Exposing & Defeating Religious Spirit
(The Thief of John 10:10)
There are three spirits tries to stop ministries; the religious spirit, the Jezebel spirit, and the spirit of witchcraft and we are engaging a series of teaching during the Wednesday Impartation services to equip the saints. This is just a brief outline to prepare you for the Word feast.
The Bible says,
John 10:10
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Looking at the context of this verse, you will notice that Jesus was responding to the religious spirit manifested by the Pharisees and consequently refers to them as the thief. The Pharisee Spirit is further addressed in Matthew 23: where its true picture is highlighted.
Matthew 23:13
” “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”
Let’s take a look at some of the most severe words that Jesus ever spoke – the eight woes – and to whom He spoke them. No teaching on the religious spirit would be complete without reviewing the eight woes of Jesus.
His extreme sorrow and deep anguish is revealed to us as He addresses the religious scribes and Pharisees. These scribes and Pharisees are types of modern-day carnal religious people that possess a religious spirit.
Many people fail to recognize that the Word of God exposes other structures like:
• The wolves (Acts 20:29, 30),
• The dogs (Philippians 3:2),
• The deceitful workers (2 Corinthians 11:13)
• The religious spirits, according to the Gospel Matthew
The woes themselves give us clear insight into the major characteristics of the religious spirit.
The eight woes teach us that religious spirits…
1. Shut up the Kingdom of heaven.
2. Put on a show.
3. Raise false sons.
4. Are blind guides and fools.
5. Are legalistic hypocrites.
6. Are full of extortion and excess.
7. Are pretty tombs.
8. Possess a murdering spirit.
As we undergo a deep examination of the eight woes of Jesus we will learn more about the woeful traits of the religious leaders that opposed the Gospel. We will also see the gentle Jesus using the most severe language in Scripture as He addresses the religious spirit.
The word “woe” is the Greek word ouai, which is a deep felt expression of grief. The word is also used to refer to those religious spirits that cause:
• Great sorrow
• Grief
• Misery
• Affliction
• Trouble
• Frustration
Welcome for more during the coming Wednesday Service. Enjoy today’s service too. Apostle David Juma
