The Principles of Satan’s Oppression

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
PSALM 9:9 (NIV)

THE WORD OF GOD clearly identifies who our enemy is, how he came to be, and how he operates to attack and oppress mankind. The best way for the Christian to prepare for spiritual warfare against Satan and his forces – and to be victorious – is to thoroughly understand the principles of Satan’s oppression. We must know the enemy – understanding how he works – if we want to live a victorious life. Ignorance will keep a child of God living a defeated life.

It is crucial that we begin with a base knowledge of the authority, victory, protection, and position given to the believer over Satan and his demonic oppression through the Name of Jesus. Luke 9:1 says, “And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases.” (NASB) Accordingly, we are not to fear or defer to demons; they are not colleagues to be respected; they are not our spiritual equals, counterparts, or mere sparring partners. They have been placed under the feet of all believers, and are subject to the delegated authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. They have already been defeated!

Spiritual oppression is an attempt by Satan to make us live in fear of him and what he can do to us. It is important to remember that Satan lost all his rights and power when Jesus won victory over him at the cross. The only right to power he has today is through deception. As long as we believe he can attack us, he will be able to use fear to keep us from fulfilling the will of God for us. Satan only has power to the degree we believe his lies. Though demons can enter and possess any unbeliever, they cannot enter into the body of those who belong to the Lord.

Oppression, on the other hand, does occur, and it can lead to illness, depression, financial difficulties, phobias, marital strife, and other types of disharmony. Oppression is a series of events coordinated by the demonic realm designed to derail our faith, rob us of our prosperity, and stall our destiny. We know too well that the devil has numerous plots and schemes in his arsenal. He’s been tempting human beings since the beginning of time. (Genesis 3)

What are some symptoms of a spiritual attack? One of the first things to suffer during spiritual oppression is your prayer life. Your very commitment to God is often strained. I am fond of the word tenacity. Oppression will test your spiritual tenacity. It will make you doubt the absolute certainty you had that what God promises in His Word will transpire. Spiritual tenacity is best expressed in the statement, “Be still and know that I am God.” (NIV) It allows us to wait on the Lord. So imagine how challenging it is to be under demonic oppression to the extent that you lose touch with the certainty that God is God, and that He will accomplish that which He has promised.

During a spiritual attack, the enemy uses a variety of circumstances to oppress the mind and bring great frustration. The believer who is under siege finds himself on edge and anxious. His thinking becomes sluggish. Confusion sets in. This leads to irritability and exhaustion. It becomes increasingly difficult to make decisions. Satan hates when a Christian is on the beam, walking with God, fulfilling his calling, and making a positive impact on the world. This is precisely why he goes on the attack in the first place! In a long spiritual battle, a person is often pulled back toward negative cycles they broke free from. Satan wants to enslave them once again in the same old bondage.

As the enemy attacks the life of a believer, he begins to give them reasons to give up on the very thing that God called them to do. This is one of Satan’s greatest weapons. He releases confusion, doubt, shame, intimidation, and a myriad of vile schemes to create a cloud of uncertainty. His ultimate goal is to get the believer off his path. Once under attack, the Christian begins to reexamine decisions that were once crystal clear. It is likely, after prolonged attack, to start questioning prophetic words, spiritual breakthroughs, and significant experiences they’ve had in their life.

It is unfortunate that many Christians live their lives being troubled by evil spirits simply because they think it’s normal and consider it an acceptable form of daily spiritual warfare. Oppression is not normal in a believer’s life. Yes, it is possible for a Christian to be troubled at times by demons, but Acts 10:38 says Jesus made it clear that God’s will was not for His people to be oppressed, harassed, or troubled by evil spirits: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Jesus came to set the captives free. In other words, we don’t have to stay in oppression.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)