This is fascinating- I'm enjoying your posts on this topic as they are stretching me & tweaking my perspective on some things. I do have some questions though. It sounds like you're saying there is no demon of anxiety or demon of depression or demon of fear, etc. They are just basic demons that attach to our anxiety and take advantage of our triggers? Just clarifying. This seems to make sense as I don't see any demons by those names in the Bible. In fact, there are very few demon names in the Bible. (Of course that doesn't mean necessarily that they don't have names, but I'm guessing we just don't need to know them and God probably doesn't want us focusing on them.) But it's interesting how the whole charismatic deliverance movement believes in all these different spirits. I'm wondering where they got this?? However, I have had success with calling out spirits by their so-called names and commanding them to leave. But maybe it just forces them to "unattach" from my anxiety or depression that's already there? Just thinking out loud here. (haha, sort of)
Also, I'm wondering what biblical basis you have for demons being smart enough to study us and know our triggers? I'm not disagreeing with you- I've always believed this but just seeking more biblical proof on this specific thing. Because I've always been told they can't read our thoughts- but I suppose they could know our emotions & what bothers us by observing us. That would make sense. Thank you for writing & posting about all this. I'm still currently wrestling with some things and my view on deliverance & the spiritual realm is evolving. I'm not sure yet where I land on all the issues.
You said: “It sounds like you're saying there is no demon of anxiety or demon of depression or demon of fear, etc. They are just basic demons that attach to our anxiety and take advantage of our triggers? Just clarifying. This seems to make sense as I don't see any demons by those names in the Bible.”
Correct. They’re basic demons triggering our fears and anxieties — which is something humans can do as well. These aren’t super-demons.
And you’re right that we have to be careful not to invent things that aren’t in the Scriptures.
Sadly, much of what we read in spiritual warfare books is invented, or borrowed from other religions, or reading things into the text that just aren’t there. Such inventions can get us into all kinds of trouble.
Let’s keep it simple and stick to what the Bible says. You have dominion. The demons don’t.
You said: “In fact, there are very few demon names in the Bible. (Of course that doesn't mean necessarily that they don't have names, but I'm guessing we just don't need to know them and God probably doesn't want us focusing on them.)”
Exactly.
That’s one of the first major points made in the book: spiritual warfare is about God, not demons.
Don’t focus on the demons. Don’t obsess over them. That’ll lead you astray.
Focus on God. Focus on Jesus. He’s the Savior. Jesus is the One who defeated the devil. Focus on the Winner. That’s how you win.
You said: “But it's interesting how the whole charismatic deliverance movement believes in all these different spirits. I'm wondering where they got this??”
People love to invent things. People are creative. Sometimes some of these inventions seem to work, so they get repeated and elevated.
But they’re unnecessary.
Stick to the simple Bible truth. You have dominion. The Spirit of God in you is greater than any demon you’ll ever encounter. You have dominion. They don’t.
You said: “However, I have had success with calling out spirits by their so-called names and commanding them to leave. But maybe it just forces them to "unattach" from my anxiety or depression that's already there? Just thinking out loud here. (haha, sort of)”
Yes, this can work, but it’s a bit slapdash.
The demons might indeed leave. But often they return.
Why?
Because the person hasn’t changed.
If their sin hasn’t been repented of, or their pain hasn’t been healed, or their lie-based belief hasn’t been renewed with the truth, the demon can come back with seven of its friends and make the person worse off than they were before.
That’s why I love tools like Transformation Prayer, which I’ve written about a few weeks ago.
It focused on the person, not the demons. It finds the pain or lie or sin at the root of the issue and deals with it directly. God speaks, renewing the mind and bringing about transformation.
The demons leave — not because we commanded them to leave, but because the stronghold they were using to remain disappeared. The repentance/healing/truth/transformation knocked it down and the demon fled.
Often this happens without the person realizing it. I can’t tell you how many times a person will report demonic activity, we’ll go through Transformation Prayer, then I’ll ask them to check around for the demon. They do, and they’re shocked to find it gone! It left as they were focused on God and the words He was speaking to their heart.
You said: “Also, I'm wondering what biblical basis you have for demons being smart enough to study us and know our triggers? I'm not disagreeing with you- I've always believed this but just seeking more biblical proof on this specific thing.”
Job 1 demonstrates this plainly. Satan has been studying Job, learning his strengths and weaknesses, planning his attack.
God lets the attack happen, because God knows Job better than Satan does. Despite Satan’s study of Job, he didn’t really believe Job would remain faithful to God if he lost all he had. God knew differently. So God let it play out, putting Satan to shame, demonstrating the true piety and humility in Job’s heart, and returning to Job twice of all he had before. Yes, even children — the ten he lost were waiting in Paradise, to be joined by the ten new children he was blessed with. In glory, Job gets to enjoy all 20 of his children.
This is why, even though the devil studies us and plans his attacks, we focus on God. He knows us better.
You said: “Because I've always been told they can't read our thoughts- but I suppose they could know our emotions & what bothers us by observing us. That would make sense.”
Yep. Other humans can’t read our thoughts, either, yet someone who knows you well and studies what you’re doing and saying and feeling can guess pretty well what you’re thinking.
You said: “Thank you for writing & posting about all this. I'm still currently wrestling with some things and my view on deliverance & the spiritual realm is evolving. I'm not sure yet where I land on all the issues.”
It’s a good subject to be wrestling your way through! Please feel free to write with any other questions you may have. I love talking about this stuff, and sharing all that I’ve been privileged to watch God do.
Hi Kyle, 2 Tim 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
I’ve always read that as OUR spirit, not a demonic spirit. Because it is in contrast to power, love, and a sound mind, which are characteristics of the believer’s inward parts. Do you read it that way?
Great question. I think you're right that Paul is referring to our spirit, or at least the spirit given to us -- the Holy Spirit. Either way, he's not talking about a demon.
The Holy Spirit is indeed a Spirit of power, love, and soundness of mind.
Yet you could also read it as our own spirit -- that when God resurrects us from spiritual death to spiritual life, our spirit changes into these aspects. Our spirits go from powerless to powerful, from selfish/hateful to loving, from confused/veiled minds to sound minds.
But whether these attributes are coming from the Holy Spirit or our own spirits, either way they're part of us, now.
(My suspicion is that this is actually impossible to divide between the two. For our spirits to be renewed in these ways, the Holy Spirit has to do the work, making both the Holy Spirit and our spirits involved in us being made new in power, love, and soundness of mind).
Thank you so much for your thorough reply, Kyle! I really appreciate it. That really helped solidify some things for me. I was especially encouraged by the fact that God knows me better than Satan does!! I knew that, but consciously thinking about that fact in regards to all I've gone through the past couple years makes it make more sense.
This is fascinating- I'm enjoying your posts on this topic as they are stretching me & tweaking my perspective on some things. I do have some questions though. It sounds like you're saying there is no demon of anxiety or demon of depression or demon of fear, etc. They are just basic demons that attach to our anxiety and take advantage of our triggers? Just clarifying. This seems to make sense as I don't see any demons by those names in the Bible. In fact, there are very few demon names in the Bible. (Of course that doesn't mean necessarily that they don't have names, but I'm guessing we just don't need to know them and God probably doesn't want us focusing on them.) But it's interesting how the whole charismatic deliverance movement believes in all these different spirits. I'm wondering where they got this?? However, I have had success with calling out spirits by their so-called names and commanding them to leave. But maybe it just forces them to "unattach" from my anxiety or depression that's already there? Just thinking out loud here. (haha, sort of)
Also, I'm wondering what biblical basis you have for demons being smart enough to study us and know our triggers? I'm not disagreeing with you- I've always believed this but just seeking more biblical proof on this specific thing. Because I've always been told they can't read our thoughts- but I suppose they could know our emotions & what bothers us by observing us. That would make sense. Thank you for writing & posting about all this. I'm still currently wrestling with some things and my view on deliverance & the spiritual realm is evolving. I'm not sure yet where I land on all the issues.
Hello Alexandria! Thanks for writing.
You asked some great questions.
You said: “It sounds like you're saying there is no demon of anxiety or demon of depression or demon of fear, etc. They are just basic demons that attach to our anxiety and take advantage of our triggers? Just clarifying. This seems to make sense as I don't see any demons by those names in the Bible.”
Correct. They’re basic demons triggering our fears and anxieties — which is something humans can do as well. These aren’t super-demons.
And you’re right that we have to be careful not to invent things that aren’t in the Scriptures.
Sadly, much of what we read in spiritual warfare books is invented, or borrowed from other religions, or reading things into the text that just aren’t there. Such inventions can get us into all kinds of trouble.
Let’s keep it simple and stick to what the Bible says. You have dominion. The demons don’t.
You said: “In fact, there are very few demon names in the Bible. (Of course that doesn't mean necessarily that they don't have names, but I'm guessing we just don't need to know them and God probably doesn't want us focusing on them.)”
Exactly.
That’s one of the first major points made in the book: spiritual warfare is about God, not demons.
Don’t focus on the demons. Don’t obsess over them. That’ll lead you astray.
Focus on God. Focus on Jesus. He’s the Savior. Jesus is the One who defeated the devil. Focus on the Winner. That’s how you win.
You said: “But it's interesting how the whole charismatic deliverance movement believes in all these different spirits. I'm wondering where they got this??”
People love to invent things. People are creative. Sometimes some of these inventions seem to work, so they get repeated and elevated.
But they’re unnecessary.
Stick to the simple Bible truth. You have dominion. The Spirit of God in you is greater than any demon you’ll ever encounter. You have dominion. They don’t.
You said: “However, I have had success with calling out spirits by their so-called names and commanding them to leave. But maybe it just forces them to "unattach" from my anxiety or depression that's already there? Just thinking out loud here. (haha, sort of)”
Yes, this can work, but it’s a bit slapdash.
The demons might indeed leave. But often they return.
Why?
Because the person hasn’t changed.
If their sin hasn’t been repented of, or their pain hasn’t been healed, or their lie-based belief hasn’t been renewed with the truth, the demon can come back with seven of its friends and make the person worse off than they were before.
That’s why I love tools like Transformation Prayer, which I’ve written about a few weeks ago.
It focused on the person, not the demons. It finds the pain or lie or sin at the root of the issue and deals with it directly. God speaks, renewing the mind and bringing about transformation.
The demons leave — not because we commanded them to leave, but because the stronghold they were using to remain disappeared. The repentance/healing/truth/transformation knocked it down and the demon fled.
Often this happens without the person realizing it. I can’t tell you how many times a person will report demonic activity, we’ll go through Transformation Prayer, then I’ll ask them to check around for the demon. They do, and they’re shocked to find it gone! It left as they were focused on God and the words He was speaking to their heart.
You said: “Also, I'm wondering what biblical basis you have for demons being smart enough to study us and know our triggers? I'm not disagreeing with you- I've always believed this but just seeking more biblical proof on this specific thing.”
Job 1 demonstrates this plainly. Satan has been studying Job, learning his strengths and weaknesses, planning his attack.
God lets the attack happen, because God knows Job better than Satan does. Despite Satan’s study of Job, he didn’t really believe Job would remain faithful to God if he lost all he had. God knew differently. So God let it play out, putting Satan to shame, demonstrating the true piety and humility in Job’s heart, and returning to Job twice of all he had before. Yes, even children — the ten he lost were waiting in Paradise, to be joined by the ten new children he was blessed with. In glory, Job gets to enjoy all 20 of his children.
This is why, even though the devil studies us and plans his attacks, we focus on God. He knows us better.
You said: “Because I've always been told they can't read our thoughts- but I suppose they could know our emotions & what bothers us by observing us. That would make sense.”
Yep. Other humans can’t read our thoughts, either, yet someone who knows you well and studies what you’re doing and saying and feeling can guess pretty well what you’re thinking.
You said: “Thank you for writing & posting about all this. I'm still currently wrestling with some things and my view on deliverance & the spiritual realm is evolving. I'm not sure yet where I land on all the issues.”
It’s a good subject to be wrestling your way through! Please feel free to write with any other questions you may have. I love talking about this stuff, and sharing all that I’ve been privileged to watch God do.
Hi Kyle, 2 Tim 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
I’ve always read that as OUR spirit, not a demonic spirit. Because it is in contrast to power, love, and a sound mind, which are characteristics of the believer’s inward parts. Do you read it that way?
Hello Frank!
Great question. I think you're right that Paul is referring to our spirit, or at least the spirit given to us -- the Holy Spirit. Either way, he's not talking about a demon.
The Holy Spirit is indeed a Spirit of power, love, and soundness of mind.
Yet you could also read it as our own spirit -- that when God resurrects us from spiritual death to spiritual life, our spirit changes into these aspects. Our spirits go from powerless to powerful, from selfish/hateful to loving, from confused/veiled minds to sound minds.
But whether these attributes are coming from the Holy Spirit or our own spirits, either way they're part of us, now.
(My suspicion is that this is actually impossible to divide between the two. For our spirits to be renewed in these ways, the Holy Spirit has to do the work, making both the Holy Spirit and our spirits involved in us being made new in power, love, and soundness of mind).
Excellent, yes!
Thank you so much for your thorough reply, Kyle! I really appreciate it. That really helped solidify some things for me. I was especially encouraged by the fact that God knows me better than Satan does!! I knew that, but consciously thinking about that fact in regards to all I've gone through the past couple years makes it make more sense.