Has heaviness plagued your soul? Do you feel weighed down? Do you feel stuck in your spiritual walk? Do you feel paralyzed in your emotions? Life happens, emotions get out of balance, and tests and trials come at us, but how do we know when it is a natural course of life versus a demonic spirit infiltrating our soul?
First of all, we need to know that we are a three-part being. We have a soul which is our mind, will and emotions. We are a physical being, our body. We are a spirit being, the place where our spirit and the Holy Spirit dwells. Evil spirits cannot penetrate our spirit man, but it can attack our bodies through a physical infirmity or our soul through emotional attacks and trials.
We will have normal circumstances that weigh us down and make us feel sad. However, when we can’t get unstuck or move past situations is when we need to start discerning if a demonic entity has infiltrated our soul.
I like to refer back to one of my most read articles on Charisma titled, “Discerning the Difference Between Holy Spirit Conviction and Demonic Condemnation.” Condemnation lags and sticks around were conviction from the Holy Spirit is quick. When we are experiencing emotional turmoil, often with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we can quickly move through the emotions and move on. However, when we are suffering from condemnation, guilt and shame, these often stick around longer than we would like. What we need to discern is if they are normal emotions we are experiencing as we move through the healing process, or if they paralyzed us emotionally and spiritually and created a stronghold within our minds and within our soul.
Anytime we are not living in the fullness of God, exuding the fruits of the Spirit we should evaluate if we are going through a difficult situation or if a demonic spirit has come in what I call our back door. Often where we get stuck is not realizing a demonic attack just came upon us. We need to find a balance between giving the enemy too much credit and not giving him credit at all. He is a thief, and he comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). If we are not living life abundantly, as John 10 says we can, we should take a step back and ask ourselves if something has plagued our soul.
We are not meant to live in a place of bondage, stagnancy and wilderness experiences. Even when those come for a moment in our lives, it should be brief, and we should be able to move on and move forward. My saying is “Up and forward.” I want to be moving up and forward at all times.
Where the enemy binds us is that we don’t realize it is a demonic attack, and we think it is life’s happenings and then don’t know how to move out of it. If you can’t seem to move up and forward, perhaps there is a demonic entity preventing you from doing so. Receive freedom by casting the demonic spirit out of your soul as Jesus did when He released the ministry of deliverance over people. We need to stop and say, “Spirit of anger or spirit of rejection, go in Jesus’ name.” Are you plagued with irritability, guilt or condemnation? Those emotions can become a spiritual stronghold, and when we cast out an evil spirit attached to them, it assists us in removing guilt, condemnation and irritability from our lives by renewing our mind, living in peace and changing our thought patterns. Once the bondage of the enemy is revealed, exposed and rebuked, we can move forward.
Take a step back and evaluate where you haven’t been able to receive breakthrough and where you have felt stuck. Pray, discern and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any strongholds that may have gotten in your back door, then rise up and take your authority and cast them out in Jesus’ name. Freedom feels good. Being unstuck feels great! Jesus came so we can have abundant lives and keep moving up and forward. When we remove the demonic spirit attacked to our ailment, we have the freedom, drive and ambition we need to keep pressing on and moving up and forward! {eoa}
Kathy DeGraw is a prophetic deliverance minister releasing the love and power of God, to ignite and activate people, release prophetic destinies and deliver people from the bondage of the enemy. She is the founder of Kathy DeGraw Ministries and Be Love Outreach. She is the author of several books, including Speak Out, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, Identity Invasion, Who is Speaking? and Warfare Declarations. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook at facebook.com/kathydegraw or visit kathydegrawministries.org.
James Lasher 
Abby Trivett 
