Many Christians are still under the influence of an unclean spirit and don’t know it. (part 1)

by David Leach
(Temecula,Ca USA)

Many Christians are still under the influence of an unclean spirit and don’t know it. (part 1)

Luke 9:55 But He (Jesus) turned and rebuked them (two of His own disciples) and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of”; NASU

Mark 1:23-25 Now there was a man in their synagogue (as there are in our Churches) with an unclean spirit...But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And...he came out of him (but the spirit will try to return:)

Matt 12:43-45 (Jesus) "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, (not occupied by the Holy Spirit, but) swept (clean from sin – by forgiveness and the new birth), and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation." (how can this happen to a Christian?)

2 Pe 2:20-22 For if, after they (Christians) have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit ," and, "a sow, having (been) washed (from sin), to her wallowing in the mire."

2 Tim 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves (by yielding to sin); if God may give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will. NKJV/TEV

Who does the devil have influence over? All the unconverted and disobedient Christians:

1 John 5:19 ...The whole world lies under the sway (the influence) of the wicked one.

Eph 2:2-3 ...You were obedient to and under the control of the demon spirit that (AMP) still constantly works in the sons of disobedience; the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God.

...among whom also we all once conducted ourselves...

Satan has influence over everyone that isn’t currently obeying God. Since all disobedience to God is sin, whether by the unconverted or a Christian, Satan therefore has a very harmful influence in a person’s life whenever that person sins. That is they don’t continue to do the will of God, and hence disobey Him. This is where the entire world lives, and sadly so too do most Christians. Sins therefore are the works of the Devil and the whole mission of Jesus is to destroy those devilish works of sin in our lives:

Rom 6:16 …You are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin resulting in death (to God), or of obedience (to God) resulting in righteousness.

1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil for the devil has sinned from the beginning, For this purpose the Son of God appeared in order to destroy the works of the devil (to save us from sin’s power and thus from Satan’s influence).

John 5:14 (Jesus to a healed person) "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." (his prior sin brought on the sickness).

How does the devil take people, unconverted and Christians, captive? Through thoughts:

Ps 64:2-5 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, who sharpen their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows (darts); bitter words...they say "Who will see them?"

This psalm speaks of invisible spirits who use words, expressed in thoughts, as weapons.

Eph 6:12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies - the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.TLB

2 Cor 2:11 Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices (the word translated devices is elsewhere translated as “thoughts”).

What kinds of thoughts open the door for a Christian to become a captive of the Devil?

We are captives when we find we’re compelled to obey thoughts like these from Satan (not knowing they’re his) because we believed them, now our will, or soul, cannot say no.

Unforgiveness – Jesus said we are given over to the tormentors if we won’t forgive everyone from our hearts (Mat 18:34-35). The tormentors are demons of fear (1 Jo 4:18)

Disobedience – Satan is the spirit who now can work in all who disobey God. (Eph 2:2)

Envy – Saul envied King David (1 Sam 18:8-10) and an evil spirit then entered him. Jam 3:14-15 if you have bitter envy...this wisdom is...demonic.

Fear – God says fear is a spirit and isn’t from Him, so it’s from Satan (2 Tim 1:7)

Betrayal – Like Judas betrayed Jesus and Satan entered him (John 13:27)

Lying, including hypocrisy – Satan is the father of lies and they make us his (John 8 44)

Pride – is Satan’s nature 1 Tim 3:6 ...the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. NLT

Lusts - Satan knows the addictions of our flesh and tempts us through thoughts to cave in to them and so gain a measure of control over us: Eph 2:2-3 You were obedient to and under the control of the demon spirit...in the lusts of the flesh... (Amp)

Religion – Satan promotes religion because it is the counterfeit of an active relationship with the living God, so, many Christians: Have a form of godliness, but deny its power (won’t submit to the Holy Spirit)...people of corrupt minds (2 Tim 3:5-8) In whom the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of those who do not believe...(2 Cor 4:4) KJV

Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of no effect through your (religious) tradition...

Notice that in every one of these instances of sin the Devil is involved, that’s because all sin, regardless of the type, meaning, anything not done in the will of God, is of the devil.

This is not demon possession but it is demon oppression to one degree or another. Often Satan gets a controlling influence in our lives, through thoughts, while we are still children.