On the road of spiritual growth by relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, He walks us through many intersections. Some intersections are places where we have experienced a void, a lack of the good needed to nurture our developing personhood. Other intersections are places where we’ve experienced deception, as Eve did, and agreed with lies (which abound). Intersections include cultural thought patterns, corrupt world systems, generational patterns, and religious bondage, to name key players.
Here, we’ve experienced a wound, a connection, an interface that allows access to demonic affliction. We’re still believers. We still love the Lord. However, places in us that are outside Him are at risk for demonic affliction.
Sometimes, we don’t recognize those places until we get plowed into on some of those intersections.
The Question Here that Matters
The question that matters is not “Can a believer have a demon?” and any subsequent theological issues or judgment calls that may activate. The question that matters here- because Christ came to make us new and to give us abundant life- is “Where is the place(s) that the demonic may have access in my life?”
The reason this question is so important is because it affects our health and wealth – and our families.
Not all physical ailments (sickness, disease, etc.) are purely physical.
True Story
One day (and these situations seem to increase late in the day or at night), my friend battled alarming physical symptoms. She is a woman of faith and prayer. This was not her first rodeo. However, in spite of the fact that she’s accustomed to prayer and confrontation in the spirit realm, my friend’s physical symptoms spiked acutely to the point that she considered going to the hospital.
Yet – and this is so important – she first asked the Lord. He responded, “You would be surprised what demons can do.” By this response, He referred to what she was experiencing physically. She stayed the course with him, and the symptoms subsided. She made it through the day, overcame that battle, and required no hospital visit.
It must be stated here that there are times when you should go to the hospital. It must further be stated that each person would be best served by asking the Lord first if that’s the direction to go or not.
Physical symptoms can signal that there is access for the demonic on some level.
Permissions
Remember the story of the two demon-afflicted men in Gadarenes?
The demons (through the men) begged Jesus to grant permission for them to enter the pigs (Matthew 8:28-34). Please note that demons can present in dreams and life as dogs, and the flesh nature is often symbolized by pigs.
Demons can only exist in the “land” of the flesh (old nature that Christ crucified; it behooves us to agree with Him). They can only go where they have access and permission.
Here’s the good news!
The victory has already been won.
The victory is in Christ.
Christ is in you.
Often, not all parts of us are in Christ.
We can change this!
Practical Action Points
-Submit to Father
-Resist the enemy, and he will flee (This is a great place to: Confess and surrender every access and permission you gave. Hand those places over to the Lord Jesus Christ)
-Quiet yourself, come near to God, and He comes near to you (James 4:7-8)
-Ask Him to restore and fill you
-There, with Him, speak: (This is canceled at the Cross, the permissions are revoked, the access is denied.)
-Keep filling up with your relationship with the Lord (When a vessel has been emptied, it must be filled again. I encourage you to intentionally choose to fill your vessel with the Lord. His filling you keeps you whole and His enemy away.)
Some Key Ways to Refuel Your Relationship
-Consistent time apart from people, media, places, and things to create space to meet with and hear Him
-Listen to Scripture
-Read Scripture
-Worship music
-Journal what He is communicating to you through dreams, Scripture, what He highlights and reveals
-Praying is a two-way street. You talk, He listens. He talks, you listen.
-Communion
-Intermittent fasting
(Overnight is an automatic fast, and if the window of eating is compressed any length of time, you benefit from it physically and spiritually.)*
*Fasting deconstructs what is built (formed) from what is not visible. Thoughts, emotions, and choices, based on what you thought, how you felt, what you chose release and block chemicals, build the body through proteins and vibrate internally. Fasting literally deconstructs platforms of internal belief and agreement systems that reside in the physical body and can be points of access to demonic. Empty to fill. Don’t leave yourself empty.
When you fill up with the Lord, and He removes or leads you to evict this unexpected spiritual source of physical affliction, it’s much, much more peaceful and sustainable. Then, keep on keeping on. On this road of life, we are all in process of becoming – we are going from strength to strength, from glory to glory, in stages of metamorphosis (Romans 12:1-3).
The investment of quality time is essential for any relationship to be a connected, healthy one. It is no different with the Lord in this regard. However, investing in your relationship with Him changes everything, and He keeps you in perfect peace when your mind is set on Him. Peace is an essential component of health, as the body heals in peace in the parasympathetic state of the nervous system. He also energizes your being with His life and sustains your health.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Hope Streams
Featured Image by Samir Smier from Pixabay
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