Confronting the Deaf and Dumb Spirit

God wants you to hear clearly and declare the Word of the Lord freely. But there are forces of darkness that you must confront in order to be effective in your mission. Jesus told His disciples as recorded in Matthew 13:43, “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, He who has ears, let him hear.” You are called to confront and dislodge the demonic power that hinders you from hearing the Holy Spirit and attempts to rob you of your capacity to speak clearly.

Our Fight What is a spiritual stronghold? Ed Silvosa of Harvest Evangelism defines it as, “a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable, situations that we know are contrary to the will of God.” Note that the enemy does not work haphazardly. He has schemes, plans, goals, strategies and methods to carry them out. (See Ephesians 6:11; 1 John 5:18-19)

A Look at Ephesians 6:12 from Various Translations

From the New America Standard Version:
- “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
From the New International Version:
- “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
From the Living Word Translation:
- “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”
From the Amplified Version:
- “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotism—(an absolute ruler, absolute in power, a tyrant), against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural sphere.”

We Are Called to Confront Strongholds

We are born in the midst of a spiritual battle and we are born for battle as the agents in the army of the Lord. Jesus said that He had given us “power and authority over all the power of the enemy.”

Five Levels of Spiritual Conflict

The Conflict Between God and Satan
The Conflict Between the Elect Angels and the Fallen Angels
The Conflict Between Satan and the Saints
The Conflict Between Satan and the Unsaved
The Conflict Between the Law of the Mind and the Law of the Spirit

Six Classes of Spiritual Forces

Principalities/rulers (arche) – a ruler must have someone or something or somewhere over which to exercise its dominion or rule. (Ephesians1: 21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 1:16; 2:10).
Authorities (exuosia) again; “authority” demands a subordinate (Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; Colossians 1:16).
Powers (dunamis) – Ephesians 1:21. In Mark 9:29, Jesus refers to a type of demon that cannot come out but by prayer and fasting. Possibly some demons are stronger and more powerful than others; hence, a hierarchy or differentiation based on spiritual strength.
Dominions (kuriote tos) – again, “lordship/dominion” over what/whom/where? (Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 1:16).
Thrones (thronoi) – used of angels only in Colossians 1:16. Psalms 22:3; Daniel 7:10
World rulers (kosmo kratoras) – used only in Ephesians 6:12.

Five Primary Scriptures on the Deaf and Dumb Spirit

From Isaiah 42:18-20
“Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the LORD? You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.”
From Isaiah 42:21-22
“It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious. But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, “Send them back.”
From Malachi 2:7-8
“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty.”
From Mark 9:17-18
“A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
From Luke 9:38-39
“A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.”

Five Characteristics of the Deaf and Dumb Spirit

From my experience and research, I have found there to be at least five distinct characteristics of this Deaf and Dumb demonic spirit.

Problems with Detachment – Matthew 17:15
“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for the often falls in to the fire and often into the water.”
Falls to Sleep – Luke 22:45
“When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.”
Dull of Hearing – Hebrews 5:11-13
“Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.”
Walks in a Stupor – Romans 11:8
“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to the very day.”
Consistent Struggle with Doubt and Unbelief – John 8:43, 47
“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word…He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

You Can Break the Power of the Enemy

God always has a solution for every problem. The following are basic reminders of our scriptural tools we must use to enforce the victory of the cross of Jesus. Always remember, on the cross Jesus declared, “It is finished!”

Let’s Walk in God’s Remedy!

Faith Comes by Hearing and Hearing the Word of Christ – Romans 10:17
The Lord Opens My Ear Morning by Morning – Isaiah 50:4
I Will Hear what the Lord Will Speak – Psalms 85:8
God Speaks Once, God Speaks Twice – Job 33:14
I Have Come to Bring Good News – Luke 7:22

A Closing Prayer of Exercising Authority

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I declare that Jesus has already defeated satan by His death, burial and resurrection and has stripped the devil of his powers. Jesus gave His authority over all the powers of darkness to His disciples. I am a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, by the power of the name of Jesus and by His shed blood for me, I command that the entrenchment of the deaf and dumb spirit be dislodged. I command it to lift off of me and my household and leave now by the authority of the Word of God. I declare you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. I am free in Christ Jesus! Amen and Amen!

Blessings to hear and declare the Word of God with boldness!

James W. Goll

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