Chained Part 5_Severing Ungodly Soul Ties (full version)

Do you as a professing Christian feel like a hypocrite?

Do you live with a sense of deep guilt and shame?

Are you bound to perverse passions?

Severing Ungodly Soul Ties 

   Before I even begin allow me to apologize for this lengthy blog. I was unable to upload the main article so that you could then download it. As a last resort I decided to just make the whole thing one long Blog.

  This is the last in our series on spiritual bondage and how to be freed form it. Thus far we have covered the following topics:

• The results of preaching a "Soft Gospel"
• Behavior Modification Versus a New Creation.
  
• The Root of Bitterness
• Generational Curses 

   It's really quite amazing the trouble Satan has gone through in an attempt to foil humanity such that they will be ineffective when and if they come to Christ. He strikes on multiple fronts all at once and he never lets up, but thanks be to Jesus Christ for He has given us victory on every hand. We've been untangling this vicious rat's nest for several weeks now and are almost done. 

   I must congratulate you on your perseverance and resolve to be free. I know it's not easy. You've had to do a lot of work during this series, but I assure you, if you did it with all your heart, you will begin to feel the freedom that comes from finally putting your past behind you. There will be a load lifted simply by virtue of the fact that there is no longer any unconfessed sin hiding in the crevices of your soul. Christ will have gained full access to your heart so that you can now move forward in Him unencumbered.

   In this, the final Blog in our series, we will be severing ungodly soul ties. We will learn:

• What soul ties are in general
  
• What ungodly soul ties are
• What demonic soul ties are

   And then we will go about severing them once and for all. Before we do all this I would like to present something I call "Triggers" to you.

What are triggers?

   Triggers are sort of like a rabbit snare or a mouse trap; when we least expect it, they go off! You've heard the expression, "Watch out for him, he's got a hair trigger." Just what is the origin of these triggers that make us react in ways contrary to our desire? I'm reminded of the verse in Romans 7:19 "For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice."

   Some of these triggers are a result of "Generational Curses," some are formed through the "Root of Bitterness," and some are set up through ungodly soul ties.

    Basically triggers are the way we instinctively react to certain stimulus. 

• Do you walk around emotionally half-cocked and ready to fire at the slightest perceived provocation? 
• Do you react with a round of ungodly responses made up of anger, foul language and demeaning verbal attacks? 
• Are you always in self-defense mode? 
• Does everybody have to walk on eggshells when their around you?
  

   When I think of these triggers it helps me to envision the ungodly ones firing from my left side (my old infected sin nature), and my godly triggers firing from my right side (my new man in Christ). The process of converting my triggers from firing from my left side, to them firing from my right side, is the process known as the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:1-2).  

   This is one of the goals of this "coming out of bondage series," to convert ungodly responses to godly ones. Wouldn't you always like to be found re-acting with the mind of Christ rather that your caustic old sin nature? This weeks topic of "Severing Ungodly Soul Ties" is our final stepping stone which will help us to do just that.

 What exactly are soul ties?

    Soul ties are most easily explained when seen in the light of marriage. When Jesus was addressing the subject of divorce He said, "But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,  and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate (Mk 10:6-9).” What this teaches us is that in the act of sexual intercourse, between a married couple, there is a spiritual connection that takes place between a man and a woman that binds them together for life. Intercourse is really the biblical definition of marriage where the two souls become one. This is a godly soul tie. 
   Another beautiful picture of a godly soul tie is found in 1 Cor 6:17 "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." That's right, we have a wonderful soul tie with God that has eternal potential! This all beautifully takes place in the waters of baptism when I surrender myself totally to Christ (Gal 3:26-28).

An excellent soul tie

   Just look at this beautiful soul tie that existed between Jonathan and David in 1Sam18:1-4:  "Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

 What is an "ungodly" soul tie?

   An example of an ungodly soul tie is as follows: The apostle Paul when writing to the church in Corinth wrote, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot (prostitute)  is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”
   It would be well to note that in both of the above examples a marriage takes place and that is in effect until death. This is why fornication and adultery are such grievous sins to God because it violates His design in creation.

    What are demonic soul ties?

     I guess before we can speak of demonic soul ties we first need to define a demon. A demon, as described in the Bible, seems to be a malevolent (a very evil force) disembodied spirit who takes up residence in people and or animals. The demon's goal seems to be to dominate and to express himself through his host as wickedly as he possibly can. 
   Approximately one third of Jesus ministry was spent in the delivering of God's people from these demonic intruders. He would cast them out of their host and the person would be miraculously set free from sickness, disease and emotional torment instantly. Jesus passed this authority over to believers to do the same as He. Look at this verse in Mark 16:17-18:  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
   A demonic soul tie is one forged through sins such as occult involvement, perversion and being party to religious cults.
   Many folks have inordinate soul ties to animals such as dogs and cats. They like them better than people and their lives are bound up in them. Bestiality is when people have sex with animals and it is a grievous sin before God. This is beyond an emotional sickness; it is purely a demonic soul tie!

Guess what, it's time to make another list

   Invite a brother or sister in Christ (depending on your sex; male to male and female for female) to walk through this with you according to (Jas 5:16). Get out your pen and paper and make a list of ungodly soul ties allowing the Holy Spirit full access to all the compartments of your heart: 

• List those whom you have had sex with other than your spouse.
  
• If not married list all fornication (sex with an unmarried person) and adultery (sex with another persons spouse).
• List all acts of perversion done willfully or against your will.
• All occult or cult involvement as it relates to specific individuals you were involved with (we dealt with this in Generational Curses, but didn't sever soul ties).
• List all evil, influential friendships that involved drugs, alcohol or the like.
• List all negative mentors that you trusted your life to and who have led you along on an ungodly pathway.
• List carnal relationships in the body of Christ that are founded on non-biblical principles and that draw you away in terms of justifying the flesh and its lusts.
• List your  mommy if your still tied to her apron-strings while you should be one with your spouse.
  
• Anything else you can think of, or that the Holy Spirit brings to your attention.
  

Okay, let's sever ungodly soul ties now! 

   Go through your list slowly and In the name of Jesus Christ sever all soul ties one at a time until you have completely exhausted your list. Envision the severing process in your minds eye if it helps.

   When your all done be sure and thank God for His wonderful provision; and don't forget to thank your brother or sister in Christ who hung in there with you through it all.

Is it all over now?

    At this point I would venture to say that sin has been effectively neutralized in your life. It's now time to allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind through Christ, through His Word, prayer, faith and godly desire to be all you can be in Christ. You're relationship with Christ should become much sharper now. Keep moving forward in God desiring to be used by Him. Always be hungering and thirsting after righteousness and to know Him more. This process should unfold very naturally. 
   Once we have overrun the enemy and have gained solid ground we must remember to do spiritual maintenance as we go forward. If we are walking in Christ the Holy Spirit will be faithful to point out areas of our lives that are heading in the wrong direction. Your response to these warning will determine your tomorrows. Remember, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8)."

   If at this point you should still feel tormented, the reason may well be that although we say we have repented, there is still a part of us that really doesn't want to break with one ore more specific sins. This is because at some level we receive gratification from them. This unwillingness on our part to truly desire to forsake sin allows it to continue in us. You can yell and scream Jesus name all day long and it will do no good until you finally deal with it. Again give the Holy Spirit permission to do whatever it takes to get you to a place where you can truly repent.

More about demons

   If we really think this thing (about generational curses, the root of bitterness and demonic soul ties) through we will probably come to ask ourselves:

• Just what is it that passes down from one generation to another?
• What is it that is driving the Root of Bitterness?
• What does a demonic soul tie do me to? 

   The answer is the same in each case. It is demonic activity going on inside of us. Now we certainly don't want to believe that we personally could be demonized, but I will say this about that. If it is demonic activity that is behind all the emotional suffering we can finally put all the pieces together as to why our lives have been so out of control. 
   If it is demons that are tormenting us then we can, in the name of Jesus Christ, and through His delegated authority be set free once and for all. This is what we have systematically been doing over these last five weeks; getting delivered.
   Just to finalize all that we have done, it would seem wise to make a final command in the name of Jesus Christ for all demons to leave right now. This command might go something like this: "In the name and in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ I command all demonic spirits of _______ (you fill in the blanks by going down your lists) to leave me right now. This make take a little time but it is time well spent.

   If after all this you are still seriously tormented you would do well to locate someone who ministers deliverance and allow that person to work with you until you are totally set free.
   I do hope and pray that this series has  been helpful to you and as always,  I welcome your comments ...