14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.
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16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
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19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
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21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
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23 And Jesus said to him, ‘”If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it,
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“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
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28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Mark 9:14-29
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Do you agree. . . . . . .
++The Bible issues commands for believers to confront strongholds and battle the powers of the kingdom of darkness.
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10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
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12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
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13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
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16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
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18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:10-18
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23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
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24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.
Matthew 4:23-24
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16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Acts 5:16 KJV
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Tactics of Demons:
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1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
I Timothy 4:1
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Deception is the single greatest attack on Christians.
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A deaf and dumb spirit hinders and often prevents the ability to fully respond to God and specifically to His Word.
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8 As it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”
Romans 11:8
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4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Corinthians 4:4
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Stronghold:
++A demonic demise to impregnate the mindset with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable even though we know the situations are contrary to the will of God.
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Truth:
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18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18-19
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-Jesus has come to heal the inside as well as the outside.
++-Wounded spirit (how we relate to God) opens the door to demonic strongholds.
++-I’ll make the broken/wounded thing in my life “good enough” to work.
++-I’ll be healed when I restore my self-image (repair my flesh).
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Bondage breaker:
++Our healing comes from not making a broken thing “good enough” to work, but by delivering us from the power of that wound so it can not rule over us. The Lord often heals by leaving the broken in place.
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3 Ways (strongholds) a deaf and dumb spirit attacks your spiritual health.
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1.) Worship
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23-24
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46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
Luke 1:46-47
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-Worship is giving (sacrificial praise) and worship is receiving (hearing the Word).
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2.)Word of God
4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘”Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Matthew 4:4
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8 “For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out.
Job 32:8
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3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
II Timothy 4:3-4
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3.) Speech
++Speech is one of the best of God’s gifts.
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-Thoughts of the heart are communicated.
++-Prayer and praise to God.
++-Convince and persuade others toward God.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
Proverbs 10:21
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-Thoughts of the heart are communicated.
-Prayer and praise to God.
-Convince and persuade others toward God.
-Sooth a bruised, wounded spirit and comfort a broken heart.
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11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Proverbs 10:11
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4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 15:4
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4 “The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak. A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning,
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He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned, 5 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.
Isaiah 50:4-5 NKJV