Spiritual
Roadblocks:
The
most common blockages
Not willing or ready - As elementary as this
sounds, many deliverances are unsuccessful because the person was not ready or
willing to be truly delivered. They were merely looking for a quick fix for their
problem, and were not willing to take the necessary steps to receive and
maintain their deliverance.
Unforgiveness - Bitterness is a very
popular source of spiritual defilement (Hebrews 12:14). If you don't forgive
others, God will not forgive you (Matthew 6:15). Unforgiveness puts us in the
hands of tormenters (Matthew 18:23-35), which are demonic spirits.
Strongholds - Strongholds are
incorrect thinking patterns in our minds that we see things through. Many
people see themselves as failures, so they feel like failures. Others see God
as a cruel and dictating taskmaster, which causes them to feel distant and
unloved by their heavenly Father. If you have a hard time feeling God's love,
you can cast out all the demons in the world, but if you don't see God as a
loving God who loves you, it's going to be very difficult to feel and receive
His love.
Unconfessed sins - If we confess and
repent of our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9). But if
we choose rather to keep our sins hidden and to ourselves, we cannot expect
God's forgiveness. There is also power in confessing our faults to one another,
as James 5:16 tells us, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one
for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much."
Soul ties - Having a soul tie with
somebody means your soul is joined with theirs (1 Corinthians 6:16). Being
joined to another person with an unclean soul tie can allow the transference of
spirits and bondage between the persons. It is vital to break of all bad soul
ties from unhealthy past relationships so that the enemy cannot use them against
us.
Cursed objects - The Bible gives us a
clear pattern of destroying false gods, idols, and so-called cursed objects.
God warns us that bringing a cursed object into our home can bring a curse upon
us as well (Deuteronomy 7:26).
Lack of faith - Not understanding or
believing God's will or the truth about your situation can keep you in bondage
as well. If you don't realize the authority and freedom you have in Christ, it
can be very hard to walk in it and eat of it's fruit. Knowledge of the truth is
indeed an important tool in our spiritual toolkit.
Un-renounced vows - Vows and oaths bind
the soul (Numbers 30:2). The way to break free from any ungodly vows is to
repent of it and renounce it verbally in Jesus' name.
Unbroken curses - Both ancestral curses
and curses encountered in one's own life must be broken. I believe ancestral
sin curses are automatically broken so long as we have accepted Christ, and do
not take part in our ancestor's wickedness, but other types of curses must be
broken before complete deliverance can be obtained and kept.
Residing spirits - Demons often need to
be cast out of a person before they are able to fully overcome many persistent
bondages. Demons are often found behind many issues such as fear, depression,
physical infirmities (arthritis, cancer, deafness, etc.), mental illnesses,
etc. and need to be driven out as Jesus and the early church went about doing.