One Demonic Spirit

I want to talk about a topic of great importance to all, but even more so to those who lived the January 12th earthquake. I am saddened to see poeple still gripped with fear in the nation of Haiti. Many not willing to sleep in their homes that are not  damaged. Even more sad is seeing Christians un-willing to spend time in building with concrete roofs for fear of them collapsing when or if another earthquake happens. This should not be so.

We have all experienced fear. We have all had to deal with fear at some point in our lives. Many of us deal with it on a daily basis. Some people are all bound up with fear. We usually call them phobias. There are many things to fear, and many reasons to fear. Maybe we have more reason to fear now then ever before in the history of the world. There is violence, wars, famines, flooding, hurricanes,earthquakes, poverty, and all sorts of evil taking place all over the world. We in Haiti may have more reason to fear than some other places. It only takes 10 minutes of listening to the news, talking to someone about what is happening in Haiti or hear the terrible stories before fear begins to set in. I have heard of things that have taken place these past months that are so terrible. I wouldn’t even repeat. Most people in Haiti are living in fear, or at least having to deal with fear on a daily basis.

Where did fear originate? It began with Adam and Eve when they fell. It was one of the curses that sin brought into the world. God never intended or desired for man to live in fear. Satan now uses fear to control and immobilize people. There are those who become possessed by fear. I know this for a fact because a spirit of fear once possessed me. My last year in Bible school, I was plagued with all kinds of fears. It wasn’t until I read a book called, “One Demonic Spirit” that I got set free.

It is not in God’s plan for us to live in fear, and he wants us to be free from fear.
The Bible says that we should not fear our enemies.The odds may be great, and seemingly overwhelming, but we don’t need to be afraid, God is with us.

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 - "When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

The Bible says we don’t need to be afraid of those who hate us or those who seek to destroy us, because we serve a great and powerful God.

II Chronicles 32:7 - ""Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him."

Do not be afraid of what you have heard. There are all kinds of rumors flying around Haiti of bigger earthquake coming, and of fire shooting out of the sun.

II Kings 19:6 says, "Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me."

We must not live out of fear of what I call, "the what if's". What if an earthquake comes? What if my house falls? What if I can't feed my family? What if the person hates me? What if my loved one dies? What if, what if, what if. I know that I have a tendecy to do just this kind of thing, but I must not let it get a hold on my life.

We must not fear those who try to trap us, neither the evils of day or of night as long as we abide in God.. (

Psalms 91:1-7 - "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

There is a part here that is of great importance to those in Haiti, "you will not fear the terror of night". Many people live in their houses during the day, but unwilling to sleep in them at night. It is because they fear the terror of night. They fear the house falling on them in the night. As Christians, we are not to fear the terror of the night.

We must not fear evil tidings or bad news.
 
Psalms 112:6-8 - "Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.  He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

We are not to fear natural disaster or when the world around us is in turmoil.

Psalms 46:1-3 - "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah"

We are not to fear sudden disaster. (Prov. 3:25,26)

Proverbs 3:25,26 - "Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,  for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."

If we take a careful look at all these passages, we will find that God never promises that these will not come our way or happen to us. Yet, he promises that he will be with us and give us victory over them or through them.

The only things the Bible tells us to fear is God only and his judgment or wrath. (Deut. 10:12; Isa. 8:13; Ps. 119:120)

There are several reasons that we fear.

We fear because we lack faith in God.

Isaiah 12:2 - "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
We fear because we don’t understand God’s love for us. (I John 4:18)

1 John 4:18 -"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

God wants us to have peace. (Ps. 29:11; 85:8; Jhn. 14:27; 16:33)

We find peace when we have confidence in God’s protection. (Ps. 4:8)

Psalms 4:8 - "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
We find peace when we keep our minds fixed on him.

Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
A Spirit controlled mind will bring peace.

Romans 8:6 - "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;"

We find peace when we cast our cares on Him. (Philippians 4:6-8)

Fear is from the devil. God commands us not to fear. Fear becomes sin when it immobilizes us, and hinders us from doing what we need to do. Fear becomes sin when it hinders us from obeying God and doing what is right. (I Peter 3:6,14) Fear is the opposite of faith. The Bible says without faith we can not please God. When we fear, it is not pleasing to God. Yet, God has come to give us peace. He is able to give you peace that passes all understanding. The Bible says that there will be many trials and troubles, but God is able to give you peace over them or through them. We need not be afraid.

I found the victory over fear in my life when I realized it was not from God but a demonic spirit. When I understood this, I bowed down in prayer and bound the spirit and asked God to deliver me from the spirit of fear. It left me immediately. This doesn't mean it doesn't pop up its ugly head at times, but now I know it is not only psychological, but spiritual and that I need to do battle with it.