‘Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her’ (Ac 16:16-18)
This is what happens when you go to a Spirit lead prayer meeting!
Paul and his entourage met a girl possessed with ‘a spirit that predicts the future’. In Greek this sentence is translated ‘A Python Spirit’. She looked innocent enough in the natural. Maybe she had good manners, was humble and hard working. But she was an agent to a deadly evil spirit!!!
In the natural the python is one of the biggest snakes on earth. He does not have poison but kills its prey thru constriction. He is an ambush predator; stays quiet until the victim comes close enough, then he attacks. He is afraid of humans and rarely attacks them directly. For example, a female python can attack a man when protecting her eggs or under provocation. The snake will intimidate and surround the victim with its body until it dies. Then he swallows it whole.
Spiritually speaking the python represents the evil spirit of Jezebel who attacks the believers suddenly. This attack is as a result of the provocation of taking new territories for the Kingdom of God or deliverance of its victims of the devil.
In the story above we see the attack on Paul after the conversion of Lidia, the first true convert in Macedonia. The apostolic and the prophetic anointing will stir the nests of this demon to manifest. The attack will be in the form of strong oppression, intimidation and waves of fear. This attack tortures and torments, almost like drowning in the water.
Torture among humans is an ancient form of punishment or revenge, to force confession from the prisoner. Other times, is just for the wicked desire to humiliate others. For example, crucifixion was common among the Romans, death thru torture, to punish criminals. The victim will hang on the cross and die of asphyxiation. This is how our Lord died!!!
The effects of these attacks of torment will be severe anxiety, insomnia, depression, memory loss; there are feelings of guilt, fear, shame and inferiority complex. The worst syndrome experienced by torture or rape victims is a total psychological break down. It manifests as building walls around the emotions. These people lose any desire to love or trust another human. They resist any attempt to create relationships. They live like islands, socially stranded people. This syndrome is responsible for much loneliness and depression. It destroys marriages and communities. It is the major reason for divorce. Some people end as prostitutes, sexually unrestrained, trying to kill any desire to truly love another.
This evil spirit tried to deceive Paul by doing ‘public relations’ for the men of God. Jezebel tries to be a friend so that like the python, can come close enough to ambush the foolish victim suddenly. The same evil spirit can prophesy and predict the future so that the owner could bet and make money. Jezebel is the Mistress of gambling. With each ‘bit of luck’ the coils of the python tightens the more. You make money but you feel like dying, you lose weight; you feel like you cannot breathe well. The same money will be unable to help you in any hospital.
Pray for the discernment of the spirits and then you shall see the truth: the very wonderful ‘friend’ that publicizes your ministry has great plans to suffocate you with her very oily words!
Even Apostle Paul did not detect it immediately. This is a warning that the spirit of Jezebel is very ‘professional’ in deception. But eventually this evil spirit was identified by Paul and rejected in the name of Jesus.
The girl was freed but the owner, who was also possessed by Jezebel, became furious for losing his ‘supernatural’ source of money. He beat Paul and Silas mercilessly. They were sent to prison as a punishment for a successful deliverance. But their supernatural ministry could not be stopped even in the dark cell. The praise brought God down and the chains melted. The jailer and his family got saved too!
May you have the courage to stand for Jesus and to expose all ‘the snakes’ in this land! They have to die for they have done great harm to the people of God! Do not be sorry for the devil! Do not afraid of ‘backlash’ attacks as you continue to deliver others! In the Old Testament Jezebel died disgracefully at last! All her deceptions, all her spells, failed at the hour of judgment! It is the same today! The great prostitute has been exposed and destroyed! This is the Word of God! Join the army of the Savior as we continue to pray for revival in Warri, Nigeria!
In Jesus name,
Amen!