What is a spiritual stronghold? Ed Silvosa of Harvest Evangelism defines it as, “a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable, situations that we know are contrary to the will of God.” Note that the enemy does not work haphazardly. He has schemes, plans, goals, strategies and methods to carry them out. (See Eph. 6:11; 1 John 5:18-19)

A Look at Ephesians 6:12 from Various Translations

  • From the New American Standard Version: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
  • From the New International Version: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
  • From the Living Word Translation: “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”
  • From the Amplified Version: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

We Are Called to Confront Strongholds

We are born in the midst of a spiritual battle and we are born for battle as the agents in the army of the Lord. Jesus said that He had given us “power and authority over all the power of the enemy.”

5 Levels of Spiritual Conflict

  1. The conflict between God and Satan.
  2. The conflict between the elect angels and the fallen angels.
  3. The conflict between Satan and the saints.
  4. The conflict between Satan and the unsaved.
  5. The conflict between the law of the mind and the law of the Spirit.

6 Classes of Spiritual Forces

  1. Principalities/rulers (arche): a ruler must have someone or something or somewhere over which to exercise its dominion or rule. (Eph. 1:21, 3:10, 6:12; Col. 1:16; 2:10).
  2. Authorities (exuosia): again, “authority” demands a subordinate (Eph. 1:21, 3:10; Col. 1:16).
  3. Powers (dunamis): Ephesians 1:21. In Mark 9:29, Jesus refers to a type of demon that cannot come out but by prayer and fasting. Possibly some demons are stronger and more powerful than others; hence, a hierarchy or differentiation based on spiritual strength.
  4. Dominions (kuriote tos): again, “lordship/dominion” over what/whom/where? (Eph. 1:21, Col. 1:16).
  5. Thrones (thronoi): used of angels only in Colossians 1:16. Psalm 22:3, Daniel 7:10.
  6. World rulers (kosmo kratoras): used only in Ephesians 6:12.

5 Primary Scriptures on the Deaf and Dumb Spirit

  • From Isaiah 42:18-20 (MEV):
    Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, that you may see. Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger whom I sent? Who is blind as he who is at peace with Me, and blind as the servant of the Lord? You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; your ears are open, but no one hears.
  • From Isaiah 42:21-22:
    The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake to magnify the law and make it honorable. But this is a people robbed and despoiled; they are all snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for a prey, and no one delivers, for a spoil, and no one says, “Restore them.”
  • From Malachi 2:7-8
    For a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But you have departed from the way. You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have violated the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of Hosts.
  • From Mark 9:17-18
    One in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. Wherever it takes hold on him, it dashes him to the ground. And he foams at the mouth and gnashes with his teeth and becomes rigid. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not.”
  • From Luke 9:38-39
    Suddenly a man cried out from the crowd, saying, “Teacher, I beg You, look upon my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth, and bruises him, and scarcely leaves him.”

5 Characteristics of the Deaf and Dumb Spirit

From my experience and research, I have found there to be at least five distinct characteristics of this deaf and dumb demonic spirit.

  1. Problems with Detachment: Matthew 17:15
    “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water.”
  2. Falls to Sleep: Luke 22:45
    “When He rose from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.”
  3. Dull of Hearing: Hebrews 5:11-13

    “Concerning this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become hard of hearing. For though by now you should be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God and have come to need milk rather than solid food. Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.”

  4. Walks in a Stupor: Romans 11:8 (NASB)
    “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day.”
  5. Consistent Struggle with Doubt and Unbelief – John 8:43, 47
    “Why do you not understand My speaking? Because you cannot bear to hear My word … He who is of God hears God’s words. Therefore, you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

You Can Break the Power of the Enemy

God always has a solution for every problem. The following are basic reminders of our scriptural tools we must use to enforce the victory of the cross of Jesus. Always remember, on the cross Jesus declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30b).

Let’s Walk in God’s Remedy!

  1. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of Christ: Romans 10:17.
  2. The Lord opens my ear morning by morning: Isaiah 50:4.
  3. I Will hear what the Lord will speak: Psalms 85:8.
  4. God speaks once, God speaks twice: Job 33:14.
  5. I have come to bring Good News: Luke 7:22.

A Closing Prayer of Exercising Authority

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I declare that Jesus has already defeated Satan by His death, burial and resurrection and has stripped the devil of his powers. Jesus gave His authority over all the powers of darkness to His disciples. I am a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, by the power of the name of Jesus and by His shed blood for me, I command that the entrenchment of the deaf and dumb spirit be dislodged. I command it to lift off of me and my household and leave now by the authority of the Word of God. I declare you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. I am free in Christ Jesus! Amen and Amen! {eoa}

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