SUBDUING STUBBORN EVIL SPIRITS

Beloved, Calvary greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Christians, God Almighty has blessed us with tremendous and inexplicable amount of power, I mean different kinds of power that deal with different kinds of powers of darkness.

However, some Christians have always wondered as to why they have not been able to subdue some demons. Sometimes these Christians see other Christians as superheroes when the latter are able to exercise dominion over some unclean spirits and they obey and leave.

Remember, God’s power comes in different shades. There is power to reign found in Luke 20:20, delegated power among others. Today we are going to learn about another kind of power known as “ isko”, a Greek word. What does it mean?

2 Corinthians 10:6 declares “and having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”. NLT expresses this scripture in this way “after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains obedient”. This power is based on submission or obedience. Submission or obedience to who? To Jesus Christ of course. How do you then become obedient? Let’s go to John 14: 15, “ If you (Christians) love me (Jesus), you (Christians) will obey my commandments”. It’s as simple as ABCD. This simply means always do what Christ Jesus asks you to do and don’t do what he doesn’t want you to do. Do we understand? Whatever God asks us to do is for our own good.

It was because of disobedience that Lucifer was banished from heaven. Moses couldn’t go to the promised land because of disobedience. Samson couldn’t finish on a good note because he also disobeyed God. Can we really become obedient to God in this fallen world? The answer has also been yes. If it wouldn’t be possible, God wouldn’t advise us to be obedient. If we love pornography and convince ourselves we are married so it’s ok to watch it to spice up our relationship, our obedience isn’t complete at all. We are gradually opening the doors to seducing spirits to enter our souls and destroy us later.

If we can respect our company’s rules and regulations, obey the police or government and if children of darkness can obey their master the devil by going to sleep in cemeteries at ungodly hours for power for a long period and they do it consistently why then do you convince yourself that you can’t always be obedient unto God. No wonder, the Bible says “ as a man thinketh in his heart (mind) so he is. If you think you are a confirmed gossip and you have made up your mind that that is how or who you are so shall you be. You can’t change. God on the other hand believes you can change only if you want to. Find grace and take the necessary steps needed to do the bidding of the Lord.

It’s not all evil spirits like principalities that can be dealt with delegated authority called “ exousia “ a Greek word. You can be a man of God or a child of God and asks a particular unclean spirits afflicting your body to go and it will go because you have used the authority Jesus gave you called “exousia”, delegated authority .

However, some spirits like principalities will only respond to your command because you live in obedience to Christ. If you are a fornicator who believes it’s right because you can’t control your feelings and you feel everyone is like that don’t ever confront the spirit of fornication in another person’s life through prayer. This is because Romans 6:16 says “ whoever you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey…”. So if you are a thief you are a servant to the spirit of theft that’s what the Bible is saying. If you are in that situation, repent and live for God before you confront that spirit. Some Christians went and commanded the evil spirit behind their business and they were seriously attacked, some were slapped and others were afflicted with stroke. Most of these but not all attacks are products of disobedience.

Jesus said in John 14:30, “ … for the prince ( the devil) of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me”. Jesus is saying he’s so obedient to God to the extent that the devil himself is aware of that reality and based on that he cannot lord it over him. Are you an adulterer that has allowed the spirit of adultery or immorality to find expression in your soul and for that matter your marriage is on the verge of collapsing? Go to God in prayer with a penitent heart and ask him to forgive you. When he does, rise up in holy anger and command that same spirit trying to find expression in the lives of your daughters and say “ devil, I was blind but now I can see so in the name of Jesus, you have no property of yours in me so in the name of Jesus, out!”” And you will be surprised your daughters will have their deliverance. You cannot live in disobedience or sin and expect God to help you subdue some spirits. No way! You may have to exercise your authority in your home as a Christian and not as a pastor. It could be an emergency at midnight when your pastor isn’t around to help you. What would you do when you realize the spirit at work in the health of your wife or husband is the spirit of arrogance of which you are also a victim?Think about it.

Finally, to exercise dominion over principalities in our lives, families, businesses or professions one weapon we cannot do away with is the weapon of obedience or holiness. Go and subdue with this knowledge.

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou.