Levels of Demonic Attachments
Over the last few years, my team and I have taken hundreds of people to the Courts of Heaven to become free of attacks from the enemy. Some of the questions I am asked quite often are:
- What does it feel like when you are under an assault by the enemy?
- What is part of normal life?
- What is an attack, resulting from a demon or a demonic attachment?
To really understand these questions, let’s look at the commonly accepted, well-known, tactics of the enemy. There are three stages of influence demons can have upon a person.
In a battle, recognizing the tactics and strategies of your enemy is the first step toward victory. If you refuse to admit you are under attack, you will never be victorious in battle. To enforce your authority, you will need to know when the enemy is crossing the line.
Level 1: Depression
The root word of depression is “depress,” which means to reduce strength or activity. The suffix “ion” denotes or indicates a condition. When you combine the root word and suffix together, you get the condition of being reduced in strength or activity. This is the most subtle and common form of an attack from the demonic realm. If our adversary can reduce our activity and deplete our strength then we are not taking as much ground for the Kingdom of God.
Just as the more conventional meaning of depression suggests, this is a mental attack. It can be as subtle as demons who are assigned to putting thoughts into your head.
…we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ… (2 Corinthians 10:5 AMP)
Inherently, we have a sinful nature, so there are some thoughts that are because we are born with sin as a part of us. There are also thoughts that are attacks from the enemy. The Bible tells us that each of us has an angel guarding us. Satan is an imitator of God, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipresent. He doesn’t know everything, nor as previously stated, can he be in more than one place at a time.
The old concept of a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other isn’t far from the truth. Satan assigns demons to each person. Their sole job is to follow you around and prevent you from reaching your full potential. These low-level imps don’t have much power other than interjecting thoughts to try to get you to veer off your path, thus giving them more power.
With the revelation of these facts, you might ask, “Well, how can a person control their thoughts?” German theologian Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” This is a perfect example of what happens if we don’t take authority over negative thoughts.
When these sinful, destructive thoughts are acknowledged and accepted by speaking them out loud or acting upon them, then the demon assigned to us gains ground, he begins building a nest to become more attached to you.
Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? (Romans 6:16 AMPC)
When you continually submit to and follow a spirit, you are obeying that spirit. If you give in to these thoughts by dwelling upon them or acting upon them, the spirit who initiated the thoughts worms its way deeper into your life. Eventually, it can lead to oppression.
How to Tell if You Have a Demonic Attachment
A curse will allow a demon access to afflict you in many ways. The free book, “Destroying Curses in the Courts of Heaven” has a detailed list of the signs which may indicate a curse, so I will not repeat that here. A curse is one type of attachment, however, there doesn’t have to be a curse for an attachment to occur.
A demonic attachment is simply a place in your thought life where repeated acceptance of demonic suggestions allows a demon to easily influence you. Some may refer to this as a “stronghold.” A pastor of a large church had a vision of what exactly happens to form an attachment. Here is the vision the Lord brought him:
Two women were talking to one another: a demon sat on the shoulder of each one. A demon would whisper in Woman One’s ear and she would speak a harsh, critical statement about the pastor of the church. The demon on Woman Two’s shoulder would whisper and she would speak, exaggerating some little thing.
This continued for some time and each time the women would speak, the demons would throw-up some green goo over the women. The more they spoke, the more the demons covered them in slime until it was a cocoon covering them.
The sin the women were committing was gossip, but the consequences of any repeated sin is the same. Paul wrote to Romans who did not know God’s ways and explained it this way:
Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey… (Romans 6:16 AMP)
The pastor’s vision shows the truth of this verse. Jesus paid the price so our sin doesn't send us to Hell, but it can give the enemy power over us in this life; we can be his slave. In the Courts, I have seen cement blocks, chains, webs, and many other things holding God’s people. Only by turning from the sin and accepting the payment of the blood of Jesus for it, are people set free. The result of this freedom can be healing - physical or emotional, and financial blessing that often comes with a sense of peace.
Each person’s life is unique. Attachments can look as different as our lives. Often it is something we know we shouldn’t be doing (a sin), but we just can’t seem to stop. It can be drinking, smoking, sleeping around, gossiping… Or a hundred other little things. It is the Holy Spirit who will reveal what the enemy is using to remain in your life. If you are not yet able to hear from Him or if you need help through prayer, then we are here for you.
Learning about God and His ways is necessary to understand how Jesus has set us free from sin. The true purpose of the Courts of Heaven Academy is to move the enemy out of your life so you can have more of God in it! Our Heavenly Father designed you for a perfect destiny - your life will feel complete as never before when you are walking in that destiny with close fellowship with the Lord.
Level 2: Oppression
If you relinquish ground to the enemy, this can lead to oppression. The definition of oppression is continued unjust or cruel treatment or control. This is where demonic assaults begin affecting your body. Many people who have a gift of seeing into the spirit realm have described what they refer to as black masses attached to people’s bodies, not unlike a fungus or growth. These demons are similar to leeches, and if you let them attach themselves to you they will feed on the authority you give them, exerting more and more control.
Oppression can manifest itself by showing up in the physical world in more ways than I can list here. The Bible doesn’t record each and every way, but it does say this:
…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. (Acts 10:38 AMP)
This clearly shows that a result of oppression is a physical condition that needs healing because healing occurred when the oppression was broken. It also shows that Satan can be a cause of a physical sickness.
Can our thoughts lead to physical infirmities? Recent studies about the way our brain works show that when you think about any topic repetitively it forms physical neural pathways that are easily accessed. The more days you think about the same topic, the easier it is to access your brain and it will begin to use that pathway automatically. This is why the Bible commands us in the following ways:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... (Romans 12:2 NIV)
Our brains need a constant dose of goodness and truth which comes from the Word of God. Putting the right Word in your heart and mind can lead to a transformation. The Bible also encourages us to focus on certain types of material:
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (Philippians 4:8 AMP)
Before man knew that pigs carried parasites and that diseases could be transmitted to man, the Bible called them unclean and told us not to eat them. Before we knew about heavy metals in shrimp and eels, God told His people not to eat them because God knew that eating these animals would negatively affect the body.
Now, top neurologists have found that repetitive thinking establishes pathways in the brain. Negative thoughts connected to sin, anger, and trauma develop caustic pathways that release cancer-causing, destructive material into our systems. Research shows that 87% of all diseases are connected to the release of toxins in the brain. (Source: Dr. Caroline Leaf, Ph.D. in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology, University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Repetitive negative thought patterns are highways allowing spiritual oppression. Christians are not immune to this type of attack from the enemy. Through Jesus we can take thoughts captive: this is what the authority from our Lord should be used for.
Sometimes an attachment has formed and we are oppressed by sickness. The half-brother of our Lord shows us that you may need help to be set free.
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:14-16 ESV)
The Lord has provided for those who are oppressed with sickness, but we have a part to play. We must be willing to confess our sins so that we may be healed. Much of the Christian community has forgotten what “confess” means and what constitutes a “sin.” We hope you will learn about God’s ways so that you can be healed by our Lord’s grace! Elders at Agape are here to pray for you in the very first class as you begin learning at the CoH Academy!
Level 3: Possession
When He arrived at the other side in the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs met Him... (Matthew 8:28 AMP)
The Greek word daimonizomai is translated “possessed” in some versions of the Bible and “demonized” in other versions. To be demonized means to be under the control or influence of evil spirits. When you possess something, you own it. If a person is possessed, a demon will take full control over them, which is the root of this terminology. Survivors of possession have described it as being able to see, but unable to control so much as the blinking of their eyes. Possession can occur in many different ways. A few of the most common are:
- Accidental Invitation
- Rape
- Occult Rituals
Any of these actions have the possibility of dire spiritual consequences. The effects can be hard to spot and may not show up the next day, or even the next year, but the enemy has rights to us and will use them when he desires.
Accidental Invitation
A good portion of the world has forgotten how powerful the spirit realm really is. We may participate in games or activities we see as harmless, but they may open a door for great affliction. Using Ouija boards, séances, spirit writing, and spirit guides all involve spirits that do not come from God. If they are not with God, then they are aligned with Satan. They will lie and manipulate to gain influence with you.
Jesus told a parable about a beggar named Lazareth that shows us God’s policy concerning the spirits of those who have died:
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores… And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom… Then he said, “I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house: For I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”
And he said, “No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.”
And he said to him, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-20, 22-23, 27-31 AKJV)
The rich man sought to have a spirit from the dead speak to his brothers and the answer was a firm “No.” God must not allow the spirits of our departed loved ones to guide us or it would contradict what He has said elsewhere:
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set My face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. (Leviticus 20:6 KJV)
There is a stiff penalty for associating with spirits who are not from God: He turns His face from us. This means we will lose God's favor and His presence. If you were cut off from your people, you couldn't go to the temple to pray or to offer sacrifices. For Christians, this means your prayers will be hindered if you listen to familiar spirits and the attacks of the enemy will not be removed!
Some enemy spirits can appear in familiar forms of loved ones with information they have gained from watching us our entire lives. Their goal is to get us to invite them into our lives and eventually into us so that they have a home. You can invite the Holy Spirit to come inside you at salvation and He will advise and help you, or you can invite a demon inside who will attempt to trick and manipulate you.
Rape
One of the main ways for a spirit to enter a person without their permission is through rape. I believe it is because our spirit is damaged during the attack, which allows for a transfer of a spirit. The Bible tells us that when a man and woman have sex they become “one flesh” (Mark 10:8). The merging of flesh puts our spirits in close contact. A traumatic sexual experience may wound or damage our souls or spirit.
In biblical times, many gods were worshiped with sexual acts. Though it is not specifically stated, there seems to be something of spiritual significance that occurs during sex. This is why we are supposed to wait until we commit to a lifetime relationship (marriage) with someone before we engage in intercourse. Perhaps a sexual act, in some way, affects our spirit. This would explain why rape is the only way a demon can possess a person without an invitation.
This hypothesis also explains why I have seen children who were conceived through rape who are also possessed through no fault of their own. The children were not old enough to invite a demon inside; the only common ground was their conception through rape.
Regardless of how a spirit comes to be in a position of authority and take complete control over a person, one fact remains: God has provided a way for everyone to be set free.
Occult Practices
Another way some cultures invite spirits inside of them is through ceremonies. This isn’t as prevalent in America as in other countries, but it is still widely practiced. This can be done alone with a book in your hands or in a ceremony presided over by a shaman, witch doctor, or even someone calling themselves a prophet.
Witchcraft spells are carried out by demons who may demand a place to reside within you. Although books like the Harry Potter series are making it more accepted and witches have confirmed the spells in these books are real and may cause a demonic attachment - demons don’t care if you are just pretending and saying words. An invitation is an invitation and they will take advantage of your ignorance of the laws which govern the physical and spiritual realm.
I have prayed with many people around the world and though I was told that it was impossible for a Christian to be possessed by a demon, I have now discovered that is not always true. There are still ceremonies being practiced where entire family lines are being dedicated to demonic spirits.
In many nations, children or entire family lines are still being dedicated to other “gods” which are demons. When animal or human blood is spilled, it can create a curse that will be passed down for generations. This can be inside or outside of occult practices. When later generations become Christians, sometimes they may have a hard time getting rid of the spirits plaguing them.
The truth of this was seen when a woman came for prayer years ago. She was possessed by a demon, perhaps more than one. She had gone to every deliverance ministry for the last 12 years, but none could set her free. She was a Christian, yet even the ground of her home was cursed: not a single thing would grow. This demon was terrorizing her mind so she couldn’t work and at times, it would speak through her mouth.
The Holy Spirit revealed that one of her ancestors was part of a special branch of the Nazi party, who were directly responsible for the slaughter of many Jews. There may have been a special ceremony of dedication for their families, then as they spilled blood of innocence under the urging of a demon, these actions had given the enemy spirit a right to literally possess future generations. Confessing this sin and pleading the blood of Jesus over it set the woman free.
Possessions are pretty easy to spot: You know something is inside you because it takes control of your body despite your wishes. Identifying a demonic attachment, such as depression or an oppression can be a bit more difficult.
Trials and Tests
The Bible speaks of crowns given for work completed here on Earth (2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 9:25, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:2-4), and that there is treasure stored up in Heaven for what is done here (Matthew 6:19-20). It also speaks of tests and trials that we are given, which we may pass or fail.
What is the difference between trials and tests and attacks because of an attachment? I have observed the following:
- Tests and trials always repeat until you come through them without sinning.
- In a test, there is always an opportunity to sin and an opportunity to hold on to God’s ways.
- Attacks seem more random and often there is nothing we can do because there is a sin you need to remove.
If you aren’t sure if you are suffering from an attack or a test, we encourage you to begin classes in the Courts of Heaven Academy which will help you to discern what the Holy Spirit is telling you. Mature Christians are available to discuss class material with you so that you can understand it and apply it to your life. Once you have completed the core courses in the CoH Academy (101-401) Agape elders are available to discuss anything that has not been resolved to see in intercession, including a visit to the CoH is needed.
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Destroying Curses in the Courts of Heaven
Our rights to appear in the Courts of Heaven have been greatly undervalued. The missing key to our authority is here. Jesus has provided the access and the Bible shows us the court procedures. When we learn to operate in our rightful place as children of the Most High, the enemy will be defeated and we will see the victory we have prayed for.
The death of Jesus freed us from the curse of the law. However, we must declare this freedom just as we must make a declaration for our salvation.
Our rights to appear in the Courts of Heaven have been greatly undervalued. The missing key to our authority is here. Jesus has provided the access and the Bible shows us the court procedures. When we learn to operate in our rightful place as children of the Most High, the enemy will be defeated and we will see the victory we have prayed for.
The death of Jesus freed us from the curse of the law. However, we must declare this freedom just as we must make a declaration for our salvation.
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- What are signs of a curse?
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