express your gratitude to God for the blessings in your life.

 

7) Meditate (think, contemplate, or ponder) on Scripture daily. Highlight passages that “speak” to you in your Bible. If it was good for Jesus to quote the Scriptures amid dark times (Matthew 4), it will serve you in a similar way.

 

8) Dedicate your children to God. You don’t have to do this in church, although I would certainly recommend it. You can do it in the privacy of your bedroom in prayer to the Father. I believe there is a principle of surrendering ownership of all we are and all we have, including our children. In some way, I think it undermines Satan's attempts to attack us by targeting our family.

 

9) If the enemy accuses you, take it to God in prayer. If there is sin in your life, come to the throne of grace and bring the issue to the Father in prayer (Matthew 5:25). Confess your faults to God and take steps to correct sinful actions. This breaks the power of guilt. Then, remind yourself of who you are in Christ and rejoice in His forgiveness.

 

10) Keep short accounts with God. Jesus taught that whenever we come to worship and remember that someone has something against us, we should leave our gift at the altar, go and make things right with that person, and then return to offer our gift (Matthew 5:24). I recommend reviewing the day’s events each evening and asking God to search your heart so you can align everything with Him. King David prayed: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). You may also need to address issues with another person and possibly make amends for what you have done to reconcile with God and others.

 

²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, ²⁵to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24-25).

 

Prayer: Father, thank You for all the blessings that have come to us through the cross of Christ. Thank You for being Who You are - the Father of Lights, never changing and always holding out to us Your Words of Life. We thank You also that You can keep us from falling and present us unstained before Your glorious throne. Amen!

 

Keith Thomas.

 

Email: keiththomas@groupbiblestudy.com