To Heaven and Back Again: Spiritual Influences Upon Items

Video: Cursed Objects

A Deeper Level

I thought the two basic ways we discern good and evil was all there was to ‘discerning of spirits.’ I assumed that when the Holy Spirit had something important to share with me, He would show up and reveal it in a unique way. Just as there is strong meat when learning about God's ways, there are deeper levels to the gift of discernment.

Since the beginning of the year, the Holy Spirit has begun revealing when everyday objects like paintings or knick-knacks are tainted by another spirit. I didn’t even know that objects in my small town in America could be tainted! While we have heard about defiled or cursed things in the Old Testament, the enemy hasn’t stopped using this tactic just because we are more civilized. One story comes to mind:

God’s people entered the promised land and faced a walled city, Jericho. In a miraculous display, God took down the walls without His people raising a sword. Afterward, He instructed them about the contents of the city:

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein… (Joshua 6:17 AKJV)

The objects were cursed, and God told His people to keep away from them. A few verses later, He warned them about what would happen if they brought cursed items into their camps:

And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. (Joshua 6:18 KJV)

Having a cursed object in our home will bring trouble into our house. In the case of God’s people, it caused them to lose a battle when they greatly outnumbered the enemy. When circumstances show that everything is against us, loss comes instead of victory. We need to do what Joshua did in this case: he sought the Lord and cried out, “Why is this happening?”

Just like God did with Joshua, if we seek Him, truly ready to hear whatever has allowed the enemy into our lives, He will reveal it to us. This is what happens when our prayer team has Intercession appointments. We are able to plainly hear from the Holy Spirit where we have gone wrong.

In the Bible story of Jericho, it was a man named Achan who had brought a garment, gold, and silver into his tent. The object brought a curse with it. Cursed or defiled items are not limited to the Old Testament:

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh… (Jude 1:23 KJV)

The Greek word spiloō means defiled. Items and clothing can carry curses and be defiled by the flesh and by other spirits. The newly saved or newborn Christians may have objects contaminated by their own passions or spirits that have been given a place in their lives.

Until recently, I thought that being a Christian protected me in every way from any type of spirit that was not from God. I thought that nothing could harm me because I was covered by the blood of Jesus. This scripture is proof that God expects us to hear from the Holy Spirit about physical things in this world, just as God expected His people to stay away from cursed items in the Promised Land.

Most items will be contaminated to some degree because we live in a fallen world. However, a cursed item will bring attacks from the enemy into our lives. Many are aware that the garments of Paul carried the anointing of the Holy Spirit:

So that from his body were brought to the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:12 AKJV)

Items of clothing that were upon Paul were imbued, infused with the Holy Spirit and God’s anointing. Why should it surprise us that the opposite could also be true? In the free book, “Why Doesn’t God Speak to Me?” we talk at length about God being fair and just. The enemy mimics God; in many cases doing the same type of things with spirits, but that which is not aligned with God. The ultimate example of this is the coming of the Antichrist: someone who will operate in miracles, but not give credit to God.

Praise God for the blood of Jesus which redeems sin! When purchasing new items and bringing them into our home, a few simple steps can help keep us safe.

1. Always ask the Holy Spirit if this is something you should buy.

a. When you have any hesitation about an item
b. Don’t ask if it is “defiled” because very few things are free of sin in this world today.

2. When you bring home new items, bring them in with praise:

a. Jesus, I thank you for providing these things for me.
b. As they are mine, I thank you for cleansing them from all prior sin with your blood.

c. I renounce any curse words spoken over them.
d. With the sword of the Spirit I sever all ties to the prior owners.

i. Learn about this in “Where is the Attack Coming From”

Our Lord has provided all we need. It is just a matter of walking through this life with Him!

Cursed Items

There’s a fine line of distinction between hearing from the Holy Spirit about what is good and what is evil and giving into a religious spirit that isn’t from God. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide each one of us. A newly initiated Christian may need to grow more in their faith before they are ready to remove things from their life. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Guide. He tells us what we need to get rid of. Mature Christians may have a much longer list than newborn Children of God.

When I came to God, there were many things in my life that I wasn’t prepared to recognize as “bad.” However, the Holy Spirit opened up my gift of discernment and I began to see demons in my house on a weekly basis. The demons were easy to get rid of, but they kept coming back. When I got tired of the struggle, I asked for help. If you are at this point, there are some basic items that are easy to see as allowing the enemy access to us:

Statues/pictures of other gods
Items from other religions
Things that access the spirit realm

Let’s look at these, one by one, to see where the danger lies.

Statues/Pictures

You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the water under the Earth. (Exodus 20:4 AKJV)

This verse follows the first of the Ten Commandments: you shall have no gods before Me. God's people tended to make idols out of all sorts of objects. You don’t have to be bowing down and worshiping an item for it to give the enemy access. Look at it like a flashing sign in the spirit realm that says, “Other spirits are welcome here.”

By having pictures or statues of other gods, you are making it known to the spiritual realm that the level of your devotion to God and His ways is questionable. In essence, you look like an easy target. Any pictures or statues of gods from any other religion should be removed. Some lesser-known items, which are really gods, include:

Dragons: Satan is called “that old dragon.” By keeping items depicting dragons, you are acknowledging the leader of God’s enemies.
Kachina Dolls: These artistic dolls and carvings represent Native American gods.
Cupid: Actually, represents the god of desire.

There is even a danger in having statues of angels. Angels are spirit beings; fallen angels are demons. When you have a statue of an angel, how do you know if it is a good angel or a bad one? Paul said to test every spirit:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God... (1 John 4:1-2 AKJV)

And it is no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light....
(2 Corinthians 11:14 AMPC)

How can we test and make sure the statue is of a good angel or a bad one? Scripture tells us to “be holy unto God as He is Holy.” You should prayerfully consider if this means to remove all statues and pictures of other spiritual beings from your home.

As you come up a level with God, the enemy looks for any way into our lives. It can be tempting to focus on the powerful servants of God instead of focusing on God alone.

And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then said he to me, “See you do it not: for I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” (Revelation 22:8-9 NKJV)

Even John, when he was taken to Heaven, was tempted to worship the powerful being: The angel escorting him. Anytime we focus on the power and beauty of God’s creation instead of God Himself, there may be a danger of creating an idol, or at the very least, being in rebellion against God’s ways.

Religious Items

Just as Paul’s clothing held God’s presence, if items were used to worship other gods, they may hold a presence of a spirit opposed to God. Items from other religions or witchcraft symbols are something we should give up if we feel a spiritual battle or negative circumstances constantly upon us.

Bringing other religious practices into our lives is also a danger. We do not need ceremonies or religious items. The Lord told us that we are God’s temple, and the Holy Spirit resides in us, just as He was in the Jewish temple in the past. We have no need for altars, special salt, or any religious relic, or even a place to worship, for we are His temple and worship Him in spirit and truth. Relying on anything else may open a door to a religious spirit.

A list of every dangerous item would be too long and thus impractical to itemize. Just ask yourself, is a particular item used to honor a spirit that wasn’t the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel? Is it placing honor at a physical location instead of focusing on the fact that you are His temple, and He can speak to you anywhere, anytime?

Spiritual Realm Items

To cast lots puts an end to disputes and decides between powerful contenders. (Proverbs 18:18 ESV)

There are many examples in the Old Testament where God’s people cast lots to discover His will. This is akin to our flipping a coin to help us decide what we should do. Israel expected God to guide them by tossing certain objects into a dish or drawing straws.

Once we take Jesus as Lord, we receive the Holy Spirit; He is to be our guide, not physical items. The disciples cast lots in the Book of Acts, but this was before the Holy Spirit came upon them. Anything used to receive direction by chance or from the spirit realm is an open portal for spirits to come into your home. This includes, but is not limited to:

Ouija boards
Tarot Cards (even if they are labeled “Christian”)
American Indian dream catchers
Casting ruins (any object thrown to give advice or predict the future)
Reading tea leaves

These are among the basic things that may provide an open door to the enemy. Every Christian needs to consider these items if they feel attacked or hindered by the enemy.

Online Christian Church courses of learning can be found at: www.onlinechristianchurch.com