Set Free: From Demonic Oppression
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;…”
2 Peter 2:4
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8
Demons attempt to corrupt people and societies.
1. Demons are sent among God’s people to destroy their faith.
- “Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” - Matthew 13:24-25
- “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” - 1 Timothy 4:1
- Demonic influence is distinctly different from demonic possession.
2. Demons tempt believers and lead unbelievers away from God.
- “For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.” - 1 Thessalonians 3:5
- Demons can be cultural architects.
- Behind the false gods in the Old Testament was the spirit of “Shedim.” Shedim is another word for demon.
When Jesus came and the gospel spread, demons vanished into history but they didn’t go away.
- Greeks Gods like Zeus, Hercules, and Morpheus vanished.
- Cannanite gods like Asherah, Venus, Baal, and Dagon vanished.
When you turn away from God the door is open for demonic influence.
When Israel turned away from God, a dark trinity came. This dark trinity consisted of the evil spirits known as Baal, Ashtoreth, and Moloch.
Baal
- means “The possessor”
- A Canaanite god who took on the role of Zeus in the Ancient Greek pantheon
Ashtoreth
- Also known as Ishtar, Aphrodite, or Venus
- The spirit of unbridled sexual immorality
Moloch
- Is a destroyer
- Canaanite god of child sacrifice
The dark trinity leads to…
- A pagan society devoid of God
- Sexualization of people which goes against the will of God
- Destruction of families and lives for the sake of prosperity
How To Fight Back
1. Take the authority of Scripture.
2. Don’t let demons influence you.
3. Don’t fear Satan or his demonic realm.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:37-39
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4