Bind the Strongman!

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Today's Passage> Matthew 12:22-32
Memory Verse> Matt. 12:29

As believers, we love the idea of ministering spirits following us everywhere we go. They serve as something like our own personal bodyguards, there to keep the enemy forces at bay and carry out the ultimate plan of God in the lives of His children. For a long time, many of us didn't know they were even that important in the spirit realm. But once you discover they're there, you want to do everything in your power to activate them. Here's something else many believers don't know much about, however: there are enemy forces that could be at work INSIDE of us as well as inside of those who have yielded their lives to the kingdom of darkness. These forces can only be defeated by following Jesus' blueprint for deliverance.

The enemy forces I'm referring to are known as "strongmen", spirits employed by the enemy to enforce his will on the earth by oppressing and sometimes possessing the spirits of believers in specific areas. You may think this is a far-fetched concept, but if you've ever had something take over you that you knew wasn't good, but compelled you to make bad choices, you probably experienced the actions of a strongman. The Webster definitions for "strongman" include the following: "a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way; one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military standards; a dictator, oppressor, or tyrant".

As we discussed this week, the enemy spends a lot of time seeking whom he may devour or destroy, but he cannot gain access into our lives unless there's a doorway. Whether through some traumatic incident, sins that we may have committed, or even through iniquity (transgressions passed down from our ancestors to us), all the enemy cares about is that he gets in. If allowed in through thoughts that are not cast down, the door is then opened for the strongman to make his stronghold (a comfortable place from which to bully us into doing the enemy's will rather than God's). Other less militant but equally destructive spirits are then allowed to take their place in our spirits, secure in the fact that their territory is protected by the strongman.

Here's an example of how this demonic but highly organized system works in a believer. The spirit of pride tries to gain entrance by suggesting thoughts that a man or woman of God should have been raised up by now. Why is it taking so long? Don't the pastors know how anointed he or she is? As these thoughts continue to be allowed to take root, the entryway is opened and the strongman, which is really the spirit of Absalom (see Cindy Trimm's book, Binding the Strongman), comes in. With this spirit come a multitude of others, including the spirit of rebellion, power struggle, divided allegiance, usurping authority, self-exaltation, pretense, disrespect and defiance. Before long, the stronghold has been built and this person is strong-armed as far away from his or her destiny as possible, outside of the will and timing of the Most High God. To answer the question, "why bind the strongman first"? This takes away all his power, re-routes him from his assignments and creates the opportunity to evict him and his co-horts from the life of the oppressed person. Jesus said that all power and authority are his, and He's given it to us to render powerless all spiritual forces at work in our lives or the lives of others. In Jesus' Name, take authority and begin walking in the freedom Jesus purchased with His precious blood.

Prayer: Father, according to Ephesians 1:2, You have blessed Your children with all spiritual blessings and seated us in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, far above ALL principality and power, and every name that is named. You also said that You have placed all things under Jesus' feet. We bind now every strongman of oppression that would operate against us, in addition to all the subordinate spirits that have taken residence in us. We bind every assignment and destroy its purpose, loosing them from their stronghold in our lives. We replace those spirits with the very purpose of You, God, and bind ourselves only to You and Your plans for us. Thank You for the authority to be free. In Jesus' Name, Amen.