Look at opposites. What is the opposite of good? Bad. What is the opposite of right? Wrong.
What is the opposite of girl? Boy. What is the opposite of light? Dark. What is the opposite of God? No opposite. You would be amazed how many Christians mistakenly respond that the Devil is the opposite of God. He would like us to believe that. We are not ignorant of his tactics. Satan and his demons are merely fallen, disgraced angels. God is all powerful, everywhere present, and nowhere absent.
The scripture says that Satan is the prince and power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). There is no doubt as one travels around the world entering countries, cities, and even villages, the power of that prince is felt. However, it is good to remember that we are more than conquerors through Jesus (Romans 8:37).
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a Sound mind.” Fear is negative faith. We have power over the evil spirits called demons. There are numerous testimonies of missionaries and ministers in Africa walking into a place where the demons immediately recognized the presence of a “chain breaker;” a Jesus’ name, Holy Ghost filled man or woman of God.
The Book of Acts chapter 19 verses 13-15 explains how some itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to try to use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ without having experienced His power. They boldly proclaimed to the evil spirit that by using “the Jesus whom Paul preached” they would cast it out. The sons of Sceva embarrassingly received this reply, “We know Jesus and Paul…but who are you?”
Without the power of the Holy Ghost it is not advisable or possible to try and break the devil’s chains. When we are full of His Spirit we can take authority over demons and cast them out through the power of God’s Word. His Spirit that dwells in us allows us to “speak the Word” to evil spirits.
Now, not wanting to ruffle feathers, some of our practices are not biblical. Jesus never told His believers to bind someone, sit on them and then he would cast out the demon. In fact, we find where people tried to bind the demon possessed man that dwelt among the tombs. They could not bind him with physical chains or fetters. “Neither could any man tame him” (Mark 5:3). You cannot physically bind a demon possessed individual just like a man in his own power cannot set him free. Jesus is the powerful chain-breaker.
One night while preaching in Budaka, where I was in the missionary work, the message was preached and the altar call made. With any and every proclamation of the Word, you can expect a demonstration of God’s power. A young lady came to the altar and began to slither about on the floor like a snake. Immediately, as can be our Pentecostal custom, the saints began to try and subdue her physically. I told them, “Let her be.
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood.” I came close and began to rebuke the demon, commanding the evil spirit to loose and leave her. It began to react even more violently and she continued to move around like a snake all over the floor. However, it wasn’t long until the demon saw that God’s power was present in the Name of Jesus, so it departed. Very soon, she was raising her hands speaking in other tongues. The chains were broken.
On another occasion when still in Budaka in the Revival meeting there was a demon possessed man that came to the meeting, literally bound in chains. After prayer in Jesus’ name, the chains were broken as he was set free. I still have that chain in my office. It constantly reminds me that God can and will break the chains of the enemy.
Many are in bondage and addiction. To enter the strong man’s terrain and take back our possessions requires a stronger authority. We’ve got the power. It is still in the name of Jesus. Our mandate remains, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). People of the Name…let us go forth and break the chains of the spirits that bind souls, towns, cities, and countries in our sin-darkened world. We have the power…in the Name of Jesus.
