Session Two: Demonic Strongholds
In Session One I gave an overview of three kinds of strongholds: sin-based, demonic,
and lie-based. We discussed a strategy for overcoming sin-based strongholds, which
includes some overlapping with our topic now in session two: overcoming demonic
strongholds. Step 6 in the Seven-step Strategy for the Destruction of Sin-based
Strongholds is, “Command Satan and his demons to leave in the name of Jesus.” Now,
in Session Two, I will try to give you an overview of demonic strongholds which you can
plug into that Step 6.
I. Recommended Reading
A. They Shell Expel Demons, Derek Prince, Chosen Books. (704)357-3556, 1998.
B. Pigs in the Parlor, Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, Impact Christian Books, inc.
1973. C. Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian, Dean Sherman, YWAM Publishing, 1990.
II. The Kingdom of Satan was established.
A. Revelation 12:7-9. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging
war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
And another passage which describes the same event in heaven, Isaiah 14:
12-17. How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the
dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, saying, “Is this the one who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who did not allow his prisoners to go home?”
1. Satan was originally an angel. In fact, he was created by God as an angel of
light. But he was not satisfied with the way God made him; he wanted to
be like God.
2. Satan waged war against God and lost. He had recruited ? of the angels in
heaven for his army. 3. Satan lost the war and was cast out of heaven, down to the earth
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B. God gave rule over the earth to Adam and Eve. Genesis 1:28. God blessed
them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
1. Adam and Eve were given authority from God to rule and advance God’s
kingdom in the earth. They were God’s representatives on the earth
and they ruled in God’s delegated authority.
2. The requirement of God was that Adam and Eve had to obey one rule: they
could not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
3. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, ate of the forbidden tree, and thus lost their
authority to rule the earth.
4. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all of their children down through the ages
have inherited their sinful nature. This is what the theologians call
“original sin.” Because of the sin of Adam, all of mankind is born
under the dominion of Satan. Satan works out his plan to thwart God
and try to retain his foothold in the earth through the people God
created.
III. The Kingdom of Satan has been brought down by Jesus Christ.
A. God gave a promise to mankind in Genesis 3:15. The promise is hidden in
God’s statement of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin. God is speaking to the serpent when He says, “And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
1. Satan will bruise mankind on the heel, a non-fatal, though painful, wound.
2. Mankind will bruise Satan on the head, a fatal blow.
3. There will be intense hatred between Satan and the children of Eve.
4. Eventually, a child of Eve will destroy Satan. This promised child is the
promised Messiah, Jesus, who was to come. Jesus fulfilled the
promise of God made in Genesis 3:15.
B. How did Jesus regain dominion from Satan?
1. Jesus demonstrated the Kingdom of God while he was on the earth.
a. Matthew 12:28. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God then the
kingdom of God has come upon you.
b. Jesus had cast a demon out of a man, something that had never
happened before.
c. Jesus was accused of using the power of Satan to cast out the demon.
d. Jesus declared that only the power of God could command a demon;
therefore, they were seeing a demonstration of the power and
kingdom of God. The power of God was working through a man,
Jesus. This had not happened since Adam and Eve sinned.
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Therefore, the kingdom and authority of God had come on earth
again in the person of Jesus.
2. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus sweat drops of blood as He prayed,
(Matthew 26:39), “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from
Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
a. Adam and Eve had demanded their own will, their own way.
b. Jesus surrendered to the will of God, even though it meant His death.
c. Thus Jesus, Who the Bible calls “the second Adam” qualified, through
His surrender and obedience to the Father, to take back the rule
over the earth that Adam lost.
3. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil for all men who would receive it.
a. I John 3: 8. The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has
sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
b. Jesus made a public display of His victory in heaven. Colossians 2:15.
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a
public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
IV. Jesus gave authority on earth back to mankind. His death on the cross paid the
price for us to be forgiven of sin and cleansed, thus qualifying those who receive Him to receive God’s authority over the earth again.
A. Colossians 2:13-15. When you were dead in your transgressions and the
uncircumcision of your flesh He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
1. Jesus qualified us to receive authority
2. This qualification was acquired by Jesus without our help. In fact, we
were dead in our sins and totally disqualified when He died for us.
B. Matthew 28:18 - 20. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
1. Jesus could give us authority because He had been given all authority.
2. This authority is to be used to advance the Kingdom of God.
C. Mark 16: 15-18. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the
Overcoming Strongholds Page 3 Gloria Cotten Taped 11/5/07 for Declaring His Answer Ministry gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. “
1. The authority that Jesus has given us is first manifested in our own lives
in our salvation.
2. The authority that Jesus gives us is not just theoretical but will be
manifested in tangible ways through us.
D. Luke 10:17-19. The seventy (disciples) returned with joy, saying, Lord, even
the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” If you are a
disciple of Jesus Christ then this is for you! 1. Jesus ascribes “power” to the devil. Gk. = dunamis = the thing itself has
power (a tractor has power to plow, a bomb has power to blow things up, a boxer has power to knock you out with his fist) 2. Jesus has given us “authority”. Gk = exousia = right or authority
(sometimes translated “power”, but not the same thing) 3. The most important question is not “Who has the power” but “Who has the authority”. Demons have power, but disciples of Jesus Christ have authority. 4. Demons are superior in many ways to us. They have more dunamis than
we do, but they do not have the authority, the exousia, to use it
against us. 5. Christians, even the youngest among us, have been given authority over all the power of the enemy.
E. Revelation 12: 10-11. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the
salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of the brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
1. The blood of the Lamb --- the blood of Jesus which He freely shed on
the cross --- is what destroyed the devil’s authority over people’s
lives
2. The word of their testimony = I was lost but now I am found = I belong to
Jesus and I am now your worst nightmare, Satan!
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3. They did not love their life even when faced with death = go for it, no
matter what. The worst anyone or even Satan himself can do to
you is kill you and that just gets you to heaven quicker!
V. Demonic Forces
A. There are levels of demonic activity, a definite hierarchy. Ephesians 6:12. For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
1. We do not need complete understanding about demons in order to have
victory over them. We don’t have to know what we are dealing with
every single time. We don’t have to be able to understand it to cast it
out.
2. The vast majority of demons you cast out of yourself or others are just
“garden variety” type. They are nothing special, and you have
authority over them just because you are born again. Remember: they
may be stronger than you, but you have authority over them!
B. Demons are limited in abilities, and have limitations. They are not the equal of
Jesus, though they may have more power than you do. Remember,
though, no matter how strong the demon is you have authority over it in
the name of Jesus.
1. Demons are not to be glorified; they are nothing
2. Demons are only fallen angels
3. Demons have personalities
a. Matthew 8: 28-34. The demons that Jesus cast out in Gadara were
violent, quite chatty, and very demanding. The caused their victim to live in the graveyard, go naked, cut himself and attack passersby. They were also very strong. The man was chained but often was able to break free and terrorize the region. b. The demon Jesus cast out of a young boy , Mark 9:14-27, liked to put on
a big show with convulsions and foaming at the mouth, but the real evidence of its presence was that the boy was deaf and mute. c. Some demons are aggressive while others seem shy and withdrawn, some plead and whine while others are demanding and aggressive, but regardless of their personality, all demons are subject to our authority through the blood of Jesus and the authority of His name. They recognize Jesus and they fear Him.
VI. Can a Christian have a demon? YES!!
A. Most misunderstanding in this area comes because of the unfortunate translation of the Gk. word daimonizomai as “possessed by a demon” in
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the old King James Version. A better translation would be “he that has a
demon” or “he that suffers from a demon” or simply “one that is
demonized.”
1. The old KJV implies that the demon owns or possesses the person,
something the original text does not imply. In actuality, many times in
the New Testament, a more literal translation would say that the
person was holding onto the demon rather than that the demon was
holding the person. Even so, there are some times when a person,
usually a non-Christian, is completely controlled by a demon. The
Gadarene demoniac is a Bible example of this.
2. Newer translations accurately imply only that a demon is responsible for
some kind of inappropriate behavior, that is, that the person acts this
way because he is demonized or vexed by a demon.
B. Demons can be active in a person’s body
1. Sickness or other manifestation, like deafness, being mute, epilepsy, other
diseases are recorded in the Bible. I have seen people “delivered” of a
spirit of cancer and it was confirmed later by a doctor that no cancer
remained in their body. I have seen many delivered of a spirit of
infirmity and the affliction in their body disappeared.
2. Demonic activity can be manifested in a family for generations causing
various afflictions that are repeated in successive generations.
Hereditary diseases are sometimes caused by demons that have
gained entrance into a family line.
C. Demons can be active in a person’s soul (personality, emotions, character, will)
1. In their mind: a false way of thinking can be caused by a demonic presence.
Demons that cause sexual addictions frequently gain a foothold
through the mind.
2. In their emotions: if a person needs emotional healing, a demon may be
present but it will usually be almost impossible to deliver them from
the demon until at least a measure of healing takes place in their
emotions. Unforgiveness is most often at the root of this problem.
3. In their will: this is the most difficult deliverance to gain for a Christian
because their ability to choose is being manipulated by the demon.
Demons of witchcraft are often in this category. Woman in Iceland
who was raised to be a witch --- demon was in her will but God did
set her free and she remains free today.
4. Caution: a life-dominating sin is not the same thing as a demon, though it
may look the same. However, a life-dominating sin that has not been
repented of can block deliverance of a demon. Unforgiveness is one
example. Woman in Iceland who had crystals is another.
VII.If you suspect someone needs deliverance from a demon, start by leading them to
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the Lord if they are not saved. It makes the deliverance much easier.
A. A large percentage of what people say is demonic is really just flesh. You must
crucify the flesh. You cannot cast it out. Wherever there is sin, there must
be repentance before freedom can come.
B. If a demon seems to be strongly entrenched, it is probably because he is
standing on “surrendered ground” in the soul of the person.
1. The enemy gained ground when sin was committed and not repented of.
Subsequent sins gain more ground = a sin-based stronghold. There
may be demon/s there, but the main problem is the sin. Until the sin
stronghold is dealt with, the demonic problem will not go away. You
may be able to make the demon leave, but it will come back and it
may bring others with it.
2. The demon may be standing on a lie, something false that the person has
believed about himself, about God, about life. Until the lie is removed,
permanent victory will not be possible.
3. The person must be ready. Some are ready and some are not. Until they are
ready,there is no point in forcing the issue. God is in control and He is
the only One Who can get them ready. Don’t rush it, and don’t push it.
VIII. How did Jesus deal with demons?
A. Most of the time, He cast them out with a word and they left immediately. B. The Gerasene Demoniac. Luke 8:26-33. They sailed to the country of the
Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”, for many demons had entered him. They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
1. The demons did not leave at once. They were afraid of Jesus but they were
not immediately obedient to his command to leave.
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2. Jesus asked its name --- he did not always do this. This time he does it after
the demon does not immediately leave. Jesus knew, when the
demons did not leave at once, that there was a reason. So He sought
to know more about this particular demon. What he discovered was
that there were a “legion” (over 6,000) demons inhabiting this man’s
body.
3. Demons seem to want a body to live in (Matthew 12:43-45. Now when the
unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. . . The
demons at Gadara settled for a herd of pigs over nothing. 4. Immediately before meeting the demoniac, Jesus encountered a storm on the sea of Galilee. Luke 8:22-25. Now on one of those days Jesus
and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake , and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who is this, that He commands even the winds and the water and they obey Him?” Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons ...
a. When Jesus came across the water the demonic power recognized
Him and sent a storm. The demons in the man were exercising
control, through the man, over a region
b. Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves (same Gk word used to
describe how Jesus addressed the demons, but only here used
against the wind).
c. The demon saw Jesus coming into the region of Gadara. By the time
Jesus got out of the boat, the demonized man was running up
to him because the power that controlled him had already had
an encounter with Jesus on the water.
d. This was no ordinary, “garden variety” demon: it was, in fact, over
6,000 demons living inside one man’s body, and they were
exercising control over a territory as well as over the man they
inhabited. (Demons are very powerful. Remember how the ONE
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demon threw the boy down into convulsions when Jesus
commanded it to leave? This is 6,000 of those critters! Jesus
had compassion for the man!) When Jesus delivered the man of the demons, he also delivered the region! C. The boy for whom the disciples were unable to achieve a deliverance. Mark 9:
17-29. And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought You my
son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; [18] and whenever it
seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and stiffens out. And I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it." [19] And He answered them and said, "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!" [20] And they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling about and foaming at the mouth. [21] And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. [22] And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" [23] And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can!' All things are possible to him who believes."[24] Immediately the boy's father cried out and began saying, "I do believe; help my unbelief." [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again." [26] And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, "He is dead!"[27] But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. [28] And when He had come into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" [29] And He said to them, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer."
1. Verse 20 holds an important key. The demon had power over the boy.
When it saw Jesus, it began to demonstrate its power by throwing
the boy into convulsions. However, Jesus knew that He had
authority over the power of the demon. He was not distracted by
the demonstration of the demon but got more information from the
boy’s father, perceived what the problem was --- lack of faith in
both the disciples and in the boy’s father --- and brought
correction to the father. Then the father repented of his unbelief,
confessed his dependence upon Jesus, and Jesus did as the
father requested: He helped the father’s unbelief and He cast out
the demon.
2. Faith is the key to releasing the authority inside of you.
a. The father said, “If you can do anything . . .” (verse 22)
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b. Jesus said, “If I can? . . . All things are possible to him who
believes!” (literally, “to him who issues faith.”)
c. We too are dependent upon the Lord for faith; it is a gift from God. It is
our responsibility to stir up our faith and to act on it. Faith is not
an emotion; it is a spiritual gift from God and is effective no
matter how we feel.
3. In this case, the demon puts on a show; the demon manifests its
presence by throwing the boy into convulsions. Is this to be
expected?
a. Some people say yes, others say no. There are things to be said for
each view.
b. Some people will not cast out demons until they manifest. This is the
way it usually happened with Jesus. Often, a demon would
manifest its presence in an afflicted person which would catch
the attention of the crowd. Jesus never seemed to like for
demons to get attention and He would cast it out of the person.
(1) People who believe this will try to provoke the demon to
manifest. This is what often happens in “mass or
group deliverance meetings” and it can be very
effective.
(2) The advantage to having a manifestation: when a demon
manifests and then is cast out, there is no doubt in
the person’s mind that he has been set free
c. I have personally seen many people set free without manifestations.
(1) Sometimes Jesus did not allow demons to manifest
(2) When there are no manifestations there is a necessity for
discernment
d. Certainly Jesus was not freaked out by a demonic manifestation ---
He is having a conversation with the father (verses 20-21) and
He continues with the conversation despite the uproar being
created by the demon.
a. What stopped the conversation was the crowd gathering,
not the demon.
b. Jesus would give no glory to the demon
IX. How do demons gain entrance to a person’s life?
A. Through traumatic experiences, especially in children when the parents do not know to protect them or when they fail to protect them from demonic
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activity.
B. Through the sinful lifestyle of parents, especially drug-related or occult activities
C. Through the person’s personal involvement in occult activities, even when you
are only “playing”, and through participating in sinful activities
1. Trances of any kind and hypnosis separates your will from your mind and
provides an open door for the enemy to enter
2. Transcendental meditation --- separates your mind and body and thereby
gives legal allowance to the enemy to enter
3. Illegal and hallucinogenic drugs open the mind to demonic influences
4. Curses can open a door to demons, but do not always indicate the
presence of a demon, especially if the person is a Christian and
knows his authority.
5. Seances, ouija boards, magic 8 balls, etc can open a door to demonic
influence
6. Any involvement with WICCA is a bad thing
7. Life-dominating sin (lying, drunkenness, immorality, sexual addictions,
habitual stealing, etc) make one vulnerable to the advances of
demons
8. Overwhelming trauma, even in an adult --- gang rape, molestation, death
of a loved one, traumatic accident, war experiences, etc
9. If you re-engage after being delivered, you are in great danger! For
instance, someone who has been set free from a lifestyle of
immorality needs to be the strongest one around to avoid it.
X. How to detect the presence of a demon
A. Do not assume there is a demon under every rock and behind every tree! B. Characteristics of a person who is demonized 1. Won’t look you in the eye 2. Can’t stand the worship. They come and go during worship. 3. Have a hard time saying the name of Jesus. 4. They want to believe the Bible, but can’t. 5. They want to read the Bible, but can’t read it so that it makes sense to them. 6. They want to get saved, but can’t.
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7. Jerky facial or bodily movements.
8. Irrational actions.
9. Uncommon sleep when reading the Bible, hearing the Bible read aloud, or
when listening to sermons.
10.Nervousness that’s beyond normal. They are panic-stricken to get out for
no apparent reason.
C. Symptoms of a person who is demonized
1. Walking in morality but plagued by dreams of immorality.
2. Quick to repent of the smallest (or greatest) sin, but cannot feel forgiven
and clean
3. Thoughts of suicide
4. Plagued by thoughts they cannot explain rationally
D. In the final analysis, discernment from the Holy Spirit is necessary.
1. If you think you may need deliverance, get help from a mature Christian
you trust.
2. Take the personal inventory that you have gotten with the notes to this
course, and take it with you to get help. It will help both you and
the person who ministers to you to identify the full extent of the
problem.
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