Oppressionless

George Bloomer

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are

taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.

Copyright © 1998 by George Bloomer

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured

from publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book,

except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

ISBN 1-892352-01-X

George Bloomer

P. O. Box 11563

Durham NC 27703

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Bethel Family

Worship Center church family—elders, ministers,

and entire staff. Also to Kimberly Meadows for all the

transcription and for making the manuscript

possible.

5

Acknowledgment

I would like to acknowledge my pastor of eight

years, Bishop Roderick R. Caesar Jr., and the Bethel

Gospel Tabernacle Church family for their support

and love and for the role they played in helping my

spiritual life to mature.

7

Contents

Dedication. .........................................................5

Acknowledgment. ...............................................7

Foreword. ...........................................................9

Introduction. ....................................................11

1 Oppression. ......................................................13

Social Menace: Demonic Foe

2 My Tribute. .......................................................21

Free at Last

3 Oppression, Depression, and Possession. .........27

Satan's Demonic Trio of Progressive Insanity

4 Addiction. .........................................................37

Oppression's Deceptive Road To Escape

5 Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits. ...53

(STDs)

6 Satan's New Oppression. ..................................65

"Hotlines" to Deadly Deception

7 Breaking Through the Barriers. ........................73

Disobedience and Unbelief

8 Ministering to the Oppressed. ...........................81

Deliverance and Belief

Foreword

No one doubts the enormous threat to society

brought on by oppression in all its forms.

Governments use oppression in many nations to

control and hold captive their citizens. Some

husbands and wives try to "get their way" by using

mental, verbal, or physical forms of oppression on

each other or their children.

Oppression is not merely the emotional effect felt

when someone has a bad day. It is a spiritual attack,

usually brought on by Satan against people that

Jesus died for!

In this brilliant book, Oppressionless, Pastor

George Bloomer begins to unmask the very root

causes of oppression, depression, and recession,

which usually begin in early childhood. His humble

beginnings in life and his rapidly increasing stature

today as a father, husband, pastor, and author

uniquely qualifies him to speak into your life on this

topic. The Holy Spirit has led him in writing this

book, and in it I believe you will find solutions—not

just pat answers—to one of mankind's greatest

dilemmas. Since oppression is such a great problem

in our society today, doesn't it stand to reason that

God would address it proportionally in His Word?

I pray that as you read these pages, the anointing

of the Holy Spirit will wash away years of hurt,

discouragement, and confusion. You are going to

laugh and cry when you see yourself in the pages of

this book. Then you are going to shout for joy when

you realize how you can be released from yesterday

and tomorrow's fears!

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Oppressionless

Buckle up your seat belt and get ready for the

drama of deliverance as God speaks to you

personally and also prepares you to help set

someone else free from oppression. You can only rise

in life to the level of your knowledge. Pastor

Bloomer's excellent insight can help you break the

bands that have hurt you and held you back for so

long. Get ready to learn a new song for yourself

—"FREE AT LAST!" That is what will happen as you

read this book.

In honor of my friend and true brother in Christ,

Walter Hallam

10

Introduction

Growing up under the welfare system, I

witnessed first hand the dependency that develops

from relying on government assistance and the

oppression that consumes America's welfare state.

As I grew from adolescence into adulthood, the

bondage of oppression took me to prison, where I

met the only One Who has the power to set the

oppressed free.

As I will disclose in the following pages,

oppression is a satanic spirit. It is a demon assigned

by Satan that will attempt to trap a victim through a

series of circumstances. Poverty is just one of his

most visible circumstances. If Satan can get his

victim oppressed, he will send a spirit of depression

to disconnect its victim from any influence but him.

And he will attempt to do this with Christians as well

as the unsaved.

The oppressed adult is often frustrated, overly

sensitive, and jealous. Does any of this sound

familiar to you? If it does, it is my hope that this

book will give you the knowledge, faith, and courage

to help others, and even yourself if you need to be

free. Oppressionless living is possible, as are all

things, to those who truly believe that Jesus is the

One who sets the captive free (Mark 9:23).

George Bloomer

11

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall

make you free.

—John 8:32

1

OPPRESSION

1

Social Menace: Demonic Foe

Growing up under the welfare system, I

witnessed first hand the dependency that develops

from relying solely on government assistance to feed

a family and manage a household. This same

dependency spilled over into my adulthood as I

began to feel that people should automatically give

to me, and accommodate me whenever I needed

help.

The power of God eventually broke this way of

thinking as I learned that man should not live by

bread alone, but by every word that comes from the

mouth of God (see Matthew 4:3). When we look to

God, He will show us how to take care of ourselves.

Life as I know it today is void of any dependency

on men. Instead, I depend totally upon God for my

livelihood and my well-being. But this isn't the case

for millions of people—including more than we

would want to admit who are born-again members of

Christ's church.

Our prayer within my family during our hard

times and seasons of oppression was, "Lord, give us

this day our daily bread" (see Matthew 6:11). And as

we applied faith with this prayer, the dependency

and oppressive spirit that had been hovering over us

eventually began to lift. Yes, we were taken care of,

but we were oppressed. We were downtrodden and

miserable until Jesus gave us a lift.

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Oppressionless

Identifying the Thief

Generally speaking, oppression can be defined as

"a heavy, weary feeling of the body or mind."

Spiritually speaking, oppression is a demonic spirit.

When one is feeling the "crunch" of life, fear can set

in as a masquerading defense, setting the individual

up for a total shutdown. Those who succumb to this

emotional ploy are totally unaware of fear's

masquerade, and they are further lured into the

deceptive clutches of Satan.

As you will discover in the following pages,

oppression comes in many different forms and can

enter a person's life through a variety of avenues.

But one thing is consistent: Anytime the spirit of

oppression is in operation, there is a universally

acknowledged heaviness that attaches itself to the

physical and spiritual being of the one being

oppressed. This spirit will also present a struggle

between the will of God and the will of man, and will

try to pull one down, ultimately to death.

Anyone who has received Christ as Lord in his

life and is loving God wholeheartedly, yet still can't

let go of that one thing that holds him captive to sin,

is struggling with the spirit of oppression. As his

born-again human spirit and his fallen sinful flesh

engage in battle, the body becomes fatigued and

sluggish, causing further bewilderment within the

mind. At this stage of the battle, the believer must

make a decision to either buffet the flesh and

surrender to the will of God or become so perplexed

by Satan's lies that he gives up.

Unfortunately, many times the oppressed

Christian decides within himself that he can no

longer go on under the heaviness of the oppression

that he is forced to endure. So it seems easier and

less of a burden to just give up. Rather than to

14

Oppression

continue fighting what the enemy has convinced him

is "a losing battle," he gives up and gives in to the

sinful drives of the flesh.

Oppression can originate in early childhood and

can become a major factor in the shaping of a child's

identity. If a child is constantly discouraged,

belittled, embarrassed, and humiliated by words of

discouragement, his life can be framed within these

barriers. The child then grows up to be an adult with

low self-esteem and emotional dependencies. He

struggles to succeed, but the lingering spirit of

oppression controls his life and keeps him down.

Frustrated, overly sensitive, jealous, and

competitive, the oppressed adult is incapable of

handling constructive criticism. He reaches after his

goals and ambitions as he trudges through one

disappointment after another. Unable to face the

risk of another letdown, he gives up again and again.

Instead of allowing God to steer his life in the right

direction, life controls him and weighs him down as

a heavy burden.

This isn't a pretty picture. But the sad fact of the

matter is you probably know someone like this. You

may even be someone like this yourself.

Depression—Oppression's Killing

Partner

Depression is one of the major side effects of the

spirit of oppression. Depression will make one

gloomy and cause what many call "low spirits." This

condition destroys the mind, clouds the thinking,

and further oppresses the individual who is already

consumed by his burdensome state.

Six Warning Signs

15

Oppressionless

Like oppression, depression is no respecter of

persons. It crosses gender, race, and every social line

and class. According to the American Psychological

Association, some of the warning signs of depression

are:

1. Sleep disturbances—inability to sleep,

sleeping too much, or irregular sleep patterns.

2. Appetite disturbance—eating far more or less

than usual.

3. Social withdrawal—refusal to go out.

4. Blaming yourself for your problems—feelings

of worthlessness.

5. Inability to concentrate—even on routine

tasks.

6. Substance abuse—alcohol or drugs.

Every one of these warnings indicates a tearing

down of the body and mind. The enemy knows that if

he can afflict the body through robbing it of food and

sleep, in a matter of time, the body will collapse.

But even more dangerous than these physical

signs are Satan's devious, subtle ways of initially

severing all contact and communication with loved

ones and friends. Within this oppressing strategy

lies his ability to secretly creep into the door as your

only means of communication. It is here where he

deceives and disrupts the mind, eliminating those

who care for you so he may have free rule and reign.

Satan then becomes the authoritative figure in his

victim's life. I believe this may be why many times

women seem to be more susceptible to the spirit of

depression than men.

Women are by nature communicators. So when a

woman's communication is cut off from friends and

loved ones, the enemy immediately makes it his

16

Oppression

business to inhabit that new-found void in her life.

And he does it through corrupt communication. This

devious form of communication can be mentally

implanted through subconscious thinking or

ungodly counsel.

This is why I believe women who aren't engaged

in some sort of social or religious activities outside of

the home can be more susceptible to oppression. It

has been found that women who have structured

themselves in multiple roles experience less

depression than those who focus their lives in one

area.

For instance, a single mother of three who is

trapped within the welfare system and sits home all

day watching soap operas and talk shows becomes

major prey for the spirit of oppression. The enemy

speaks to her mind through his fallen TV shows,

causing her to give up and become depressed.

Perhaps this is because the welfare system itself is a

curse and carries with it a spirit of depression.

Think about it: its name and all it stands for

came from the greatest depression of them all—the

great depression of the 1930s. So although the word

welfare means "the state of well-being and

prosperity," it still has not survived the curse

attached to its name because of the false sense of

security brought on by the welfare system. It has

been said that one of the reasons the great

depression bankrupted America was because the

wealth at that time had been unequally distributed.

And that caused the stock market to become highly

exaggerated, only to eventually crash, leaving the

economy in a disaster. October 29, 1929 marked not

only a great decline in the economy but in the hope

and self-esteem of American society, as people were

forced off their jobs with no means of support for

their families. This day was known as "Black

17

Oppressionless

Tuesday."

Herbert Hoover was president at that time, and

although he tried to keep hope in the hearts of the

poor, people realized his words were empty, with no

proof to back them up. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

defeated Hoover soundly at the polls at the close of

Hoover's first term. Roosevelt's "New Deal"

government work programs were then quickly

implemented to help America out of those bleak

days.

Years later, President Lyndon Johnson appeared

on the scene, declaring "War on Poverty" with such

programs as welfare AFDC (Aid to Families with

Dependent Children), food stamps, and Medicaid.

But without the proper structure and supervision,

these same programs proved to be a curse to many

families. Some families have gone through

generations depending solely on welfare as a means

of support.

I say this not only because I personally grew up

under the welfare system, but because there are

numerous children who are actually birthed into

oppression through welfare and government. They,

particularly, are among the many who grow up to

become adults with the oppressive behaviors and

dependencies previously mentioned. The curse of

low self-esteem and the spirit of criticism is

oppressing millions within the welfare system.

Without a relationship with God or divine

intervention, the welfare dependent's desire to better

himself eventually dies. He finally gives up because

flesh warring against flesh and flesh warring against

the Spirit will eventually wear out the body and tear

down one's mind.

Welfare and the dependency that accompanies it

is committed to making one a part of a permanent

18

Oppression

underclass. Because it is a curse, the system of

welfare not only affects people financially, it affects

them emotionally as well. It is very degrading.

Yet the illusion says, "Don't be embarrassed—

hold your head up. You deserve this. And besides, if

you don't get it, someone else will." The enemy then

continues the lies by telling you that you can't get a

job because no one is hiring, furthering the length of

your impoverishment.

Welfare also separates the family, putting

asunder the greatest institution on earth—marriage.

The Bible says, "Therefore what God has joined

together, let not man separate" (Matthew 19:6). But

welfare says if there is a man (a husband) in the

home—you can't receive assistance. This rule

encourages "shacking up" and lying to stay afloat.

God says marriage is honorable in the sight of the

Lord, yet in the welfare system, marriage is

discouraged and penalized without warning. This

unreasonable policy makes no room for an

individual to gradually be weaned from the system to

avoid economic ruin. The weapons of God's warfare

are needed in this devilish fight.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal

but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds

(Ephesians 6:18).

So, even though welfare has proven to be helpful,

this is normally the exception instead of the rule.

Many people take what was meant to be a temporary

means of support and turn it into a lifetime of simple

survival. As a result, the spirit of oppression is left

hovering over generations of children who grow up

lacking any initiative or drive to do better.

No matter how long an individual has been held

captive by the spirit of oppression, he or she is never

too young or old to be set free. One touch from God

19

Oppressionless

can loose a multitude of curses. The Word of God

teaches that whatever you bind on earth has already

been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on

earth has already been loosed in heaven (see

Matthew 16:19).

The Word of God sets men free when it is

received as food for life and vision.

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the

counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of

sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his

delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he

meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1, 2).

In the chapters that follow, I will attempt not only

to enlighten, but to break this vicious cycle of

oppression, so that you will have God's power for

oppressionless living. But remember, God's

delivering power must be received with responsible

faith. He offers no government freebies. His hand is

always out, but we must reach up—not out.

20

2

MY TRIBUTE

2

Free at Last

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his

help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, Who made

heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for

the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The

Lord gives freedom to the prisoners (Psalm 146:5-7).

Oppression knows no boundaries. It permeates

the welfare state that I grew up under, producing

thousands of hopeless lives. But it also stalks the

business and educational communities, because

misery and failure know no social boundaries. And,

yes, it stalks the church in an effort to cripple born-

again believers with heaviness and fear.

Wherever this spirit can find a foothold, it will

work to confuse, distract, and cut off its victim from

outside contact. Then it will fill that void with more

deception to control clear-thinking minds. Sow an

unchecked oppressive thought—and it will reap

depression. And once depression sets in, it will reap

a harvest of sinful defeat.

Growing up in the church, I found out how one

can presume to be free while at the same time falling

prey to the tormenting spirit of oppression. It

happens without people even realizing what is taking

place. This spirit isn't always as overt in a person's

life as one may tend to think. In many instances,

certain emotions can be so suppressed that the

person being oppressed may never realize the reality

21

Oppressionless

of their state. Childhood or adult traumatic

experiences are sometimes responsible for

oppression's delusion.

There are some instances, however, in which an

oppressed individual is very knowledgeable of their

state, but they can't imagine "how" God could ever

set them free from such a powerful stronghold that

has been part of life for so many years. Nevertheless,

God knows exactly what area to touch... and at what

particular time to bring forth deliverance.

When I was eleven years old, I finally got up

enough boldness to talk to a young girl who was at

that time "the girl of my dreams." Though young in

age, I had grown to love this girl with all my heart.

Talking to her made everything else seem

unimportant. But her mother viewed me as a

nobody.

"I don't want to ever see you talking to my

daughter again!" she once told me. "A 'Bloomer' will

NEVER have a relationship with or be seen with a

member of the Thomas family. So stay away from my

daughter.”

"You're no good and you'll never amount to

anything.”

"Nothing good could ever come out of your

family!”

"Your brother is a drug addict, your mother is an

alcoholic, and your daddy is no good!" she screamed.

There I stood, an eleven-year-old boy in a

nothingless body of mixed emotions. My heart felt as

if it had been torn out, and any self-esteem I may

have had suddenly exited my entire being. I was

oppressed.

As time passed, I was able to put this incident

behind me and erase it from my past. Or so I

22

My Tribute

thought. But a number of other experiences would

continue to play out within my childhood that would

soon spill over into my adult life, forming me

because of my past.

The A-Word

One of those oppression-forming experiences was

sexual A-buse. It happened when I was twelve. At a

time when I was totally oblivious to the full nature of

sexuality, a woman of experience took it upon

herself to teach me about sex and sexuality. For two

long years, I was repeatedly called upon by this

woman to indulge in sexual acts that a boy my age

shouldn't have known about. To her it meant

nothing—but it later caused me some temporary

problems.

I bring this up to say I'm convinced that because

of the oppression I endured from this woman, the

door was opened later in my life to more perversion,

whoredom, and lawlessness. These were all

oppressive spirits that came to strip me not only of

my dignity, but to destroy my character. I had

convinced myself that time had healed me of these

incidences. But I eventually found out that they had

only been suppressed, and that the spirit of

oppression had packaged them neatly only to open

them later as a means of escape.

By the time I was a teenager, I'd already been

introduced to drugs, and I had developed a $270-

per-day cocaine habit. To support this habit, I did

whatever I was "bold" enough to do—snatching

purses, robbing, stealing—all to satisfy my habit and

to hide within my secret place of escape. It

eventually took a sentence in Rikers Island Prison

for God to finally get my attention. But true

deliverance from my other childhood traumas

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Oppressionless

wouldn't take place until years later. And it came at

an unexpected place and an unexpected time.

After having preached all over the country, some

fourteen years later I decided to return to the place

of my childhood, the Redhook Projects. I preached

there three nights amid hundreds who came out to

see me. Here I was, one who had escaped the trap of

project living, and I was now proclaiming the life of

Christ.

Then on the final night, I was approached by an

older woman as the meeting concluded. She said

hello, so I returned her greeting—but I had no idea

who this lady was. She greeted me again, but

introduced herself this time as the mother who had

forbidden my relationship with her daughter when I

was eleven years old.

"Hi," she repeated, "it's me, Ms. Thomas, Tara's

mother." Immediately upon recognizing her, I was

subconsciously thrust back into my eleven-year-old

body. My memory drifted back, and I saw this

woman in her younger years, screaming and

demeaning me in front of her daughter. Because my

heart of stone had been turned to flesh through

Christ's conversion, I was able to withhold my

emotions and indulge in conversation with her. The

hard-core lifestyle Ms. Thomas had endured within

the projects showed on her face. She reeked of

cigarette smoke, and her wrinkled countenance

reminded me of how much time had passed. As I

snapped back to the present, I asked, "How is Tara?"

"Well, George," she answered, "Tara isn't doing

too well. She has AIDS, and she has five babies—two

of which are crack babies, and two others who were

born with AIDS." Too stunned to even say anything

more, I stood gazing at this woman as she turned

and walked away. As she started to walk out of my

24

My Tribute

presence, suddenly she stopped and said, "I sure do

wish things could have worked out between you and

Tara."

At that moment, the oppressive weight of this

woman's words that had been tied around my neck

—which I hadn't known was present and had

subconsciously suppressed—finally dropped off of

me. For fourteen years I had been carrying the

weight of this woman's pronouncement that I would

never amount to anything. And subconsciously it

had caused me to feel less than capable of fulfilling

the call of God upon my life. Then, in an instant,

God used this same woman to speak words that to

some might seem irrelevant—but they set me free of

an oppression that I had no idea was hovering over

my life.

Until that incident, my insecurities had led me

constantly to seek the approval of others. But

suddenly the little boy in me symbolically caught up

with my manly body. The little hands and arms that

had secretly been dangling inside my grown-up body

grew into the man's hands and arms, and the little

legs and feet stretched forth to finally merge with the

man's legs and feet. With everything in proper

proportion and working in the right sequence, I was

then able to walk like a complete man.

Deliverance, in its most quiet yet powerful form,

had taken place. As I stood there in amazement,

fighting back the tears that suddenly began to flow

down my cheeks, I felt cleansed from the spirit of

oppression.

Today I no longer seek unreasonable approval of

others. I am free to allow God to speak instead.

Then, without questioning my own abilities, I obey.

For now I know that it is not me who does the work

but Christ who lives within me. I can now walk free

25

Oppressionless

of the spirit of inferiority and low self-esteem. I freely

preach, proclaiming that God is indeed real and that

He will perform His Word until the end. The little boy

in me who I knew at that time is now nonexistent.

God knew what area to touch at what particular

time, in order to bring forth deliverance in my life.

Yes, I had been saved and cleansed by Jesus'

blood. And for years I grew and flourished in His

grace and the call on my life. But there was a hidden

enemy within my mind that had been suppressed,

and it was still very active in my decision-making

processes. It makes me wonder how many

Christians today still have that little boy or girl

inside of them, steering them away from God's best?

If this is you, I invite you to repeat this prayer:

Father God, in Jesus' name, I come to You and ask

for cleansing from _____________. I am a new creature

in Christ, but I have never asked for freedom from this

particular problem. So I'm asking You now. I lay this

situation on the altar, Jesus, and ask You to set me

free. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

For every one who asks receives, and he who

seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be

opened. (Matthew 7:8).

26

3

OPPRESSION, DEPRESSION, AND

3

POSSESSION

Satan's Demonic Trio of Progressive

Insanity

Obviously, I shared only part of my overall

oppression deliverance experience in Chapter 2. By

the time the weight of this lingering burden was

released through my encounter with Ms. Thomas, I

had been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and

empowered by His Spirit. And I had been through

many other cleansing processes, as are all

Christians as they grow in faith. But Satan had a

foothold, and I finally broke his hold.

The Word of God presents the nature of Satan

like no other document. We can see his history, his

driving motivations, and his ultimate destination—

hell. In the meantime, he means to oppress and

destroy as many lives as possible. So to effectively

defeat the spirit of oppression, we must be wise,

swift, and alert to the tactics of Satan's devices.

One of Satan's best weapons is to send natural

occurrences to frustrate you spiritually. He will do

this continually if he can. And unless you become

skilled in recognizing his tactics, you will spend time

in constant, tiresome battles, warring with the

natural mind. And because of it, you'll always feel

bogged down and depressed.

It is in the midst of these natural occurrences

that the door is opened to the spirit of oppression.

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Oppressionless

When it enters to rest upon a person, it causes a

weight that can ultimately suffocate the life out of

that individual while he or she is ignorant of the

origin of the initial attack.

This is why 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4 says:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war

according to the flesh: For the weapons of our

warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling

down strongholds.

And this is why Proverbs 4:23 admonishes us:

“Keep [guard] your heart with all diligence.” It is

important to guard our hearts so that even when

Satan's attacks surface and the mind has been

clouded by frustration, he still can't reach the spirit.

If man's spirit can be oppressed, destruction not

only is knocking at the door, it is destined to take

place—that is, unless the individual becomes wise

and invokes God's power to finally be set free.

First Samuel 18:10-12 tells us that King Saul

was oppressed by an evil spirit. But the power of

God through the music of David overwhelmed the

spirit, saving David's life.

And it happened on the next day that the

distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he

prophesied inside the house. So David played music

with his hand, as at other times; but there was a

spear in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the spear; for

he said, "I will pin David to the wall with it." But

David escaped his presence twice. Now Saul was

afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but

had departed from Saul (1 Samuel 18:10-12).

Oppression Is a Weight

Oppression is like a weight, and Hebrews 12:1

says, “... let us lay aside every weight, and the sin

28

Oppression, Depression, and Possession

which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with

endurance the race that is set before us.” In so doing,

we stay free from the enemy's trap.

Oppression carries with it a spirit of illusion that

clouds the mind and confuses the thinking, causing

one to stray and wander without direction and

purpose. It is while a person is in this state that

Satan lunges for the kill. And his victim doesn't even

realize what is hitting him.

Such was the case of a young woman who shared

with me how, out of nowhere, she went from living a

very comfortable lifestyle to suddenly losing

everything she had. In her own words, she stated, "I

closed my eyes for a second and my entire world

changed, forcing me to ask myself, 'What

happened?'”

"One day," she continued, "I had two cars,

money, a house, and I wasn't really wanting for

much of anything. Then in an instant, I opened my

eyes and had nothing."

Without warning, this woman found herself in

debt, with nowhere to turn, wandering in a state of

confusion. Life had become an illusion, and she

didn't know right from left.

Beep! Beep!

Do you remember in the old Warner Brothers

Road Runner cartoons how the Coyote would paint a

picture of a tunnel against a brick wall in an attempt

to stop his competitor? And how the Road Runner

would "Beep Beep" and run straight through the

tunnel? Then the Coyote—the one who had painted

the illusion—would attempt to run into the tunnel

after that sneaky bird, but he would smash into his

own illusion, sending birdies flying everywhere.

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Oppressionless

Wiley Coyote and the Road Runner always gave

me a good Saturday morning laugh—but this was a

only cartoon, where anything can happen. But in

real life, the illusions presented by Satan will smash

its intended victims straight into the rocks. If you

have been aimlessly smashing into brick walls, be

encouraged—there is hope. After smashing into

phony tunnels for years, when the spirit of

oppression lifts, so does the spirit of illusion.

However, those who find freedom sometimes find

themselves aged beyond their years because they

have wasted so much time in a world that doesn't

really exist. But the important thing is that they find

freedom. Those who never find deliverance just keep

on smashing away until death.

Oppression's Partner—Depression

Oppression is accompanied by a subliminal voice

that subtly implies its intentions. It comes to

demolish the spiritual house that God has built. In

its initial stages, it is not a possessing demon, yet it

gives a prelude to the inevitable. It is in this stage

that the demon paints a picture and sells it to you,

while keeping you ignorant of the fact that you are

actually being oppressed.

Many times it takes total destruction before one

even realizes that he is in a state of oppression. It is

then, in the midst of destruction, that oppression

calls on depression, whispering deviously, "I've

destroyed the house. Now you come in and make

him worry about it!"

So depression and oppression join forces to

finally collapse their victim's world. Partnering

together they attempt to alienate and suffocate their

prey, while at the same time whispering in their

ears, "Now you can do nothing but worry about your

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Oppression, Depression, and Possession

impossible predicament."

And again, it all starts with natural occurrences,

which Satan uses to frustrate and oppress people

spiritually. If you're the one under attack, suddenly

you'll find yourself held hostage to past mistakes.

You'll start questioning and badgering yourself over

things that have long since passed.

Finally, you'll be deceived into thinking there are

no real solutions to the problem. So you'll weep and

give up, sometimes even going into a rage as you fall

deeper and deeper into a destructive point of no

return.

Depression is looked upon as a mental illness

and a chemical imbalance that is oftentimes treated

and suppressed with prescribed medications. We as

Christians, however, know that it is a demon.

Medication doesn't provide deliverance. In many

cases, it even produces adverse effects. Instead of

uplifting the afflicted individual, it can cause

confusion and suicidal tendencies.

Depression brings the spirit of fear, doubt, and

unbelief. It causes a person to worry about things he

can't change, and makes him doubt that God can

bring deliverance. Generally this person fears

everything. Depression tries to convince its recipient

that no one cares, and finally poses the question,

"Why don't you just kill yourself?"

It is at this critical point that one must hear from

God. Depression has been allowed to run rampant in

many churches because some pastors pamper the

demon instead of walking in the authority to cast it

out.

Elizabeth and Mary

One area that often opens the door to depression

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is low self-esteem. One apparent case of depression

that ended in victory is the story of Elizabeth. She

and her cousin Mary had many similarities: neither

had borne a child, both eventually carried sons and

were given the son's names in advance. Both sons

were sent by God for the purpose of salvation.

Luke 1:24, 25 sets the stage:

Now after those days... Elizabeth conceived; and

she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord

has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on

me, to take away my reproach among men."

In Luke 1:26-35, we find that an angel spoke to

Mary about conceiving and giving birth to Jesus.

Then he gave Mary further insight:

“Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also

conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the

sixth month for her who was called barren. For with

God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said,

"Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me

according to your word." And the angel departed

from her. Now Mary arose in those days and went

into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted

Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard

the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her

womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,

"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the

fruit of your womb!” (verses 36-42).

We often misunderstand verse 41, which says it

was Elizabeth who was filled with the Holy Ghost,

not John. This is very important because before

Elizabeth was saluted by Mary, Elizabeth may have

been in a state of depression over her barren womb,

so she needed the power of God to ward off the spirit

of oppression and depression in her life.

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Oppression, Depression, and Possession

But God fulfilled His plan, and the story had a

happy ending.

Oppression Leads to Possession

Unless the power of God becomes present in an

individual's life, depression will ultimately connect

with the demon of possession to build strongholds

that could take years to overcome. There is a

systematic progression. What begins through

natural events, introducing an oppressing force in a

person's life, is further frustrated by a spirit of

depression. Then when depression is ready, it will

call in a spirit of possession (if the victim blindly

accepts it)—to finally wipe out his life.

Oppressive spirits are squatters— they have no

legal papers and no business on an individual's

property, yet they set up their house on his territory.

And if allowed to squat for too long, they bring a

possessing force within him. People actually

"possess" the spirit of oppression, which suffocates

and causes them to worry about everything—and all

because they granted them access to their land.

When people "possess" the spirit of depression, it

can cause them to cry all the time. Depression

produces mood swings that cause them to feel as if

no one loves or cares for them. Ultimately, they

begin to show physical signs of oppression through

sickness, and in some cases they become

hypochondriacs. All of these bad seeds begin to

blossom and take form because of a demonic

oppressive spirit operating in their lives.

Satan strategizes all of it very carefully—so at a

time when people should be possessing the land and

walking in the blessings of God, they end up

overwhelmed and possessed by the circumstances of

life. Suddenly, they are idle—and you know the old

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saying: "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." So

Satan continues to diligently work away. Once

oppression and depression make a place for

possession, this stronghold causes its victims to lose

all self-control and become slaves to the oppressing

force that holds them captive. Following is the story

of one such possessed man.

Though the Scriptures give many stories of

demon possession, one story that stands out in

particular is found in Mark 5:1-11. In this story,

there was a man possessed by a legion of unclean

spirits that gave him such physical strength no one

could restrain him.

And always, night and day, he was in the

mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting

himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus from

afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out

with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with

You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You

by God that You do not torment me" (Mark 5:5-7).

Upon recognizing Jesus, these oppressive spirits

immediately understood that they could no longer

reign in this man's life as they had for so long. So

they made an earnest appeal to Jesus to not send

them out of the country.

In verse 9, Jesus asked the unclean spirit:

"What is your name?" And he answered, saying,

"My name is Legion; for we are many." And he

begged him earnestly that He would not send them

out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was

there feeding near the mountains. And all the

demons begged him, saying, "Send us to the swine,

that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave

them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out

and entered the swine (there were about two

thousand); and the herd ran violently down the

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Oppression, Depression, and Possession

steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea

(verses 10-13).

This story, which ends in victory, provides

incredible revelation concerning the fierceness of a

possessing demonic spirit. This passage of Scripture

confirms that possession can indeed drive a human

being to dwell in caves like a madman.

The Many Names of Oppression

Oppression, however, has many names: boredom,

loneliness, alienation, criticism, racism, arrogance ...

these are only some of oppression's aliases. Even

though under normal circumstances these

circumstances can be relieved, or even cured, when

the spirit of oppression is in operation, no natural

means can permanently lift its weight.

Boredom and loneliness, for instance, can

normally be satisfied by the company of others. But

when one is oppressed by these demonic forces,

relationship with others is stifled. An oppressed

person can be in a crowded room filled with jubilant

people, yet still feel the heaviness of boredom and

loneliness upon their shoulders.

Some oppressive spirits tend to surface in a

person because he was the recipient of the bad

seeds of an oppressor—such as I was through Ms.

Thomas's cutting words. Past traumas and criticisms

passed along through bad teaching and oppressive

people have produced racism and other social

stumbling blocks that have millions bound.

The next time you feel bored and you realize that

this boredom can't be satisfied by watching a movie,

or by conversation or companionship, be advised

that this is an oppressive spirit.

If you're being criticized and this causes you to

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be ultra-critical of yourself—thinking that nothing

you do is right, and causing you to feel like a failure

—take notice immediately that this is a spirit and

that it can be very destructive. Know that

supernatural forces are in operation and that there

is nothing natural about these situations. Know also

that these spirits will destroy you if the necessary

steps aren't taken to bind them and keep them from

operating in your life.

Boredom, criticism, racism, inferiority—note

these common names. They could be symptoms of

an oppressive spirit. And if they come to plunder

you, hit the floor in prayer. Pray this prayer now, if

you need to be loosed from oppression's grip:

Father, in the name of Jesus, I take authority over

every oppressive spirit that is trying to operate in my

life. I denounce the spirits of boredom, criticism,

racism, and all other inferiority complexes that come

to hinder my growth in Christ. No longer will I allow

myself to be bound, but I will exercise the authority

that You have given me to bind the hand of the

enemy.

According to 1 John 4:3, I know that greater is He

who is in me, than he who is in the world. So I submit

myself to You and Your power, and I will no longer

allow the enemy to have free reign and rule over my

life.

I thank You now, Father, that even as I pray in

faith, I am being loosed from the bonds of oppression.

I am free from darkness, and I am now liberated into

Your marvelous light. I give You the glory for the

miracle You have just performed within my life! Amen.

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4

ADDICTION

4

Oppression's Deceptive Road To

Escape

Addiction is the spirit of oppression's most

deceptive road to escape. Addiction carries with it a

very blatant and overwhelmingly destructive power.

But it can manifest with such subtlety that one

hardly knows he's locked into it—until it's too late.

To gain an understanding of what addiction really

is, let's first define it. Addiction means "habitually

engaging in an act with no self-control." No matter

how hard an addicted individual tries, he can't seem

to break the chains that hold him captive. Though

some addicted people try to get free on occasion,

they find that they don't have the strength or will to

"kick the habit." They discover that they are trapped

—forced to continually engage in the addictive act.

Temptation: Addiction's Root

The root of all addiction is first temptation, which

comes from Satan, who preys on the weaknesses of

an individual by setting the bait. The enemy very

readily knows what to send at what particular time

because we often exhibit our strengths and

weaknesses in the way we govern our lives. This

gives him place to continually tempt us, and if

possible, addict us.

Temptation will come, but God will always

provide a way of escape.

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No temptation has overtaken you except such as

is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not

allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,

but with the temptation will also make the way of

escape, that you may be able to bear it (1

Corinthians 10:13).

And when His way of escape is presented, the

decision to either run for the exit or continue to

satisfy the flesh can often mean the difference

between life or death.

God won't make the decision for us. He gives us

clarity of mind through scriptural truth and

counsels us on the biblical decision. But He leaves

the decision in the hands of the one who is wrestling

with the addiction.

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today

against you, that I have set before you life and

death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,

that both you and your descendants may live"

(Deuteronomy 30:19).

The Lord himself was tempted, but He resisted—

providing us with an example of overcoming faith.

Jesus met every one of Satan's temptations with the

quoted Word of God.

Then Jesus, being filled with of the Holy Spirit,

returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit

into the wilderness, being tempted forty days by the

devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and

afterward when they had ended, He was hungry.

And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of

God, command this stone to become bread." But

Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man

shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of

God'” (Luke 4:1-4).

Jesus could have done anything within His power

to ward off Satan's temptations at this point of His

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Addiction

life. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, he told

Peter that he could call for twelve legions of angels to

deal with the Roman soldiers, but it wasn't God's

will. God's will in Jesus' wilderness temptation was

to show the power of His Word over the tempter. And

when Jesus persisted, the devil “... departed from

Him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13).

Faith in God's Word and an individual's desire for

deliverance is God's way of temptation's escape.

Those who allow Satan's snares to eventually addict

them need to seek God and grow in faith.

Addiction not only affects the one who is a slave

to it but also affects those whom the individual is

closest to in relationship. When a person gives in to

the tactics and temptations of Satan, he becomes a

slave to the "thing" that was used as bait to tempt

him.

The Many Names of Addiction

Addiction comes in many forms and is disguised

by many different names: drug addiction, chemical

abuse, and sexual addiction—which in itself has

many titles... nymphomania, homosexuality, and

sodomy, to name a few. Then there are lying and

stealing addictions, which we often refer to as

compulsive behavioral disorders, and so on.

Whatever the name, it can all be summed up in

one word—addiction. So powerful are some

addictions that the majority of a person's life can be

spent trying to break free while continually falling

deeper into the same snare.

As a young boy growing up on the hard streets of

New York City, I found out first hand the painful

struggles of trying to loose oneself from the bonds of

addiction. My desire to escape the abject poverty and

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dangers of my tough neighborhood overrode my

desire to resist when offered the temporal escape of

drugs. As a result, what began as a "one-time"

experience to escape the oppressive thoughts of my

mind and the traumas that I endured daily, soon

evolved into a $270-per-day cocaine habit. So strong

was the addiction that I, the one who was oppressed,

soon began to oppress others to satisfy my need. I

robbed and stole whatever it took to get the drugs I

needed to relieve the pain of my addiction.

But as I look back today, I can see that God, in

the midst of my addiction and oppressive behavior,

gave His angels charge over me (see Psalm 91:11) so

He might receive glory out of my life.

The road to God's glory led me first to Rikers

Island Prison in New York City. While there, I was

forced to abide within a new and overpowering

oppressive environment. Suddenly, all the courage

I'd used to torment and take from others

disappeared, and I felt hollow, alone—oppressed.

It was while I was in this state of nothingness

that God showed up and not only ministered to me

but set me free in my mind... and also from prison.

Today I stand as a living testimony of John 8:36,

'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free

indeed." I gladly return unto God a debt that can

never be fully paid, by preaching His Word all over

the world and testifying of His liberating power and

authority over every oppressive spirit, including

addiction.

Oppression is a spirit that produces addiction's

deadly force. This is why the world has so often

failed in its attempts to free addicts through its

techniques of rehabilitation. Because the world can't

approach deliverance through the agency of God's

power, those who do eventually break free of a habit

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Addiction

through secular therapies find themselves

continually harassed by the spirit of addiction that

constantly knocks at their door. These strongholds

are demonic outposts that can only be removed by

weapons of spiritual force as mentioned in 2

Corinthians 10:4.

Oppression is persistent. So it continually knocks

until the one who has "kicked their habit" becomes

too weak to bear the temptation and falls prey again

to the lies of the devil. The spirit of addiction lies to

its victim, saying, "One more time won't hurt," when

in fact "one more time" can actually kill him.

Every twelve-step program for addiction is set up

with natural checks and balances to help the

addicted person avoid impending falls. When

tempted, they are instructed to call their program

sponsor. But if he or she isn't home, or if the addict

chooses not to call, the spirit of addiction moves in

again to undo any progress that may have been

achieved.

Sobriety, or abstinence, is the aim of these

admirable programs, but to be sober is to struggle

continually to stay addiction free. Many have

survived through these techniques, and are to be

commended. But one day of spiritual deliverance is

worth more than a lifetime of difficult sobriety.

The world teaches, "once an addict, always an

addict."

The Bible teaches, "... if the Son makes you free,

you shall be free indeed."

Society teaches the techniques of "mind over

matter" and "will power" to conquer addictions.

The Word of God teaches, "My strength is made

perfect in [your] weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Much of a person's life can be wasted and ruined

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by idly playing around in the enemy's territory, never

gaining total deliverance from a habit that carries a

price that none can afford to pay. Addictive habits

kill multiplied thousands every year and disable

thousands of others. Those who have achieved

twelve-step lifestyles of sobriety are to be

commended. But when you talk to many of them,

you realize that they really aren't free. Members in

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings traditionally

address the group by affirming their alcoholism. "Hi,

my name is John, and I'm an alcoholic." So they are

sober, but they are still living "one drink"—or "one

fix"—away from their achieved sobriety.

God knows that once the enemy entangles an

individual within the webs of addiction, it takes His

strength to gain full deliverance. He knows that the

human will is weak and that without His power

operating in a person's life, he is no match for the

oppressive spirit that seeks to destroy him. But

God's Word and Spirit conquered death and the

grave. And if His power accomplished that, you can

be sure that it is His desire to conquer sniveling little

devils who are under militaristic assignment to

snare whomever they can with this or that addiction!

Because addiction is oppression's most deceptive

road to escape, freedom gained spiritually will be

challenged. And those who aren't aware of Satan's

tactics could easily lose everything.

Amy's Story

As a teenager, Amy's home life was very different

from that of her friends at school. Many of them

placed her on a pedestal, but they had no idea of the

turmoil and struggle she faced day after day when

she went home.

Because of her parent's financial pressures, Amy

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Addiction

returned home from school daily to a very oppressive

home—never knowing what kind of mood her

parents might be in when she arrived. So she began

skipping school, dating guys much older than

herself, staying out late, and ultimately began

experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

Amy could see this road to destruction, and for a

time she was able to break free. She lived through a

period in her life when everything seemed to be

going well. She appeared to be living a very

prosperous and satisfying life. But after a time, she

was visited again—as Satan invariably does—by

these same temptations. But this time he was

playing for keeps!

The devil knew that although Amy had been dealt

a bad hand in life, still she knew the Word and how

to apply the power of prayer. So Amy was a definite

threat to him, and he intended to wipe her out... just

as the devil departed from Jesus "until a more

opportune time" (see Luke 4:13). So he returned to

Amy.

But Amy wasn't as victorious as Jesus in

conquering her temptations this time. They soon

enslaved and overpowered her in the form of

addictions.

First of all, because of her past experiences with

older and more experienced men, Amy's tendency to

feel incomplete without this kind of men in her life

made her a slave to sexual perversion. She became a

slave not only to sex but to the men as well—and

through them, she became enslaved to alcohol and

drugs.

Eventually Amy's addictions forced her to give up

all that she had, including her own children. She

couldn't break free in her own strength, and she did

unmentionable things to get her next fix.

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Amy's friends became her enemies, and her loved

ones became her competitors. And in her enslaved

mind, she was convinced that everyone was falsely

accusing her—that they were out to get her. She felt

that everyone was wrong except Amy.

Unfortunately, Amy's quest to find victory

continued to lead to nothing but defeat. Her own will

was too weak to war against the attacks Satan

consistently used to overwhelm her. And because

she was deceived into thinking God no longer

listened to her prayers, she refused to invoke the

power of God in her life in order to be set free.

Today, Amy's loved ones continue to pray to God on

her behalf that total deliverance shall be her portion.

However, the ultimate decision depends totally on

Amy's desire to be set free—not only from drug

addiction but from the oppressive spirit that Satan

has launched against her life.

This is a good example of how addiction not only

destroys the body but also clouds and corrupts the

mind. But those who keep their minds on God's

Word receive His peace and stay free from Satan's

lies:

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind

is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isaiah

26:3).

Getting your mind off the things of God and onto

the lusts of the flesh is an open door for Satan to

slither through. If given enough access, He will barge

in and steal the promises that God has ordained for

your life. Only God can keep your mind in perfect

peace, but He can only do it when your mind is

stayed on Him. He places before you life and death—

but the choice is yours!

Because sexual sin is the only potential downfall

of a Christian that Paul instructs the New Testament

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Addiction

church to "flee from" (see 1 Corinthians 6:18), I have

devoted the entire next chapter to the subject. But

whatever the addiction may be, we can't find victory

in our own strength. As Paul describes in Romans

7:15-20, our flesh becomes a trap, and we find

ourselves desiring to do good, but the sin within us

habitually draws us into doing the things we hate.

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For

what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I

hate, that I do. If then, I do what I will not to do, I

agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no

longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I

know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good

dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to

perform what is good I do not find. For the good that

I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do,

that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is

no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

As this passage in Romans indicates, because

only the spirit of man is saved when the blood of

Jesus sets him free, the body continues to war

against God's will. The body is still flesh and will

remain so until the judgment day. So what we often

want to do according to the conviction of the Holy

Spirit and the commandments of God's Word, we fail

to do. Instead, we find ourselves doing the very thing

that we said we'd never do.

As Paul states, it is no longer we who do it but

sin that abides within us. So we must approach the

spirit and the fear that accompanies it with boldness

and faith. God's Word will devour our enemy but we

must believe this.

This is why the spirit of addiction must be

approached as just that—a spirit. In order to fight off

the addiction and find peace and victory, we must

approach the battle spiritually and we must be well

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equipped with God's Word.

Addicted Saints

Although we tend to think of addictions as being

prevalent mainly in the outside world, many saints

fail to address or even acknowledge the addictions

that take place within the church.

Addictions such as eating disorders and

overeating that lead to obesity and other health

problems exist within the church. When the trials

and tests of life come, many turn to their food

addiction, instead of to Christ, as a way of escape. At

a time when some should be turning away from the

plate to fast and seek God, they feed the flesh to

satisfy a void that can only be quenched by God.

Satan often uses food as a distraction when God

is trying to get our attention. The devil knows when

our will is weak in this area. So when we find

ourselves restless, with God trying to provoke us

into His Word and fellowship, the first thing we run

to is the refrigerator.

There we find that even after we've eaten, the

restlessness remains, so we eat again and again

until we're finally too full to even think of picking up

God's Word or having a time of fellowship with Him.

So the temptation, the bait, the addiction, all work

together for one common goal—destruction.

Gluttony

Gluttony is a spirit of want—not need. It is a

demon that operates through depression and

oppression. My mention of this addiction, however,

isn't intended to force anyone into some kind of

unplanned diet.

Many churches have advocated what I believe is

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Addiction

a demonic "doctrine of health" that stresses how

much weight a person should put on or take off.

Many saints are now hooked on diet pills, which is

another form of substance abuse, because of this

kind of teaching. Others go on food binges to put on

weight. Here is Ms. Smith's story.

I knew a lady some time ago who routinely spent

her day sitting on her porch watching soap operas

while she shaved carrots, snapped beans, and

seasoned meats for her family's dinner. She was very

friendly and waved at everyone who passed her way.

Everyone who knew this lady loved and respected

her as a spiritual woman. She never used profanity,

never smoked cigarettes, and never participated in

any of the local parties. But two things stood out

about her: she was considerably overweight, and she

never went to church.

Even on special occasions such as Christmas,

Easter, Mother's Day, and so on, when non-

Christians went to church, Ms. Smith would stay

home, comfortably going about her daily routine.

She even had many god-children, but she would

never participate in any of their dedication services.

Why? Because Ms. Smith had been taught by her

pastor that those who were overweight were lazy

sluggards. She had been convinced that overweight

Christians didn't have faith and that God couldn't

love anyone who allowed themselves to look this

way.

So Ms. Smith sought to correct her woeful

situation. But as a result of trying a variety of

weight-loss techniques, she experienced numerous

medical problems. She even subjected herself to

such techniques as stomach stapling and having her

mouth wired partially shut. This ultimately caused

her to go into cardiac arrest. God mercifully spared

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her life, but the pain she endured emotionally

damaged her permanently.

No one in her congregation, including the pastor,

paid Ms. Smith a visit while she was in the hospital.

To them, her condition was not a real medical

problem. They just assumed she was weak and

lacked proper faith. But little did they know that

they themselves had departed from the faith, and

that the seducing, oppressing spirits that were

ruling their church put them in the condition

spoken of in 1 Timothy 4:1, 2:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times

some will depart from the faith, giving heed to

seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking

lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience

seared with a hot iron.

In America we're always eating. At every "special

occasion" there is a mountain of food to celebrate the

joyous occasion. At most wedding receptions there is

an abundance of food. Even when someone dies—

the first thing the grieving family receives from

friends and loved ones is food. So food is always with

us, and oppression will tempt those who will take it

to extremes.

We need to be reminded that Jesus knows we're

all different and that we each have our own levels of

contentment and dissatisfaction. There is a

tremendous amount of cultural expectations placed

on slimness today, so we must be careful about

making people conform to this image that is

satisfactory to society. Some people feel good about

their weight and have good self-esteem. So they

should in no way be forced to lose weight based

upon what is most appealing to the eyes of society.

Then there are those who, because of coming out of

other addictions such as drugs, sexual perversion,

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Addiction

and so on, tend to cling to food as a source of

comfort. These should be helped to recognize

oppression's replacement in the area of gluttony.

Everyone would do well to remember Matthew 7:1,

which says, "Judge not, that you be not judged"

(Matthew 7:1).

We all know that it's good to use wisdom in what

we eat, but one should never fall under the

oppressive spirit of a pastor or any other person in

an effort to measure up to what the world

statistically views as the norm of ideal weight.

Unfortunately, Ms. Smith never returned to church,

and she died in her home while her children were

away. They found her three days after she had died

of a heart attack. I personally believe it was an

"attack" on her heart due to the oppression of

emotional damage that had been suppressed for so

long.

Today, hundreds of thousands of other women

are sitting in dark rooms somewhere finding comfort

in food because of miscarriages, broken

relationships, past traumas or whatever the case

may be. You will find thousands of men eating their

way to "fulfillment" as well.

From what I've learned, to the food addict, food is

a friend. It has a wonderful aroma, it doesn't judge,

it comes to dinner, it goes to the theater, and it

subliminally soothes the mind during difficult times.

This is why we must understand that addiction, no

matter what form it comes in, is destructive. No good

thing can ever come out of it. Addiction comes to rob

our health and sanity and to oppress those who love

us.

Finally, no matter how strong a force any

addiction may seem, freedom from addiction simply

lies within the power of prayer. If you happen to be

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Oppressionless

one who is held captive by oppressive destructive

behavior that is beyond your control, your only

means of escape is to invoke the power of God in

your life through sincere prayer and continual

fellowship with Him. So I offer the following prayer

as a starting point. If you pray it sincerely, you can

believe that God's Holy Spirit will begin imparting

His strength to set you free:

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I submit

all of my soul, my body, my desires, and my emotions

to You and to Your Spirit. I denounce any conscious or

subconscious addictive tendencies formed in my past.

I denounce the emotional, physical, and spiritual ties

formed by my involvement in any unhealthy habits. I

thank You for forgiving and cleansing me of all

unrighteousness, right now! I loose myself from all

ties to past relationships that were formed to keep me

tied to my addictions.

Please uproot all connections through

dependencies, perversions, and enslaving thoughts

that hold me captive and oppressed. I bind every evil

spirit that reinforced addiction in my life through

ungodly associations and temptations.

Lord, I ask You to cleanse my mind and to erase

totally from my soulish desires all illicit habitual acts.

Set me free so that I may serve only the purposes of

God and walk into the divine destiny that You have

preordained for my life.

Father, now that I have asked You this, knowing

that it is in accordance with Your will for my life, I

believe I am totally forgiven and set free. I commit

myself to You—mind, soul, and body—in Jesus'

name. Amen

In praying this prayer with a genuine heart and

sincerity, "old things are passed away," and you may

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Addiction

now walk in your new life. Old friends and

acquaintances may still remember and remind you

of old habits in passing, but God is not a man. Your

slate is now clean. So continue to pray daily and

fellowship with the Lord to stay free from temptation.

Walk in liberty and be free from the oppressive yoke

of addiction!

51

5

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DECEPTIONS

5

AND SPIRITS

(STDs)

As I pointed out in the previous chapter, the sin

of sexual immorality is the only potential downfall

that Paul commanded the church to flee from in 1

Corinthians 6:18. So, in a book such as this, I think

I would be negligent at best to avoid some detail on

the subject of sex.

If you don't think sexual temptation has been

used by Satan to destroy the work of God over the

last two decades, you haven't read many newspapers

or watched TV.

Sexuality, which was given by God for the sole

purpose of pleasure within the covenant bonds of

marriage and for the reproduction of life, can also

carry with it a very strong oppressive and destructive

spirit. We all possess the emotions of sexuality

within, which is why certain guidelines of discipline

must be maintained in order to refrain from falling

prey to our weaknesses in this area. Perhaps even

more dangerous than the actual weakness is

denying that these emotions actually exist.

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man

does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual

immorality sins against his own body (1 Corinthians

6:18).

The after-effects of many acts of sexual behavior

can become the means of enslaving an individual to

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addictive habits. Those who engage in unbridled

sexual appetites can become heir to various

transmitted spirits and strongholds in life. Once this

form of oppression takes root, healing must take

place. Any sexual addiction healing process should

consist not only of a daily medicinal intake of the

Word of God, but abstinence from the addictive sin

in order to insure the strength of the spiritual

immune system.

To better understand the impact of sexual sins in

comparison to spiritually transmitted illnesses that

invade people to deceive them, let's first examine the

consequences of sexual sins of the natural.

STDs

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

In today's promiscuous society, when two

individuals come together in physical sexual

intimacy, they risk illness from the transference of

bodily fluids. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

are, alarmingly, quite common. Medical tracking and

statistics report some thirteen million cases of these

sorts of infections annually.

STDs

Spiritually Transferred Demons

But untracked, and unknown to most, are the

spiritually transmitted diseases, deceptions, and

spirits connected with sex. As it is in the natural, so

it is in the spiritual. When a forbidden relationship

and sexual connection is made, a price must always

be paid.

Many times in forbidden relationships, a person

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Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

may find himself struggling to let go of the constant

urge to continue in sin with someone he has been

intimately involved with. This is not uncommon,

because when a man and woman become one and

join their flesh, they not only experience moments of

physical pleasure, but they also inherit a part of the

other individual's spirit.

Oppression's tempting lie of "one time won't hurt"

can be heard echoing throughout Satan's many

forms of addictive temptations—but whatever the

addiction, "one time" can ultimately kill.

A number of ungodly spirits can be transferred

through the bond of sexual intimacy, such as greed,

lust for power and wealth, and unfaithfulness, to

name a few. The spirit of sexual oppression will

attempt to deceive the one it tempts into thinking

that he or she will walk away the same person they

were before the act was committed. But this simply

isn't the case.

Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his

clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals,

and his feet not be seared? So he who goes in to his

neighbor's wife; whoever touches her shall not be

innocent (Proverbs 6:27-29).

Both parties involved in an illicit sexual

encounter will always walk away having acquired

spirits that were once nonexistent, whether good or

bad.

Lori's Story

Lori, who was in her early thirties, finally met

"the man of her dreams." Both she and Jonathan

were single, but this man was involved with another

woman whom he planned to marry. Knowing the

consequences of pursuing such a relationship, Lori

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fought hard to flee this man's grasp. But before long

she succumbed to the delicate attentiveness that

Jonathan showed toward her. Soon they became

consumed with each other, and Lori weakened in

her fight of resistance against his sexual attempts.

After becoming sexually involved with Jonathan,

immediately a number of changes began to take

place in Lori's life. Before having sex with him, Lori

had been very meek and quiet. Jonathan was

powerful, successful, and at times a bit overbearing.

All of these traits were a part of Lori's attraction for

him, even though they were totally nonexistent in

her own life. But as these two became intimately

"one," Lori's drive for success and power became

increasingly stronger. Where she once had been very

meek, and to some degree introverted, she suddenly

found herself enjoying the company and

conversation of others. Through the bond of sexual

intimacy, Jonathan's spirit had been transferred to

her. And eventually his spirit overwhelmed and

governed her entire life.

Lori and Jonathan had both been deluded by

oppression's illusion into thinking their sexual

encounters were somehow justified. Then when the

reality of their plight finally became a reality to Lori,

they both began to pray—but to no avail. The more

they tried to part, the more their desire to be in each

other's presence drove them together. Everything

about Jonathan—his hunger for success, his drive

for perfection, and even a bit of his overbearing

behavior—had infected Lori. Needless to say, they

both had become the "thorn" in the other's flesh—

wanting to walk in liberty, yet lacking the will and

the "know how" to do so.

In time, however, victory eventually prevailed—

but only through much discipline, prayer, and divine

intervention from God. Although Jonathan and Lori

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Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

both confess that temptation occasionally knocks at

the door, they continue to apply the Word of God to

their lives, which says, “Resist the devil and he will

flee from you” (James 4:7). By denying their flesh in

obedience to God, a vow was formed, symbolizing

their commitment to Christ as being first and

foremost in their lives. As a result, they've both been

elevated spiritually and are currently pursuing very

prosperous careers—walking in liberty, free from the

bondage and guilt of willful sin.

Incubated Danger

Medically speaking, the time between infection

and the actual physical appearance of infection is

called the incubation period. The incubation period

for the sexually transmitted disease called syphilis is

normally about twenty-one days. This means that

within its twenty-one day time frame, no precautions

are being taken to insure the safety of the other

individual. Neither is the infected person receiving

proper medical care. Syphilis is silently growing and

coming to fruition.

Even after the physical manifestation of syphilis

surfaces, which appears as a painless sore, this

physical evidence heals itself in one to five weeks.

But that doesn't mean the disease has gone into

remission. In fact, once the actual sore disappears, it

gives a false hope of healing because the syphilis

infection is still very much a reality.

Spiritually speaking, the same deceptive external

realities are true within the infected transference of

sexual spirits. Satan's greatest weapon is to plant

the seed of sin in our hearts. Then he waits patiently

for the incubation period to take place. He deceives

his victims by producing the illusion of perfect

health—when in fact, within their bodies, Satan's

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specialized spirits are just waiting for the right time

to surface.

Physical evidence of illness will follow an

encounter, but within a few weeks, it may appear to

be nonexistent. Spiritually, this is Satan's way of

deceiving an individual into thinking he is fine. At

first, sexual partners may feel some strain and guilt

—the result of the voice of their conscience. Then as

time passes, they may feel relieved. What they don't

understand is that the spiritual and physical

immune systems of those who fall into sexual sin

will be challenged or even destroyed. The hot coals

spoken of in Proverbs 6:26, 27 may grow dim for a

while, but they don't burn out.

Sexual Strongholds

Once a sexual stronghold has been created, it

takes more than prayer to bring forth deliverance.

The habits in one's lifestyle must be changed, and

the need to abstain from fleshly desires is an

absolute must. Whatever the source of the

stronghold, it must become the target of attack if the

stronghold is to be broken. Ignorance in this area

only further handicaps and enslaves anyone who

honestly desires to be set free.

In cases such as Lori and Jonathan's, where

sexual intimacy creates a soul tie, the only means of

breaking this addictive spirit is by prayer and fasting

and by abstaining from further sexual encounters.

But before any of this can become reality, one must

have the desire to be set free. Honesty with oneself

and God is a definite must because only then can

true repentance spring forth. But an individual

should never repent for something he is not yet

willing to release. "Unrepentant repentance" will

eventually produce a reprobate mind, endangering

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Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

the one so deluded with a continual life of sin.

Perversion and Promiscuity

Two of the most common problems that can

develop out of sexually transmitted spirits are

perversion and promiscuity. The formation of a soul

tie through the bondage of promiscuity is, in most

cases, extraordinarily hard to break. This is because

the soul of the promiscuous individual is scattered

among a host of mates, all of whom have contributed

their own individual oppressive spirits into this one

person. Women, especially because of their sensitive

emotional makeup, find that soul ties birthed out of

promiscuity are extremely binding. As a result, they,

more than men, find themselves habitually falling

into the clutches of previous mates and sex partners

whom they declared they would never see again.

Again, all of this can result from soul ties that were

specifically formed out of lust. They work to keep the

one in bondage enslaved to a life of constant

instability.

... do you not know that he who is joined to a

harlot is one body with her? For "The two," He says,

"shall become one flesh" (1 Corinthians 6:16).

Neither are men exempt from this kind of

bondage to promiscuity. So strong is the soul tie of

some men to previous partners that they mentally

engage in acts of re-consummating sex acts they had

with former mates. So, the destructive results of

promiscuity in both women and men can continually

risk their well-being, causing them to be drawn to

previous partners—long after the relationships have

been severed.

The Sexually Transferred Demon of

Homosexuality

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Oppressionless

Another destructive soul tie that can be sexually

transmitted is homosexuality. Many cases of

homosexuality are transmitted through past sexual

molestation that occurred in childhood. When this

sort of perverted violation occurs, not only is a

child's innocence ripped away, but unbeknownst to

the child, the will to be set free is also taken.

So strong are the oppressive ties of

homosexuality, that few are able to find deliverance

and freedom from a slave-driven, ongoing struggle.

In addition to prayer, the person deceived and

oppressed by this sexually perverted spirit, must

engage in ongoing godly counsel. There is a

particularly strong need to reinforce the rejection of

former sexual habits while establishing new

behaviors when ministering to former homosexuals.

Exodus International, a tremendous Christian

organization made up of former homosexuals,

promotes these kind of small group meetings that

are necessary to adequately deal with the

homosexual spirit.

The greatest deceiving factor in coming to

delivering terms with homosexuality is denial. In

order to be set free, one must first identify and

acknowledge that the problem exists. The greatest

weapon against Satan's arsenal of deception is

information and confrontation. But many times,

even as parents, we tend to cover up the real issues.

We sometimes tend to deceive ourselves into

thinking our child will "grow out of it," and by so

doing, we give free reign to the enemy.

Any time there are past occurrences of sexual

perversion or promiscuity within a family, the

maturing of these traits can manifest in generations

to come. Children will sometimes unknowingly act

out the lifestyles of their family as the latest

transmitters of their family's generational curses. If

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Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

you ever happen to be put in a position to minister

to such a child, the spirit that is in operation must

be denounced through the blood of Jesus if

deliverance is to take place. Of course, always

remember to use wisdom so as not to frighten the

child, who in most cases is totally oblivious to what

is taking place.

There must always be a balance as well as

consistency in dealing with this kind of abuse.

Alex's Story

Because of the shame Alex endured through

molestation, he never confronted the new feelings he

started to experience in being attracted to men.

Although his mother saw the development of these

traits, she felt that her son was just "going through a

phase" and would eventually grow out of it. However,

by the time Alex reached adulthood, his mother was

finally praying for freedom from his condition

because he had totally "come out of the closet."

Alex the adult saw no need to seek the freedom

his mother now desired for him, so he continued

freely in his homosexual acts. Alex was set free by

the power of God for a brief period, but because he

didn't exercise discipline and seek continued godly

counsel, he soon fell prey to his old lifestyle. This

time, however, Alex was visited by seven worse

demons, and he became even more lawless in his

perversion. This soul tie had become a yoke around

his neck that was much too heavy for him to

manage.

After years of wandering, Alex finally returned to

the fellowship of the church. Nonetheless, he

continues to struggle with the curse of this

aggressive spirit of homosexuality. His family,

however, understands the power of prayer and

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Oppressionless

continues to pray that the Lord will deliver Alex so

he may enjoy the liberty of a true relationship with

Christ. Alex's story serves as a sobering reminder of

the importance of staying free once one has been set

free by the power of God. Studying the Bible,

spending time in prayer, and attending a church

that provides good spiritual food are musts if one is

to maintain victory and avoid the struggles Alex

encountered.

Untying the Knots That Bind

In order to undo the damage of a soul tie, a

spiritual untying must take place. The power of

loosing and binding must be exercised.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of

heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be

bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth

will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

Knots that have been illegally formed in our lives

don't have the authority to reign in our lives.

Bondage to soul ties should never be taken lightly or

ignored, but should be considered as life or death

situations and be viewed with the severity described

by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not

inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor

homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor

covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor

extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

None of us can afford to be sexually deceived.

Satan's oppressive spirit of sexual destruction is at

work in the church today. Can you think of a

minister—famous or local—who shipwrecked his

ministry because of giving in to the lust of the flesh?

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Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

Have you heard of any Christian divorce cases that

came about through infidelity? You probably have.

The enemy uses his sexually transmitted spirits

and deceptions to destroy the ministry God has

predestined for each individual. Satan knows that

the seed God has planted within His people will grow

into maturity to touch the lives of many others, so

he subtly uses sexual temptations as a means of

distraction to try to get God's people off track and

keep them away from the things of God. Those he

can lure, he does—to the point of death if they allow

it. But praise be to God for those who have their

mind and vision firmly planted in God's Word. Satan

can't deceive these folks, so he will have to look

elsewhere to create his next sexual deviant!

If you have been snared through the power of

illicit sex or are being tempted now to become

involved in it, I tell you the same thing Paul said in 1

Corinthians 6:18—Run! Run to God for clarity of

mind and the reality of what the deceptive encounter

will eventually produce—hot coals, misery, and

possibly death.

God never repents for the gift he places within

us, but He allows His mercy to rest upon us. No cry

is too meaningless for Him to soothe and no sin is

too great for Him to forgive. You can be set free from

sexual sins by His power and anointing. So if you

have been dealing with this type of oppressive sexual

attack, I invite you to pray the following prayer of

deliverance.

Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ, I ask You

to forgive me for sexual sins. I ask for courage to

admit my faults to all concerned. I am Yours, a holy

person. So Holy Father, please give me a new

revelation of my holy purity, and set me free. I

confess and believe John 8:36 now, which says, If the

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Oppressionless

Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. I am

holy and I am pure! Because You are living in me, I

am free! And I give You all the praise and glory. Amen

Now, to ensure your change of lifestyle and to

maintain your new-found freedom and walk in

victory, study 1 Corinthians 6 very closely—then be

sensitive to God's Spirit concerning what to do next.

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6

SATAN'S NEW OPPRESSION

6

"Hotlines" to Deadly Deception

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the

counsel of the ungodly.... (Psalm 1:1).

Before concluding this book on oppression, I

need to point out the alarming explosion of

witchcraft that is occurring today through America's

new psychic TV hotlines. For those who succumb to

what many would humorously blow off as a rip-off

fortune telling, an addiction for intimate, hidden

knowledge can set in.

First of all, the Word of God is very clear in

stating where to get counsel and what kind of

company to keep if we are to keep our spirits pure.

But the following testimony reveals the reality and

dangers behind the media personalities who televise

and publicize their numbers by the thousands

across the U. S.

Psychic hotline programs and magazine numbers

have been connecting the curious and oppressed

(both in and out of the church) with the oppressor

himself in startling, growing numbers. Here is one

woman's testimony.

Hooked by the Hotline

"One night while up 'channel surfing' on the

television, I stumbled upon one of the psychic

network shows. I quickly turned away from it, but I

turned right back to it because the psychic on the

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Oppressionless

screen had tapped into things that intrigued me.

This began a weekly habit of calls, with bills of $10

to $20 per week, which would eventually increase as

my desire for more information increased. As time

went on, I dialed more and more numbers and paid

more and more money, because for me, this meant

more in-depth information.”

"Finally, at about the third level of my seeking, I

heard a very pleasant voice on the other end of the

phone that I immediately felt a closeness to. She

gave me a strange kind of "knowing" within, and I

felt I could trust her with the deepest depths of my

innermost secrets and soulish desires. The psychic's

name was Crystal, and as I gave her my time,

money, and ear, she told me all there was to know

about myself.”

"Upon answering my call and introducing herself,

Crystal first asked me my date of birth. Then she

asked me to repeat my name three times. Ten

minutes into the conversation I was hooked. I was

totally in awe of the things being revealed to her

concerning my life. And the accuracy of this woman

who just a few minutes earlier was a total stranger

astounded me.”

"Crystal knew of the fourteen-year-old abused

teenager I was when growing up—and of the thirty-

three year old who had lost almost everything,

including her mind. I had lost my family in a fire

that was ruled as arson, and I wanted to know why

and who would leave me without a family. I lost my

mother, my brother, my husband, and my seven-

month-old baby. Depression had set in on my life,

and I was about to lose my mind.”

"The nightmares were the worst. I dreamed of my

husband in the fire, calling out my name, and as I

reached for him, he disappeared in the smoke and

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Satan's New Oppression

flames. Watching mothers with their small children

became torment for me because I longed to cuddle

the baby I'd tragically lost. And although I wanted to

mother again, I also longed to be mothered. I longed

for someone to provide the same comfort I so missed

from my mother.”

"So in my desperation to find answers, I was

willing to try just about anything that would give me

liberty and bring back life as I had once known it.”

"Crystal provided me with the answers I felt I

needed to restore my life. And the more I spoke with

her, the more I felt anxiety building up in me to

continue speaking with her and gaining her insights.

So fascinated and intrigued was I that my heart

palpitations increased with excitement, my palms

became sweaty as I spoke, and I found myself

approaching every new call like an addict going after

the next fix.”

"Soon, my life revolved around the counsel and

direction of Crystal's insight. And before long, I

couldn't even consider making a decision without

consulting her.”

"Crystal eventually told me that by providing her

with my phone number she could introduce me to a

psychic counselor who could better help me with

some of the unanswered questions that still plagued

my mind."

Seven Years of Black Magic

"I gladly received Crystal's offer and agreed to

make contact with this 'local' psychic counselor. In

fact, I was excited, because by now I had become

totally engrossed in the mysticism of the psychic

realm. My visit would plunge me into seven years of

black magic, necromancy, heavy satanic

enchantments, praying to ancient spirits, and

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Oppressionless

eventually joining a school for witches, from which I

graduated with honors before joining a witch's

coven.”

"All of this began from a TV psychic hotline that

seemed to be so innocent. My minor fascinations

with horoscopes, palm readings, or anything

mystical that would catch my attention had finally

turned into this.”

"Once a part of the coven, I learned of a power

that I'd never known I had, and I was fascinated by

it. I had the power to make people do things against

their will, and I loved it! As I progressed, I learned to

administer my power of control through spell

castings, love potions, hate potions, and separation

and accident potions. I could even look into the

heart of an individual and tell what they were

thinking, then use that information in controlling

their lives."

Free at Last

"This practice of oppressive manipulation and

witchcraft ruled and reigned in my life for seven

years. Then one night, a girlfriend of mine who was

one of those born-again, Pentecostal, tongue-talking

believers invited me to a tent meeting to hear an

evangelist. He was one of those who claimed to have

the power of God to cast out demons. At first I

declined her invitation. But everyone in town was

talking about this man, so I eventually decided to

go.”

"When the evangelist called me out of the crowd

at the meeting, the demon that had taken up

residence in my body for seven long years didn't

intend to give up easily. But it was no match against

the authority and blood of Christ... and as the man

of God prayed and commanded it to come out, I was

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Satan's New Oppression

set free."

The preceding testimony is not only one of

deliverance and liberty, but is also a commentary on

Satan's deception in one of his most popular, mass-

media forms. This woman, whose oppressing

circumstances drove her to depression, also drove

her to connect with Satan through his deceptive

offers of hope.

You may say, "I'd never call one of those

numbers." And you probably wouldn't. But this

woman did. And so have many others within the

church. Because it's out there on the television set

and in magazine ads in soaring numbers, I mention

this simply to show oppression's new high-tech

psychic outreach, and to warn you about what it can

do to a life.

The evangelist who came to this woman's town

was me. When I was led to call her forward the night

of the meeting, I had no idea of the battle that was

awaiting me. While speaking into her life as the

power of God overwhelmed me, this woman's entire

countenance and demeanor transformed before my

eyes. Her head was bowed down. Then as she slowly

lifted it, I could see Satan's hate within her eyes. The

demon was letting me know that he had overtaken

her and was not going to come out just because I

said to do so. Her eyes peered at me with the most

gruesome satanic force I had ever seen as the voice

of her demon spoke to me:

"YOU come to do war with me, you drug addict?"

the demon hissed.

The oppressor sought to oppress me through my

failures of my past. And when he did, I must admit

that fear gripped me. But God was in control, and He

began to remind me in a powerful way that this fight

had nothing to do with me.

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So I stood in the authority God had given me,

looked this demon right in the face, and proclaimed,

"I was once a drug addict—but I am no more. I've

been bought by the blood of the Lamb and, in the

name of Jesus, I command you to COME OUT!"

Realizing that he was defeated, this demon

screeched a horrifying scream and immediately came

out of this woman. She is now ministering the Word

of God and is being used to bring deliverance to

hundreds of people who were bound as she once

was. Oppression had bound her in a witches coven,

and it all began through a seemingly frivolous TV

psychic hotline.

Are you following me? The TV psychic she spoke

to separated her from any potential counsel except

that of a psychic counselor who eventually led her to

personal contact with a satanic cult. And it all

started with this woman's oppression.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war

according to the flesh. For the weapons of our

warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling

down strongholds, casting down arguments and

every high thing that exalts itself against the

knowledge of God, bringing every thought into

captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians

10:3-5).

As extreme as this woman's case may seem, her

situation really isn't that uncommon to the less

outward work of satanic oppression already

discussed in this book. Remember the sequence:

1. Oppressing outward circumstance.

2. Depression.

3. Separation, and if possible, destruction.

The oppressing circumstance of this woman's fire

was tragic. She lost her family in a house fire. Then

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Satan's New Oppression

depression set in and she slumped into

hopelessness. Then Crystal was there—and this

woman graduated with honors from Demon U! And

she finally became an active oppressing member of

the oppressor's local cult, where she was used—like

Crystal—to control other people's lives.

Oppression is Oppression

Now, I don't claim to chase demons or venture

out on witch-hunts. But the ministry the Lord has

given me does involve setting the captives free

through the authority of God's written Word. This

authority will free the oppressed one who is hiding

out from life in low self-esteem. And it will bring

liberty to the drug, alcohol, food, sex, and

psychic/mystic addict who is trying to escape from

life.

I can't express strongly enough the spiritual

warfare and deceptions that Satan is working

against the minds of God's people today. He comes

subtly to kill, steal, and destroy through past abuse,

hopelessness, addiction, and focused lies.

Psychic hotlines are just one of the avenues that

can lead the oppressed to destruction. It's not just

entertainment. Tell your friends!

There are also many other forms of deadly and

demon-driven deceptions in the world of occultism

and witchcraft. And even some of God's saints are

drawn into this mysticism—some through ignorance

and some through being overly objective and open.

But once an individual begins surfing around the

edge of the devil's territory, it's only a matter of time

before he is snatched into satanic strongholds and

demonic possession that seems almost too powerful

to be broken.

But there is an answer—and His name is Jesus.

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Oppressionless

He has all power in heaven and earth, and He can

break the bonds of all evil deception. So whether

you've been tempted by some seemingly innocent

form of witchcraft... or whether you're in total

bondage to it—Jesus can bring deliverance. Pray

with me now.

Father God, in the name of Jesus, I come to You

now, asking You to forgive me for my interest and/or

involvement in the evil deception of witchcraft. I

believe that You have the power to break the chains of

this bondage, and I come to You now, asking You to

bring total deliverance in my life. I also ask that You

give me a new hunger for more of Your Word, and

help me to spend more time in prayer and fellowship

with You. Thank You for hearing and answering my

prayer. Amen.

72

7

BREAKING THROUGH THE BARRIERS

7

Disobedience and Unbelief

As Christians, we often define sin as "behavior

unbecoming of one who names the name of Christ

and visibly defies the laws of church doctrine." Sins

such as this include fornication, adultery, lying and

so on. But these kinds of rebellious acts are really

only the residue that sin leaves behind. Sin in its

rawest form is any deviation from what you know to

be the will of God. And oppression is a deviant spirit,

so sin is its ultimate fruit.

Sin, or "knowing disobedience" to the will of God,

begins as a thought in the mind. But as the flesh

wars against the spirit, a sinful thought uncontrolled

will ultimately manifest outwardly through rebellious

actions in many different forms.

... to obey is better than sacrifice... For rebellion

is as the sin of witchcraft.... (1 Samuel 15:22, 23).

In examining the sin of unbelief, we find a

dangerous web of deception that draws one away

from the covering of God. Even blasphemy, the most

dreadful sin of all, is birthed out of unbelief.

However, to commit this sin, one would have to

experience unbelief in its rarest and most demonic

form, because to have truly experienced the fullness

of God and His power, would make it very difficult to

turn from the truth. But the unbelief that comes

through oppression certainly can cloud one's mind

to the point that when God actually shows up, the

individual won't even recognize Him.

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Oppressionless

For example, Jesus couldn't perform any

miracles in Nazareth because of the people's

unbelief. Israel was an oppressed people, and many

had grown hardhearted with certain expectations.

Jesus didn't fit their Messianic menu, so their

unbelief produced condemnation, which will lead to

spiritual death. With as much sickness and disease

as there is in the world, there were probably many

Jesus would have healed in Nazareth, which could

have led to their spiritual life ... but instead, they

proclaimed their own spiritual death.

If you're sick but don't believe God is still a

healer, you will speak death to your healing. If you

don't believe God provides prosperity to His people,

you will speak death to your prosperity. Unbelief

immediately causes you to forfeit what God said He

can do in your life.

God is true to His Word. So if He said it, it shall

be so. But if you want His will fulfilled in your life

here on earth as it is already done in heaven, you

must break down the barriers of unbelief. And one of

these barrier's greatest contributors is the spirit of

oppression.

The disobedience that is produced through

oppressive unbelief points a condemning finger at

others in an attempt to cover up the sins of the one

committing them. In Genesis 3, we read how the

snake in his cunning way convinced Eve—who then

convinced Adam—to partake of the forbidden fruit.

Upon eating the fruit, they both noticed that they

were naked. So when God came through the garden

and called for Adam, they both ran for cover.

Disobedience Will Lead You to the

Wrong Place

When examining the reason why God called out

74

Breaking Through the Barriers

for Adam, we learn that disobedience causes you to

be out of your proper place. God would have

normally just walked up and spoken to Adam, but

on this day, Adam was out of place. You see, when

you're out of God's will, you will ultimately run for

cover.

Adam, who was originally empowered and

created in God's exact image, was now oppressed

and hiding from the One he so honorably conferred

with every day.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God

walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the

presence of the Lord God among the trees of the

garden (Genesis 3:8).

So God addressed Adam in his disobedience and

asked him, "Who told you that you were naked?" Of

course, God already knew that the answer to this

question was Satan. Adam, in his disobedience, had

immediately entered into demonic fellowship by

allowing the voice of Satan to override God's specific

instructions. When one walks in disobedience, the

voice of Satan is allowed to reign in his spiritual ear.

And this can then "turn" him away from the things of

God.

The oppressive voice of Lucifer is always speaking

to capture, imprison, and oppress any who will listen

—cunningly drawing them away from God and the

blessings He ordained for their lives. If you have

listened—whatever the fruit—and been caught in the

chains of Satan's bondage, you need to know that

this bondage can be broken through simple

obedience to God's Word.

For Those Who Would Be Free

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Oppressionless

The first step to obtaining deliverance and victory

is to make the decision to stop pointing a

condemning finger at others and start admitting

your own faults. You must not allow outside

influences to take your focus off of God's divine

direction for your life. Finger pointing only causes

cover up and keeps one from repentance and re-

entering full fellowship with God.

When God rebuked Adam in Genesis 3, Adam

immediately pointed his finger at both God and Eve

when he said:

"The woman whom You gave to be with me, she

gave me of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12).

Eve then pointed her finger at Lucifer:

And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is

this you have done?" And the woman said, "The

serpent deceived me, and I ate" (Genesis 3:13).

In the end, it didn't matter who influenced who,

or who sinned first, because all three had to pay the

price for their disobedience. The serpent was made

to crawl on his belly for eternity; the woman had to

bear children in great pain and be dominated by the

man; and the man had to toil, working the ground to

make provision for his family.

Disobedience changed Adam and Eve's lives

forever in the garden. So those who say within

themselves, "I'd rather sin now and repent later,"

must be willing to also say, "I'm willing to pay the

price for my disobedience." Because sin has long-

term effects, no one goes without warning from God

before the cover is eventually snatched off of their

sinful situation. Many use the scripture, “... His

mercy endureth for ever....” (1 Chronicles 16:34),

without realizing it was never intended to be used as

a license for sin.

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Breaking Through the Barriers

Oppression's Nagging Reminders of the

Past

Once God covered Adam and Eve and forgave

their sins, life moved on. But unbelief can be birthed

out of fear and past disappointments. Abel's murder

by Cain compelled Eve to ask God for a son to

replace Abel. So Eve's third-born, Seth, was born.

And when Seth matured, “to him also a son was

born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to

call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).

But it wasn't long before God had to condemn the

whole world because of mankind's unbelief,

destroying all except Noah and his family with a

great flood. Why? Because Adam and Eve broke the

trust factor, and Satan was there to remind every

man of their own mistakes and tendencies to sin.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man

was great in the earth, and that every intent of the

thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And

the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the

earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:5,

6).

Many

have

experienced

numerous

disappointments in life. It is within this

disappointing stage that a person can build a wall of

distrust. Behind this wall often lies a lack of vision

and initiative to strive for spiritual growth. Not only

does the individual who hides behind this wall lack

belief in God, but he also lacks trust in those around

him. And taken to its furthest extreme, this kind of

distrust can breed malice and hatred.

These types of individuals are also very prone to

eventually giving up on life. They are afraid to step

out in faith for fear of "getting their hopes up" only to

face disappointment again.

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Oppressionless

People who are oppressed in a life of seemingly

inescapable poverty, embarrassment, and

disappointment, often choose to remain behind their

wall for fear of continued failure. Satan's spirit of

oppression ensures that the memory of their last

failure or disappointment replays as a constant

reminder of the agony they refuse to relive.

So within the oppressed may lie the desire to

trust God and help others who are hurting, but they

feel trapped behind this shield of "bad memories."

And this vicious cycle births even more unbelief—

which leads to more disobedience. This was the cycle

that brought the earth to its utter destruction in

Genesis 8.

Anyone who has been trapped behind one of

these demonic barriers must invoke the power of

God in his or her life if they are to be set free. The

Word of God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for

My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2

Corinthians 12:9). That means when you are too

weak to fight for yourself, Jesus will make

intercession for you, but, again, you must want to be

set free. It's as simple as whispering a prayer in

faith. Faith will break the curse of unbelief, releasing

the ties that bind one in disobedience. Begin with

repentance to God, not an apology.

True repentance comes from the heart with an

honest effort on our part to abide in God's Word.

Deliverance in some areas may be a gradual process.

But steadfastness combined with faith, prayer, and

fellowship with the Father, will allow you to

ultimately walk in the liberating power of Christ.

If you need help in breaking through the barrier

of oppressive disobedience and unbelief, pray the

following prayer.

Father God, I come to You now, admitting that I've

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Breaking Through the Barriers

had some problems in the areas of unbelief and

disobedience. But I'm sorry for falling into this

oppressive trap of the devil, and I want Your

forgiveness. Please help me to live an overcoming life

in this area and to draw ever closer to You, for I

realize that You are my strength. These things I ask in

the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

79

8

MINISTERING TO THE OPPRESSED

8

Deliverance and Belief

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from

the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from

the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies

through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

As stated by the apostle Paul in the above

scripture, if the Spirit of God resides within you, you

can have life here on earth “...through His Spirit who

dwells in you.” Salvation through the blood of Jesus

Christ promises a life free from oppression with

liberty ruling and reigning throughout one's life.

Just as your natural body grows and takes on new

form as it is fed, so it is in the spirit. But there must

be a willing, receptive heart.

When the Lord brought freedom to the Israelites

in the Book of Exodus, many were still tempted to

return to their spiritual and physical oppressor,

Pharaoh. Why? Because many times when a person

has been oppressed for so long, they tend to show

more loyalty to their oppressor than they do to the

one God has sent to free them.

For years the Israelites prayed unto God to set

them free from their bondage in Egypt. Finally God

heard their cry and sent His servant Moses.

"Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of

Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the

oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them"

(Exodus 3:9).

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Oppressionless

God instructed Moses on exactly what he was to

say to both Pharaoh and to the Israelites. God knew

these people had to know that Moses was sent by

Him. When people are mistreated and misguided,

they soon learn to trust no one. So sometimes they

must be persuaded to be loosed, even though they've

prayed for freedom and relief.

This was the case with the Israelites. They had

prayed for many years for their freedom to worship

God in liberty. But when freedom finally came, some

still questioned whether or not their freedom was

actually a curse. Many demanded their return to

servitude under Pharaoh's harsh rule because the

spirit of oppression never gives up. Even after God

gave them direction and comfort with the physical

manifestations of the plagues, pillar, and cloud,

when turmoil arose, they turned on Moses.

So be advised, the one who is in bondage to

Satan's oppression can be set free. But if you are

ever sent as a deliverer, as I have been on many

occasions, listen to God's Spirit, and never

compromise.

When the altars are opened and the people

respond (like the woman drawn into witchcraft

spoken of in chapter 6 of this book), deliverance,

though challenged, will manifest in Jesus' name. But

when a spirit of unbelief infects those attending,

that's another story. Let me tell you one.

A Deliverance Message Thwarted

Some time ago I was invited to preach at a

church in another town that wasn't far from the

town where my church was located. I was a guest

speaker at an open-air tent meeting and agreed to

speak for three nights.

The first night I ministered on The Power of

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Ministering to the Oppressed

Protection and taught on the role of angels in the

lives of mortal men. This message was received

wholeheartedly by the congregation and church

leadership.

Then, the second night, the Lord directed me to

minister on bondage. This message, which dealt with

sexual bondage, rage, bad attitudes and behavior,

was also joyously received by the congregation and

the leaders of the church. In fact, the people cried

out from the pews, echoing their relief that someone

had finally arrived in their midst who would confront

these issues.

But the pastor of the church was absent on this

particular night, and one of the members telephoned

the pastor to express their displeasure with the

service. The pastor listened to this demon that

controlled him through this member, and he became

infuriated.

As a result, the pastor felt the need to deliver the

congregation of my delivering message. This need to

deliver had no bearing. It was an illusion that had

been planted in the pastor's mind to snatch the

Word that had been delivered and used to set the

captives free.

A portion of my message had been taken from 1

Corinthians 6:9, 10:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not

inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor

homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor

covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor

extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

You see, at the time (unbeknownst to me), this

message had really hit home. There were people in

this church who had been engaging in perversion.

Homosexuality and lesbian relationships had been

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Oppressionless

running rampant in this group, and the demons that

possessed and controlled them were very angry.

The Fight Against Spiritual Freedom

Possessing spirits will go to any lengths to keep a

person in bondage. So never underestimate their

power or influence when engaging in spiritual

warfare. This was the case in this church. The Word

of God went forth with power, uncovering things that

only the Spirit of God could have known, for I knew

none of these individuals personally. The people

cried out with loud voices as the message went forth.

There were physical manifestations of deliverance

and confessions from individuals who were

participating in these acts of perversion. They

wanted to be free.

You can always tell the spirits that have the

strongest hold not only on an individual but within a

church, because they cry out the loudest. The

message I preached dealt with attitudes, adultery,

fornication, jealousy, competition and sabotage—

none of which received ANY negative response. But

when I touched on homosexuality and lesbianism,

there was a massive volcanic eruption, with loud

cries of protest.

So the fight was on as these demonic forces

moved in to secure their territory and re-inhabit the

vessels who had been set free. So serious were these

demons, that they used the most authoritative voice

within the church—the pastor—to denounce the

teaching of God's Word.

Moments before I was to preach the next night,

the pastor felt it was necessary to soothe those who

were offended by God's message on perversion. As I

entered the tent—which was half full of my own

church members—the pastor was busy tearing away

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Ministering to the Oppressed

at the message I'd preached the previous night.

Then I was faced with a major dilemma. Spiritual

freedom comes from spiritual leaders. Romans 10:14

says: “And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

So if you've been taught certain principles by

someone you have great faith in, you will conform to

what he or she teaches. "Like priest, like people."

You should always respect the leader God has

placed in your life, yet never to the point of allowing

what the leader says to override and belittle the

Word of God.

So as I listened in amazement, I thought, Do I go

into another pastor's pulpit and challenge their

leadership and authority? Do I challenge from their

pulpit their teaching that neutralizes the Word of

God? Or do I leave, allowing Satan to win this round

of the battle?

My decision was a swift one. I left and took my

entire congregation with me. The Word of God was

on my side, but the Bible says, "Do not give what is

holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine"

(Matthew 7:6). And in order to be fully delivered, a

person must participate in his deliverance. I decided

that my refutation of this pastor's refutation would

only have produced a herd of angry pigs. Second

Timothy 2:21 says there must be faithful

participation in God's offer of deliverance:

Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the

latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and

useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

So, I chose to move on.

The sad reality of the matter to me was, many of

those people were waiting for deliverance, and I

brought their liberating word. But as they took two

steps in the direction of freedom, their spiritual

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Oppressionless

leader told them, "There's no need to change. You're

'okay' the way you are because God loves you and

He knows your heart." And those words closed the

spiritual doors of bondage on the lives of many who

were so jubilant the night before.

The spirit of a man gives forth life that must be

protected and guarded from Satan's oppressing

impurities. And the Word of God is what feeds the

spirit, causing it to grow. This is why it is essential

for a person to be planted in the right church, with a

shepherd who speaks the Word of God with boldness

and precision.

How shall they believe in Him of whom they

have not heard? And how shall they hear without a

preacher? And how shall they preach unless they

are sent? (Romans 10:14, 15).

If God said it, it shall come to pass. But it's up to

those who are captive to walk in His way of escape.

They must humble themselves in obedience to

the Word of God in order to follow the leadership of

the person God is using to bring freedom and liberty.

I pray this book has brought you new revelation

about oppression... and its remedy. If you, or

someone you know has been struggling with

oppression, let the words on these pages bring the

faith that is needed for total freedom. I trust you now

understand that no matter how long an individual

has been held captive to the spirit of oppression, he

or she can be set free. The power is in God's Word

and in the authority of Jesus' name.

So draw near unto God, and He will draw near

unto you. And when He does, oppression's chains

will break free.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed

Him, "If you continue in My word, you are My

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Ministering to the Oppressed

disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and

the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31, 32).

87

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Document Outline

- Oppressionless

- Contents

- Dedication

- Acknowledgment

- Foreword

- Introduction

- 1 Oppression

- Identifying the Thief

- Depression—Oppression's Killing Partner

- Six Warning Signs

- 2 My Tribute

- The A-Word

- 3 Oppression, Depression, and Possession

- Oppression Is a Weight

- Beep! Beep!

- Oppression's Partner—Depression

- Elizabeth and Mary

- Oppression Leads to Possession

- The Many Names of Oppression

- 4 Addiction

- Temptation: Addiction's Root

- The Many Names of Addiction

- Amy's Story

- Addicted Saints

- Gluttony

- 5 Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits

- STDs

- Sexually Transmitted Diseases

- STDs

- Spiritually Transferred Demons

- Lori's Story

- Incubated Danger

- Sexual Strongholds

- Perversion and Promiscuity

- The Sexually Transferred Demon of Homosexuality

- Alex's Story

- Untying the Knots That Bind

- 6 Satan's New Oppression

- Hooked by the Hotline

- Seven Years of Black Magic

- Free at Last

- Oppression is Oppression

- 7 Breaking Through the Barriers

- Disobedience Will Lead You to the Wrong Place

- For Those Who Would Be Free

- Oppression's Nagging Reminders of the Past

- 8 Ministering to the Oppressed

- A Deliverance Message Thwarted

- The Fight Against Spiritual Freedom

Table of Contents

Dedication.

Acknowledgment.

Foreword.

Introduction.

Oppression.

My Tribute.

Oppression, Depression, and Possession.

Addiction.

Sexually Transmitted Deceptions and Spirits.

Satan's New Oppression.

Breaking Through the Barriers.

Ministering to the Oppressed.

Oppressionless

Contents

Identifying the Thief

Depression—Oppression's Killing Partner

The A-Word

Oppression Is a Weight

Beep! Beep!

Oppression's Partner—Depression

Elizabeth and Mary

Oppression Leads to Possession

The Many Names of Oppression

The Many Names of Addiction

Amy's Story

Addicted Saints

STDs

Lori's Story

Incubated Danger

Sexual Strongholds

Perversion and Promiscuity

Alex's Story

Untying the Knots That Bind

Seven Years of Black Magic

Free at Last

Oppression is Oppression

Disobedience Will Lead You to the Wrong Place

For Those Who Would Be Free

Oppression's Nagging Reminders of the Past

A Deliverance Message Thwarted

The Fight Against Spiritual Freedom