The Python Spirit
The Python spirit is out to get you. But what is it really after?
I
didn't realize how strong is the spirit of python's chokehold on my region
until I started to personally experience the effects of its presence.
One of the only
named spirits in the Bible, the python spirit is a coiling spirit that works to
squeeze out the breathe of life (the Holy Spirit) and cut off your lifeline to
God (prayer).
To
accomplish its deadly agenda, this spirit will remind you of wounds from your
past, surround you with ungodly influences that tempt you to compromise the
Word of God—or just barrage you with circumstances that knock the wind out of
you.
Symptoms
of a python attack may include weariness, a loss of passion to worship and
pray, feeling pressured, overwhelmed, helpless and even hopeless.
The severity of
those symptoms depends on how long this enemy has been coiling itself around
you and how much pressure it has applied.
Let
me show you this spirit in the Bible. You'll find it in Acts 16:16 when Paul
encounters a girl possessed with a spirit of divination.
The word
divination in this verse comes from the Greek word for “puthon,” which translates in English as "python."
Vine's Dictionary explains
how Greek mythology believed the Pythian serpent guarded the oracle of Delphi
until Apollo slew it (and then took on the name Pythian).
The word was later
applied to diviners or soothsayers, inspired by Apollo.
Attacking Your Prayer Life
Python
can attack anyone. You don't have to be in sin to find python trying to slide
under your door.
Paul was a man of
prayer. The Bible says he spoke in tongues more than anybody else in the
Corinthian church (1
Corinthians 14:18) - and probably more than anybody else in
the early church.
Despite
Paul's relationship with Christ and a strong prayer life, he still had to
wrestle against principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this
age and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (see Ephesians
6:12).
Paul had to
wrestle against python—and so may we. Let's look at Paul's encounter with the
python spirit.
"Now
it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a
spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by
fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, 'These
men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of
salvation.' And this she did for many days"
(Acts
16:16-17).
The
python spirit had a stronghold in Philippi.
When the man of
prayer started heading for the house of prayer, this spirit launched its first
attack against him—a distraction followed by a full-blown trial that aimed to
take him out of his purpose.
Python knows it
has no authority in a city that prays in the presence of God, so it works to
distract people from praying so they can't fulfill their purpose.
Python
would rather watch you lick your wounds than pray to a healing God.
Python would
rather hear you complain or gossip than take your problems to a miracle-working
God.
Python would
rather distract you with attacks, trials and persecutions than see you press
into a gracious God for deliverance.
Again, python's
ultimate goal is to put you in bondage and thwart your purpose.
You may be going
through the motions but you feel dead on the inside because python has squeezed
the life out of you.
Loosed From Python's Grip
When
you rise up in your Christ-given authority against python, the battle ensues.
Paul
cast the demon out of the girl, which meant her masters could no longer profit
from her false prophecies. "They seized Paul and Silas and dragged
them into the marketplace to the authorities" (Acts 16:19).
From there, they
were falsely accused, had their clothes torn off, were beaten with rods and
thrown into prison with stocks on their feet.
Paul
and Silas were in physical pain. They had been publicly humiliated. They were
slandered and maligned. And they were in the grip of the python spirit.
At this point,
they had several options: They could lie there and lick their wounds.
They
could complain to one another about their situation.
They could meditate on the
persecution and decide to abandon their purpose in exchange for being set free.
But they didn't do
any of that. Thank God, they left us a model for how to break free from the
python spirit.
"But
at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the
prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors
were opened and everyone's chains were loosed"
(Acts
16:25-26).
Prayer and praise are what python is trying to
stop, but prayer and praise will set you free.
In this spiritual war, there are no
fence-sitters – you are either with the Lords’ victorious army or with the
wicked “Powers” of Satan.
Be sure you are listed with the victorious army
of the Lord. Settle that sin issue right now by saying this prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have
separated me from You. I receive
Your free gift of salvation.
I am
truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new
life pleasing to You.
Please
forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.
I
believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the
dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.
I
invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from
this day forward.
Please
send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of
my life. Thank you, Lord, that according to Your Word, I am born again, has eternal life, and I am now Your child.
I
promise to obey You and study your Word – the Bible.
Use me
for Your glory.
In
Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.”
.
If you have just put your trust in Jesus Christ,
you have been born into God’s family.
As a spiritual baby, you need to grow by feeding on God’s Word –
the Bible (1 Peter 2:2).
You must have a good modern translation Bible
and begin prayerfully reading it. Start in the New Testament, such as the
Gospel of John or Paul’s letters to the Ephesians.
As you read, ask two questions: “What are You,
Lord?” “What do You want me to do?”
Also, you need to join a Christian fellowship
where the Bible is taught and where God is truly worshiped.
God bless you as you begin your new life with
Him!
Click here to download a free chapter of
Jennifer's new book, Satan's
Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft.
Jennifer
LeClaire is
news editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening
House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale and author of several books,
including Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the
Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft, and The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to
Defeating Jezebel. You can email
Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here.
You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or
follow her on Twitter.
Readers
are Leaders! Subscribe now and get 3 magazines for the price of 1. Get
Charisma, Ministry Today and SpiritLed Woman all for $24. YES - Sign me up!
3
Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit.
2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Click here to draw closer to God!
No comments:
Post a Comment