Bondage No More!
Hi Everyone,
Today I am sharing several visions that concern the need for discernment and deliverance. We need to know the dangers and risks that present themselves every day. We need spiritual discernment to pick up on the enemy’s schemes against us, so that we do not become deceived, or harmed in any way. And when the enemy comes to take up space or hang around–we need to usher him out.
The Visions
The Spaghetti
In the first vision, I saw a hand holding a fork which had three strands of cooked spaghetti in its tines. Two strands of spaghetti were creamy white in color. The third strand was black, bent, thin and ugly. Was it even eatable? Was it actually a strand of spaghetti?
What test would you give this black thing on your fork? Would you put it in your mouth? Would you pinch it to see if it reacts as genuine spaghetti? Or would you simply throw it away and discard the whole batch for fear that it may have contaminated the entire dish?
The Bible tells us to test all things.
“Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22
We are to know scripture for ourselves so that when someone comes with a teaching that does not line up with the word of God, we will be able to discern truth from falsehood. We do not want to get tripped up by false teachings and “the teachings of demons.”
“Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2
An Invitation
Just today, a friend called for prayer. She has had trouble sleeping for years. We have prayed many times for her to be able to sleep at night. After prayer, she would sleep well for a few days, and then the insomnia would return. Today, she shared with me that an acquaintance she met at church told her that there is a “spirit of insomnia” over her. This person instructed her to bind up the spirit of insomnia and invite a “spirit of slumber” to come. She told me that she went home and prayed over her bed, and pillows, and over herself and her husband, inviting the spirit of slumber to come and give her restful sleep. I was in shock that she, who was a born again Christian for so many years, had invited a spirit, a demonic spirit to come to her! Inviting a spirit to come is inviting a whole lot of trouble!
I asked her to disinvite the spirit, and to declare out loud that it is not welcomed in her home and not welcomed by either herself or her husband. I asked her if she had prayed for anyone else to receive sleep in this manner. She said that she wasn’t sure. So we bound up these spirits, cancelled their assignments and asked the Lord to forgive her for seeking spirits, instead of the Lord God himself. We do not need to open doors to these spirits. Everything we need is provided by the Lord and his Holy Spirit! Thank you Jesus!
The Holy Spirit is the comforter, the healer, the revealer of truth. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He is our savior, our deliverer, our all in all. Our Father in heaven is God Almighty, the creator of the universe, the Great I Am. Who else do we need? Jesus is the name above every name. There is no one else.
How can we avoid such pitfalls? We need to be discipled and instructed in the word of God. In fact, Jesus our Lord is called “the Word of God,” in John’s Gospel and in the
Book of Revelation. Jesus is the very words of God because he is God.
Wisdom and discernment are two gifts of the spirit that are essential to identify false teachings and lies that come from the enemy. As we seek the Lord, and are baptized in the Holy Spirit, he gives us spiritual gifts that we use to edify or build up the church. Without wisdom and discernment anyone could be led astray.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6
But often, people are deceived as my friend had been when she asked a spirit to help her. This is sin. It opens doors to the wicked one and invites him to come in and take up residence. If we do not know the word of God, we will not understand what is safe and unsafe, what is good and what is bad, what is holy and what is not.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20
The Word of God is truth; it is God’s will for us.
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
By knowing him, we come to know truth. Through his death on the cross, we receive his forgiveness for sin. We receive salvation, wisdom and eternal life. He is the giver of all good things and every precious gift. Without him, we will only have what this fallen world has to offer, which is nothing of lasting value. This world is passing away. We should not cling to worthless things. If we pass from this life without his forgiveness and saving grace, hell will be our destination, a place of eternal torment. That is why scripture tells us:
“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 9:10
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
My friend does fear the Lord, so she repented immediately upon realizing that she had invited an evil spirit into her home and gave access to both her and her husband. It is certainly true that without knowledge, people perish. She lacked this teaching about the kingdom of God, and so she embraced the idea. The devil used a Christian to deceive another Christian. We must be knowledgeable about the kingdom of God and how it operates.
Here is another very important teaching about the kingdom that I must share, for many people get trapped by this:
Anger and Unforgiveness
“In your anger, do not sin. And do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27
If we are angry with someone, we need to forgive them right away. For unforgiveness gives place to demonic spirits. Unforgiveness is sin, and sin gives demons the “right” to invade your mind and body. The following is an example from my own life.
An Open Vision
Years ago, my husband and I had an argument, and went to bed still angry. The issue was unresolved. As I lay in bed next to him, I saw what seemed to be a very large black ball over my head, coming down towards me. I knew it was evil, so I rebuked it and commanded it to leave in the name of Jesus. Then immediately, I asked my husband to forgive me. I promised the Lord I would never let the sun go down on my wrath again. Repentance and forgiveness closes the door to the enemy. Unforgiveness invites trouble.
Healing and Deliverance Weekend
This past weekend, our church had three days of deliverance and inner healing as we had completed a 21-day period of prayer and fasting. It was powerful. There were numerous healings and deliverances over the three days. The presence of God was so strong that spirits were manifesting all over the room.
We prayed together out loud, declaring our beliefs, our intentions, renouncing sin, and binding all unclean spirits associated with sins. We commanded the demonic spirits to loose the oppressed and to go in the name of Jesus. Upon the completion of these bold declarations, evil spirits began to manifest. A few people started screaming, some began to throw up, one was thrown to the floor and writhed like a serpent. This particular spirit laughed, and mocked those engaged in casting it out. But victory came through the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is no doubt that we have received a mighty visitation of the Lord God and his Holy Spirit. I believe it is because we have sought the Lord with prayer and fasting, earnestly seeking his best in the lives of others. The Lord is holy and he wants us to be vessels of honor that he can use.
“Be holy for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
We are experiencing the power and grace of God, not because we are perfect, but because we love him, and we are making room for him to come.
“As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no not one.” Romans 3:10
Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:18-19
Jesus is the healer; the Holy Spirit provides the power. And all things are done by the will of the Father. This is the Trinity, a beautiful composite of the oneness of God. Three distinct persons, yet one God.
The Leech
I also had a vision of a leech. It was very large, about 14-15” in length and 3.5” in diameter. It was yellow, green and brown and was attached to someone’s lower leg. This vision is about bondage. Someone was being tormented by an evil spirit that was “sucking the life out” of him. One of the pastors had the same vision.
Once there is an open door, these demons will attach themselves to us like leeches. Once they take hold, they do not want to let go. It is by spiritual warfare, and the authority and the power of the Holy Spirit that forces these demons to leave. We have to walk with the Lord and abide in him to have the spiritual authority to cast out demons. Jesus said,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:5-7
By abiding with the Lord, we will have the spiritual authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. To abide with the Lord means to make our home with him. There is a scripture that describes this:
“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:28
Raw Dough
In this vision I saw a man sitting at a table with a plate of food in front of him. He takes a piece of dough and rolls it into a 2” ball and sets it on his plate with the other foods. It appears that he intends to eat the raw dough.
This vision goes back to the idea of discernment. The man was making no distinction between the properly prepared foods on his plate and this glob of dough that has not been cooked, baked, fried, or broiled. He does not realize that eating raw dough can be harmful to his body. He has no discernment.
Flour that has been milled, has all the bacteria that lived in the field where it was grown. The flour we buy at a grocery store has not been sanitized or treated in any way. It will last a long time if it is kept dry. But if water hydrates the flour, the bacteria and pathogens become active and flourish in the dough. It is only in cooking that bacteria like e. coli are destroyed. “Why the FDA is warning you no to eat raw cookie dough”
Just as the man in the vision lacked discernment and exposed himself to pathogens in the dough, through lack of discernment, we can expose ourselves to wickedness and the plans of the devil.
The Fly
A few days before the event, I had another vision while sitting on the floor, praying in my room. I saw about 8-10 flies swarming around my lower legs. One fly hoovered in front of me, as if looking at me. Then he darted towards my face. The intention was clear. He wanted to attack me. Then the vision was over.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
We should not be surprised, that the enemy takes note of our work for the Lord, our faith, our worship, our prayer and intercession . He will attack us in an attempt to hinder the work of the kingdom of God. Anyone who lives for God will experience attacks from the enemy. Sometimes a family member of a believer comes under attack, for a predator will always try to go after the easy targets, those who are weak, alone or vulnerable. If by attacking a son or daughter, or other family member the believer may be detain, stopped or hindered from doing what the Lord has planned for him.
All those who are God’s servants, and who are actively doing the work of God, should not believe that they are untouchable. The devil and his demons take note and will attack with whatever has worked in the past. Those who do the will of God will be on “the enemy’s hit list.”
We may be called upon to help another person to be set free. So, we need the gift of discernment to understand why he is in bondage. If we ask the Holy Spirit, he will impart his wisdom, give words of knowledge, and help us to recognize what spirit is in operation, and where the door is that needs to be shut. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no deliverance, and no freedom.
The Black Paint
In this vision, I saw a metal grid, made of woven wire. There was a very small paint brush that was dipped in black glossy paint. The grid was in the process of being painted black.
You might be familiar with a song written years ago and performed by the Rolling Stones called “Paint it Black.” The song describes the world through the eyes of a depressed and demonically possessed man. These are a few of the lines:
I see a red door and I want it painted black.
No colours anymore, I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes.
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes.
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black,
with flowers and my love, both never to come back.
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away.
Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day.
I look inside myself and see my heart is black.
I see my red door, I must have it painted black.
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts.
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black.
The woven metal grid in the vision is like a fence or a barrier. It is a trap to keep the mind locked in depression, and to keep a person from being set free. It reminds me of a vision that the Lord gave me years ago, when I was concerned for a friend who just could not acknowledge the truth. She could not or would not accept Jesus as her Lord and savior. She came to church to be with me. She had issues with God, yet she kept coming. I decided to pray and fast to find out what was holding her and keeping her in bondage. The Lord gave me the following vision:
The Woman, the Wolf and the Key to the Forest
I saw a tall iron gate and fence that were painted black. On one side of the enclosure was a dark forest. In front of the gate was a beautiful woman with a long white gown and long dark brown hair. She stood in profile to the gate and held out her hand with the palm open. Facing her and also in front of the gate was a wolf, standing on his hind legs, like a man. He held a key in his paw and he was offering it to the young woman so that she could open the gate and enter the forest.
In a book I had read, called “The Secret Place,” there was a forest which the author called “the forest of deception.” The author used the forest to describe a place where people become lost. It is a place of demonic bondage, where lies and deception have affected the mind so that it remains in a state of confusion and hopelessness.
The woman in the vision represented my friend as well as the church, the bride of Christ. The wolf represented the devil and his demons. The key was like the apple that the serpent presented to Eve in the garden. The key was the lie that led to a place of darkness, where she would become lost.
The Lord showed me that my friend, like many people, had been tempted to accept the lie that the devil had presented to her. In Eve’s case, believing the lie caused her to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree and to share it with her husband, Adam.
“You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5
My friend took up a lie, an offense against God for having arranged for his son to be killed. She thought that God was wicked to do such a thing. Why didn’t he just forgive us? Why did he have to kill Jesus? She was highly confused and refused to accept the truth.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-19
But there came a day, when she found the Lord her savior. She finally came to church to be with God rather than to be with me! Hallelujah! And now, she is in heaven with the Lord, for she passed away about 18 years ago. No more pain, no more sickness, no more tears! Hallelujah! She is in a place of unspeakable joy! My God is faithful! Hallelujah!
So the grid that was being painted black is a trap, not easily seen. It is a fence and a barrier to the Lord. It is a means of keeping one in darkness, away from the light of Christ. It is our job as Christians to demolish these strongholds and to take every thought captive. Bondage is in the mind and in the body. We must destroy these ideologies, lies, addictions, and every sin that keeps us bound.
Freedom comes to those who earnestly repent and desire to make Jesus the Lord over everything in their lives. Without a true desire to change and turn away from wicked practices and habits, and live for the Lord, nothing will happen. When we become born again, we are filled with his Holy Spirit. The Lord opens our eyes and everything becomes new. But we can still have bondages, and need to be delivered if the doors are not shut and sealed with the Holy Spirit.
My Testimony
I was delivered from a demonic spirit when I went forward to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is a greater infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit, with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. At that time I wanted to be right with God more than anything in the whole world. The priest had me make declarations out loud to confess my faith in God, and my decision to renounce the devil and every form of wickedness and sin. I declared my desire to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and vowed that should I fall into sin, I would immediately repent and turn back to God. I took every word that I spoke with great seriousness. I wanted more of Him. So when the priest anointed me with oil and making the sign of the cross on my forehead and declaring over me, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” I fell back onto the floor and the demon began to manifest. I had two voices, that of a man—very guttural, and my own voice. The priest knelt on the floor next to me and asked me, “ Did you do this? Did you do that?”
I replied “Yes! I did it all!”
Then the priest tried to command it to come out in the name of Jesus, but nothing happened. He asked me to command it to go. But I told him, “I can’t!” Then I looked up at the ceiling and said, “Jesus help me!” Immediately, the demon was ripped out of me.
The first thought that came to mind, was this: “If this was in me, what is in my mom?” After a minute or two, I tried getting up, but my shoulders were pinned to the floor. I started to laugh, and told the Lord, “If you want to keep me here, it is fine with me.” Then after some time had passed, I was able to get up. I saw everyone standing around the perimeter of the room. I had to hug and kiss everyone! I was so filled with God’s love! When the Holy Spirit comes in power the devil and his demons have to go!
Deliverance Begins By Getting Right with God.
Dear Jesus,
I acknowledge that you are God: Emanuel, God with us. I believe that you are a triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe that God the Father sent you, his one and only Son, to die on the cross for my sins, and to be raised to life on the third day.
So today, I choose to repent, to turn away from all sinful ways and make you my Lord and Savior. I renounce the devil and all his works. I renounce all forms of idolatry, and wickedness. Please forgive me Jesus and make me a new creation in you.
Fill me with your Holy Spirit and write my name in the Book of Life. I promise that if I fall into sin, that I will immediately turn back to you and repent. I want to live for you, for you promised that you would remove my sins as far as the east is from the west, and that you would remember them no more. So today, I die to myself, and live for you. I will forever remember this day, for now I belong to you, and you belong to me. You are my Lord, my Savior, my healer, my deliverer, my provider, my all in all. Thank you Jesus! Thank you Holy Spirit! Thank you Heavenly Father! I know that I will spend eternity with you in heaven, for now I am born again! Amen!
Remember—
Seek the Lord, shun evil, and cling to what is good. Exalt the Lord above all things. And pray without ceasing! Give him your heart, and abide in him. He will be faithful to deliver us from all evil! Hallelujah!
Thanks for reading. Please share this with a friend, a neighbor, and anyone who needs the Lord! God bless you!
