Levels of Demonic Attachments
How to Tell if You Have a Demonic Attachment
A demonic attachment is simply a place in your thought life where repeated acceptance of demonic suggestions allows a demon to easily influence you. Some may refer to this as a “stronghold.” A pastor of a large church had a vision of what exactly happens to form an attachment. Here is the vision the Lord brought him:
Two women were talking to one another: a demon sat on the shoulder of each one. A demon would whisper in Woman One’s ear and she would speak a harsh, critical, statement about the pastor of the church. The demon on Woman Two’s shoulder would whisper and she would speak, exaggerating some little thing.
This continued for some time and each time the women would speak, the demons would throw-up some green goo over the women. The more they spoke, the more the demons covered them in slime until it was a cocoon covering them.
The sin the women were committing was gossip, but the consequences of any repeated sin is the same: demons gain influence over us just as Paul stated to Christians in Rome:
Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey… (Romans 6:16 AMPC)
The pastor’s vision really shows the truth of this verse. Jesus paid the price so our sin doesn't send us to Hell, but it can give the enemy power over us in this life; we may become his slave. In prayer sessions, I have seen cement blocks, chains, webs, and many other things holding God’s people. Only by turning from the sin allowing the demon access and accepting the payment of the blood of Jesus for it, can set people free. The result of this freedom can be healing - physical, emotional or financial. Always a sense of peace accompanies it.
Each person’s life is unique. Attachments can look as different as our lives. Often it is something we know we shouldn’t be doing (a sin), but we just can’t seem to stop. It can be drinking, smoking, sleeping around, gossiping… Or a hundred other little things. It is the Holy Spirit who will reveal what the enemy is using to remain in your life. If you are not yet able to hear from Him or if you need help through prayer, then we are here for you.
Learning about God and His ways is necessary to understand how Jesus has set us free from the domination of sin. The free online classes at the Online Christian Church is stepping toward freedom and you learn and apply God’s ways. It will help you move the enemy out of your life so you can have more of God in it! Our Heavenly Father designed you for a perfect destiny - your life will feel complete as never before when you are walking in that destiny with close fellowship with the Lord.
There are three levels of influence demons can have upon a person.
Depression
Oppression
Possession
Examining these will help us spot an intrusions so that the Lord can free us of it.
Level 1: Depression
The root word of depression is “depress,” which means to reduce strength or activity. The suffix “ion” denotes or indicates a condition. When you combine the root word and suffix together, you get the condition of being reduced in strength or activity. This is the most subtle and common form of an attack from the demonic realm. If our adversary can reduce our activity and deplete our strength then we are not taking as much ground for the Kingdom of God.
Just as the more conventional meaning of depression suggests, this is a mental attack. It can be as subtle as demons who are assigned to put thoughts into your head.
Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14 AMPC)
The Bible tells us that each of us has an angel to help us. Satan is an imitator of God, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipresent. He doesn’t know everything, nor can he be in more than one place at a time.
The old concept of a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other isn’t far from the truth. Satan assigns demons to each person. Their sole job is to follow you around and prevent you from reaching your full potential. These low-level imps don’t have much power other than interjecting thoughts into the mind as they try to get you to veer off your path, thus giving them more power.
…we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ… (2 Corinthians 10:5 AMPC)
Inherently, we have a sinful nature, so there are some thoughts that come because we are born with sin as a part of us. However, some thoughts are actually attacks from the enemy. Both types of thoughts must be taken captive by renouncing or dismissing it.
Many argue that attempting to control our thoughts is futile. German theologian Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
This is a perfect example of what happens if we dwell on and give destructive thoughts a place in our lives. When these sinful thoughts are acknowledged and accepted by speaking them out loud or acting upon them, then the demon assigned to us gains ground, he begins building a nest to become more attached to you.
Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? (Romans 6:16-22 AMPC)
When you continually submit to and follow a spirit, you are obeying that spirit. If you give in to these thoughts, by dwelling upon them or acting upon them, the spirit who initiated the thoughts worms its way deeper into your life. Eventually, it can lead to oppression.
Level 2: Oppression
If you continually relinquish ground to the enemy, this can lead to oppression. The definition of oppression is continued unjust or cruel treatment or control. This is where demonic assaults begin affecting your body. Many people who have a gift of seeing into the spirit realm have described what they refer to as black masses attached to people’s bodies, not unlike a fungus or growth. These demons are similar to leeches, and if you let them attach themselves to you they will feed on the authority you give them by continuing in sin.
Oppression can manifest itself by showing up in the physical world in more ways than I can list here. The Bible doesn’t record every way, but it does say this:
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. (Acts 10:38 AMPC)
This clearly shows that a result of oppression is a physical condition that needs healing because healing occurs when the oppression was broken. It also shows that Satan can be a cause of physical sickness.
Can our thoughts lead to physical infirmities? Recent studies about the way our brain works show that when you think about any topic repetitively it forms physical neural pathways that are easily accessed. The more days you think about the same topic, the easier it is to access, and your brain will begin to use that pathway automatically. This is why the Bible commands us in the following ways:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV)
Presenting our bodies to God means keeping out of the sin in the world. Our brains need a constant dose of goodness and truth which comes from the Word of God. Putting the right word in your heart and mind can lead to a transformation. It will help us to understand what is from God and what isn’t. The Bible also encourages us to focus on certain types of material:
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (Philippians 4:8 AMPC)
Before man knew that pigs carried parasites and that diseases could be transmitted to man, the Bible called them unclean and told us not to eat them. Before we knew about heavy metals in shrimp and eels, God told His people not to eat them because God knew that eating these animals would negatively affect the body.
Now, top neurologists have found that repetitive thinking establishes pathways in the brain. Negative thoughts connected to sin, anger, and trauma develop caustic pathways that release cancer-causing, destructive material into our systems. Research shows that 87% of all diseases are connected to the release of toxins in the brain. (Source: Dr. Caroline Leaf, Ph.D. in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology, University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Repetitive negative thought patterns are highways allowing spiritual oppression. Christians are not immune to this type of attack from the enemy. Through Jesus we can take thoughts captive.
Sometimes an attachment has formed and we are oppressed by sickness. The half-brother of our Lord shows us that you may need help to be set free.
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:14-16 ESV)
The Lord has provided for those who are oppressed with sickness, but we have a part to play. We must be willing to confess our sins so that we may be healed. Much of the Christian community has forgotten what “confess” means and what constitutes a “sin.” We hope you will learn about God’s ways so that you can be healed by our Lord’s grace!
If it is a moment of shock or trauma in your live, Jesus is the Healer of the brokenhearted. Please come and talk with us at the Online Christian Church; schedule a “Let’s Chat” so that we can help you get free of toxic thoughts.
Level 3: Possession
When He arrived at the other side in the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs met Him... (Matthew 8:28 AMPC)
The Greek word daimonizomai is translated as “possessed” in some versions of the Bible and “demonized” in other versions. To be demonized means to be under the control or influence of evil spirits. When you possess something, you own it. If a person is possessed, a demon have the ability to take full control over their bodies, which is the root of this terminology. Your body can be fully possessed and controlled by a demon.
To understand how a Christian may be “possessed,” we need to understand that we are a three-part being.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 ESV)
Our spirit is the part that is connected to God. Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions, and we live in a physical body. When we take Jesus as our Lord, the Holy Spirit comes into our spirit; the two combine making us a new creation: we are born again (John 3:3-8). Demons do not possess our spirits, but our souls: our mind, will, and emotions. Through our soul, a demon can take control of our body.
Over the years, I have seen levels of possession. Some survivors of possession have described it as being able to see, but unable to control so much as the blinking of their eyes. For others, it is a brief loss of control and they don’t have a memory of what they’ve done. Possession can occur in many different ways. A few of the most common are
Accidental Invitation
Rape
Rituals and Traditions
Any of these actions have the possibility of dire spiritual consequences. The effects can be hard to spot and may not show up the next day, or even the next year, but the enemy has rights to us and will use them when he desires.
Accidental Invitation
A good portion of the world has forgotten how powerful the spirit realm really is. We may participate in games or activities we see as harmless but they may open a door to great affliction. Using Ouija Boards, séances, spirit writing, magic spells, witchcraft, tarot cards, palm reading, and spirit guides all involve spirits that do not come from God. If they are not with God, then they are aligned with Satan. They will lie and manipulate to gain influence with you.
Jesus told a story about a beggar named Lazarus that shows us God’s policy concerning the spirits of those who have died:
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores… And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom… Then he said, “I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house: For I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”
And he said, “No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.”
And he said to him, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:19, 21-23, 27-31 AKJV)
The rich man sought to have a spirit from the dead speak to his brothers and the answer was a firm “No.” This example from the Lord came to pass: Jesus prayed for Lazarus who actually rose from the dead, yet the Pharisees and Sadducees remained unconvinced. Jesus, Himself, rose from the dead without someone praying for Him, and they refused to believe that He is from God. God must not allow the spirits of our departed loved ones to guide us or it would contradict what He has said elsewhere:
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set My face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. (Leviticus 20:6 KJV)
There is a stiff penalty for associating with spirits who are not from God: He turns His face from us. This means we will lose God's favor and His presence. If you were cut off from your people, you couldn't go to the temple to pray or to offer sacrifices. For Christians, this means your prayers will be hindered if you listen to familiar spirits and the attacks of the enemy will not be removed!
Some enemy spirits can appear in familiar forms of loved ones with information they have gained from watching us our entire lives. Their goal is to get us to invite them into our lives and eventually into us so that they have a home. You can invite the Holy Spirit to come inside you at salvation and He will advise and help you or you can invite a demon inside who will attempt to trick and manipulate you.
Rape
One of the main ways for a spirit to enter a person without their permission is through rape. I believe it is because our soul is damaged during the attack, which allows for a transfer of a spirit. The Bible tells us that when a man and woman have sex they become “one flesh” (Mark 10:8). The merging of flesh puts our souls in close contact. A traumatic sexual experience may wound or damage our soul which may give a demonic spirit a place to reside.
In biblical times, many gods were worshiped with sexual acts. Though it is not specifically stated, there seems to be something of spiritual significance that occurs during sex. This is why we are supposed to wait until we commit to a lifetime relationship (marriage) with someone before we engage in intercourse. Once we take marriage vows before God, then He is invented to the union and provides a covering for us.
This hypothesis also explains why I have seen children who were conceived through rape who are also possessed through no fault of their own. The children were not old enough to invite a demon inside; the only common ground was their conception through rape.
Regardless of how a spirit comes to be in a position of authority, one fact remains: God has provided a way for everyone to be set free.
Rituals and Traditions
Another way some cultures invite spirits inside of them is through ceremonies. This isn’t as prevalent in America as in other countries, but it is still widely practiced. Anything related to the occult will be an open door for demons to come in. The rituals and traditions associated with the spirit realm apart from God can be done alone with a book in your hands or in a wedding ceremony presided over by a shaman, witch doctor, or even someone calling themselves a prophet.
Many tribes in Africa have gods, totems, or idols associated with them. Including the representation of these gods in any part of our lives will keep the door open to the demons behind them. The actions in ceremonies based on tribal traditions often began as acts of worship to the gods of the tribe. Participating in the traditions will allow a demonic influence into your life.
When you chant spells, they are carried out by demons who may demand a place to reside within you. Although books like the Harry Potter series are making it more accepted and witches have confirmed the spells in these books are real and may cause a demonic attachment - demons don’t care if you are just pretending and saying words. An invitation is an invitation and they will take advantage of your ignorance of the laws which govern the physical and spiritual realm.
There are still ceremonies being practiced where family lines are being dedicated to demonic spirits whom they call “gods.” When animal or human blood is spilled, it can create a curse that will be passed down for generations. This curse if reinforced with seemingly harmless traditions:
Chant this prayer of thanks and drink or eat something
Say a prayer and bury an umbilical cord to plant a tree dedicating it to that person
Dance like this, wear special clothing, etc.
I’ve only encountered a handful of traditions linked to the worship of other gods, however, I only discovered this type of invitation to a demon months ago. Some things were consistent with this type of possession:
The people involved knew they had a blockage but had no idea they had a demon inside them.
They participated in the traditions, thinking they were harmless.
After the Holy Spirit brought revelation about how the possession came and why the demons remained, researching their tribes/family traditions revealed the link to gods the ancestors worshiped
Each person had given the demon a place through their actions; often thinking they were listening to the Holy Spirit
Traditions and customs may seem harmless, but they can give the enemy a place in our lives. When later generations become Christians, sometimes they may have a hard time getting rid of the spirits plaguing them until they take care of the generational roots of the demonic activity. Other rituals are easier to spot as wrong because they are directly connected to occult practices.
Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:18-19 ESV)
When you find out that your actions have involved other spirits, this is what God expects of you. Don’t pass the items onto others, destroy them so the enemy doesn’t get a place through them anymore. Examine your life because possessions are not always easy to spot:
Most often you know something is inside you because it takes control of your body despite your wishes.
Sometimes, it is merely an uncontrollable emotional response, such as anger, and a persistent struggle with internal sin such as pride.
Identifying this type of possession or a demonic attachment, such as depression or oppression can be a bit more difficult.
Removing Demonic Activity
A curse will allow a demon access to afflict you in many ways, from a simple depression to full-out possession, however, there doesn’t have to be a curse for an attachment to occur. The free class: Identifying the Enemy will help you understand how and why a curse can affect a Christian and it has a detailed list of the signs that may indicate a curse, so I will not repeat that here.
God is mighty and big. He can do all things. We don’t want to limit Him in any way. There are two types of removal of demons, but many ways they can occur:
Instantly
With the confession of sin
Let’s look to scripture to see these two types in action.
And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. (Matthew 10:7-8 AMPC)
If people have not heard the gospel, the good news about God’s Son who came to set them free, then the Lord will empower you to remove demons from their life to set them free. This shows that God is more powerful than the enemy, and that Jesus is King over Heaven and Earth. They don’t know anything about God, so they are not expected to turn from sin to have the enemy removed.
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (James 5:16 AMPC)
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:30-32 AKJV)
Most often, once we are Christians, we are expected to learn God’s ways and turn from sin to be set free. God is merciful, and sometimes, when we are in a place where His anointing is, we may be set free without confessing and turning from sin first, but that comes with a bit of danger.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45 AMPC)
The house in your body. If it is in order, then you are healed and functioning well. If a demon is cast out, there may be healing for a season but it will come back to see if sin is still giving it a place: if there is an open door. If you have not sought God’s ways and corrected your path, what you have been healed of will reappear and often times it will be worse than before. Jesus showed us this principle when He healed people.
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:10-11 ESV)
This is where Jesus set Mary Magdalene free. We know she was freed from seven demons. Jesus tells her to go and sin no more.
Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” (John 5:13-14 ESV)
After Jesus healed the man who couldn’t walk, the man testified about his healing at the temple as Jesus instructed. Then we see that Jesus warned him against continuing in sin. Have you seen shows where people are testifying of their healing? Coming out of wheelchairs?
A reporter researched those who had been healed in the tent crusades five years after they ended. They found that 95% of the people who left their wheelchairs in the tents were back in the same condition or worse. We have forgotten to tell people: go and sin no more! Praise God that He has sent His Spirit to guide us and teach us. If you want to remain healed, we must keep learning God’s ways and remove sin if we want to remain free from demonic activity in our lives.
Trials and Tests
The Bible speaks of crowns given for work completed here on Earth (2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 9:25, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:2-4), and that there is treasure stored up in Heaven for what is done here (Matthew 6:19-20). It also speaks of tests and trials that we are given, which we may pass or fail.
What is the difference between trials and tests and attacks because of an attachment? I have observed the following:
Tests and trials always repeat until you come through them without sinning.
In a test there is always an opportunity to sin, and an opportunity to hold on to God’s ways.
Attacks seem more random and often there is nothing we can do because there is a sin you need to remove.
If you aren’t sure if you are suffering from an attack or a test, I encourage you to go through the free classes at the Online Christian church which will help you to discern what the Holy Spirit is telling you. Mature Christians are available for free tutoring to discuss class material with you so that you can understand it and apply it to your life.
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