DARK FORCES (1)

1. Who are we struggling against?

a) The Scripture says:

@1. 12For our struggle (wrestle) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

2. Who are the powers of this dark world?

a) 1When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. (Deuteronomy 7:1, 2 NIV)

b) These 7 nations were infected with (contaminated with) 7 types of evil spirits in the Promised Land. The meaning of these nations' names infer the types of spirits they represent:

i) Hittites - meaning: "Sons of terror"

@1. Spirit of subliminal (repetitive) torments, phobias, terror, depression, deceit. These spirits attack the emotions and are behind nightmares and non-rational phobias such as claustrophobia (fear of inclosed in a small area), agoraphobia (fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public spaces) exaggerated fear of dogs, and fear of being in the dark. Hittite spirits are behind suicides.

ii) Girgashites - meaning: "Clay dwellers"

@1. Spirit of dwelling on earthiness, unbelief in what cannot be seen. People infected with this type of spirit promote a focus on earthly, temporal things that are visible. They are very analytical people who base their life's decisions on the pros and cons that their minds are able to perceive. They don't have the mind of Christ.

18While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (II Corinthians 4:18 NKJV)

iii) Amorites - meaning: "Mountain people; renowned"

@1. Spirit of obsession with earthly fame and glory, domineering. It is a spirit of self-exaltation. People infected with this spirit always wants their name to be uttered or mentioned. They are fame-seekers of human glory and greatness. They like to dominate and rule over others and tend to establish an imposing and seemingly immovable presence.

iv) Canaanites - meaning: "Lowlands people"

@1. Spirit of addictions, perversions, exaggerated people-pleasing. They are spirits behind addictions and sexual perversions. The spirits of homosexuality and lesbianism, along with all other sexual perversions, are Canaanite spirits. Dancing is, in essence, an act of pleasing others. This is why they have dancers in strip clubs; these dancers, who are women trapped by Canaanite spirits, dance around the client, doing all the moves that the client may find to be "pleasant". Dancing is not wrong in and of itself. In fact, it sometimes is the right thing to do. However, "dancing" that is not led by the Spirit of God is directly associated with Canaanite spirits.

v) Perizzites - Meaning: "Belonging to a village"

@1. Spirit of limited vision, laziness, low self-esteem (self worth). People trapped by the Perizzite spirit, therefore, see themselves as people with little potential whose only task in life is to live a quiet biological existence and to stay out of the way of the people who are "really" important in this world. The Perizzite spirit can lead to many generations of spiritual stagnation and poverty.

@2. People with low self-esteem often think of themselves in very critical ways, such as “I’m not good enough,” “I’m a failure,” or “I’ll never amount to anything.” And with these thoughts come painful feelings, such as sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, and worthlessness. People with low self-esteem may find it harder to make decisions, because they doubt that they’ll be successful. They also find it harder to make friends, because they’re shy or they don’t think other people will like them. In addition, people with low self-esteem frequently stay away from situations in which they might be judged, so they avoid taking chances or trying new things, especially when other people are around.

vi) Hivites - meaning: "Villagers"

@1. Spirit if vision limited to enjoying an earthly inheritance, hedonism (pursuit of pleasure). People infected with this type of spirit tend to have a limited vision of life and love to "live it up". They have acquired some type of inheritance that allows them the "freedom" to live luxuriously, so prevalent in the sons and daughters of wealthy millionaires.

vii) Jebusites - meaning: "Threshers"

@1. Spirit of supression of spiritual authority in fellow believers, legalism. They are spirits that tread or "stomp" on other people, do not hesitate to put down and humiliate others. They like to make people feel small and try to establish their authority over them. It is a spirit of racism.

3. Where did the evil spirits come from?

a) An evil spirit (or demon) is not the same as a fallen angel; it is actually the offspring of a fallen angel. When fallen angels took to themselves human wives (Genesis 6:1-2), the children born to them became mighty giants, corrupting the human race and accelerating wickedness to such a degree that God saw it necessary to destroy all flesh with a Great Flood, saving only the righteous man Noah and his family.

i) 1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (Genesis 6:1, 2 NIV)

b) When the mortal bodies of these angel-human hybrids died, their immortal spirits roamed the earth seeking human bodies to harass and indwell. The male ones are malevolent (causing harm to others) spirits and the female ones are seductive spirits. These continue to afflict the human race even now. They know the weaknesses and desires of mankind, for they once experienced a human body.

c) Unlike fallen angels, who can appear in bodily form, evil spirits must inhabit a body (either human or animal). An example of this is when Jesus cast out the legion of demons from a man and sent them into a herd of pigs (Luke 8:27-35). Both fallen angels and evil spirits serve their master Satan in the kingdom of darkness.

4. What are their purpose?

a) To steal, kill and destroy.

i) 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV)