FAMILAR SPIRIT OR THE HHOLY SPIRIT?

There is a demonic subtlety that is intent upon binding the people of God to attitudes and behaviors that will not make for life but will convince you that they are essential to your livelihood and sense of self. Scripture calls them "familiar spirits". They are demons.

The thing about a "familiar spirit" is that is a demonic force trying to establish a stronghold in one's mind, it lies and tells you in so many non-verbal ways that you need it to be safe and sound. The stronghold in your mind may be, "You must be in control. People will try and control you, even in what you eat! So, you must show them YOU are in control." Anorexia is such a familiar spirit. It speaks in demonic whispers that you are not what you see in the mirror. "You are fat!" As so, given heed and authority, this familiar spirit of control works to kill you, starve you, deny the true nutrition that would bring about physical health and reinforces things to convince you that "control" is an essential part of you and without it, you would be lost.

That, friends is the doctrine of demons. Control and sovereignty belong to God alone. He has never asked humanity to "be in control". He has asked us to believe Him, to enter into a covenant relationship with Him by believing what He has done for in Christ Jesus. Surrender is terrifying when people have exercised ungodly control over you, tried to define the essence of who you are so that they can move you as they will. Often their active attempts to control you are sinful means to try and make themselves feel secure. 

Even for followers of Jesus Christ, wounds on our minds, wills and emotions can be so deep that, like a drowning person, we grab ahold of what seems to be a floating log. Hitting us in our wounds, the familiar spirit cannot possess the believer, but they can gravely affect their behavior. The familiar spirit, the demonic spirit of control is committed to your destruction. You feel goods that no one can encourage you to eat in a nutritious and healthful way as you deny yourself the nutrients necessary for healthy human living.

The Holy Spirit will lead you to wholeness, to surrender your will to the One Who can do far above and beyond what you could ever as or imagine by the Holy Spirit's power working in you. The Good Shepherd has NEVER asked you to "lead you", but for you to follow Him is utter trust and reliance. The recognition that you are utter dependent upon the Lord Jesus is not an admission of defeat, it is the affirmation of eternal truth. It is the One Who began a good work in you that will bring that work to competition.

Familiar spirits don't like to be cast away. They fight using the habits they have engrained in you, lying to you that the lies are the truth, and the truth is a lie. It is astounding how many people chose to believe that which they would never want to be true. Resist the devil. Surrender your will to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to demolish the stronghold of thoughts, those thoughts that, if closely examined in light of the Word of God, will reveal that they are trying to exalt themselves above the knowledge of God.

Familiar spirits cannot rob you of salvation, but they can stop your effectiveness in extending the Kingdom of God through you because they hate the will and purpose of God and are committed to taking you out of play.

Please let the Holy Spirit examine your mind, will and emotions. If God shows you that He is not being trusted to love you and to have you in hand to any degree, surrender it all to the Lord for His cleansing. Ask Him to destroy those strongholds of thought, to sweep them out of your life, not leaving even a "brick" of deception behind. Ask Him to fill those places left vacant with His Presence and power. 

Please give heed! God has called you to the utter freedom of relying totally on Him. Salvation is of the Lord. He is asking no help from you in the process, but to simply trust, follow and obey.