1

SPIRITUAL FREEDOM MANUAL

USER’S GUIDE

Spiritual freedom refers to the process by which we become more and more like Jesus in our character, and
less and less like we were when we were dead in our transgressions and sins and followed the ways of
Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2).1 This manual is a guide for working through some of the more common spiritual
freedom issues that people tend to have.
For any of you who are familiar with Neil Anderson’s writings, especially The Bondage Breaker, which
contains what he calls the Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ, you will recognize that this manual contains
those seven steps. But it also contains material dealing with other areas of bondage commonly found in
people’s lives.
You can work through the material on your own or with a friend or mentor. The material may be covered
in one session, or you may choose to spread it over several shorter sessions. If you take more than one
session to complete the material, it is recommended that you repeat the “Covering prayer” on pages 4-5 at
the start of each session.
There is explanatory material throughout the manual. If you are working with another person, the italicized
material should be read by the other person, and the rest by you. Do all prayers and declarations out loud,
as it is controversial whether or not Satan can read our thoughts, and much of what is said is for his hearing
as well as God’s since the manual is designed to break Satan’s hold on your life.
There are two very important things to keep in mind as you work through the manual. The first is that you
want to be confessing and renouncing only those things God gives you. In other words, although there are
checklists and you will be asked to create other lists on your own, first impressions are what you are going
to go with – those things the Lord communicates to you in your spirit. Do not spend time thinking hard or
trying to remember things. It is God who is going to set you free, and your hard thinking is usually pretty
much irrelevant to that process. So relax and let Him do the job of calling things to your mind. On the other
hand, when something does occur to you, don’t dismiss it as not being right, or as being insignificant, or as
being something you have already got over or dealt with – you get the idea. Satan will try to keep you from
taking action on God’s list. Just receive what God gives you and deal with it, whether you understand why
He has shown it to you or not.
Secondly, the manual deals with areas of sin and bondage in your life. We all have them, and we all need
to deal with them. But do not make the mistake of thinking that these things of darkness are who you are.
They are not who you are. Who you really are, in your deepest essence, is who you are in Christ. A few
Scriptures will tell you what kind of person that is:
• You are perfect: “. . . because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being
made holy” (Hebrews 10:15).
• You are the righteousness of God because His righteousness was given to you as a gift, and you
rule in life because of that righteousness: “. . . how much more will those who receive God’s
abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus
Christ” (Romans 5: 17).
• You are a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come!” (2 Corithians 5:17).
• Sin lives in the members of your body but is not part of your identity: “. . . but I see another law at
work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner
of the law of sin at work within my members . . . Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer
I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:23, 20).

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As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed
the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those
who are disobedient.
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• You deal with your sin, but sin is not what counts as far as the value of your life is concerned −
the only thing that counts is your perfect, righteous, good new self: “Neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation” (Galatians 6:15).
• You have a new heart that Jesus gave you, and that heart is good: “I will give them an undivided
heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart
of flesh”; “In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a
circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ” (Ezekiel 11:19;
Colossians 2:11).
• You are dead to sin and alive to God: “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that
the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin − because anyone
who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7).
• You have the same glory as God does because Jesus has given it to you: [Jesus, praying for all
believers]: “I have given them the glory that you [God the Father] gave me” (John 17:22).
So stay convinced, as you work through this material, that you are just fine − because Jesus has recreated
you to be just fine, and that is your true identity.
As with all tools, this one is open to improvement. Any suggestions for change can be submitted to the
Circle of Hope email address.
God bless you as you now proceed into the freedom which Christ died to give you.

Sharon Currens
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THE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
Suppose there is a 40-year-old man who has never done much right in his life. One day, he hears the good
news of Jesus Christ. His heart responds, and he prays: “Lord, I have sinned. Would You forgive me, come
into my life, and be my Saviour and Lord.”
If you and I were there when this man prayed, we might not have seen anything happen visibly. However,
in the spiritual realm, many things happened: the man’s sins were forgiven, he passed from Satan’s
kingdom of darkness and death into God’s kingdom of light and life, he was adopted into God’s family,
and much, much more. All because he wanted to be right with God. God hears and answers prayer. Satan
and his demons cannot stop that. Neither they nor any person could block what God wanted to do in that
man’s life.
We’re going to go through a series of prayers now. Many of them are short and simple, just like the prayer
of the man asking to be saved. However, if you are honest and sincere before God, each and every one will
be an effective prayer that will break the bonds the enemy has on your life.
Everything that we do will be done aloud because there is no indication in the Bible that Satan can read
our minds. Also, James 5:16 tells us to confess to one another: “Therefore confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Finally, when you pray out loud, I can pray silently in
agreement, and there is power in agreement. Jesus said: “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree
about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).
**********
This is how the Bible describes what I was like before I was saved (Ephesians 2):
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom
of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and
following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Jesus died to end all that for us (Ephesians 2):
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions − it is by grace you have been
saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in
his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God −
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.
So why this manual? This manual is used by people who realize that they are not enjoying the full victory
from sin and the devil that Jesus died to give to them. But I need to be clear that my lack of victory has
nothing to do with my salvation. I am saved because I have put my faith in Jesus, the Son of God, as my
Saviour and Lord. Jesus said (John 3:16): “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
As a saved person, all my sins are forgiven. I am justified − my life is clean, just as if I’d never sinned. I
am perfect because God has given me the gift of His own righteousness, as is made clear in the User’s
Guide. However, I am not yet living out that victory. I am not experiencing victory in every part of my life.
Hebrews 10 well describes me:
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13 . . . he [Christ] waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,

14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
This manual is a help in my learning to live out of the righteousness God gave me instead of out of the old
sinful habits I developed before I knew Christ.
This manual is also aimed at breaking any power the devil has in my life. Satan is a defeated enemy, but I
can give him footholds in my life.2 As I take a stand against these footholds, I need to remember that Satan
is defeated, and God’s power in my life is so much greater than Satan’s.3 All it takes is the finger of God to
move the strongest demon who may have influence in my life. Jesus said of Himself (Luke 11:20): “But if
I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” Sometimes sin and
evil feel more real than the presence of God, but that is a deception. Jesus said to His disciples, and He says
to me as His disciple (Luke 10:19): “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to
overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
As I proceed through this manual, I may experience deceiving or intimidating thoughts like: “This isn’t
going to work”, “God doesn’t love me”, and so on. I need to share any thoughts like these so I can
overcome the enemy. Satan’s battle is always for my mind, but often, just exposing the lies he tries to
whisper into my thinking breaks his power and the power of the thoughts. Also, I can pray with authority
to stop any interference.

COVERING PRAYER4
1. THANKSGIVING: Lord we thank you for our lives and our new life in Christ, for this day, for Your
grace in our lives. [Add anything else God puts on your heart in the way of thanksgiving.]
2. DECLARATION: This building/home and property belong to the Lord God Jehovah and His Son the
Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Holy One of Israel. This building/home and property have been
prayed over, dedicated, anointed and set apart for God’s use. We are tenants here and stewards of the
Lord’s property. And we welcome You, Jesus, to be Lord in this place, and Lord of this time and all
that we say and do. We recognize that You alone, Lord Jesus, are the Saviour, Healer and Redeemer,
and we look forward to what you are going to do in [name person]’s life.
3. COVERING: We pray and ask You, Lord Jesus, to cover us and all our family members with Your
blood and that we would be kept safe in Your hands from all ills and evils. We ask this for those both
near and far, those who are close family and those who are extended family, those who know You and
those who don’t. We ask this for our church family and their families and for those who are in
authority over us.
4. ADDRESS TO THE DEMONIC: We speak into the spiritual realm, and we state that we recognize
that the demonic only exists with God’s permission. We ask You, Lord Jesus, to now establish your
bloodline and to assign the demonic behind it, where they will be kept blind, deaf and dumb to what
we are doing so that they cannot interfere. We tell the demonic that only those who God permits to be
present, for His plans and purposes, are allowed to stay here. However, we speak out the ground rules
to the demonic that Jesus allows to stay. You are not to interfere with anything we say or do, or to
harass us. We forbid you to in any way try to prevent God’s will from being accomplished in [name
person]’s/my life. Should you choose to disobey, we will submit you to Jesus for immediate judgment
for defying a holy command not to interfere.
5. INVITATION TO JESUS: Now, Lord Jesus, we invite You to be our guide as we seek [name
person]’s spiritual freedom. We recognize that apart from You, we can do nothing (John 15:5).5 We

2
Ephesians 4:27: “. . . and do not give the devil a foothold”.
3
Colossians 2:15: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he [Jesus] made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them by the cross.” 1 John 4:4: “. . . the one who is in you [Jesus] is greater than the
one who is in the world”.
4
The essence of this prayer was given to us by Richard Givens, pastor of the Newmarket Vineyard church
in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. If you are working through the manual with a mentor, you can pray the
prayer out loud, together. At the end of each section of the prayer, you may want to pause to see if either of
you has something else to add.
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stand in the truth that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Mathew 28:18),6
and because we are in Him, we share that authority. We have the authority to make disciples (Matthew
28:19-20)7 and to set captives free (Luke 4:18-19).8 As we proceed, we ask You for Your wisdom,
discernment and anointing.
******
You are now ready to begin. This manual will start you on your journey to freedom from your past. You
will deal with the areas where Satan most commonly takes advantage of people and where strongholds
may have been built. Christ has already guaranteed your victory through what He did on the cross. But
realize that how much freedom you enjoy will, to a great extent, be the result of what you choose to believe,
confess, forgive, renounce and forsake. No one can do that for you. You must personally choose the truth.
There are 10 areas of bondage addressed in this manual. For each of the 10, you will ask God to search
your heart and life, and you will be asked to always choose for the truth. As you deal with issues in your
life, it is important that you submit to God inwardly and resist the devil by reading aloud each prayer, and
verbally renouncing, forgiving and confessing. Some of your problems may stem from a source other than
what is dealt with here. However, this manual is a good starting place, and many people have known much
freedom by dealing with the issues you will be dealing with today.

(1) THE OCCULT

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
Father, would You guard my heart and my mind, and reveal to me any and all involvement I have
had, either knowingly or unknowingly, with cultic or occult practices, false religions and false
teachers. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
**********
Read the following list and place a check by any activity where you may have had some involvement, no
matter how innocent or small. Take seriously any impression you receive and check the item. There is
nothing harmful in renouncing a counterfeit even if you haven’t done it, and it is essential not to overlook
anything God wants to deal with.9
‰ Abstract art (under hallucinogenic stimulus)
‰ Acupressure
‰ Acupuncture
‰ Alternative medicines (depends on origin)

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[Jesus speaking] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
6
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
7
[Jesus speaking] “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
8
[Jesus speaking] “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release
the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
9
The bulk of this list is taken from ministry notes of Ellel (Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters
Ministries), Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, a wonderful organization dedicated to teaching and ministering
in the areas of inner healing and deliverance. We continue to add to their list as we become aware of new
areas of occult involvement that Satan raises up. We recognize that there is disagreement among Christians
about whether some items should be on this list, but we offer them all. Let God develop your list and go
with His list.
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‰ Amulets (tiger claw, shark tooth, horseshoe over the door, mascots, gold earring, etc.) to ward off evil
spirits
‰ Ankh (cross with a ring top used in Satanism)
‰ Apparitions (spirit appearing as a ghost)
‰ Astral projection (soul travel)
‰ Astrology (zodiac signs, star signs, Chinese or other)
‰ Augury (interpreting omens)
‰ Automatic writing, painting and speaking
‰ Bioenergy (life energy)
‰ Birth signs (Chinese birth year, etc.)
‰ Black arts (magic, sorcery)
‰ Black magic (involving hidden powers for bad ends)
‰ Black mass (satanic parody of communion)
‰ Blood subscriptions (pacts)
‰ Bloody Mary
‰ Cartomancy (using playing cards to tell fortunes)
‰ Chain letters (superstitious belief in)
‰ Channeling (entering a meditative or trance-like state in order to convey messages from spirit guides)
‰ Charms to ward off evil spirits (apotropaion)
‰ Clairaudience (ability to hear voices and sounds super-normally, spirit voices alleging to be those of
dead people giving advice or warnings)
‰ Clairsentience (supernatural sense perception)
‰ Clairvoyance (ability to see objects or events spontaneously or super-normally beyond the normal
range of vision, second sight)
‰ Conjuring (summoning up a spirit by incantation)
‰ Contact with corpses (especially at the moment of death)
‰ Coven (a community of witches or Satanists)
‰ Crystal ball gazing (scrying)
‰ Crystals (belief in crystal energy for power/healing)
‰ Cymatic therapy
‰ Death magic (where the name of a sickness plus a written spell is cast into a coffin or grave)
‰ Demon worship
‰ Disembodied spirits
‰ Divining rod, twig, pendulum or planchette (used in dowsing or witching for water, minerals or
underground cables or for finding out the sex of an unborn child)
‰ Dungeons and Dragons, etc. (role play, fantasy games and books)
‰ ESP (extra-sensory perception)
‰ Ear candling (origin is as means of spiritual cleansing)
‰ Eastern meditation/religion, gurus, etc.
‰ Ectoplasm (unknown substance from the body of a medium)
‰ Enchanting and enchantments (attempts to use spirit power)
‰ Extra-terrestrial encounters (UFO fixation)
‰ Feng shue (Japanese placement of furniture for optimum flow of energy)
‰ Findhorn Community (New Age community in Scotland)
‰ Floating trumpets
‰ Fortune telling
‰ Gothic rock music
‰ Gypsy curses
‰ Halloween (trick or treat, haunted houses, masks, etc.)
‰ Hallucinogenic drugs
‰ Handwriting analysis (graphology – for fortune telling)
‰ Hard rock music
‰ Heavy metal music
‰ Hepatoscopy (examination of the liver for interpretation)
‰ Hex signs (hexagrams)
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‰ Homeopathy
‰ Horoscopes
‰ Horror shows
‰ Hydromancy (divination by viewing images in water)
‰ Hypnosis, self-hypnosis, hypnotherapy
‰ I Ching (ancient Chinese book of divination)
‰ Idols
‰ Imaginary friends (some)
‰ Iridology (diagnosis of diseases by observation of the eye)
‰ Jonathan Livingstone Seagull (reincarnation, Hinduism)
‰ Kabbala (interpretation of the Torah by secret knowledge)
‰ Karma (bringing upon oneself inevitable results, either in this life or in a reincarnation)
‰ Levitation or translocation
‰ Lucky charms, signs of the zodiac, birth stones
‰ Macrobiotic diet
‰ Magic (not sleight of hand, but use of supernatural power)
‰ Magic eight ball
‰ Magnetic healing
‰ Mantras (a sacred word or formula repeated as an incantation)
‰ Martial arts
‰ Mascots (animal, person or thing adopted by a group as its symbol and for bringing good luck)
‰ Materialization
‰ Matthew Manning (healing)
‰ Mediums
‰ Mental suggestion or attempting to swap minds
‰ Mental telepathy, suggestion or therapy
‰ Mesmerism
‰ Metaphysics (study of the spirit world)
‰ Mind control, mediumship
‰ Mind sciences, dynamics or reading
‰ Monism (belief that reality consists of a single element)
‰ Mood rings and bracelets
‰ Moonmancy (moon divination)
‰ Motorskopua (pendulum for diagnosing illness)
‰ Mysticism
‰ Necromancy (conjuring up spirits of the dead)
‰ New Age symbols (pyramid and rainbow, hexagram, triangle, swastika, unicorn, Pegasus)
‰ Nia
‰ Numerical symbolism
‰ Numerology (study of numbers for supernatural significance)
‰ Nutrition Therapy Channelling
‰ Occult games
‰ Occult letters of protection
‰ Occult literature (e.g., the 6th and 7th Books of Moses, the Book of Venus, The Other Side, The Greater
World, works by Jacob Lorber, Edgar Cayce, Dennis Wheatley, Johann Greber, Jean Dixon, Aleister
Crowley, Anton LeVay)
‰ Occult symbols (eye of Horus, pentagram, yin-yang, etc.)
‰ Omens (Rhapsodomancy)
‰ Ouija board
‰ Pagan fetishes, religious objects, artifacts, relics, holidays
‰ Pagan rites (voodoo, sing sings, corroborees, fire walking, umbahda, macumba)
‰ Palmistry
‰ Parapsychology (PSI) (especially the study of demonic activity)
‰ Phrenology (divining/analysis from the skull)
‰ Physiognomy (determining character from the face)
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‰ PK (parakinesis – control of objects by the power of the mind and will)

‰ Precognition and predictions (foreknowledge of events)
‰ Psychic/Spiritualist readings, healing or surgery
‰ Psychography (use of a heart-shaped board)
‰ Psychometry (telling fortunes by lifting or holding objects belonging to the inquirer)
‰ Pyramidology/pyramid healing (mystic powers associated with models of pyramids)
‰ Rebirthing (belief in a second birth)
‰ Reflexology (massaging specific areas of the foot or hand in order to promote healing, relieve stress,
etc. in other parts of the body)
‰ Reiki (universal life energy)
‰ Reincarnation
‰ Rhabdomancy (casting sticks to interpret omens)
‰ Rolfing (massage therapy involving intensive manipulation of the connective tissue of the muscles and
internal organs)
‰ Seances
‰ Secret societies (fraternities, sororities, etc.)
‰ Sexual spirits (incubi and succubi)
‰ Silva Mind Control (SMC Psychorientology)
‰ Spells, curses, incantations
‰ Spirit guides
‰ Spirit knocking or rappings
‰ Stichomancy (fortune telling using random reference to books)
‰ Stigmata (wounds mimicking the wounds of Christ which may or may not bleed)
‰ Summoning spirits or spirit guides
‰ Superstitions
‰ Table tipping
‰ Talisman (magic picture for protection/prosperity)
‰ Tarot cards (22 picture cards for fortune telling)
‰ Tea leaf reading
‰ Thought transference
‰ TK (Telekinesis – objects move around, instruments play, engines start, etc.)
‰ TM (Transcendental Meditation)
‰ Trances, trance dancing, speaking in a trance
‰ Transmigration (passage of the soul at death to another body)
‰ Uri Geller
‰ Vispassana (form of Buddhist meditation)
‰ Visualization (guided imagery)
‰ White magic (invoking hidden powers for “good ends”)
‰ Witchcraft, divination, sorcery
‰ Yoga
‰ Zone therapy (form of alternative medicine)
‰ Ananda Marga Yoga Society
‰ Ancestor worship
‰ Animism
‰ Anthroposophical Society (Eurythmy, Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf Schools)
‰ Baha’i
‰ Black Muslim
‰ Branhamism (William Branham)
‰ Buddhism (Zen, Mahayana, Nichiren Shoshu/Soka Gakkai, Theravada)
‰ Carlos Castaneda
‰ Children of God (Family of Love)
‰ Christadelphianism
‰ Christian Science
‰ Church of Armageddon (Love Family)
‰ Church of Bible Understanding (Forever Family)
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‰ Church of the Living Word (John R. Stevens, “The Walk”)

‰ Church Universal and Triumphant (Elizabeth Clare, Prophet)
‰ Confucianism
‰ Divine Light Mission (Guru Maharaj Ji)
‰ Druids Lodge
‰ Eckankar (Paul Twitchell)
‰ EST (Erhard Seminar Training – The Forum)
‰ Father Divine
‰ Foundation of Human Understanding (Roy Masters)
‰ Freemasonry (including Eastern Star, Daughters of Job, Daughters of the Nile, Rainbow Girls,
Shriners, DeMolay, Elks, Eagles, Amaranth, Moose, White Shrine, Buffalos, Orange, etc.)
‰ Hare Krishna (ISKCON)
‰ Higher Self
‰ Hinduism (avatars, vedanta, Brahman, Vishnu, Shiva)
‰ Holy Order of Mans (Esoteric Council)
‰ Humanism
‰ Identity Movements
‰ Inner Peace Movement
‰ International Church of Ageless Wisdom
‰ International Community of the Christ/The Jamilians
‰ Islam (Muslim, Moslem)
‰ Japanese flower arranging (sun worship)
‰ Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
‰ Maoism
‰ Meher Baba (Sufism Reorientated Inc.)
‰ Moonies (Unification Church, Rev. Sun Myung Moon)
‰ Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)
‰ Neo-Gnosticism
‰ New Age Movement (Gurdjieff-Ouspensk, Aetherius Society, etc.)
‰ Oneness Pentecostalism
‰ Pantheism
‰ Rajneeshism
‰ Rangatuism
‰ Rastafarianism
‰ Ratanaism
‰ Religious/Divine/New Thought/Mind Science
‰ Rosicrucianism (Ancient Mystical Order of the Rose Cross)
‰ Satanism (The Church of Satan, The Brotherhood)
‰ Science of Creative Intelligence
‰ Science of the Mind
‰ Scientology (L. Ron Hubbard, Dianetics)
‰ Self-Realization Fellowship
‰ Shamanism
‰ Shintoism
‰ Sikhism
‰ Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship
‰ Spiritualism/Spiritism/Universal Church of the Master
‰ Sri Chimnoy Centre
‰ Sufism
‰ Swami Kriyananda, Rami, Vivekananda (Vedanta Society)
‰ Swedenborgianism (Church of the New Jerusalem)
‰ Taoism
‰ Theosophy
‰ Urantia Society
‰ Unitarian (Universalist Association)
10

‰ Unity School of Christianity (C. Myrtle and Lowell Fillmore)

‰ Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches
‰ Voodoo
‰ Way International (Victor Paul Wierwille)
‰ Witness Lee
‰ Worldwide Church of God (Herbert W. Armstrong) (formerly cultic)
‰ Zoroastrianism
Quietly pray and ask God to reveal anything else of an occult nature which you have been involved in but
was not covered in the checklists. Wait on Him in silence. If He reveals anything, write it down below.
When you get to the point where you have waited in silence for about a minute without God revealing
anything further to you, you have come to the end of your list, and we are ready to proceed.

CONFESSING AND RENOUNCING

Pray the prayer of renunciation (see below) for each item on your list.
If you aren’t sure you participated in the activity, you can pray: “Lord, I confess that I may have
participated in ___ .”
If you were involved in a cult, renounce what you did and believed, as well as all vows, covenants and
pledges made.
If you participated with sexual spirits, you need to renounce any involvement and every sexual use of your
body as an instrument of unrighteousness.
If you doubt the authenticity of any supernatural gift, you can pray: “Lord, if this gift of
_________________ is not from You, I renounce it.”
PRAYER OF RENUNCIATION
Lord, I confess that I have participated in (name the activity). I ask your forgiveness, and I
renounce (state the activity again).
FINAL PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND RENUNCIATION10
Dear heavenly Father,
I come before You confessing, renouncing and repenting of all these sinful occult practices and
the idolatry of seeking information, knowledge, healing, comfort, identity or power from any occult,
10
Based on a prayer developed by Ellel Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries),
Ministering into Satan’s Counterfeits, course notes (June 2-4, 2000), p. 11.
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psychic or secret source. I have sinned against You and Your Word by my involvement with the things
on my list. All these practices are the worship of Satan, and I choose now to repent and place Jesus
Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh on the throne of my life. Lord Jesus, I trust you now to fill all
the needs of my life that were formerly filled by the occult. Cleanse me from these and any other
occultic involvements which I may have knowingly or unknowingly entered into, and release me and
my family from their effects. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Satan, I renounce you and all your works in my life. By an act of my will and in the strength given
to me by Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh, I close the doors of my life to all the entry
points that you have previously had into my life through my sins. I speak out in the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh, who defeated you at Calvary, and I say that you no longer
have any right to trouble me regarding these occult sins, which have been confessed, repented of and
forgiven, and from which I am now being cleansed by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) DECEPTION
Scripture says that we can be led astray by deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1)11 and that we can deceive
ourselves.
**********
Dear heavenly Father,
I know that Your truth sets me free (John 8:32).12 I ask You, Father, to “Search me, O God, and
know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and
lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24). See if I have been deceived by the father of lies
who is Satan (John 8:44),13 and if I have deceived myself (1 John 1:8).14 I acknowledge that I have the
responsibility and authority to resist the devil and that when I resist him, he will flee from me (James
4:7).15 This is because, in Jesus, I am now seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6),16 and Satan is
under my feet (Luke 10:19).17 In the name of Jesus of Nazareth who came in the flesh, I rebuke all
deceiving spirits and I bind them from influencing me right now in any way. I now ask You Holy
Spirit to guide me into all truth (John 16:13).18 In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
**********
Satan wants to cause you to think and live contrary to God’s plan for you. Two ways for this to happen in
your life are through self-deception and self-defence. Jesus wants you to know and live by the truth
because “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32b). He also advises that instead of protecting yourself, you
need to trust God to be your protector (Psalm 46:1).19 Now that you have come to Christ, Christ is your
defence. You are forgiven and accepted just as you are. This is what allows you to be honest and real,
walking in the light and speaking the truth in love. What you need to do now is take your pen and quietly
go through the two lists below. Place a check mark in front of the items that you can identify as patterns of
behaviour in your life.

11
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and
things taught by demons.
12
[Jesus speaking] “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
13
[Jesus speaking] “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He
was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he
speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
14
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
15
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
16
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus . . .
17
[Jesus speaking] “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the
power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
18
[Jesus speaking] “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not
speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
19
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
12

Self-deception
_____ I am a hearer but not a doer of the Word.
(James 1:22. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.)
(James 4:17. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.)

_____ I am always right in what I believe.

(Proverbs 14:12. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.)

_____ I don’t believe I have sin in my life.

(1 John 1:8. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.)

_____ I think I am something when I’m not.

(Galatians 6:3. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.)

_____ I indulge in self-condemnation.

(Romans 12:3. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly
than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith
God has given you.)

_____ I think I am wise in the things of this world.

(1 Corinthians 3:18, 19. Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of
this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord
knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”)

_____ I think I will not reap what I sow; I’ll get away with some things.
(Galatians 6:7. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.)

_____ I participate in gossip.

(Leviticus 19:11 Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.)
(Proverbs 14:5 A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.)
(Proverbs 24:28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.)

_____ I think that some people who practise sin are part of the Kingdom of God.
(1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual
offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of
God.)

_____ I think I can associate with bad company and not be corrupted.
(1 Corinthians 15:33. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”)
 13

_____ I have believed someone had the anointing of God when they did not.
(Matthew 24:4-5. Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name,
claiming, ‘I am the Christ [anointed One]’, and will deceive many.”)

_____ I have believed false teachers.

(1 Timothy 4:1-3. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow
deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose
consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain
from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who
know the truth.)

_____ I believe that all prophetic words and all miracles are from God.
(Matthew 24:24. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to
deceive even the elect − if that were possible.)
(Jeremiah 29:8-9. Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and
diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are
prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.)
(Zechariah 13:4. On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic vision. He will not put on a
prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive.)

_____ I am putting my faith in something less than God.

(Job 15:31. Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.)

_____ I get taken in by flattery.

(Romans 16:18. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk
and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.)

_____ I believe everything people say.

(Ephesians 5:6. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes
on those who are disobedient.

_____ I believe that whoever wins the debate must be right or that the majority rules.
(Colossians 2:4. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.)

_____ I believe that it is more spiritual to remain unmarried than to marry.

(1 Timothy 4:1-3a. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow
deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose
consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry . . . )

_____ I believe that eating meat is wrong; everyone should be vegetarian.

(1 Timothy 4:1-5. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow
deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose
consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain
from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who
know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with
thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.)

Self-defence (defending myself instead of trusting Christ)20

The question to be asking God as you read through this list is not just which of these is true of you in
general, but also which of these is true of you in certain situations.

20
The basic list of terms was developed by Ellel Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries).
Definitions have been added.
14

A. Fight
(Relates to the reaction of anger; an aggressive weapon which majors on the externals)
‰ Accusation: blaming the other person; laying all fault on others
‰ Anger: not the experience of the emotion, but using the emotion to get your own way or to keep
people at a distance
‰ Argumentativeness: always quarreling; turning discussions into a win or lose verbal war
‰ Competitiveness: always having to outdo the other person and to be better than others; seeing a
situation in terms of winners and losers, or taking the attitude “I’ll prove them wrong”
‰ Control of others: may be unconscious; managing people or a situation using any seemingly honest
means so that things turn out the way you want them to; you may believe you are doing this for the
other person’s good, but your basic motive is to have things go your way, which is, of course, the only
right way
‰ Criticism: putting others down; seeing them or speaking of them in a bad light
‰ Defiance: open disregard of authority
‰ Displacement: taking out your frustrations on others
‰ Domination: using any overt means to get your own way
‰ Gossip: idle talk about another person that is designed to highlight that person’s faults
‰ Harshness: treating other people roughly
‰ Judgment: forming opinions not based on facts, although you may claim your opinions are based on
facts
‰ Legalism: everything has to happen by the rules, preferably your rules, leaving little room for
compassion and grace
‰ Manipulation: unfairly or unscrupulously managing people or a situation so that everything goes to
your advantage
‰ Perfectionism: needing to always be right or at least to be seen as always being right
‰ Pride/haughtiness: believing yourself to be better than others
‰ Projection: blaming others for things that are true of your own life
‰ Pronouncements: making authoritative statements about yourself or others which have the effect of
categorizing people and keeping them in that box
‰ Rationalization: defending yourself by making excuses which sound plausible but really cover up
your guilt or error
‰ Sarcasm: making jokes at other people’s expense, with or without wicked intent
‰ Stubbornness: refusing unreasonably to bend to another’s will, to see the other person’s point of
view, to compromise where compromise would be valuable
‰ Violence: using aggressive force against others
B. Flight
(Relates to the reaction of fear, turning away or being turned inward)
‰ Bitterness: staying resentful at others who have hurt you; refusing to forgive and restore the
relationship lest they hurt you again
‰ Brokenness: fractures in the inner person caused by trauma and pain; some is self-induced as people
learn to cope with extreme situations by dissociating themselves, their bodies, their emotions, etc.
‰ Cynicism: refusing to trust or to have faith in anything or anybody outside yourself
‰ Denial: refusing to believe the truth so as to be able to talk about things and work them out
‰ Depression: deep state of melancholy and hopelessness, often coupled with a lack of physical or inner
energy (this is a complex condition, and what is stated here is not intended to be a final diagnosis of
every instance of depression; it is one possible root of depression)
‰ Fantasy: escaping into an imaginary better world
‰ Independence: living as if you can do without the support of others; belief that you would be better
off going it alone
‰ Inner vows: swearing that you will or won’t do something (e.g., “I’ll never let anyone get that close to
me again”; “I’ll never treat my kids the way I was treated”; “I will never be like my mother/father”)
‰ Introspection: too much focus on your own problems
 15

‰ Moodiness: expressing sudden changes of mood, the effect of which is to throw the other person off
balance, never knowing what to expect next
‰ Pessimism: expecting the worst in every situation; refusing to hope in anything or anybody lest you be
let down or disappointed; refusing to risk the possibility of pain through being let down or the
possibility of looking the fool for having misplaced your trust
‰ Regression: reverting back to a less threatening time
‰ Self-centredness: preoccupied with your own affairs to the exclusion of others
‰ Self-destruction: getting rid of yourself through suicide, addictions, etc.
‰ Self-pity: feeling sorry for yourself; “Go ahead without me, I’ll be O.K.”
‰ Silence: refusing to communicate as a way of punishing the other person or of keeping the other
person at a safe distance
‰ Skepticism: always doubting and questioning the truth, never seeming to be able to fully embrace it;
as a consequence, never being able to fully embrace God
‰ Sulking: an attempt to make the other person feel as miserable as you do by looking and acting
resentful and hard done by in his or her presence
‰ Unbelief: living by sight and not by faith; if your experience seems to contradict the Word of God,
you stake your life on what you experience (e.g., if your circumstances are in a shambles, how can it
be true that God loves you)
‰ Withdrawal: the silent treatment; punishing the other person by withholding conversation or even
your presence if you choose to walk out; drawing away from other people to avoid rejection
Godly defences: At this point, some people begin to feel very defenceless. They feel this way because they
have not yet learned to live in the truth that: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God
is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge
and my savior” (2 Samuel 22:2-3a); “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of
trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek
you” (Psalm 9:9-10); “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I
take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2); “The Lord is my
light and my salvation − whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life − of whom shall I be
afraid?” (Psalm 27:1); “He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield,
in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 144:2a). How do you live the kind of life where you do not fear because of
your deep inner knowledge of God’s protection? He has given some keys:
‰ Forgiveness: Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I
forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not
seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
‰ Confronting: Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into
him who is the Head, that is, Christ”; Matthew 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and
show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he
refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
‰ Abiding in Christ: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that
we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”; 2 Samuel 22:2-3 “He said: ‘The
Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield
and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior − from violent men you
save me.’”
PRAYER
Lord, I agree that I have been deceived in the following ways: (name everything you noted on the
lists). Thank You for forgiving me. I commit myself, from now on, to knowing and following Your
truth. Amen.
Having confessed being deceived, it is a good idea to state the truth. Historically, the Church has found
great value in publicly declaring its beliefs. If your church has a statement of faith, obtain a copy and read
16

it aloud. If you cannot obtain a written statement from your church, you might consider using Circle of
Hope’s statement: click the button “Statement of Faith”.

(3) UNFORGIVENESS
I need to forgive others so that Satan cannot take advantage of me (2 Corinthians 2:10-11).21
Before I pray to forgive people, I need to stop and consider what forgiveness is and what it is not.22
Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgetting may be the result of forgiveness, but it is never the means.
While God says He will remember our sins “no more” (Hebrews 10:17),23 because He is all-knowing, He
cannot forget. Remembering our sins “no more” means that God will never use the past against us (Psalm
103:12).24 In the same way, when we forgive, we are saying that we will not bring up the past against the
other person again. When we bring up the past against others, we are saying we haven’t forgiven them.
Forgiveness is a choice, an act of the will. Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do.
It is true that forgiveness can be difficult. It pulls against our concept of justice. We naturally want
revenge. However, we are told never to take our own revenge (Romans 12:19).25 We may say, “Why
should I let them off the hook”, but that is precisely the problem. We are still hooked to them, still tied to
them by past hurt. We need to let them off our hook, but they are never off God’s hook. He will deal with
them in perfect justice, something we cannot do.
We may say, “You don’t understand how much these people hurt me!” But the truth is that, until we
let them go, they are still hurting us. We can stop the pain by releasing them into forgiveness. We forgive
for our sake, so we can be free. Our need to forgive isn’t an issue between us and the offenders; it’s
between us and God.
Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of the other person’s sin. Forgiveness is costly.
No one really forgives without bearing the consequences of the other person’s sin. However, we have to
admit that we are going to live with those consequences anyway. Our only choice is whether we will do so
in the bitterness of unforgiveness or the freedom of forgiveness. Where is the justice? It is in the cross,
which makes forgiveness legally and morally right: “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for
all” (Romans 6:10).
How do we forgive from our heart? We acknowledge the hurt and the hate. If our forgiveness doesn’t
acknowledge our emotions, it will be incomplete. Many feel the pain of interpersonal offences, but they
won’t or don’t know how to acknowledge that pain. We must let God bring the pain to the surface so it can
flow over to Jesus who carries away our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4).26 This is where freedom from the past
happens.
We must decide that we will bear the burden of the other person’s offences by not using that
information against that person in the future. This doesn’t mean that we must tolerate sin. We must always
take a stand against sin, and we have the right to confront in love (Matthew 18:15-17).27

21
[Paul speaking] “If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven − if there was
anything to forgive − I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not
outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
22
Paraphrased from Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers,
1993), pp. 195-6, with some additions.
23
Then he [Holy Spirit] adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
24
. . . as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
25
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge;
I will repay,” says the Lord.
26
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
27
[Jesus speaking] “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of
you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others
along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to
listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a
pagan or a tax collector.”
 17

We must not wait until we feel like forgiving. We will never get there. Freedom is what is gained from
forgiveness, not a feeling. However, feelings will heal over time as forgiveness is released and Satan loses
the influence he has in our life because of unforgiveness (Ephesians 4:26-27).28
As we pray, God may bring to mind offending people and experiences we have totally forgotten. We
must let Him do this even if it is painful. We must remember that we are doing this for our sake. God wants
us to be free. We must not rationalize or explain away the offender’s behaviour. Forgiveness is dealing
with our pain and leaving the other person to God. Positive feelings will follow in time; freeing ourselves
from the past is the critical issue for the present.
We must not say “Lord, please help me to forgive” because He is already helping us. We must not say
“Lord, I want to forgive” because that would be bypassing the actual choice to forgive, which is our
responsibility. We must stay with each person until we are sure we have dealt with all the remembered
pain: what they did, how they hurt us, how they made us feel (rejected, unloved, unworthy, dirty, etc.).
How often do we need to forgive the same person? We need to forgive as often as we remember the
pain, and some people will need to be forgiven many times before we are truly free: “Then Peter came to
Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven
times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matthew 18:21-23). What
are the results if we stubbornly refuse to forgive? Jesus said, as he taught a parable about a servant who
was forgiven a huge financial debt by his master but refused to forgive a fellow servant a very small
financial debt: “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that
debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I
had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all
he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your
heart” (Matthew 18:32-35). Even our prayer life will be affected by unforgiveness: “Therefore I tell you,
whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand
praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you
your sins” (Mark 11:24-25). Jesus calls us to drop all our resentments and bitterness toward others, to
release them from what they owe us, and to let go of all our expectations that they will ever make things
right by us: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37); “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances
you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). Then, having
forgiven, Jesus calls us to do the opposite of what we were doing in our bitterness: “But I tell you who
hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who
mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28). “Love” in this passage is not an emotion, but our treatment of others.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
Thank you for all Your kindness, forbearance and patience. Thank You that Your kindness has led
me to repentance (Romans 2:4).29 Would You now search my heart to see if there are any people to
whom I have not extended the same patience and kindness that You have shown to me. Please show
me where I have harboured bitterness and resentment. Bring to mind those people I have not forgiven
so that I may do so now. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
At this point, write down the list of names God gives you, what they did, and how that made you feel. If you
are using a printed version of this manual, use and extra piece of paper if needed. Don’t worry if your list
becomes long. Take your time and get God’s complete list. This is worth doing very well.

28
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a
foothold.
29
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s
kindness leads you toward repentance?
18

PRAYER: Pray this prayer for each person on your list, making sure to include all offences and
painful memories associated with that person.
Thank You, Jesus, for dying that I might be forgiven. By an act of my will, I now choose to
forgive those who have hurt me. I forgive (person’s name) for (name deeds) and making me feel (list
feelings). I release (name) into the freedom of my forgiveness. I give up my right to be paid back for
what I suffered when (name) sinned against me, and in so doing, I declare my trust in You alone as my
righteous judge. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
PRAYER OF REPENTANCE FOR SINS HARBOURED
Father, I confess that, as a result of being hurt, I have allowed myself to hold (name attitude:
anger, resentment, bitterness, etc.) in my heart against (name specific individuals). I acknowledge this
as sin, and I now repent and turn from this behaviour. Please cleanse me from these evil attitudes. I do
not want them in my heart any more. And please heal me where I have been wounded. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
FORGIVENESS OF YOURSELF:
Thank You, Father, for forgiving me for (name sins). I now choose to forgive myself for these
things which You have already forgiven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
TO BREAK THE LIE/INNER VOW THAT “I CAN NEVER/I WILL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF
FOR”:
Father, I confess that I have believed the lie that (name lie or vow). I now repent of this sin and
revoke those words. In the name of Jesus, I break the power of these words and declare them null and
void, no longer able to influence me. By the sword of the Spirit, I cut myself free from them and all
their effects. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
“FORGIVENESS” OF GOD:
I confess that I have blamed You, Lord, for things which were not Your doing. I recognize this to
be sin, and I ask You to forgive me. I know that You hate what Satan has done in my life. Thank You
for loving me and promising to set me free. In Jesus’ name.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BETRAYED BY A PARENT AND TRANSFERRED THAT
MISTRUST TO THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER:
Lord, I renounce the lies I’ve believed about You because of the way my earthly parents treated
me. I declare the truth that You are not like my earthly father/mother. You are totally loving and
faithful.
FOR THOSE WHO FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING THEIR DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY
TOGETHER AND FOR BEING A PARENT’S EMOTIONAL SUPPORT:
Lord, I renounce the lie that I am responsible for being a saviour to the people around me or that I
must always be responsible for others by being the strong one. Thank you that it’s all right for me to
be honest about my own needs. Thank you that when I am weak, You are strong within me” (2
Corinthians 12:9).30
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY PUT DOWN BY THE AUTHORITY FIGURES
IN THEIR LIVES:
Lord, I renounce the lie that I am unworthy and insignificant. I declare the truth that I am (name),
your special child, and I am precious to You, and I bind myself to that truth.
or

30
But he [God] said to me [Paul], “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may
rest on me.
 19

Lord, I renounce the lie that I am a helpless victim like I felt when I was a child. I announce the
truth that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13),31 and I bind myself
to that truth.

(4) REBELLION
We live in a rebellious generation. Many have no problem sitting in judgment on those in authority over
them. This has various roots. One root is abuse of authority and legalistic teaching which have given some
a negative view of authority. To them, a submissive person is a doormat who never questions those in
authority. Those who believe this either accept the doormat role and identity, or they come to deeply resent
all authority figures, including God. Another root of rebellion is the mistaken belief that having an
authoritative position and control over others equals significance. This causes some to abuse their positions
of authority and others to refuse to submit to authority.
The Bible lays out for us two responsibilities with regard to authority figures: Pray for them and submit to
them. Romans 13:1-2 says, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists
authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon
themselves.” The Scripture also says (1Timothy 2:1-2): “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers,
intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone − for kings and all those in authority, that we may
live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” It is a great act of faith to trust God to work
through less than perfect people. However, rebelling against God and His authority gives Satan an
opportunity to attack.
Scripture does teach that there are times when we must obey God rather than man. When governing
authorities require us to do something that God says we are not to do, or when they try to prevent us from
doing something that God requires us to do, then we must obey God rather than man (Act 5:29).32 We also
have no obligation to obey people who try to exercise authority outside their jurisdiction. Our employer or
school teacher, for example, has no right to tell us what to do in our home, and a policeman cannot tell us
what to believe or where to go to church, but he can tell us to pull our car over.
What if the authority figure is abusive? It is not rebellious to turn the abuser in if that is what God has
placed on our conscience to do. That person has obviously turned their back on their responsibility to
provide for and protect those entrusted to them by God. Being abused by someone in authority over us is
double jeopardy. Not only are we being abused, but we have also lost our God-intended protection.
If authorities do not ask us to do something that is morally wrong before God, or do not attempt to exercise
authority outside their jurisdiction, it is our duty to be respectful of them, to be committed to their success,
and to do their will.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
You have said that rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft and “insubordination is as iniquity and
idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23a).33 Search me now and see if I have sinned against You with a rebellious
heart. Shed light on all my ways so that I can know the full extent of my rebelliousness. I choose now
to adopt a submissive spirit and a servant’s heart. Amen.
Place a check by any of the following authorities to whom your life has been in rebellion through
either your actions or your attitudes, or perhaps through both.

31
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
32
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!”
33
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
20

_____ civil government

_____ parents
_____ husband
_____ employer
_____ church leaders
_____ God

PRAYER: Pray the prayer once, filling all appropriate authorities in the blank.
Lord, I confess that I have been rebellious toward ____________________. I choose to turn from
my rebellion and to be submissive and obedient first of all to You, and then to those whom You have
placed in authority over me. And by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, I cancel all ground gained
by evil spirits because of my rebellion. Amen.

(5) PRIDE
Pride is a killer. Pride says, “I can do it! I can get myself out of this mess without God or anyone else’s
help.” But Jesus says that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).34 We absolutely need God, and we
desperately need one another. Paul wrote: “We . . . worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus
and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).
Humility is confidence properly placed. Paul says, “Put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).
However, we can have all confidence in God and in what He can do in us and through us.
“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). By acknowledging pride, we are
declaring what Satan wouldn’t and what he does not want us to declare: We are totally dependent on God.
By exposing and confessing pride, we are acknowledging our desire to be free from the self-life. Then we
will be free to live by grace and receive our spiritual strength and identity from God, through Christ.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
You have said (Proverbs 16:18): “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Would You now search my heart to see where I have lived independently or in a way that is contrary
to what You want for my life. Show me any way in which I have believed that I could be successful
and live victoriously by my own strength and resources. I ask this in the name of Christ Jesus my
Lord. Amen.

Read through the following checklists and check the areas that apply.35
_____ I have a stronger desire to do my will than God’s will.
_____ I am more dependent on my strengths and resources than on God’s.
_____ I believe that my ideas and opinions are better than others’.
_____ I am more concerned about controlling others than about developing self-control.
_____ I consider myself to be more important than others.
_____ I have a tendency to think that I have no needs.
_____ I find it difficult to admit that I was wrong.

34
[Jesus speaking] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
35
This list is a paraphrase of the list developed by Neil Anderson in the Seven Steps to Freedom, Step 5.
 21

_____ I have a tendency to be more of a people-pleaser than a God-pleaser.

_____ I am overly concerned about getting the credit I deserve.
_____ I love the recognition that comes from degrees, titles, positions, etc.
_____ I think I am more humble than others.
_____ Other ways I may have thought more highly of myself than I should are:

Self-sins:36
‰ Self-abandonment: giving in and giving myself over to some ungodly passion or impulse
‰ Self-abasement: degrading myself in some way
‰ Self-absorption: being overly concerned about myself
‰ Self-abuse: mistreating myself physically (addictions, eating disorders, etc.), verbally (negative self-
talk), emotionally (false guilt, shame, etc.)
‰ Self-accusation: beating myself up for something I did wrong instead of receiving God’s forgiveness
and/or accepting that I am a normal human being who makes mistakes
‰ Self-admiration: pride; I’m God’s gift to (women/men, my profession, my church, etc.; what would
people do without me)
‰ Self-advancement: looking out for number one instead of also looking out for the interests of others
‰ Self-advertisement: boasting; doing my good deeds to be seen and admired; making sure I am in the
limelight and people know and appreciate me
‰ Self-aggrandizement: making out to myself or to others that I am so much better or more important
than anyone else
‰ Self-appointed: assuming a function without authorization or right
‰ Self-appreciation: opposite of a godly appreciation for who I am in Christ; ungodly conceit or
appreciation for who I am in myself
‰ Self-assertion: aggressively promoting myself, my views, etc.
‰ Self-centred: preoccupied with my own personality or affairs to the exclusion of those of others;
selfish
‰ Self-communion: meditation on my own character, conduct, etc.
‰ Self-condemnation: blaming myself instead of confessing and receiving forgiveness; or wrongfully
taking the blame for others
‰ Self-confidence: relying on my natural strengths and talents to get me through instead of relying on
God, His strength and His giftings
‰ Self-congratulation: patting myself on the back
‰ Self-conscious: unduly aware of my appearance or actions, and generally being shy about them or
embarrassed by them
‰ Self-contained: uncommunicative; independent
‰ Self-controlled: opposite of the fruit of the Spirit where I am in control of myself because I am in full
submission to the will of God; using self-effort to control my emotions, actions, etc.
‰ Self-convicted: judging myself by my own standards instead of by God’s standards

36
The list of terms is based on materials from Ellel Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters
Ministries).
22

‰ Self-critical: always putting down myself and my abilities; belittling myself

‰ Self-deception: tricking myself about my true feelings, motives, etc.
‰ Self-defeated: allowing internal problems to doom me to failure
‰ Self-defence: protecting myself using ungodly defence mechanisms
‰ Self-denial: ungodly when taken to extremes as a means of punishing myself
‰ Self-dependence: refusing to rely on anyone else other than myself
‰ Self-despair: hopelessness about myself, my ability to change, my deliverance from the powers of
darkness, or my own sin and pain
‰ Self-destruction: seeking to do away with myself through suicide, self-mutilation, addictions, etc.
‰ Self-determination: using my free will to make life choices according to my own needs and desires
instead of in accordance with God’s will
‰ Self-devotion: my loyalty is only to myself; when the going gets tough, I’ll save myself over others
‰ Self-disgust: being repulsed by myself or by some aspect of myself
‰ Self-flattery: pumping up my ego by giving myself exaggerated praise
‰ Self-glorification: sounding my praises loud and clear
‰ Self-hatred: dislike of myself or of something about myself
‰ Self-important: having a high opinion of myself in relation to others; usually involves looking down
on others in the process
‰ Self-indulgent: I never deny myself anything; I do whatever feels good
‰ Self-interested: I am interested only in my own things; the things of others do not seem near so
interesting
‰ Self-justification: whatever goes wrong, never admit fault; I always cover myself, I even at the
expense of others
‰ Self-love: looking out for my own well-being and happiness
‰ Self-made: seeking to achieve by my own efforts, giving credit to no one else
‰ Self-murder: suicide
‰ Self-mutilation: damaging my own body
‰ Self-neglect: not taking proper care of myself
‰ Self-opinionated: stubbornly adhering to my own opinions
‰ Self-pity: feeling sorry for myself and my troubles
‰ Self-preservation: looking out for my own life, safety, comfort, etc. even where self-sacrifice is called
for
‰ Self-protection: intent on keeping myself safe from pain at all costs
‰ Self-righteous: excessively preoccupied with my own goodness, correctness, etc., and needing
everyone else to see it as well
‰ Self-satisfaction: excessive and/or unwarranted pleasure in my achievements
‰ Self-seeking: making sure everything revolves around me and my interests
‰ Self-styled: I claim to be a certain way and expect everyone else to believe me even if the evidence is
to the contrary
‰ Self-torture: inflicting pain on myself, physically, mentally, emotionally, verbally, etc.k
‰ Self-willed: stubbornly pursuing my own goals even where this might be destructive to myself or
others
Pride Bondages:37
‰ Pride of abase: “I’m proud I’m so humble”
‰ Pride of ace: perfectionist; “No one can do as good a job as I can”
‰ Pride of base: cultural, religious, political, economic base
‰ Pride of case: “I’m so glad my situation isn’t like that of my poor struggling brother/sister” or
“I have a mental capacity that can case everything”
‰ Pride of face: pride in how I look

37
This list is taken from a message by Lou Sutera of the Canadian Revival Fellowship, entitled “Pride
Bondages” (available on tape).
 23

‰ Pride of grace:spiritual pride; “I’m glad I’m a faithful attender at all church meetings; it’s too
bad others aren’t like me”
‰ Pride of lace: clothing, fashion, style
‰ Pride of mace: good cook
‰ Pride of pace: “Everyone out of the way – I can do it better and faster on my own”
‰ Pride of praise: “People should notice what a good job I’m doing and be appreciative”; more of
a people-pleaser than a God-pleaser; love of degrees, titles, position, etc.
‰ Pride of race: “I’m so glad I was born into a culture that doesn’t live like some people do”
‰ Pride of vase: interior decorating; “You can come in, but don’t bring in any dirt and don’t
mess anything up”
‰ Dignity: “I can’t do that; it would be beneath me”
‰ Self-righteousness: “That was a wonderful sermon; some people really needed to hear that”
‰ Intellect: “You can’t teach me anything”
‰ Reputation: “I would just die if I had to _____”; “I couldn’t go forward in front of
everyone”; “What would people think?”; “I may have been wrong, but I will
never admit it”
‰ Position: won’t take a second-place position in the church
‰ Name: protecting the family name is more important than being honest
‰ Self-will: stronger desire to do what I want than what God wants
‰ Independence: “I don’t need God or the cell; I can handle this one on my own”
‰ Control: “If I could just get the others to do _______, we could solve this problem”
Other:

PRAYER: Pray once, filling all checked items in the blank.

Lord, I agree I have been prideful in the following ways: _______________________. I confess
that I have sinned against You by placing my will before Yours and by centring my life around myself
instead of around You. I now renounce the self-life, and I cancel all the ground gained in my life by
the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I ask You to guide me so that I do nothing from
selfishness or empty conceit. Enable me to live humbly to treat others with deep respect (Philippians
2:3).38 Enable me to serve others in love and to honour them (Romans 12:10).39 Cut me free from the
roots of my pridefulness. I now choose to humble myself and to place all my confidence in You. In
Jesus’ name. Amen.

(6) BONDAGE
Here you will deal with habitual sins. People in habitual sin often find themselves caught in the trap of sin-
confess-sin-confess. Here you have the opportunity to follow the instructions of James 5:16: “Confess your
sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a
righteous man can accomplish much.” This is also your chance to confess any sins you may not have
confessed before. Remember that to confess does not mean saying “I’m sorry”. It is saying, “I did
__________, and that was sin”.
Recognizing that habitual sins represent strongholds in your life, the prayer of confession ends with an
invitation to the Lord to bring down any strongholds. This means is that you are asking Him to get to the
root of the matter and to put it to an end as a sin issue in your life. This will start a process in your life that
will not necessarily be easy, but it will be good, and it will end in your complete freedom. In the process,
God will surface up everything that is attached to the stronghold. He will expect you to deal with whatever
He shows you. Where He shows sin, you confess; where He shows unforgiveness, you forgive; where you
need to go and make things right with another person, you go and do that; where there is pain, you give it
38
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
39
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
24

over to Jesus for healing, and so on. As you obey, God will bring down the stronghold. Be prepared. He
may reveal things you don’t anticipate. Let Him do that, and follow along in obedience according to what
He shows you.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
You have told us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to
its lusts” (Romans 13:14). Please search me and show me where I have given in to fleshly lusts that
wage war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11).40 As you do that, I am prepared to confess these things as
sins and to seek Your cleansing and Your freedom (1 John 1:9).41 Would You reveal to my mind the
ways in which I have broken Your moral law and grieved Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ precious name.
Amen.
Galatians 5:19-21 contains a list of some of the deeds of the flesh. Check off those that apply to you.
Add any others that God may bring to your mind to the bottom of the list.
_____ sexual immorality
_____ impurity (mental as well as physical)
_____ sensual indulgence
_____ idolatry
_____ witchcraft (including domination, manipulation and control)
_____ hatred
_____ cut-throat competition
_____ jealousy (consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants)
_____ fits of rage
_____ selfish ambition (turning everyone into a rival)
_____ dissensions (stirring up ill-will/fights)
_____ divided homes and divided life; being the author of break-ups
_____ envy
_____ drunkenness or other addictions
_____ orgies
_____ other

PRAYER: Pray the prayer for each person and/or activity.

40
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war
against your soul.
41
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
 25

Lord, thank You that You have forgiven all my sins already because of what Jesus did for me in
His death and resurrection. I confess that I have practised the following things (name the things from your
list). Thank You for cleansing me from all this unrighteousness. Would you please go to the roots of these
things, to why I do them, the pleasure they bring, and everything I think I get from practising these sins.
Cleanse me from everything that ties me to them. Destroy any strongholds in my life that keep me trapped
in sinful behaviour. Show me how to live out of my true heart, where You are, and out of Your goodness
and purity and love. Amen.
SEXUAL SINS
The Bible says: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the
members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one
who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But the
one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man
commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your
body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your
own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:15-20).
God’s only plan for sexual expression is one man and one woman living in a faithful, monogamous
relationship with one another in marriage. Anything outside that is sexual sin.
Scripture places sexual sins in a category by themselves, classifying every other sin as being outside the
body. It is your responsibility not to let sin reign in your mortal body and not to obey its lusts (Romans
6:12).42 The next verse in Romans tells you what you must and must not do with regard to the use of your
body: “Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but
present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness”
(Romans 6:13). There is no way you could commit a sexual sin and not use your body as an instrument of
unrighteousness. By becoming involved in sexual sin, you allow sin to reign in your mortal body,
according to Scripture.
Bonding takes place when unholy sex is committed. We become one flesh with our partner. Tragically, that
is true even in the case of forced sex. The body is used as an instrument of unrighteousness. The temple is
violated. But that isn’t fair! Of course it’s not fair, but we don’t have to stay in bondage. The bonding can
be broken in Christ.
PRAYER REGARDING SEXUAL SIN
Lord, I ask You to reveal to my mind every sexual use of my body as an instrument of
unrighteousness. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
Note every sexual use of your body, whether done to you or done willingly by you.
_____ premarital sexual activity
_____ extramarital affairs
_____ homosexual behaviour
_____ pornography
_____ sexual perversions
_____ compulsive sexual behaviour
_____ prostitution
_____ pedophilia
_____ rape
_____ child sexual abuse

42
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
26

_____ incest
_____ abortion
_____ sexual spirits
_____ other

PRAYER
Lord, I renounce (name the specific use of your body) with (identify the person, if another person
was involved), and I ask You to break that bond.
I renounce all these uses of my body as an instrument of unrighteousness, and I ask You to break
all the bondages which Satan has brought into my life as a result. I have confessed my participation,
and I claim Your promise that when I confess, You are faithful and just to forgive me and to purify me
from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).43 I now present my body to You as a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to You.44 From here on, I reserve the sexual use of my body for marriage. I renounce the lie
of Satan that my body is not clean, that it is dirty or in any way unacceptable as a result of my past
sexual experiences. I declare the truth that through the shed blood of Jesus, I have been made whiter
than snow in my body, soul and spirit.45 Lord, thank You that You have totally cleansed and forgiven
me, that You love and accept me unconditionally. Therefore, I can accept myself. I choose to accept
myself and my body as cleansed. In Jesus’ name.
I submit my body to You as an instrument of righteousness, a living sacrifice, that I may glorify
You in my body. I now ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. All this I do in the name and
authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRAYER TO BREAK ALL THE UNGODLY RELATIONSHIP BONDS WITH PREVIOUS

SEXUAL PARTNERS
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I break all ungodly spirit, soul and body ties which
have been established between me and (name of other individuals involved). I sever those linkings
supernaturally and ask You, Father God, to remove from me all ungodly influence of (other
individuals) and to bring back to me every part of me which has been wrongfully tied in bondage to
them. I ask you, Father, to place the cross of Jesus between me and them, and to stop the flow of
anything ungodly between us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
I now speak directly to every evil spirit that has taken advantage of these ungodly soul ties. You
no longer have any rights here, and I order you to leave now without hurting or harming me or any
other person, and without going into any other member of my family.

43
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
44
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God − this is your spiritual act of worship.”
45
Psalm 51:7 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
 27

**********
Because of the addictive nature of some habitual sins, freedom won here must be maintained. If you have
addressed deep issues, be aware that Satan tempts people in their areas of weakness, trying to entice them
back into bondage. Remember, you are not a victim, and you are not powerless. You would be wise,
however, to have a friend to whom you can be accountable and whom you can count on for prayer support.
Remember, we absolutely need God, and we desperately need each other.

(7) ANCESTRAL CURSING

Here you will be renouncing the sins of your ancestors and any curses which may have some down to you
as a result of their sin. In giving the Ten Commandments, God said: “You shall not make for yourself an
idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Exodus 20:4-
5).
Spirits as well as the effects of sin can be passed on from one generation to the next if the sin is not
confessed and forgiven. You are not guilty for the sin of your ancestors, but because of their sin, Satan has
gained access to your family line. This is not to deny that problems can also be transmitted genetically or
learned from an immoral atmosphere. All three conditions can predispose you to a particular sin.
However, in Jesus, there is freedom.
PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS FOR ANCESTRAL SIN46
Father God, I come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord. I confess that I
and my ancestors have sinned and done evil in Your sight. Thank You, Father, for sending Your only
Son, Jesus, to die in my place, to pay the penalty for my sins through His shed blood, and to bear the
punishment for the sins and iniquities of my ancestors in His bruised and broken body on the cross.
Thank You, Father, that He was wounded that I may be set free.
I choose now to acknowledge and confess the sins of my ancestors, on my mother’s and father’s
side, whether natural, adopted or foster, back to the [fourth or another number if the Lord gives an
earlier generation] generation and to the tenth generation for sexual sins. I confess all ungodly
thoughts and negative emotions which have had an ill effect on my family line and on me: pride,
anger, arrogance, violence, fear, bitterness, resentment, shame, ungodly domination and control,
emotional hardness, hatred of women and despising of men. I confess the operation of rejection in my
family line in whatever form, especially that which is now affecting me and my family. I confess all
mental illness in my family line: anxiety, depression, phobias, obsessions, schizophrenia, and manic
depression. I confess addiction in my family line to alcohol, drugs, gambling, caffeine, nicotine, food
and all other false comfort for pain. I confess sexual sin in my family line, known and unknown:
fornication, adultery, incest, bestiality, obsessions, perversions, pornography, masturbation,
homosexuality and lesbianism, and I renounce the pleasure from these sins. I confess the destruction of
marriage through divorce. I confess all untimely death in my family: death in the womb, early death,
sudden and traumatic death, suicide, murder, fear of death, and death from war. I confess unresolved
grief from death. I confess the effects of war on my family. I confess lying and deception in my family
line. I confess the effects of guilt, feelings of guilt and false guilt in my family line. I confess the
feelings of needing to be punished or blamed. I confess all religious restrictions, whether from a
Christian denomination or church, from different false religions, or from occult involvement. I confess
all involvement in and tampering with occult power and the hidden things of darkness. I recognize that
supernatural knowledge and power not coming from God are sinful. I confess pronouncements, inner
vows, false judgments and curses in my family line. I confess where the fathers in my family line have
not taught the children the ways of God. I confess ungodly attitudes and belief systems in my cultural
background. I confess all hereditary illnesses and weaknesses in my family line.
Father God, I come before You in the name of Jesus, confessing these sins in my family line. I
now lay the punishment and inherited weakness on Jesus, my Scapegoat, on His bruised and broken

46
Prayer developed by Ellel Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries).
28

body on the cross, and I release myself from their effect. Thank You, Lord, that I can cast my burdens
on You. I receive my freedom. I now, by an act of my will, unreservedly forgive my ancestors for their
sins and release my ancestors into the freedom of my forgiveness. No longer will I blame them for
how I am. I confess and take accountability for my own sins in these areas. I repent and turn from
them, and ask You to forgive and to cleanse me with the precious blood of Jesus. Thank You, Lord
Jesus, for cleansing me. Please renew me and lead me in Your way. Amen.
DECLARATION47
I now renounce all the sins of my ancestors. I have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness
and placed into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, and I cancel every work of the enemy that has come
against me as a result of the sin of my ancestors.
I have been crucified and raised with Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20;48 Colossians 3:1),49 and I sit
with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6),50 I have authority over the enemy, and I renounce all
assignments that he has directed against me and my ministry. I cancel every curse that has been put on
me. Christ became a curse for me (Galatians 3:13)51 when He died for my sins on the cross so that I
can now be free.
I reject every way in which Satan may try to claim ownership of me. I belong to the Lord Jesus
Christ, who purchased me with His own blood. I reject all other blood sacrifices whereby Satan may
try to claim ownership of me. I belong only to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the only seal of ownership on
me is the seal of the Holy Spirit.52
By the authority that I have in Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh, I now command
every familiar spirit and every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in or around me to leave my
presence. I commit myself to my heavenly Father, to do His will from this day forward.
PRAYER TO BREAK ANCESTRAL CURSES53
Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins and the breaking of every curse of the law
from my life, so that I might receive all the fullness of my inheritance in Christ Jesus by the promise of the
Spirit (Isaiah 53:4-6,54 Galatians 3:13-14,55 1 Peter 2:24).56
In the name of Jesus, the name that has all authority in heaven and earth and beneath the earth, I
renounce every sinful word I have spoken or thought about You, God, and I ask You to forgive me. In
Jesus’ name, I break all curses on me due to blasphemy or cursing You, by me, my family, or prior

47
Paraphrase of a declaration from Neil Anderson’s Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ.
48
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
49
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at
the right hand of God.
50
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus . . .
51
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is
everyone who is hung on a tree.”
52
Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a
deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession − to the praise
of his glory.”
53
Reproduced with permission from Sylvia Gunter, Prayer Portions (© Sylvia Gunter, P.O. Box 380333,
Birmingham, Alabama 35238, 1995), pp. 128-9.
54
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep,
have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
55
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is
everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
56
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed.
 29

generations. I forgive all offense that I have taken at what You did or did not do. You are Sovereign Lord.
You alone are Most High God. I love You and do not resist You (Matthew 28:18,57 Philippians 2:10,58
Exodus 16:8).59
In Jesus’ precious name, I renounce every sinful thought or word against any servant of God. I ask
Your forgiveness where I have lifted my hands against Your anointed ones. I forgive all Your servants for
giving offense, and I pray Your blessings on every servant of Yours that I have ever known. In Jesus’
name, I claim the release of the cross for every curse passed down to me by my family or prior generations
for cursing Your servants. The blood of Jesus is between them and me (Exodus 22:28,60 Psalms 105:14-
15,61 Acts 23:5,62 Romans 13:1-2,63 14:4).64
In the name of the Lord Jesus, I renounce and ask You to forgive me for every sinful word or
thought about Israel, Jerusalem, or any Jewish person. I break all curses on me brought on by myself, my
family, or prior generations. I forgive all Jewish people who have offended me, and I pray for the peace of
Jerusalem (Genesis 12:3,65 Psalms 73:1,66 Zephaniah 2:10,67 Psalms 122:6).68
In the powerful name of Jesus, I renounce and ask You to forgive me for every sinful word I have
spoken or thought about my parents and any act that I committed that dishonored my father or mother. I
forgive my father and mother for every offense against me. I apply the redemption and release of the cross
and break all curses on me brought on by myself, my family, or prior generations due to cursing father or
mother (Exoodus 20:12,69 Deuteronomy 27:16,70 Matthew 15:4).71
In the name of Jesus that is above all names, I renounce and ask You to forgive me for every sin
of participating, willingly or in ignorance, in occult practices, witchcraft, sorcery, spiritism, and any other
work of the kingdom of darkness. Those sins are nailed to the cross, and the blood of Jesus covers them.
There are no unsettled claims on me because of them. All is settled for me in Christ Jesus. I break all curses
handed down to me by my family, prior generations, or any other person by participating in or invoking the
occult, witchcraft, sorcery, spiritism, or any other work of the kingdom of darkness.
In the name of Jesus, I renounce and ask Your forgiveness for every sin I have committed,
spoken, or thought in rebellion, disobedience, weakness, or ignorance. In Jesus’ name, I break all curses
brought on me by these sins. I renounce all curses on me handed down by my family or prior generations. I

57
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
58
. . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth . . .
59
Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and
all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we?
You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”
60
Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
61
He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do
my prophets no harm.”
62
Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil
about the ruler of your people.’”
63
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which
God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels
against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment
on themselves.
64
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand,
for the Lord is able to make him stand.
65
[God speaking to Abraham] “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
66
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
67
This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the Lord
Almighty.
68
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.”
69
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving
you.
70
“Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
71
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put
to death.’
30

do not choose to practice any sins of my parents or my ancestors. I forgive my parents and ancestors for
causing any curse to come upon me.

Specifically, in Jesus’ name, I break the curses of:

Hardness of heart Death Lying

Apathy Injury Deception
Hypocrisy

Disobedience Physical abuse

Rebellion Emotional abuse Perversion of God-intended roles
Lawlessness Sexual abuse Trusting in people
Stubbornness
Sickness People-pleasing
Idolatry Fear
Witchcraft Unforgiveness
The occult Bitterness Sexual immorality
Demon worship Lust
Freemasonry Selfishness Perversion
Cults Pride Homosexuality

Unbelief Covetousness
No fear of God Unworthiness Robbing God
Sins of the past generations Rejection Poverty
Guilt Stealing
Accusation
Condemnation Perfectionism Addiction
Judgment Control Alcoholism
Blame Manipulation Drug abuse
Competition Smoking
Self-hatred Confusion
Self-destruction
Suicide Legalism Profanity
Murder Perverting the gospel Other__________________

I break all other unnamed curses caused by the sins of my parents and ancestors. Any curse put on
me by another person is broken in Jesus’ mighty name. Jesus was manifest for me to destroy the works of
the devil. Jesus in me is greater than the works of the enemy. Jesus has swept my house clean and seals my
victory over Satan as accuser, hinderer, robber, deceiver, liar, destroyer, perverter, counterfeiter, defeater,
discourager, sower of unbelief, author of confusion, jailer (one who keeps me in prison), darkness,
oppressor, depresser, alienator, divider, tempter, setter of snares, seducer, betrayer, enemy, and minister of
wrath and death (Exodus 20:5,72 Exodus 34:7,73 Proverbs 14:1,74 Jeremiah 32:18,75 Lamentations 5:7,76
James 3:9,77 1 John 3:8,78 Colossians 2:15,79 1 John 4:4).80

72
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me . . .
73
. . . maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the
guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and
fourth generation.
74
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
75
You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers’ sins into the laps of their children
after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty . . .
76
Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment.
77
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s
likeness.
 31

Father God, You have washed me clean of all curses, guilt, and consequences of iniquities of prior
generations. In Jesus’ name, I am loosed of any bondage to any person or thing caused by any curse. I am
healed of all affliction caused by any curse, and these curses are turned into blessings. I am released to the
blessings of my new family bloodline in Christ Jesus my Lord. Establish me in the opposite blessing of
each curse on this list as You fill me continually with Your Holy Spirit (Revelation 12:11,81 Matthew
16:19,82 Jeremiah 17:14,83 Deuteronomy 23:5).84
Thank You, Lord. I give You all glory, honor, and praise. Praise God from whom all blessings
flow!

(8) BELIEF SYSTEMS85

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
Would you show me anything that I believe which is actually false, unrealistic or not truth the
way You understand truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The following is a partial list of some fairly common belief systems which need changing if spiritual
freedom is to occur. Check off those that you have believed.86
Beliefs about myself
‰ I should be liked/approved of/loved by everyone, especially those I consider important to me.
‰ I ought to be able to do anything/everything well. If I can’t do something well, it is better not to do it
at all or to wait until I can do it well.
‰ I must be perfectly competent and successful in achieving before I consider myself worthwhile and
before others do.
‰ I really don’t have control over my happiness. It is under the control of others and outside
circumstances.
‰ The experiences/influences of the past cannot be changed.
‰ There is only one true/perfect solution for every problem. If I don’t find it, I am sunk/am lost/will be
destroyed.
‰ I ought to be able to make/keep everyone around me happy. If I don’t, there is something wrong with
me.
‰ It is my responsibility to right the wrongs of the world/solve its problems/correct all injustices.

Beliefs about others

‰ Others should take care of me/be kind to me/never frustrate me.
‰ Others ought to be able to read my mind and know what I need/want without me telling them. If they
can’t do this, it is because they don’t really like/love me.

78
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The
reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
79
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over
them by the cross.
80
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than
the one who is in the world.
81
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their
lives so much as to shrink from death.
82
[Jesus speaking] “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
83
Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
84
However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you,
because the Lord your God loves you.
85
List compiled by Ellel Ministries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries).
86
The following lists were developed by Ellel Minstries (Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries).
32

Beliefs about God

‰ God only accepts/loves me when He can approve everything I am/think/feel/say/do.
‰ God may accept me as I am, but only because in the future I will never think/feel/say/do anything
wrong.
‰ God saves me by grace, but only maintains this relationship if I read/pray/witness/serve/do enough.
‰ God holds my ultimate salvation in suspense. At the Great White Throne, He will judge me and then
determine whether of not I will be given eternal life/heaven.
A partial list of true, realistic, and biblical assumptions to replace the absurd ones. “Putting off the
old and putting on the new” (Colossians 3:9-10)87 is part of the renewal of our mind which is so
important to our freedom. Check the ones that correspond to what you checked on the previous lists.
Myself and Others
‰ I am a worthwhile person whether I am successful in certain achievements or not.
‰ God has given His opinion that I am valuable and worthwhile (Psalm 8;88 Romans 5:6-8).89
‰ God’s view on “success” is different from people’s views.
‰ God has eliminated both comparison and competition and asks only for “faithfulness” in exercising my
particular gift(s) (Luke 14:7-11;90 Matthew 20:1-16;91 1 Corinthians 12:4-27;92 Romans 12:6;93 Acts
5:29).94

87
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
88
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the
heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence
the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for
him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made
him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the
beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord,
our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
89
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely
will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
90
When he [Jesus] noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more
distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to
you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when
you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up
to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
91
[Jesus speaking] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to
hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his
vineyard. “About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He
told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. “He
went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he
went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day
long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and
work in my vineyard. “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the
workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first. “The
workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came
who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When
they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked
only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work
and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you
agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as
 33

‰ I do not have to be approved/liked/loved by everyone in order to feel secure or loveable.

‰ Some people can’t like/love me because of their problems (John15:18-27;95 John 17:14-19;96 Galatians
1:10;97 Galatians 4:12-16;98 1 Peter 4:12-16;99 1 John 3:11-13).100

I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am
generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
92
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same
Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each
one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit
the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another
prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and
to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives
them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though
all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into
one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the
body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not
belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the
body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear,
where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them,
just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many
parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the
feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are
unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But
God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that
there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one
part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the
body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
93
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in
proportion to his faith.
94
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!”
95
[Jesus speaking] “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the
world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater
than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will
obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent
me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no
excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one
else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated
both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out
from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the
beginning.”
96
[Jesus speaking] “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the
world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you
protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify
myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
97
[Paul speaking] “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men?
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
98
[Paul speaking] “I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me
no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though
my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I
34

‰ Since I am always loved by God (regardless of how some may feel about me), I do not need to be
overly concerned about the approval/disapproval of others (John 15:9-10;101 John 17:25-26;102 Romans
8;103 Hebrews 13:5-6;104 1 John 4:16-19).105

were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify
that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now
become your enemy by telling you the truth?”
99
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were
happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed
when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit
of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of
criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God
that you bear that name.
100
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain,
who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own
actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates
you.
101
[Jesus speaking] ““As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you
obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain
in his love.”
102
[Jesus speaking] “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know
that you have sent me.
26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have
for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
103
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ
Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless
to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements
of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the
Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but
those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of
sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God.
It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.
And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your
body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not
to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if
by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the
Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our
spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in
eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by
its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the
whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but
we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as
sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all.
Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts
 35

God
‰ God accepts/loves me even though He does not always approve of everything I do (John 3:16-17;106
Romans 5:5-8;107 1 John 4:7-10).108
‰ Faith in what God has done for me (in Christ), not perfect performance, is what pleases God and
puts/keeps me in a right(eous) relationship with Him (Romans 1-5 (not reproduced for reasons of
space); Galatians (also not reproduced); Hebrews 11:6).109
‰ God through His Holy Spirit gives me the assurance of my salvation/eternal life/heaven now. My
judgment took place on the cross. My only future judgment will be for service rewards and not for my
salvation (John 3:36;110 John 5:25;111 1 Corinthians 3:10-15;112 1 John 3:24).113

knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called;
those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response
to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us
all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against
those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--
more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to
be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love
of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
104
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I
will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
105
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God,
and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day
of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out
fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love
because he first loved us.
106
[Jesus speaking] “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but to save the world through him.”
107
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for
the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might
possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.
108
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of
God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God
showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our
sins.
109
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
110
[Jesus speaking] “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
111
[Jesus speaking] “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the
voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
112
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on
it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one
36

‰ PRAYER114
Father, I confess that out of the hurts and confusion of life, I have formed ungodly beliefs about
myself, others and even You. I confess that I have believed: (name the things from your list). I
renounce those beliefs as lies, and I commit myself to accepting only Your truth into my thinking. I
state the truth that (name the things from the second list that you checked). Every other thought I will
take captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).115 In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(9) BITTER ROOT JUDGMENTS AND EXPECTANCIES

When we are hurt, we are prone to judge the offender out of our hurt, that is, we may, either verbally or in
our heart or both, put the person down, criticize that person, or otherwise demonstrate a negative attitude
towards him or her. If we never deal with this bitterness, it may pass out of consciousness over time, but it
lies buried alive and can spring up at any time. When it raises its head, it brings defilement, not only to us,
but to others around us (Hebrews 12:15).116 In addition, Scripture says we reap what we sow (Galatians
6:7),117 especially in the area of bitter judgments (Matthew 7:1-2).118 Thus if we harbour a bitter root
judgment, we may find ourselves the target of the same kind of bitterness and judgment. Or we may find
ourselves doing the very thing for which we judged the other person (Romans 2:1).119 Or the hidden
bitterness may manifest in emotional/physical/spiritual problems and can be an open door to the demonic.
We may take a judgment a step further and form a bitter root expectancy. For example, if as a child, I
judged my Dad for never being home because of business, I may generalize that to an expectancy that the
man in my life will never be there for me, and my husband may find himself undeservedly on the receiving
end of my bitterness.

already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones,
wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he
will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one
escaping through the flames.
113
Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us:
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
114
See also “Declaration of Confidence in God’s Word” in the Prayers portion of the Ministry Manual.
115
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we
take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
116
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile
many.
117
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
118
[Jesus speaking] “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
119
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you
judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
 37

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
Would You search me and show me any bitter root judgments or expectances that I have held in
my heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The checklists that follow may help you identify any bitterness in your life.
Bitter root judgments120
‰ I’m a worthless person.
‰ I can’t do anything right.
‰ I won’t try because I won’t get it right anyway.
‰ I’ll never succeed or, if I do, I’ll never be able to carry success through long-term.
‰ People close to me will control me.
‰ People close to me will hurt me.
‰ Family will hurt me.
‰ People (everyone) will reject me.
‰ If I let people get close to me, they will hurt me.
‰ No one will love me.
‰ I am stupid and can’t grasp things.
‰ I am irresponsible and can’t be trusted to do things.
‰ I can’t do things; I am unable to look after myself.
‰ I need a man/woman to look after me.
‰ I am not loveable.
‰ No one will love me.
‰ I don’t deserve love.
‰ I can’t need you; you’ll let me down.
‰ I’ll never get out of debt.
‰ I’m a burden. I’m baggage.
‰ I’ll leave you before you leave me.
‰ I don’t want to be part of this family.
‰ I will shut my family out and then they won’t hurt me.
‰ I’ll never forgive my mom/dad for messing up this family.
‰ Mom/Dad is cold and unaffectionate.
‰ No one wants to hear what I have to say.
‰ Intimacy is sex.
‰ Our sex life will not change.
‰ Authority figures are out to get me.
‰ Authority figures don’t listen.
‰ Authority figures don’t respect people.
‰ Authority figures expect perfection.
‰ Authority figures are to be feared.
‰ I must fight all authority.
‰ Authorities hurt people; they do not help people.
‰ Others

120
Lists based on the work of John and Paula Sandford, The Transformation of the Inner Man (Tulsa,
Oklahoma: Victory Books, Inc., 1982) and Healing the Wounded Spirit (Tulsa, Oklahoma: Victory Books,
Inc., 1985), as edited by Valorie Boyko.
38

Bitter root judgments against God

‰ God is unpredictable.
‰ He is punitive.
‰ He is unforgiving.
‰ He demands perfection.
‰ He is hard to please.
‰ He wants fearful control of me.
‰ He has no warmth at all.
‰ He doesn’t value me.
‰ He doesn’t find me precious or special.
‰ His blessings are for everyone else but not for me.
‰ He doesn’t want me.
‰ I must suffer to get anything good from God.
‰ God will only tease me; He will not give me what I want.
‰ God never gave me anyone to share my hurt with.
‰ God doesn’t hear me when I pray.
‰ I have to earn God’s blessings. I must perform.
‰ He will not protect me.
‰ God isn’t there for me.
‰ Others

Bitter root expectancies

‰ Expecting to fail.
‰ Expecting to be rejected.
‰ Expecting to be criticized.
‰ Expecting to be controlled.
‰ A woman expecting men to abuse her.
‰ Others

PRAYER: (There may be forgiveness issues that you need to deal with first. When you checked off a
certain judgment or expectancy, a person may have come to mind whose treatment of you resulted in
you forming that judgment or expectancy. If you have not already dealt with that forgiveness issue,
do so first, and cut soul ties.)
Father, I confess that, as a result of my hurt, I formed a bitter root judgment of (name judgment).
(If applicable, add: I have also formed a bitter root expectancy of (name expectancy).) I acknowledge
this as sin, and I now repent and turn from it. I also acknowledge and confess (name other sins
attached to the bitter roots, e.g., self-protection, pride, self-image, etc.). I ask You to forgive and
cleanse me.
In the name of Jesus, I break this judgment (expectancy) off at the roots. I declare it to be of no
force and effect in my life, no longer able to influence me. I ask You, Father, to cancel all the reaping
and to lift off all the defilement from the bitterness I sowed. Would You put to the cross anything in
my old nature which is there because of this judgment (expectancy). I give You permission to go
 39

deeper and to show me all that is there so I may deal with it. I ask You to continue this work until all
evidence of bitterness is removed from my life and I am free to be all You created me to be. Finally, I
ask You to seal off any entry points to Satan which were opened into my life by these bitter roots, and
to alert me to any future temptations of the enemy to reopen these doos. Thank You, Father, for my
forgiveness, cleansing and freedom from this sin. In Jesus’ name.

(10) INNER VOWS

An inner vow is a statement of what we will or won’t do (e.g., “I will never trust that person again”; “I will
get gold in the Olympics”). An inner vow may sound good, even godly (e.g., “I will never put my children
down in front of others like my mother did to me”). However, the problem with a vow is that we yield that
part of our lives to the lordship of the vow rather than the lordship of Christ. It creates a pocket in our lives
that God cannot touch because we have already decided what will or will not be done. The danger here is
that, what Christ does not control is fleshly and always a potential open door to the evil one (James 4:13-
16). Other problems can also be tied to the inner vow. For example, an ungodly soul tie may be created by
the vow, as when people vow that they will be or will not be like someone else they have known. Or the
vow may create a false god, as can sometimes be the case with an athlete driven to high success.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father,
I probably do not remember all the vows I have made in my life, especially any that I made while
I was a child. But You know them all. Would You please reveal them to me now so that I can confess
them and have their power in my life broken. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The following checklists may help.
Some common inner vows:121
‰ I won’t let anyone get close enough to hurt me ever again.
‰ I’ll never _______________ again.
‰ I’ll never accept myself the way I am.
‰ I’ll never forgive _________________ for _____________________.
‰ I’ll never give myself completely to anyone.
‰ I’ll never ask for help.
‰ I’ll never remember.
‰ I won’t feel.
‰ I’ll never trust a man/woman.
‰ I’ll never tell a man/woman anything.
‰ I’ll never be angry.
‰ I’ll never fight/argue.
‰ I’m not going to grow up.
‰ I’ll never get married.
‰ I’ll never be like my mother/father.
‰ I’ll be perfect; then maybe someone will love me.
‰ I’ll be strong and make it on my own.
‰ I’ll control my own life and be safe.
‰ I’ll never be in the limelight again.
‰ I’ll never trust anyone.
‰ I’ll never let ___________________ happen again.
‰ I’ll never have a child/boy/girl.
‰ No one’s going to tell me what to do.
‰ Others:

121
List based on the work of John and Paula Sandford, The Transformation of the Inner Man (Tulsa,
Oklahoma: Victory Books, Inc., 1982) and Healing the Wounded Spirit (Tulsa, Oklahoma: Victory Books,
Inc., 1985), as edited by Valorie Boyko.
40

PRAYER
Father I confess that I have sinned in making the following vows: (name vows). I renounce these
vows and ask you to forgive me. (Confess any other sins attached to the making of the vows: e.g.,
anger, bitterness, etc. Forgive anyone whose hurt toward you may have been at the root of your vows).
In the name of Jesus, I break these vows and declare them null and void, no longer able to influence
me, and by the sword of the Spirit, I cut myself free from their effects. Finally, I ask You, Jesus, to
seal off any entry points to Satan which were opened into my life by these vows. They are forever
sealed in the name of Jesus. Amen.

THE LORD HAS SET ME FREE: NOW WHAT? 122

One victory does not constitute winning the war. Freedom must be maintained. Freedom is mine as long as
I keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord. If new memories should surface or
if I become aware of other lies that I have believed or other non-Christian experiences that I have had, I
need to renounce them and choose the truth.
Once set free by Jesus, you need to learn to walk in your freedom. It is essential that you build safeguards
around the ground taken from the evil one. It is your responsibility to cultivate a strong spiritual life which
will allow you to continue in your freedom. Following are some suggestions.
Continue this follow-up schedule until it becomes part of your daily spiritual walk. These are
principles for daily living, not just for times of warfare.
Be aware that there is no need to fear a return to your pre-deliverance state unless you deliberately put
down the welcome mat to the enemy. Godly behaviour will never open a door to the demonic. However,
God may allow a test by permitting the enemy to counterfeit from without in order to strengthen your faith.
Be on your guard and resist all the devil’s attacks (James 4:7).123 Remember, Satan cannot gain entrance to,
and influence in, your life without your consent. Keep your eyes and ears open for his camouflaged traps.
Avoid anything which looks or sounds as if it might lead you back into bondage. Never forget that the
devil is a liar (John 8:44),124 and he may try to convince you that nothing really happened or that it was all
in your imagination. Raise the shield of faith and resist those lies in the name of Jesus (Ephesians 6:16;125
John 8:36).126
Don’t forget that you are never alone (Deuteronomy 31:6;127 Psalm 118:6-7;128 Hebrews 13:5-6).129 God is
to be trusted absolutely. Faith, not the mind or senses, brings Him close to you. He has never broken a

122
This is a follow-up to ministry document that draws from follow-up principles taught by Ellel Ministries
(Canada) Inc. (now Singing Waters Ministries) and by Jacob’s Well, Kitchener, and from the teaching of
Noel and Phyl Gibson in Evicting Demonic Intruders (West Sussex, England, New Wine Press, 1993), Ch.
23, “Follow-up and the Importance of After-Care”.
123
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
124
[Jesus speaking] “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.
He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies,
he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
125
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows
of the evil one.
126
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
127
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes
with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
128
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
 41

promise, and His character will not allow Him to do so. Begin each new day, and continue through each
day, by making right and positive choices. If what you feel contradicts the Bible, choose to believe the
Bible. Never let feelings dictate your behaviour because they can be deceptive. Spirit-filled living is based
on right choices.
Declare aloud in prayer, positively and gratefully, the major areas in which you have received freedom
(Psalm 105:2;130 Revelation 12:11).131 Never offer Satan the keys of doubt or negative thinking (Hebrews
11:6).132 Expect continuous and increasing freedom in areas where Satan has previously exploited you. Do
not live in the past. Look forward to all that God has promised (Philippians 3:13-14).133
Daily make Jesus Lord of your entire life, and be filled with the Spirit (Romans 12:1-2;134 Colossians 2:6-
7;135 Ephesians 5:18).136 Allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in your life by staying in obedience to
God (Galatians 5:22-23).137 Have personal fruit inspections by those who love you.
Be ruthless with sin. Never deliberately get involved with it; it is a poisonous snake. However, should you
sin, confess immediately, repent, and receive forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).138 Also, be sure to
walk continuously in forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26).139 Unforgiveness is a serious barrier to close fellowship
with God and to a continual flow of God’s power in your life.
If necessary, break wrong friendships, and choose clean living and positive, Christ-honouring friends (1
Corinthians 15:33;140 2 Corinthians 6:14).141 A good friendship is one in which each party blesses the
other.
One of Satan’s most destructive weapons is condemnation. Remember, the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s
Son, cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:7).142 Remember as well that Jesus has freed you from all
condemnation (Romans 8:1).143 Refuse to allow anything to come between Jesus and yourself. Live in His
freedom (John 8:36).144

129
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
130
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
131
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their
lives so much as to shrink from death.
132
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
133
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is
behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has
called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
134
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God − this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is − his good, pleasing and perfect will.
135
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him . . .
136
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
137
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
138
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
139
[Jesus speaking] “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so
that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
140
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
141
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in
common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
142
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
143
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus . . .
144
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
42

Constantly draw upon your available spiritual resources. Jesus said He could do nothing without His Father
(John 5:19).145 He also said that we can do nothing without Him (John 15:5).146 Daily supply is needed for
daily growth. Yesterday’s grace has already been used. Make time to read, learn, and meditate on God’s
Word (Psalm 119:11).147 Either God’s Word will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from God’s
Word. When you read, understand and obey the Word, you dislodge strongholds and displace ungodly
belief systems (Hebrews 4:12-13;148 2 Timothy 3:16-17),149 and you receive healing (John 8:32).150
Communicate with God constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17),151 be in good fellowship with others and allow
others to continue to minister to you (James 5:16;152 Hebrews 10:25).153
Put on, that is, affirm the protection of the armour of God daily, and especially after a time of ministry or
when undergoing trials. God’s spiritual armour is both offensive and defensive against Satan’s attacks. The
power to withstand Satan and to remain standing when the attack is over comes from prayer directed and
energized by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-18).154 Claim your authority over Satan. In the name of Jesus,
you have power and authority over the enemy (Mark 16:17;155 Luke 10:19).156 Keep the pressure on until
he goes. Your victory is sure in Jesus (Romans 8:37-39).157
Train yourself to be constantly thankful and full of praise. Praise disturbs the enemy because God sits
enthroned on our praises (Psalm 22:3),158 and praise and thanks open the way for God to work out His

145
Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only
what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
146
[Jesus speaking] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
147
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
148
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to
dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all
creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom
we must give account.
149
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
150
[Jesus speaking] “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
151
. . . pray continually . . .
152
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer
of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
153
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another
− and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
154
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take
your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the
belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet
fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of
faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
155
[Jesus speaking] “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out
demons; they will speak in new tongues . . .”
156
[Jesus speaking] “ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all
the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
157
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that
neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
158
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (KJV)
 43

salvation in us (Psalm 50:23).159 Never, never be ungrateful for what God has done for you. Praise God in
all circumstances (Hebrews 13:15).160 Praise Him and assert your victory and freedom through the blood of
Jesus (Revelation 12:11).161
Guard your thought life. This demands an act of the will (2 Corinthians 10:5).162 Refuse and renounce
every thought that is negative, critical, impure, jealous, etc. Refuse and renounce every thought of pride,
rebellion, hate, anger, resentment, slander, doubt, unbelief, anxiety, self-pity, self-love, self-consciousness,
etc. It is your responsibility to disagree with all negative attitudes and to choose to agree with the positive
life of Jesus in you (Philippians 4:8;163 Proverbs 4:23).164
Finally, God is not finished all that needs to be done in your life. Should you need further ministry, there
are several courses of action open to you. One is to deal with as much of the problem as you can on your
own or with the help of supportive family members. To do this you:
Ask the Lord to reveal the roots of your problem. Deal with whatever He shows you. If it is sin,
confess and repent and commit yourself to restitution if that is called for. If it is a forgiveness
issue, offer forgiveness and commit yourself to doing all you can to be reconciled with the other
person.
In Jesus’ name, bind yourself to God and to everything you need from Him, loose from your life
everything that is outside God’s will, and, if you are being harassed by the enemy, order him to
go.
Finally, remember that Jesus has set you free for a purpose. Oh, He does want you to feel better. But He
has another wonderful purpose. He wants you bear much fruit for His kingdom. John 15 will provide you
food for thought as you prayerfully consider how you can move on in freedom to bearing much fruit.

159
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the
salvation of God.
160
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise − the fruit of lips that
confess his name.
161
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their
lives so much as to shrink from death.
162
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we
take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
163
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable − if anything is excellent or praiseworthy − think about such things.
164
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.