Spirits. Just what are they and how do we deal with them?

I was wondering about spirits and how do they come about entering into a persons life?

How does people even know when they have one?

I dont believe anyone with the Holy Ghost can be anywhere near demon posssessed. But what about Oppressed? Just what is oppression?

This is not something I have heard any preaching on but at times a preacher will refer to spirits yet never go on to explain what he means.

Do people visiting a church open those spirits up to people in the church who may have been struggling with there walk with God?

I find it hard to believe a spirit can jump off of someone onto another person. Am I really wrong in thinking this is what Ive heard others talk about?

Thought this subject might open some interesting discussion with alot of good opinions and knowledge.

Guess I should have made this a hair thread so someone would discuss.

I am not an expert by no means, but I will share this incident with you.

At the time, I was attending an apostolic church and the altar service was going on and I went over to the ladies side to pray.

While praying, I was surrounded by a couple or more sisters, (didn't know them very well, or very long) one of them reached over and scratched my arm to the point of blood red marks ..all this occured while I was praying in the Holy Ghost...this happened twice, I also heard a voice that said you are not wanted here, and you are not welcome here you need to leave... (At this time the church had received new members because of a sister church had split,)

The voice was so surreal I looked up to see who was speaking to me...

then the Lord spoke to me, He said you are in a den of vipers...get out of the middle of them.

At that point, a heaviness was felt on my shoulders pressing me down, (like carrying a too large child on your shoulders) to the point where it made it hard to breathe....

I looked up as far as I could and found a sister I knew and went to her and exhaustedly told her to pray i was under a spiritual attack...please pray now!

As she laid her hands on me, I was able to breathe, but when she would take her hands off me the heaviness would return...this happened 3 times...finally I got aggravated and I spoke out loud and said I rebuke you devil, in the name of Jesus get off me and leave me alone!

Immediately it left and a smell went with it...it was a musky odor...

After the service, the youth had a potato bake for a money raiser..and me and several people along with my family went....as I was setting down with some elders..the shortness of breath came back to me...I told the elders this is not physical this is a spiritual attack....at that time the same sister that had prayed for me walked through the doors...she had left church and was on her way home and the Lord told her to come back and pray for me...

I had only rebuked one spirit but there were two attacking me...she prayed and the 2nd spirit left...

As I was walking her out to her car, we were discussing this incident and two young boys began to argue...within seconds they were coming to blows...

Some young ladies from the other church that had split had come to fellowship and the argument was about them...tAfter the blows were exchanged, I heard one young man as he walked off say...I am not welcome here, I am not wanted here, and I am leaving...(word for word what I had earlier heard).

I ended up speaking to each of these young men, and telling them what had happened to me and that this was a spiritual attack and that I should have binded these spirits & took authority over them....which would have kept them from attacking the young men...we agreed in prayer and the young men are still attending church together and friends...I give God all the glory...

As apostolics, we must realize that the enemy will attack within and without the church. We MUST have intercessors and prayer warriors within the church praying against such attacks. We have to use the power and the authority we have been given. We must cover our pastor's and thier families with prayer as well as our brothers and sisters in the church body and as a WHOLE body of truth beleiver's. From our sister churches to our foreign missionairies to our home mission works...We must pray a hedge of protection about them all!

I was recently reminded in prayer by the Lord, that we must give spiritual birth to our spiritual babies.... much like a woman gives birth in the physical to have her child. Intercessory prayer within the church is a MUST in these last days!

As far as oppressed by spirits, I have heard that terminology used.

I have seen folks that I feel give place to the enemy and are weak in their walk with God and allows spirits to you use them...even after receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost...

All I do know, is that if we will read the word, be faithful to the house of God, build up our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost, we will and do have the power to take authority over any situation that may arise.

I believe we all can be spiritually attacked, but we do not have to allow it. We have authority over the enemy. For greater is he that is within me than he that is within the world.

Sister Deborah Randall wrote some very good books concerning such matters such as these. She had to learn first hand spiritual warfare. Treasures of Darkness.was the title of her first book and she has written many more.

I would be glad to share any info if anyone would like to read these books.

God Bless you all in Jesus name.

Sister Bridges