Breaking Soul Ties

When Lance married Sheri he felt a tremendous relief. He’s been promiscuous before he was converted, and had “fallen” a couple of times after his conversion. He saw himself as oversexed, but knew that marrying Sheri, a very attractive woman, would help him solve his problems. The trouble was that even though their sexual relationship was healthy, Lance was still attracted to other women, and found himself thinking about some he’d known before his marriage.

Karen was frustrated and angry with her mother. She felt mom was always butting into her life. It was one thing when Karen had been a teenager, and consulted mom about everything from what to wear to how to plan her day. Karen was 33 now, a successful businessperson, who was totally capable of making her own decisions. But mom couldn’t see it, and was always offering unwanted advice. It was so bad that Karen found herself reacting with hostility to almost everything her mother said, even though it was obviously devastating to her mother.

What do these two situations have in common?

Soul ties.

A “soul tie” is often defined as an unhealthy and/or ungodly emotional attachment to a person or organization. Such a tie significantly affects a person’s attitudes and relationships, and may open a door for demonic oppression. One of the most common soul ties is established by sexual relationships outside of marriage. Even a platonic emotional attachment to one’s “first love” that leads to day dreaming about him/her or wondering what life would be like if married to the first love rather than the spouse, can indicate a soul tie. Another common soul tie is fashioned between parties in a co-dependent relationship, such as a dominant parent and a child who remains dependent into adulthood. It is also possible to be soul tied to an organization when commitment to that organization involves making oaths.

Most deliverance ministers view such relationships as involving making a covenant which God honors, even when the covenant made is ungodly or sinful. Deliverance calls for choosing to break the soul tie, using a prayer such as the following, adapted from several sources.

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Prayer

Father, in the Name of Jesus, I submit myself completely to You. I confess all of my emotional and physical soul ties. I choose to forgive each person with whom I have an ungodly soul tie. I ask You, Lord, to forgive my involvement in any ungodly soul tie. Lord, I receive your forgiveness. Thank You for forgiving me and cleansing me.

I choose to forgive myself for this involvement. I will no longer be angry with myself, hate myself, or punish myself.

Lord, I break my ungodly soul ties with ______________. I release myself from him/her and I release him/her from me. As I do this, Lord, I pray that You would cause him/her to be all that he/she can be. I ask you to help me become all that I can be.

Lord, please cleanse my mind from all memories of ungodly unions so I am totally free to give myself to You and to my spouse.

I renounce and cancel the assignments of any evil spirits attempting to maintain these ungodly soul ties.

Lord, thank you for restoring my soul to wholeness. I choose to walk in holiness by Your grace. In he name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen

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Often people laboring under soul ties are completely unaware of them, and may even deny their existence. But breaking soul ties can release us from unhealthy patterns of thinking and responding that hold us in bondage.

Deliverance Dictionary B

Binding. Those in deliverance ministry may speak directly to the spirit world to “bind” a demonic power. Such a “binding” is believed to restrict the demon’s ability to act or to harm. The assumption is that the Christian acting under Christ’s authority and in his name can not only expel demons from individuals, but can limit their ability to do whatever they are “bound” from doing. It’s interesting that while the binding language is common in deliverance ministries, when I checked a number of resource books I found none that included “bind” or “binding” in their index. While the language is taken from Matthew 18:18, the theological justification for this practice rests on the gift of authority over evil spirits which Jesus gave to his followers.

Birth. When seeking to help any person, a deliverance minister is likely to explore the conditions of his or her birth. Was he or she wanted by the parents? Were the parents married? Were the parents arguing or under stress during the pregnancy? Was the birth difficult? These and other questions are asked because of evidence that a person’s susceptibility to demonic influence is often established very early in life. Trauma experienced by the mother during pregnancy can have an impact on the fetus, even as trauma at birth can have an impact on the baby. Often a deliverance minister will encourage a person to re-experience these early times while visualizing Jesus present in order to bring healing and close doors through which demons might otherwise enter.

Bitterness. We often inadvertently invite demonic oppression by providing open doors through which evil spirits can enter. One of the most common of these open doors is bitterness over wounds others have inflicted on us. As Jesus pointed out, “such things must come” (Matt. 18:7), and whenever we are sinned against we will feel hurt. It is our response to such wounds that determine how vulnerable we become. If we choose to forgive the persons who hurt us, a potential door through which evil spirits can enter is shut tight. If we hold on to the hurt, feed our bitterness, resentment and anger, a door is thrown wide open. Deliverance ministers will seek to help clients identify any bitterness or resentment they may be holding, and help them intentionally forgive the person(s) who wounded them.

Blaming. Each of us must take responsibility for his or her choices and actions. For instance, realizing that we are responsible for our bitterness and hostility is a first step toward extending the forgiveness that will free us from such burdens. Accepting responsibility for our sins is a necessary step in experiencing God’s forgiveness and moving ahead spiritually. While it’s true that others are responsible for the things they do to us, blaming them rather than forgiving them hurts us more than it does the guilty. For many, blaming others is a primary way we try to excuse our own responses and actions. Unfortunately, playing the blame game rather than taking responsibility for our choices opens another door through which evil spirits may gain access to our lives. Deliverance ministry involves more that exorcising demons. It is a ministry focused on helping individuals rebuild their lives on biblical principles, and blocking avenues of demonic oppression that too many Christians leave open.

Blessing. Most in deliverance ministry put considerable stock in both the power of blessing and of cursing. When completing an exorcism or a prayer healing, it’s common to bless the client with specific gifts that counter the burdens that have been lifted. A person who has held bitter resentment against a parent, but has chosen to forgive him or her, may be blessed with love for that parent, or compassion for the parent, etc. Certainly the Scriptures are filled with examples of blessings, and in the biblical world these blessings were considered to have power to affect the experience and the future of the person blessed. Blessing is an important element in prayer for and with those seeking inner healing and/or deliverance. Like other elements of deliverance ministry, blessing has its own place in the process. Blessing is typically reserved for the conclusion of a process of inner healing and/or exorcism.

Blood. In Scripture blood is the symbol and source of life (Lev. 17:11), and the blood of Christ shed on Calvary is the propitiating sacrifice which enables God to forgive sinners. It’s not surprising that this powerful symbol is adopted for some occult practices, such as the making of blood oaths. Such blood oaths give demons rights to be present in the lives of those who swear them. It is essential to break the power of such oaths by having the person seeking deliverance renounce them and the power of evil which they represent.

Bondage. Some persons seeking deliverance will have struggled with a problem or repeated sin for years. Such a person will often have invested in years of counseling and in heartfelt efforts to break the pattern of repeated behaviors which he or she detests. For example, a person finds himself involved in repeated affairs despite loving his spouse and being riddled with guilt over his behavior. Also lengthy chronic illness, such as the case of the woman in the Gospels who was crippled by back pain which Jesus diagnosed as caused by Satan (Luke 13:10-17), may be due to demonic activity and is also considered bondage. The difficulty in such cases is usually that demons have established a grip on the individual so strong that nothing short of deliverance from the evil spirits can free him or her. Typically it is only after years of struggle, medical treatment or counseling, that such an individual will seek deliverance. Most who seek deliverance will need to be freed from some type of demonic influence. Some will need to be freed from demonic bondage.

Live Free #5

Applying biblical principals of Freedom* in Living Free support groups.

“Living Free Support Groups” help believers apply biblical truths about identity, faith, peace, righteousness and truth in order to experience freedom in Christ. New activities for Living Free Support Groups are published every two weeks on www.demondope.com.

Living Free Support Group
Activity #5

FAITH

Activity

After catching up with each other, ask each member of your group to think back to childhood. Back then, what did he or she want to be when grown up? Each is then to pantomime what he or she wanted, as the others try to guess.

When everyone’s childhood dream has been discovered, share what happened to your dreams. Were they achieved? Abandoned? Take time to explore how each of you feels about the way his or her life has turned out so far.

Recognize Satan’s Lie

Satan’s goal is to keep us in bondage. He wants to convince us that we’re unimportant and that our life is meaningless. One way he does this is by stealing our hopes and our dreams. Each disappointment we suffer, each dream we abandon in the face of “reality,” drains us of hope and keeps us in bondage. “You can’t reach this goal,” or “You’ll never become that” is a lie Satan’s tells to keep us from the future God intends for us, and from experiencing the blessings God wants to shower on us.

Hear God’s Truth

God has a plan for each of our lives. According to Ephesians 2:10, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” There are two amazing truths here. That we are “God’s workmanship” tells us that we have been crafted by God himself for specific “good works.” He made each of us the unique individual we are, shaping us for just those tasks that we are intended to do. “Prepared in advance” tells us that God has shaped our future too. The “good works” we’re called to do have been laid out ahead of time, so that as we move into the future we’ll come across them, ready and waiting for us. Our significance isn’t to be found in our dreams for ourselves, but in God’s dream for us. As God’s workmanship we are each fully equipped to achieve that dream.

Respond to God’s Truth

Most folks have difficulty seeing ways in which they truly are God’s workmanship. As a group you can help each person see things in himself or herself that God has been shaping, equipping each of you for your unique good works.

On pads of paper each of you note ways in which you see God’s workmanship displayed in each person’s life. How has he or she ministered to you? What “good works” have you seen God prepare for him or her to do?

Then take turns sharing what you’ve written about each other.

When all of you have all given one group member feedback, let that person respond. What does he or she see about God’s dream for him or her that might not have been seen before?

When you’ve all had a chance to receive feedback from the group, join in the following unison affirmation.

Unison Affirmation

Father, I take up my childhood dreams.
And place those dreams in Your hands.
I give them to You as an Offering.
Father, I tale up my adult dreams.
And place those dreams too in Your hands.
I give them to You as an offering.

Father, I open my hands and stretch them out, empty.
I wait here, eager to welcome Your dream for my life.
I acknowledge that I am Your workmanship.
You have fashioned and formed me to be the person I am.
I acknowledge your right to choose the good works
I am called to do.

Father, I will seek the meaning of my life in Your Dream for me.
I will be satisfied with Your Dream.
I will be fulfilled living Your Dream
I am in Awe that I am so significant that
You have a Dream for me.

Father, I praise You
I praise You now
I praise You forever.

Copy this Bible Verse
Post it in your home, and memorize it

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

June 22

Lilly Dale NY, a town just outside of Buffalo, has been a gathering place for mediums for over a hundred years. Today the town boasts forty women who will “put you in touch with the other side,” conveying messages supposedly sent by loved ones. According to the interview conducted by Matt Lower on Today, some 25,000 people a year pilgrimage to Lilly Dale to consult one of its mediums in hopes of contacting a loved one who has died.

“Biblical” demonology?

Just what is “biblical demonology” anyway? That’s a good question, given the emergence of fascination with the paranormal, with occult religions and with witchcraft. So, since it’s a good question, it deserves an answer. Let’s start by characterizing those fascinating areas I just mentioned.

The Paranormal
“Paranormal” is a term generally applied to unexplained phenomenon. The appearance of apparitions (ghosts?), extra sensory perception, precognition, out of body experiences, “far seeing,” premonitions, and many other experiences are stuffed into this broad category.

There are a variety of explanations offered for such phenomena, with each category often having its own list of possible causes. For example, at least five theories have been advanced for reported experiences of ghosts. And every other category of paranormal phenomenon seems to have its own cluster of possible explanations.

Occult Religions

A new pagan movement intent on recovering pre-Christian nature-based religions is exploding in the West. There are over a hundred occult or neopagan religions, ranging from Wicca to Odinism. They have in common a focus on and a reverence for nature, along with a common view of a spirit world populated by gods, goddesses and a variety of other spirit beings. In some of these religious “paths” spirit beings are worshipped; in nearly all paths they are honored. None of the occult religions view themselves as exclusive; and their practitioners almost universally accept the “truth” of the beliefs of those taking other similar paths.

Witchcraft and sorcery

The growing interest in witchcraft and sorcery is reflected in the practices of Wicca and other occult religions, as well as in the practice of occult arts by those who are not “religious.” The search for guidance from tarot card readings, palmistry, astrology, and Ouija boards, as well as the use of spells for protection or for the manipulation of circumstances or other persons, is increasingly common. The practitioner of Magick may or may not attribute the effectiveness of his efforts to influence events to supernatural beings.

Demons

Each of these three areas of interest has a link to demonology. Demons are one of the possible explanations offered for most paranormal phenomena. Many people are convinced that demons are active in neopagan religions, and that any efficacy witchcraft may have can be attributed to demons. But these links do not define demonology.

By definition “demonology” is “the study of demons.” This is a broad definition, and tells us nothing about possible sources of information on demons. “Biblical demonology” is far more specific, and puts the focus squarely on Scripture as the information source. And this leads me to the main point of this post.

The Bible specifically links demons to pagan religions and to occult practices such as witchcraft, sorcery and the rest. So, biblical demonology provides a basis for critiquing these two movements, their lack of truth value, and the dangers of involvement in them.

Yet biblical demonology does not provide information which enables us to evaluate paranormal experiences. Biblical demonology provides no significant help in answering such questions as, “What are those ghosts people report seeing?” or “How do premonitions work?” Paranormal researchers offer evidence that humans really have experienced these and other unexplained phenomena. But even if we accept that evidence, biblical demonology provides no basis for explaining the phenomena.

To put it bluntly, to attribute such phenomena to demons is speculative at best. And such speculation distracts us from the real purpose of studying biblical demonology.

Why biblical demonology?

Scripture reveals the existence of s spirit world populated by God’s angels and by demons who follow Satan. These represent two competing kingdoms, one of light and the other of darkness, and these two kingdoms impinge on us and our world. Scripture portrays the dark kingdom and unveils the strategies Satan and his followers use to hold human in bondage. The Scriptures also paint Christ as Victor over the forces of evil in this dark world, and hands us the spiritual weapons we need to share in his victory.

Satan binds. Jesus frees. And the reason we study biblical demonology is to understand Satan’s ways that we might lead others to the freedom Christ won for us on the Cross.

Don’t be surprised, then, if this blog ignores the paranormal questions that pique our curiosity. Don’t look for ghost stories or for speculation about ESP and precognition. Do however look for studies of Satan’s ways and God’s remedies. Do look for the theme of freedom. You’ll find it in almost every post, whether it’s a study of a Bible passage, a plan for a support group meeting, or a reminder that I’m available to conduct a FREEDOM WORKSHOP in your neck of the woods.

Biblical demonology, rightly understood, ignores speculation about what has not been revealed to focus on breaking loose from Satan’s snares, to live in the glorious freedom Jesus Christ provides.

june 18

In a new book Fr. Thomas Euteneur predicts that the rise of Wicca and other neopagan faiths will lead to priests being “inundated” with requests for exorcisms. The author of Exorcism and the Church Militant argues that “we simply must apply the authority of the Church to the power of evil in this world and I don’t believe we’re doing that adequately.’

Living Free #6

Applying biblical principals of Freedom* in Living Free support groups.

“Living Free Support Groups” help believers apply biblical truths about identity, faith, peace, righteousness and truth in order to experience freedom in Christ. New activities for Living Free Support Groups are published every two weeks on www.demondope.com.

Living Free Support Group
Activity #6

IDENTITY

Activity

After some catch-up talking, think of the “most hurtful” thing anyone has ever said or done to you. After each has briefly shared his or her “most hurtful” experience, discuss what made these experiences so painful. How did they make you feel about yourselves?

Recognize Satan’s Lie

Satan use the sins of others against us. Each hurt becomes a wound that strikes at the heart of who we are. His demons whisper, “If he can do that to you, you must be crap.” “If she treats you that way, you must have no worth or value at all.”

When we’re wounded by others time and time again we can lose our sense of self. We can become ready victims, accepting every blow as something we deserve. We can stop trying, convinced that we’d never succeed anyway. We can buy the lie that since no one treats us with respect, we’re not worthy of respect. We can come to the place where we’re so down on ourselves that the “most hurtful” things ever said to us are the things we say or think about ourselves.

Hear God’s Truth

God doesn’t make any junk. Nothing anyone says about you or does to you can change the reality that as a human being you are made in God’s image, and that as a Christian you are a dearly loved child of God. Satan uses the sins of others against us to plant lies in our hearts. We need to grasp the truth that we are not defined by what others think about us or do to us. We are defined by God. One of the things that having faith means is to hear the Word of God and to grab hold of that Word, no matter how others make us feel. In time as we hold on to Truth and act on Truth, our feelings change. Feelings are real, but they are not necessarily reality. Reality is defined by God’s Truth, and we are called to live by God’s Truth.

Respond to God’s Truth

Each person in your group is to read and think about either 1 John 3:1 or Ephesians 1:11-12. Invite God to speak to you as you focus on the verses for 15 minutes, jotting down your thoughts and observations. [If your group is small, let each person spend 10 minutes on each verse.]

Encourage each to share his or her thoughts and insights as you discuss the verses and their implications.

Unison Affirmation

Together, as children of God,
We reject Satan’s lies about us.
We reject the lie that we are insignificant
We reject the lie that we’re not worth respect
We reject the lie that we’ll never amount to anything.

Together, as children of God,
We repudiate feelings that aren’t in harmony with Truth.
We repudiate feelings of inferiority
We repudiate feelings of worthlessness
We repudiate feelings of insignificance

Together, as children of God
We commit to live in accord with God’s Truth.
We will face tomorrow secure in the knowledge we are God’s children
We will face tomorrow sure of his love for us
We will face tomorrow confident that he will enable us.

Together, as children of God
We reject Satan’s lies
We repudiate feeling of inferiority
We affirm that we are significant
We rely on God’s enablement

Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Copy this Bible Verse
Post it in your home, and memorize it

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

Deliverance Dictionary: A

Abuse Abuse, especially physical or sexual abuse, but also verbal abuse, is widely recognized to make a person vulnerable to demonization. As is the case with other traumas that stimulate intense emotions, abuse seems to open a door through which demons can enter a person’s life. The problem is not so much the abuse itself but the very natural response to the abuse, which often includes fear, anger, hatred, self-loathing and or shame. Many deliverance ministers use questionnaires to help identify possible demonic presences. These questions will always seek to identify any abuse the person seeking deliverance may have experienced, especially when he or she was a child. In deliverance from demonization with roots in abuse it’s important to deal with the underlying emotional damage, typically before commanding the demons to leave.

Addiction The identification of any addictions is an important element aspect of deliverance ministry. By “addiction” deliverance ministers generally mean any compulsion which the individual has tried to break but finds it impossible to control. The category of addictions includes the typical things, such as addition to alcohol, drugs, sex, or pornography. But the deliverance minister recognizes that any compulsion which has gained control over the person should be classified as an addiction, such as an addiction to shopping, to TV, to eating, etc. When a person has tried everything from will-power to counseling to break an addiction and has been unsuccessful, there’s a good chance that demonic oppression is involved.

Anger. Anger is a normal human response in situations where a person feels attacked or mistreated. Scripture recognizes this, and tells us to “be angry, but do not sin.” That is, the emotion itself is not sinful, but a person who becomes angry must recognize the fact that the anger may lead him or her to sin, and thus must be dealt with. At the same time, it is not normal for a person to become angry constantly, or to have fits of rage during which he or she loses control. Charles Kraft who has an active and extensive deliverance ministry has written that he has never ministered to a wife-beater who was not demonized. As is the case with most indicators of demonization, it’s important to deal with the emotional damage that lies at the root of anger. This process, often called inner healing, deep healing, or prayer healing, should generally be done prior to calling out and expelling demons or anger, hatred and rage.

Anointing. In the Old Testament “anointing” indicated both the calling and equipment of an individual for a specific ministry. Kings, prophets and Judges were anointed, usually in a ceremony which involved pouring olive oil on the individuals head. Those in modern deliverance ministry use the term in a related but different sense. Charismatics often use the term to indicate an initial coming of the Holy Spirit on a person, typically signified by speaking in tongues, which many see as a necessary prerequisite for a deliverance ministry. But Charismatics and other Christians also use “anointing” as a special filling of the Holy Spirit that equips a person for a specific task or situation. Whatever underlying meaning a specific deliverance minister may ascribe to “anointing,” all recognize that guidance and empowering by the Holy Spirit is essential in deliverance ministry.

Anxiety. Like other emotions, anxiety may be natural and normal, an appropriate response to a given situation, or anxiety may be demonically driven. Constant anxiety, or heightened anxiety as displayed in panic attacks that do not respond to counseling nor is overcome by medication, is a good indicator of demonization. Those who use questionnaires in deliverance ministry to help them establish the presence of demons will typically include a section which lists a number of emotions, and asks the person seeking deliverance to check any extreme or troubling emotions. “Anxiety” is always found on this list.

Authority. The most basic concept expressed in the biblical words most often translated authority is “freedom of action.” The person with authority is free to act in ways that a person without authority, or under authority, is not. God has ultimate freedom of action; a freedom to act which cannot be limited by any one or any thing. When a person in deliverance ministry speaks of “authority” he or she generally claims the specific freedom to order demons to leave an individual they have been oppressing. It is appropriate to ask, on what does the claim of such authority rest?
Deliverance ministers point to passages in the Gospels in which Jesus is reported to have given his disciples authority to heal and to cast out demons. They point out that this authority was not given just to the Twelve, but also to 72 others who had no claim to being Apostles (Luke 10). Acts reports exercises of such authority by Paul and others, and early Church Fathers portray the casting out of demons by lay persons as a common occurrence. As the church became more hierarchical the role of exorcist was limited to clergy. Today in the Catholic church prayers for deliverance may be offered by priesthood or laity, but only a priest appointed by a bishop, using an established ritual, is supposed to perform an exorcism.
This being said, a number of both Catholics and Protestants today claim the authority which they believe Jesus gives to all Christians to stand against and to expel demons in Jesus’ name. The testimony of deliverance ministers, of those who have been delivered, and of demons who have been forced to abandon their victims, suggests that believers truly are free to act against and to command demons to depart.

Hitch Hiking Demons

I’ve written it before, and here I go again. “Demon possession” is a really unfortunate translation of a Greek term that is better rendered “demonized” or “has a demon.”

What’s wrong with “demon possession”?

First, demons almost never gain “control” of a person, as control implices submerging the individual’s will or acting through that persons body against the individual’s will. Demons might like to have that kind of control. But humans don’t surrender their freedom of choice that easily.

When Satan manipulated Eve and then Adam into rebelling against God, I suspect he imagined that humans would align themselves with him and his purposes, just as the angels who followed him in the Great Rebellion had done. But that didn’t happen. In stating the consequences of Satan’s effort to enlist humans, the Creator told Satan he would put “enmity” between Satan and the woman’s seed. Yes, some do commit to Satan. But for most of us there’s a healthy suspicion of Satan and a reluctance to trust him which keeps humankind from total submission. We’re no more ready to commit to Satan than we are to God. We humans just naturally want to go our own way rather than submit to either God or Satan. And thus “enmity,” a deep seated suspicion and underlying hostility to the supernatural that makes us hesitant to commit ourselves totally to the Creator, also protects us from domination by the Evil One. We certainly can be and are influenced by Satan’s minions. But controlled? Seldom.

Second, the phrase “demon possession” is unfortunate in that it seems to release us from any responsibility for demonic influences in our lives. While we humans are undoubtedly vulnerable to Satan’s schemes, and often are victims of choices made by others, there seems always to be some level of personal responsibility when demons establish a foothold in our lives. This doesn’t mean that we make an intentional choice to let demons in. But I would argue that there is always some responsibility on our part for the entry and/or continued presence of evil spirits in our lives.

For both these reasons, speaking of and picturing demonic activity as “possession” is unfortunate. Personally, I prefer to speak of demons as “hitch hikers.”

Hitch-hiking in the 30s

When I was a kid the 1930’s [OK, so I’m old!]. one fun thing I could do was to “hitch hike.” In those days cars had running boards. These were six inch wide strips along each side of the car that a person would step on to enter the vehicle. But, if dad rolled the car window down, a kid like me could also ride on a running board, holding tight to the frame of open widow. That was fun! I was outside the moving vehicle, as the wind seemed to whip my hair!

Of course, dad never drove very fast while I was out there. But it was still exciting, and I called it hitch-hiking.

I think “hitch-hiking” is a much more accurate picture of demonization than “possession.” Somehow we’ve rolled down a window that’s give demons a place to grab hold, and they’ve jumped aboard. They’re holding on tight, feet curled around the running board, eager to make as much trouble for us as possible. And they’re enjoying the ride.

A better image of reality

I like the “hitch-hiker” image a lot better than the “possession” image. There’s no question of demonic control. For all intents and purposes they’re clinging to our outside. Sure, they might reach inside the window and tug on the steering wheel. They might even cause an accident or two. But control? No.

For another thing, the possession image makes it seem that demons are so tightly fused with us that they’re almost impossible to get rid of. But it’s not difficult to picture a hitch-hiking demon being given a good shove and landing in a heap alongside the road. That’s a pretty accurate picture too. When commanded to leave in Jesus’ name, demons are expelled. It doesn’t even take the shouting or posturing we sometimes see on TV! Just, “Git, demon!” And off the demon tumbles.

I like the image for another reason, too. If my dad kept the window of the car rolled up, so there was no place for me to hold on, there was no way I could stay on that running board. If you and I keep our figurative windows rolled up, there’s no way for demons to gain access to our lives either. And, spiritually speaking, we can keep those windows rolled up by confessing our sins, by extending forgiveness to those who hurt us, and in other ways that are clearly taught in the New Testament. Especially things that Ephesians deals with, that I cover in my FREEDOM WORKSHOP [Plug!].

Not So Scary

That’s right. Talk of “demon possession” is scary. Who wants to picture being “possessed” by a demon. But picture a demon hitch-hiking, and the scary goes away. One push from Jesus and that demon tumbles off, to be left along the highway. And then we roll up our windows, making sure there’s no place in our lives for a demon to get a grip.

And we continue on our way.
Demon-free.

Satan and You, #3

The third in a series of studies of references to Satan in the Gospels

This third direct reference to Satan in Matthew’s Gospel is found in a familiar story that Jesus told about a landowner who discovers weeds in a field he planted with wheat. In this passage Jesus’ explains the story.

Matthew 13:36-40
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Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

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Context

Matthew 13 contains parables concerning “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (13:11). The Jewish people looked to Old Testament prophecy, which drew a clearly defined portrait of a coming kingdom of God. It was to be established at history’s end, ruled by the Messiah, and populated by the righteous. What Israel did not suspect was that the kingdom of Old Testament prophecy was not the only form of God’s “kingdom” to emerge in history.

In Matthew 13 Jesus’ parables all describe a “mystery” form of the kingdom; a form not revealed in Old Testament prophecy and therefore one of God’s “secrets,” which awaited the Messiah’s appearance to be revealed.

The parable of the weeds in the field focuses on one aspect of this previously unrevealed form of God’s kingdom. It is an aspect which stands in dramatic contrast to Jewish expectations. The kingdom of prophecy would come at the end of time, when the Messiah came to establish his kingdom. And that kingdom would be populated only by the righteous. Yet in this parable, which Jesus introduced saying “the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed….” the kingdom is now, and the kingdom contains both “sons of the kingdom” and “sons of the evil one!” And in the story the coming harvest is identified as “the end of the age.”

Clearly, there is a form of God’s kingdom existing now, before history’s end, which does not conform to the patter of the kingdom of Old Testament prophecy.

While an understanding of the meanings of “kingdom” in the Old and the New Testament is important theologically, and is a key to an accurate interpretation of much of the Old and New Testaments, what concerns us here is Jesus description of Satan’s activities during this present age: Our age, when God’s kingdom rule is expressed in and through the church. With this in mind, we’ll look at what Jesus taught about the devil’s work…and how we are to respond to it.

Observations

1. “the field is the world” In this context it’s best to take kosmos (world) as “the inhabited earth,” rather than theologically as “corrupt human culture.” As God the Lord is ruler of the entire world of men, both those who acknowledge him and those who do not. But within this world of men one dramatic distinction is to be drawn.

2. “the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom.” In the parable Jesus is the One who sows the “good seed.” That is, Christ is responsible for the presence of the righteous, those who acknowledge, honor, and respond to God with loving obedience.

3. “the weeds are the sons of the evil one.” In this age humanity is mixed. Some are sons of the kingdom; some are sons of the evil one. And just as Christ is responsible for the presence of the righteous, the devil accepts responsibility for the wicked. He is the one whom the parable pictures as “an enemy” (13:27,28), for he sowed “weeds” among the “wheat.”

4. “weeds.” Some older versions translate the “weeds” as “tares.” The older version is probably better, for “weeds” fails to convey what the original text shows clearly. Wheat and tares are both grasses. When they first sprout the two are almost indistinguishable. It is only as they mature and heads of grain appear on the wheat, that a person can tell which plants are wheat and which plants are look-alike (but counterfeit).

5. “The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.” In the parable the servants asked the land owner if they should go out into the field and pull up the tares. The answer was, “let both grow up together until the harvest.” And the reason for the delay was, “you may root up the wheat [with the tares].” When the time of harvest arrives, then angels will distinguish between the true sons of the kingdom and the sons of the evil one.

6. “then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”At the harvest that the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the evil one” will separated. At that time each will receive the reward stored up for him. The righteous will “shine like the sun” and the devil’s offspring will be “thrown into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Conclusions

First, it’s apparent that while we may hesitate to “label,” God has no such inhibition. He places human beings in one of two categories. One is either a “son of the kingdom” planted by Jesus. Or he is a “son of the wicked one,” planted by “the devil.” We either have given our allegiance to Jesus or, no matter how loud we protest that we are uncommitted, our allegiance is in fact to Satan and we are counted as members of his family.

Second, Satan is more than happy to plant weeds in our wheat fields. In fact, this is one of his most effective strategies. We should hardly be surprised when opposition and dissention rear their heads in our fellowships. An enemy has been busy sowing tares.

Third, the parable pictures a world in the identity of individuals is ambiguous. There are no sure or positive markers which enable us to say with certainty, “he is a son of the kingdom” or “she is a son of the evil one.” This is in part because it’s in the nature of both wheat and tares to grow. Who one truly is, and to whom he have given allegiance, is never completely obvious. Only as we mature do marks of our true nature bud and then blossom.

It is also true that we humans often use faulty criteria to evaluate others. We are so prone to use superficial, exterior criteria to evaluate whether God is doing a work deep within an individual’s personality. As saints we remain sinners, and even a true believer may be trapped in a lifestyle which would lead us to a wrong conclusion about his or her relationship with God.

In short, we need to be aware that Satan is actively planting tares in all our wheat fields. Rather than trying to identify and get rid of them, our role is to nurture, to stimulate growth. We are to withhold judgment as to whether those to whom we minister are wheat or tares, confident that in the end God will make that determination and deal with each individual appropriately.

As for us, we are free simply to love.
And to serve.