16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Acts 16:16-18 (KJV)
Before we go any further, let me declare unequivocally that I fully embrace ALL of the various ways the Holy Spirit might choose to manifest Himself. I am assuredly NOT a “cessationist.” Nor am I a rabid “heresy hunter” who labels as suspect everything that does not agree with me on every little point. However, a word of warning must be sounded because so many professing to be Charismatic or Pentecostal are far less grounded in clear Scriptural Principles than they think they are.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (I Corinthians 10:11 KJV)
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth regarding the tactics of the devil that, “we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Cor. 2:11). Sadly, too many in the contemporary church know little or nothing about the strategy and tactics of the enemy. In the above passage from Acts, we are informed of one of the primary tactics the enemy uses to hinder the Move of God.
This young girl, exploited by those who profited from her distress, was under the influence of a demonic spirit. The Greek word used here is [πύθωνος], from which we derive our English word “python.” She was controlled by a “python spirit.” A “python spirit” is, among other things, most often the spirit behind false prophecy and fortune telling. In the natural realm, actual pythons do not kill by injecting poison as do other serpents. They kill and devour by wrapping their bodies in coils around their victims and squeezing the breath out of the victim’s lungs. After the victim suffocates, the python is free to take its time and slowly devour the corpse.
Notice the specific tactics employed by this “python spirit” against the Apostle Paul and his companions. This young girl began to declare, under the influence of this demonic spirit, “These men are the servants of the Most High God!” She began with an appeal to human ego and pride. Had Paul been like too many modern “Charismatics,” he sadly would have embraced this young girl as a “prophetess,” thankful for yet another “prophetic voice vindicating his ministry,” proclaiming to the world just how great an Apostle he really was! Never forget that the genuine “spirit of prophecy” testifies to Jesus Christ and exalts Him alone (Rev. 19:10). Certainly prophetic utterance might reveal some aspect of a person’s destiny, but the ultimate Glory MUST go to God and NEVER merely exalt some man! Although the girl’s statement was factual, she was motivated by a demonic spirit.
Which brings up another point. The Bible says that there is “no truth” in the devil or demonic spirits aligned with him (John 8:44). Yet we must make a sharp distinction between “facts” and TRUTH! “Familiar spirits” know certain “facts” about people, but they do not communicate TRUTH! In their presentation of certain “facts” they only seek to deceive and bring their victims into bondage, slowly squeezing the life out of those who are seduced by them. This young girl knew certain “facts” because of the demonic spirit controlling her, but she was not presenting or promoting TRUTH.
Next we need to see what she did. “She followed Paul and us.” Wow! One primary tactic of demonic spirits is to seek to infiltrate a genuine Move of God and sow seeds of “mixture.” If the seducing spirit can “blur the lines” in the minds of people, many will not see that there is much if any difference between what Paul is doing and what the girl is doing. Sadly, some modern Charismatics have given place and even platform to “python spirits” and touted them as “prophets.” All too often the “red flags” of warning are ignored or dismissed because the individual in question was able to reveal certain “facts” supernaturally. Please don’t get me wrong. The Holy Spirit of God can and does certainly reveal facts and information by the Word of Knowledge. Sometimes as a sign, the Holy Spirit will reveal a name or a phone number in the furthering of His Holy Purpose. I have experienced these things myself. However, just because someone knows your name supernaturally, or can reveal some fact about your life, does not in itself guarantee that the person is necessarily legitimate.
Next I want to look at the statement made by the “python spirit.” It was declared that Paul and his fellows had come to, “show us the way of salvation.” However, we must recognize that the definite article does NOT appear in Greek before “way,” leading some translators to render, “who show us A way of salvation.” Listen, Jesus Christ is not “A” way! Jesus Christ is “THE” Way! There is NO other way! First the “python spirit” attempted to gain entrance to infiltrate by appealing to ego. Beware if someone claiming to be a “prophet” is constantly “prophesying” how great you are and endeavoring to inflate your opinion of yourself! Only Jesus is GREAT and greatly to be praised! Next, the “python spirit” attempted to sow a seed of doctrinal compromise. Always keep at the forefront of your thinking that God’s Written Word is “the more sure word of prophecy” (II Peter 1:19). Any alleged “prophetic utterance” that violates any clear Principle in the Written Word of God must be immediately judged and rejected.
“Manifestations” can originate from one of three possible sources. First they can be brought forth by the Holy Spirit of God. Second, some “manifestations” are simply the result of someone’s “soulish” flesh. And third, some manifestations might be brought forth by the activity of a demonic spirit through someone that is yielded to it.
There are three primary ways to recognize the activity of a demonic spirit. First, the Holy Spirit might reveal the presence of a demonic spirit by either the Word of Knowledge or Discernings of Spirits (I Cor. 12:8-10). Second, the demonic spirit might reveal itself in some unmistakable way. Demons would often cry out as Jesus approached. In one of my meetings a woman began to writhe on the ground like a serpent, spitting, hissing, and clawing at me with her hands. It did not take a supernatural revelation to see that she was definitely demonized. And third, demonic spirits can be identified by recognizing the “fruit” that they produce (Matt. 12:33). We are told in Scripture that this demonized girl followed Paul for “many days.” Scripture does not tell us by which means Paul recognized the demonic activity. Perhaps Paul experienced a Word of Knowledge or Discernings of Spirits. Or perhaps Paul evaluated the “fruit” of that spirit as it attempted to sow seeds of mixture, blurring the lines between the genuine and the counterfeit. At any rate, Paul took authority over that “python spirit” and cast it out in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In like manner, by whichever means we might become aware of demonic activity, every single genuine “Born Again” believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has authority over demonic spirits to cast them out.
Kenneth E. Hagin, Senior, told the story of a widowed Pentecostal minister with whom he was acquainted. This minister decided to take some time off and go to another city for a vacation, thinking that getting away from the pressures of ministry for a few days might help him in the grieving process. He found what looked like a “church” just a few blocks from his hotel and decided to attend. During the “service” the “minister” walked down to him and told him that his wife had recently died (a “fact”). But then this “minister” told him that his dead wife was present now, and had a message for him if he would receive it. The Pentecostal minister vehemently objected that his wife was NOT there. She was in Heaven with Jesus. And since she was not there, she definitely did NOT have a message for him. Needless to say, he departed from that spiritualist meeting as quickly as he could. Any time somebody “prophesies” about some dead relative coming to you in some way to help you, you can be certain from Scripture that the individual speaking is doing so by a “python spirit.” Get away from there as quickly as you can!
Today “python spirits” are still endeavoring to infiltrate the church, and cause confusion as they blur the lines in the minds of some between what is genuine and what is counterfeit. As Rodney Howard-Browne stated, “I am more confident in God’s ability to bless me than I am in the devil’s ability to deceive me!” And we certainly cannot go to the extreme on the other side and “despise prophesying” and just shut the whole thing down (I Thess. 5:20). But we must keep our eyes wide open and not bury our heads in the sand. We cannot afford to refuse to see what we do not want to see. The enemy even now attempts to sow seeds of mixture into churches. We must be sober and vigilant and guard the purity of the Move of God in our generation.
Be Blessed!
