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The
Father is calling forth a time of intercession. Specifically in this
hour we must lay between the porch and alter, standing in the gap
for our brothers and sisters who have been ensnared by one of the
most horrible bondages, religion.
There is not one person in the Kingdom of God who has not been
affected by this spirit. We have all battled mindsets and
perceptions, which were not the doctrine of God. It matters not the
background of denomination is, this tormenting spirit holds no
boundaries. It is a spirit that is sent to destroy both the person
bound AND the people affected by that person. It is vitally
important that we DO NOT fall into the trap set to devour the
Brethren. We cannot afford to point fingers at those bound by
religion, nor use a false sense of discernment to cast judgment upon
them. We must not use the Word of God as a personal weapon against
these individuals, as this will bring a backlash of the same bondage
upon us. When we operate in the spirit of debate we become equally
guilty.
The Fathers heart is grieved over the bondage of His people. He
desires for freedom to be attained by those ensnared. This is the
beginning of the REVOLUTION against ALL tormenting spirits that are
binding the Body. It is time for us to be empowered and move forward
in the FULL commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is specifically targeting "religion" in
this season. He does not want us to destroy the person bound by such
torment, but he wants us to lay down our lives and intercede for
those who despitefully use us. Bless those who have spoken curses
and hateful words against us and show the Love that Jesus
demonstrated when He hung on the cross. We must follow the example
set out by our Lord and Savior when He lifted His voice to heaven
and uttered, " Father, forgive them they know not what they
do."
To help a person ensnared with a religious spirit become free it is
imperative that we have an understanding of the working of the
spirit. First, the person bound HAS NO IDEA that they have become
ensnared. Many of Gods chosen have slowly become swallowed up by
what they believe to be truth. These individuals in most cases truly
love the Lord with their whole heart. They believe they are correct
and stand in defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most know the
Word of God intensely well and spend much time devoted to fasting
and in prayer. If you approach a person with such a spirit they will
become defensive and strike out becoming offended. They also have a
tendency to offend WITH the Word.
Because of the nature of this spirit it encapsulates the unknowing
victim. It causes the person to become offended over and over again,
making it even more difficult to overcome without intervention from
the Spirit of God. They eventually either shut their selves off
under the guise of "just me and you God saying they just don't
understand and appreciate my calling and gifts" or they float
from church to church wounding and controlling. Their hearts become
hardened and they are unable to grow deep roots and bear abundant
fruit. We MUST remember, these individuals DO NOT KNOW they are
bound. You can cause deep spiritual wounds by casting stones or
speaking judgment against them. We must follow the example given by
Jesus to bring them into freedom.
When Jesus walked the earth He was repeatedly accosted and condemned
by the scribes, Pharisees, and the hypocrites. They plotted against
Him in many ways, even having discussions among themselves ways to
ensare Him in His own words. They used the Word of God for their own
convenience, in many cases making disciples even more wicked and
evil than themselves. They spoke all manner of evil against Jesus
and desired the power and anointing He possessed. The jealousy and
envy they manifested because of the great following He had was
intense. It was for this very reason that Jesus Himself spoke a
curse upon them. It was not a curse of damnation, but of blindness.
The same curse exists upon those who are caught in the spirit of
religion. They are the blind leading the blind and will continue to
do so until intercession takes place.
It is the Lords will for none of His to perish. Many people use the
godly anger manifested by Jesus as an excuse to condemn those who
are "religious". They do not realize by doing so the same
spirit has ensnared them. It is a spiritual cancer that has
permeated the Body of Christ. Offense breeds offense, breed's
offense and so on. It causes a viscous cycle of hurting and being
hurt. So often words of judgment are uttered (either openly or
secret) which in turn binds both persons even tighter. We must
recognize this cycle and allow the Spirit of the Lord to bring
freedom to us all. They individuals that have been caught by this
trap are unable to be freed on their own. Many are on the verge of
spiritual death and need our help to overcome. They are deeply
wounded soldiers and in many cases have been faithful to the cause
of Jesus Christ they best they could.
The only way we can help our brethren become free is to intercede to
the Father, asking Him to remove the curse of blindness spoken by
Jesus. Then we are to show the Love of Jesus even when they reject
us. It will be the unfeigned love of the brethren that will break
the back of this spirit. As we come into unity and stand together
without breaking ranks many will become free. We cannot take the
persecution and rejection as personal, it is NOT about us but it is
about the Lord. We must stand fast in the strength and power of the
Lord and use the greatest weapon given to us as Believers, Love.
Teresa Daly-Crews
21 June 2000
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