About Cleansing and what to look for.
The basic premise of a house cleansing is very simple. When there is an unwanted spiritual presence or curse on a home, office, church, piece of land or other place it needs to be removed. A spiritual house cleansing, when done correctly, breaks curses and removes demonic beings. It also dedicates the place or thing to the Lord and invites His blessings and presence to dwell there.
Because Spiritual House Cleansing is not a commonly taught subject it is important to know five biblical principles before you start. Understanding these will affect how serious you take the spiritual house cleansing and will impact how effective you are. These five principles apply even more to us as individual believers than they do physical structures because we are the house or dwelling place of the Lord.
1. Spiritual Warfare. Demonic spirits desire to enter, disrupt, cause confusion, inhabit and multiply in people as well as places. They do this when there is a legal right given to them. A legal right is simply a way of saying that a person has authorized the demon to operate in their lives. A good example of this is Eph. 4:27 “and do not give the devil an opportunity.” The King James uses the word “place” instead of opportunity. The Greek word used here is “topos” Strong’s # 5117. It has several meanings, but they all have the idea of a place, spot or room. Metaphorically it can mean a “license.”
People can give a legal right for a demonic spirit to invade or torment them, their homes, offices or other areas of their life. Christians should be careful not to believe they are exempt from sin in their lives giving a legal right.
2. The Authority of Believers. When the seventy disciples returned they commented “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name” and Jesus replied “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:17b – 20).
It is clear that believers have authority over demonic spirits and over all the work of the enemy. We also have power when baptized in the Holy Spirit as Acts 1:4-8. However, we would be wise to follow the instructions that Jesus gave to the seventy and guard ourselves so that we don’t become prideful or focus on the wrong things.
Outside of Jesus there is no real authority to cast out demonic spirits. The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, found this out the hard way. The demonic spirits overpowered them to the point that they left naked and injured (Acts 19:14-17). Make sure that you are in Christ before you confront the enemy.
3. Cleansing. The Old Testament has many examples of cleansing, but in this context the Tabernacle and Temple being cleansed stands out. In 2 Chronicles 29:3 King Hezekiah “…he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them” and then in verse 15 we read “and they assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the Lord…”
After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead there was a significant change. God no longer dwells in a building constructed by man. He now dwells in us when we repent of our sin and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. As the dwelling place of God we should be far more concerned with cleansing ourselves than a building (2 Corinthians 7:1). However, this doesn’t mean that we should neglect our physical houses, churches and other dwelling places. The Lord dwells in us and we dwell in them. They should be clean of anything that will defile, tempt, open spiritual doors and grieve the Holy Spirit.
When performing a spiritual house cleansing you must make sure the place is free of anything that creates a legal right. This may be a sin by the occupants that needs to be renounced and repented of or it may be physical things. There are obvious things such as pornography, drugs or idols and there are things that are much more accepted in western Christianity such as Harry Potter books, Vampire books and movies, dream catchers and other items that open spiritual doors.
4. Dedication and anointing. It was a common practice throughout the Bible to dedicate and anoint both people and things unto the Lord. Anointing and dedicating is simply a way to set a person or thing aside for God and His service (Gen. 28:18; 1 Kings 1:16; Ex. 28:41, 29:7; Lev. 8:12-30).
5. God’s presence. Anytime a demonic spirit is kicked out of a person or place it is critical that it be filled with the presence of the Lord. “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself and they go in and live there…” (Luke 11:24-25).
A spiritual house cleansing is a great opportunity to examine not only the places that we dwell in, but an effective reminder that we need to keep ourselves clean and dedicated to the Lord Jesus. Part three of this series is the practical how to. Don’t miss it!
(“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” ) Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Spiritually Cleansing Your Home. Have you ever wondered how it is that some Christians can seem to have more than their fair share of problems in life? We often hear prayer requests describing one problem after another attacking Christians left and right. They express how they feel like God has forsaken them and they feel like they are cursed. Could they be right? In order for us to determine whether we have stepped out of the will of God, we need to examine our lives to see if there is any place that we have been mislead from God’s ways.
One of the biggest ways we can be cursed is by acknowledging or worshipping false gods which include cults or false religions and new age which takes us to the occult.
(“Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.” Isaiah 47:11-14)
How can we escape the curse and be set free from the consequences that come from being involved with any of these things? First, we must be honest with God and admit our sin (even if we were ignorant at the time); next, we must repent and renounce all ties with the past in those areas which the Lord says are an abomination to Him.
Some may say this is a little legalistic, but to follow and love God means that as soon as you learn of something you do or have that is an abomination to God you remove it from your life immeadiatly (like with sin) as you love the Lord God and do not wish to have anything in your life that could hinder or restrict your spiritual walk keeping you from walking in the fullness of Gods blessings and plan for your life.
Ridding Your Home of Witchcraft: Satanic ObjectsSome of these ties could be objects that were used in cult and occult practices, whether purchased by yourself, by someone else, or handed down.
These objects represent Satan and therefore we need to cleanse our home of them. We can unknowingly have ornamental objects, books or ornaments (idols) that pertain to false religions, cults, the occult and anything pertaining to Satan’s kingdom, CD’s, records, books, etc. in our homes that we are not aware of that can bring in a curse.
We are commanded to have nothing to do with these kind of things in scripture.
(Deuteronomy 7:25-26 states, “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.”)
Many Christians have brought idols and other works of evil into their homes without realizing the harm and curse that also comes in with them. Idols or statues that others use for worship are specifically forbidden in Scripture. Statues of Buddha are one of the most common idols seen in homes.
Satan has deceived people by presenting these as decorator items. Objects such as these should be burned or destroyed, for they open lives up to Satanic bondage and attack.
When looking for any objects in your home always be led by the Holy Spirit who will bring items to your mind or you may just get a feeling about something that it is not right. These can include ornaments purchased from a honey moon or other trips especially foreign excursions including figurines of gods and goddess’s and other ornaments from places like Greece, India, Asia, Rome, etc. Many times it is gifts brought back from friends or relatives who have traveled to such places, and sometimes even family heirlooms passed down.Often Christians are reluctant to get rid of an object due to the cost, value, or emotional attachment to the object.
They reason this cost a lot or has a specific sentimental value so I couldn’t part with it, deciding in their mind it was alright. Be willing to invite a fellow believer who will be honest enough with you to say what they feel the Holy Spirit is telling them about the object. In addition, with the advent to the Internet it is very easy to research images in question, where many often find their items are indeed an abomination to our Lord.
Anti-Christian Symbols
Some objects or idols are not recognized as such because of the traditions of man. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and discernment regarding these. These items are worn as jewelry and seem innocent until the Holy Spirit reveals them for what they are.
For example, there is a piece of jewelry worn by Christians that is really an old Egyptian fertility symbol. This is called the “ankh.” It looks like a cross except for the oval circle at its top.
Mood rings are in the same category; also, jewelry and emblems bearing the “peace sign” as this is referred to in witchcraft as the “broken cross,” mocking Jesus’ death.
People who wear antichristian symbols open themselves up to the works of darkness such as depression, lust, moodiness, sickness, accidents, fear, etc.
We should also check our homes to see what kind of pictures we have on the walls, and check our closets for old souvenirs of the past and ask the Holy Spirit to show us the things of darkness that should not be in our homes. It would be wise to throw out the old weather witches (don’t become involved with “water witching” either), Ouija boards, wooden spoons with evil faces from foreign islands, excessive owl and frog decorator items, sun-gods, Confucius paintings, images of serpents and dragons, voodoo dolls, Kachina dolls, Yeibichai designs on Indian rugs, Indian “god’s-eye” objects made with yarn, dream catchers, etc.
(2 Kings 23:7).Several items that people use especially in the Southwestern part of the U.S.A. have their origin in American Indian witchcraft. If we have these things in our home, office, or possession, we will find a world of darkness upon our lives. The encyclopedia clearly defines these things as emblems of the Indian gods.
Some of the protection or blessing emblems used by them are:God’s eye–wall decoration made of yarn – medicine man’s watchful eyeThunderbird–jewelry, pottery, etc. – sacred bearer of unlimited happinessArrow–protection by the godsTotem Poles–faces of gods; Indian tribes offer prayer to them Squash blossom–Used on jewelry; the pendant is shaped to look like the moon in its first or last quarter; it is a fertility symbol Snake–sign meaning defiance and wisdom Bear Track–supposedly a good omen Cedar wood masks–owl spirit which is their guardian of the nightDream catchers–the web like design for a Spider Woman named Asibikaashi, is supposed to filter out all bad dreams and only allow good thoughts to enter the mind
All of these items should be burned and discarded (not given away or sold as they would then bring harm to others). This might seem extreme to some, but
(Deuteronomy 7:25 says, “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.”)
Do we want to obey the Lord more than we desire the money these things represent?
If these things belong to members of our family that do not yet understand the evil involved, we should bind the power of Satan that would come through the object and ask God to bring that family member into the knowledge of the light.
However, if children are involved we must use the authority God has given us as parents and refuse to allow them to bring evil into the house regardless of whether they understand or not. Of course, we should pray before attempting to rid their rooms of evil things, and if the children are old enough, we should speak to them about what we are doing.
However, if they are not willing to part with these things, we must go ahead and see to it that the items are removed.Changing Your Household AtmosphereIt has long been understood that the home is not just a dorm and restaurant: It is the center of the child’s world, and it is the heart of the family. As such, it demands protection. Influences that are only offensive on the streets can be deadly in the home.
One of the main influences that create the very atmosphere in your house comes directly from the airwaves.Music (specific heavy metal bands like: AC/DC, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Danzig, Exodus, Possessed Grim Reaper, Satan, Sodom, and Celtic Force, to name a few) or even the so-called “Jesus rock” is destructive, as the beat in these albums has its origin in witchcraft. Testing music as to its origin is done by examining what it produces. Does it excite the flesh or does it inspire worship in our hearts toward God? Posters with rock singers, or faces of evil, or movie stars that are known for their open sin should all be discarded.Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
(1 Corinthians 15:33 According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in “The Influence of Music and Music Videos,”
[1] the troublesome lyrics of these types of teen music:Advocate and glamorize the abuse of drugs or alcoholPresent suicide as a “solution”Display graphic violenceDwell on the occult with Satanism and human sacrificeDescribe harmful sexual practices, incest, and a devaluing of womenScience fiction movies such as Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica and television programs promoting worldly and evil influences should also be avoided. David Moore, a writer for the Gallup Organization, analyzes the American interest in the occult
[2]: “A recent Gallup survey shows that just about three in four Americans hold some paranormal belief–in at least one of the following: extra sensory perception (ESP), haunted houses, ghosts, mental telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating with the dead, witches, reincarnation, and channeling.”
Just seeing all the demonic influenced movies and television shows our modern age is exposed to is strong proof of this unhealthy fascination. Some of the top rated television shows currently running include such titles as Teen Wolf, The Walking Dead, Supernatural, Mind Games, Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Heroes, Grimm, Lost Girl, True Blood, Medium, Witches of East End, not to mention the continuous reruns of the Harry Potter movies, and former TV series like Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Witches of Eastwick.The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in “Children and TV Violence”
[3] point out:Extensive viewing of television violence causes greater aggressivenessSometimes, even watching a single violent program can increase aggressivenessChildren who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they seeChildren with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violenceThe impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the child’s behavior or may not surface until years laterYoung people can even be affected when the family atmosphere shows no tendency toward violenceI will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. Psalm 101:3Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
(Proverbs 4:23 Today, there is a terrible spiritual vacuum that exists in which people are forced to live. Today’s society has turned from the living God and literally tuned into satisfying their immediate pleasures, underestimating the power of media they are tuning into. Included in this is all the types of media that we watch or listen to in a given day or week. Music, television, magazines, newspapers, email, social media, the internet, advertisements, gossip, etc.
We let that stuff into our brains! Are we being selective enough?
We should not be naive about this. There is programming going on. When we open our eye-gates and our ear-gates to the media around us, it gets into our brains. If enough gets in, it will make its way to our hearts. That is okay if we are only opening our gates to God-honoring messages.
But most of us are not guarding the gates carefully enough, and bit by bit, we are filling our minds with things that do not honor God.
Books and shirts advertising these rock bands, movies and television shows should be destroyed also. Many parents do not understand why rebellion is so strong in their children, not seeing that involvement in these things are the very culprit that is producing it as these are forms of witchcraft.These evils were designed by the devil and are forms of witchcraft which lead to terrible sins of lust, sexual sin and drug involvement. It is not easy to get a child free of these chains after long periods of involvement. It takes much prayer, love and all-out warfare against Satan.
He does not like to turn loose of those in his traps. Children involved in these evils must have the prayer of deliverance prayed over them, for there is a demon that must be dealt with in these cases. The power of the Holy Spirit is the only thing that can permanently free someone from rock music and drugs. As you take back your children and household it is important to remember
(Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”)
Be Proactive. Here are some ways to prevent the negative effects caused by the exposure to evil things. You can change the atmosphere of your house by implementing them.
Expose children to a broad range of music or media with positive uplifting God inspired messages.
Be knowledgeable about the lyrics of your children’s music and the messages coming from the media they are watching.
Be firm with you younger children. Be explicit about your family’s values and what you will and will not allow your child to listen to or watch.
Be honest with your older children and keep the lines of communication open. Ask why they enjoy this music or that television show. Set limits on what they can watch in regards to shows or movies.
Explain the dangers that come with evil music and media.
Filter and limit all media involvement including the Internet and mobile phones and apps.
(“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6)
Additional AbominationsOther things that are abominations to God are books or games on witchcraft, horror, the occult, wizards, horoscopes, astrology, mind control, transcendental meditation, reincarnation, Jean Dixon prophecies, Edgar Cayce books and other similar writings.
God says very clearly in
(Ephesians 4:27, “Neither give place to the devil.”)
We must rid our lives of all that offends God.
In Acts 19:18-19, we find the early Christians had to do the same thing. “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them beforeall men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”
There are some graven images that seem harmless and might be overlooked when cleansing your home. Included in this is religious relics like statues of saints or Mary the mother of Jesus. Below is a short list of things to be aware of while you begin your cleansing process.
Items of Graven Images and Other Artifacts (this is not a complete list):Signs of the zodiac Voodoo dolls or anything used in casting spells
The Crescent and Star The five pointed star (pentagram) turned upside down (used in Satan worship)The horn of the unicorn, swastika, yin yang symbol Emblems of various lodges (those who take oaths with a curse)Additional Evil books (witchcraft, false religions, false Bibles, lucid sex books, parapsychology, new age, human philosophies, pornographic books, etc.)
Stuffed animals that represent evil or witchcraft (even some unclean animals such a frogs, owls, snakes, etc.)
Anything used in fortune telling (playing/tarot cards, crystal ball, witching sticks, Ouija boards)
Books on or by the cults (Book of Mormons by Joseph Smith, New World Bible Translation, books by Mary Baker Eddy, etc.)
Rock and Rap music with evil lyrics The peace sign of the upside down cross with the limbs broken Much of what is now on TV is ungodly in nature.
More and more shows are about the ungodly supernatural (magic and witchcraft) … also shows that glorify divorce and remarriage or premarital relations Even some of our religious symbols can be classified as graven images such as:Any statue, carving, or picture used as an object of worship The crucifix with Jesus remaining on it Statues of Mary and child used in worship Statues of other “saints” used in worship There is, however, an extreme to be avoided in dealing with objects. Some people begin seeing demons in everything. Satan can push us to an extreme of unnecessarily destroying certain items. If we have a question about an article, we simply need to ask the Holy Spirit if it needs destroying. If objects that are not of an occult nature are in question (perhaps because of their ownership by someone evil), the Lord will give us His wisdom in the matter if we seek Him. Where neutral objects are in question we can simply exercise our spiritual authority and command all evil ties to be broken over them. Binding Powers of Darkness We have been given power over objects; the objects do not hold power over us. Many Christians are inadvertently exposed to evil objects in their places of employment, stores, friend’s homes, objects brought into a shared home environment by roommates, etc. However, these have no power against the Christian who exercises his faith over them.
We are in the world but not of the world. “
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:15-17).
As we pray for those who are deceived and do not know the truth of God’s Word regarding evil objects, we will see the Lord begin moving in the lives of those people. Until they see the light, we can simply bind the powers of darkness in the objects around them. This will help release them and bring them into the truth.
