We had a moment tonight at youth that brought up something I feel is incredibly practical especially for those of us that find ourselves in ministry situations often.
What happened at youth? Great things! One of the leaders had an amazing opportunity to minister to a youth and touch them deeply. Heaven sang songs and demons wept in agony it was glorious. Something that is actually quite common however is that while we take ground especially in ministering with or to other people we then have to watch for “cling ons.”
It is very important in understanding this as well as anytime you deal with lies. The more subtle a lie the more powerful it is. If it’s an obvious lie then you see right through the deception and once there is light it’s destroyed game over, you win. With a subtle lie however, you may not notice it before it has dealt damage to your heart, property, relationships, or whatever else it can reap dysfunction. Then the clean up is bringing truth to the lie but it’s not an instant game over. You also get to deal with the messes made, all things have to be reconciled and sometimes this can take crazy tangents and mess with unexpected areas of your life, but you pursue the process to the end that all glory and honor may be won.
It’s so easy for something from someone else’s healing process to trigger us(cause us to have a reaction in a tender or wounded place or tap into a negative or false line of thinking). It’s in those moments that demons strive to attach themselves illegally to us and seek to do harm. Call it whatever you like, I often call it getting slimed or clingons or getting whammied, but there is a spiritual reality at work operating without permission in our lives. Waiting to take root onto legal ground with which to create a stronghold in our lives. A stronghold is a collection of lies that have taken root in your mind or belief system that together defend the darkness they bring like castle but the bricks are made of lies. Thank you Jesus! that the weapons of our warfare a powerful and effective for dealing with just these sorts of things.
So what’s the practical take away?
1. Know how you feel before going into a situation and be aware of negative changes.
2. Pray. Ask the holy spirit to reveal the works of the enemy or the dysfunction within that is pulling you away from the good fruit manifesting in you current situation.
3. Work in community. Train yourself to look at your friends and see when something is off. If something doesn’t feel right or you just know something is wrong ask them. Then pray with them break the yoke of bondage and bring back the fruit of the spirit. Bless them and then ask them if they feel better, if they don’t, take time, be lead by the spirit and walk with them until the have been reconciled to a rightful and royal place.
4. Lastly when in doubt about yourself ask for help! This is why we have silly names for this, “hey, John I feel a bit off did I get slimed tonight?” The things we get tripped up by the most are subtle and the come in through our blind spot. Meaning you won’t see them on yourself. This is why we cannot do this alone, but together we are unstoppable. I may not be able to see and bring vision to my blind spot but my friend will be able to. Never be afraid or shy to ask for help for a little thing, even a tinny itty bitty barely even a thing. If you can deal with it while it’s nothing you will reap the same reward with little effort as the one who waits for destruction to confront their now giant problem.
Grace and Peace.
