Demonology 101: Control and Manipulation

The demonic spirit of CONTROL is kindred to the demonic spirit of MANIPULATION. The controlling spirit’s job is to seek POWER, AUTHORITY and DOMINANCE over the situation at hand, so that it can have the maximum advantage in carrying out its own agenda. But sometimes, the spirit of control isn’t strong enough to be able to have its way directly, so it has to summon the spirit of manipulation to help it out. Once summoned, the manipulating spirit’s job is to SKILLFULLY INFLUENCE all parties that are involved by using DECEITFUL TACTICS. Once the unsuspecting victim(s) falls for the trick and LEGALLY gives up their rights/authority to the spirit of manipulation, then that person will ultimately come under the spirit of control. These two spirits will work together to bind their victim up and take everything from them.

You can’t defeat your enemy unless you know who your enemy is. In this case, there are two demonic spirits involved, therefore, there needs to be two “layers” of DELIVERANCE. Deliverance always starts with REPENTANCE. Repent and ask God to forgive you for any door that you may have opened for demonic play to take place in your life. These spirits couldn’t have come into your life unless you gave them legal access. In this case, they gained access to you through compromise.

After you’ve repented, and have finally come to the realization that you have been manipulated and dealt with treacherously, you have to REBUKE and CAST DOWN the spirit of manipulation in the name of JESUS.

Once the spirit of manipulation has been EXPOSED for what it really is, it will try to use its CRAFTINESS to keep you bound to it. The spirit of manipulation will MANIFEST in the person and cause them to either have an outburst of WRATH in order to INTIMIDATE you and make you submit to it out of FEAR of confrontation, or it will cause the person to put on a look of distress so that you will have PITY on the person and apologize to them for hurting their feelings, thus allowing the spirit to have its way again. Don’t fall for this TRICK! The spirit is attempting to use REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY to make it seem like you’re the one in error instead of it.

The way to combat these tactics of the manipulating spirit is to stand in BOLDNESS. Don’t bend or compromise your stance, even if the spirit tries to intimidate or threaten you. Also, you need to pray for an increase in DISCERNMENT, so you can know how this spirit operates and when it’s manifesting, so you won’t be fooled by it. Once the spirit of manipulation sees your CONSISTENCY and unwillingness to be influenced any longer, it will FLEE from you. Once the spirit of manipulation leaves, and you take back your authority and dominion over the situation, the spirit of control will lose its grip over you and it will flee also.

Also, when a person is operating under a spirit of manipulation (esp false teachers/prophets/pastors), that spirit will tend to use Scriptures that back up its own agenda. The manipulating spirit knows that Christians love God and want to obey the word of God, so it will use the Bible as a tool to manipulate the people. It will twist the Scriptures around and use them out of context. And for those believers who are babes, or unlearned in Biblical exegesis, they will submit to the manipulating spirit just because it quoted a bible verse. Saints, we need discernment. Just because someone uses Scriptures doesn’t mean they are using them in context.

The Devil tried to use scripture on Jesus to make Jesus submit to him, but Jesus combated the enemy by using other authoritative scriptures that showed contradiction in the passages that the devil were trying to use.

When someone is under a manipulating spirit and is trying to use the Bible out of context to bring us under bondage to the spirit of control, we have to know how to use our authority, (which is found in that same Bible), to bring that spirit under subjection. Cast that demon down by letting it know that “IT IS WRITTEN!”

This was for those who are dealing with someone else who is operating under the influence of a control or manipulating spirit. You have to be bold and uncompromising to withstand that spirit.

But if you are the one who is being influenced/possessed by the spirit of control/manipulation, this is how you can be set free: REPENT. Ask God to forgive you for being so controlling and manipulating. Your reason for being controlling may be innocent to you. You may be a very organized person who just likes it when things are in order or you may be a perfectionist. But to want to have things go your way all the time is selfish, inconsiderate and prideful. These are characteristics of the flesh. When you have these wicked habits in your heart, demonic spirits feed off of that. They use your sins as an open door to gain legal access to your life, to influence you and to magnify your sinful nature.

To overcome the controlling and manipulating spirit, you have to humble yourself. You have to realize it’s not all about you. You can’t always have your way. The world doesn’t revolve around you. You have to learn to deny yourself of your agenda. No longer your will, but God’s will be done. Consider others more higher than yourself. You have to learn to exalt others and their needs above your own. When you practice a consistent lifestyle of humility and sacrifice, the spirit of control and manipulation will flee from you.