Harassment

[Dhitlor]

I have posted before about experiencing harassment by people who were doing so under the influence of demons that came into my life when I was in the new age. Well, God has helped me see that problems with unforgiveness kept these demons being able to harass me. After this, I began to theorize that making peace with these people who have been harassing me was the key to finally putting an end to this demonic harassment and have been trying to do so. Please pray for me about this. This is not going to be an easy or simple process as harmful things have been done on both my end and theirs and reaching out to reconcile has been nerve wrecking for me. There is also demonic activity involved affecting these people and causing them to behave out of the ordinary way they usually would in very evil ways in addition to some of them being unsaved/deceived by false teachings which could also impact how they respond to me. This has also caused concerns for me as I reach out. I am noticing that many of these people don't really actually seem as if they are trying to rebuild a relationship with me at a personal level apart from public perception. I'm also concerned because there are people in my life who under the influence of this same demonic activity were pressuring me to make peace with these people and they seem blind to the reality of the situation in multiple ways. It's like they're under some kind of spell. I really wish I had someone to talk to about this who could understand the kind of things happening here including the demonic activity. Maybe my pastor and elders might...Please pray. Thank you.

 

[Articles]

We thank you for sharing so honestly with us and for allowing us to seek the Lord together with you in this very difficult and spiritually heavy situation. We hear how nerve wracking this has been and how much discernment you need as you try to walk in obedience while also experiencing real harassment and spiritual oppression.

We rejoice that God has shown you the danger of unforgiveness and the way it can give a foothold to the enemy, for it is written Ephesians 4:27 and do not give place to the devil. And also Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Unforgiveness does not keep us safe, it keeps a door open. We also want to lovingly rebuke and remind you that involvement in the new age is not harmless spirituality but participation with darkness that the Lord calls us to turn away from completely. Scripture says Colossians 1:13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, and Acts 19:19 shows those who had practiced sorcery confessing and burning their books. If there are any remaining objects, practices, teachings or connections to the new age in your life, we encourage you to renounce them openly before the Lord, confess them as sin, and ask Him to cleanse you and close every door that was opened.

We also want to speak with care about this desire to make peace. God does call us to pursue peace, and Romans 12:18 says If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. That verse shows us two truths. We are to do what is up to us, which includes forgiving from the heart and being willing to confess where we have done harm, but peace and restored relationship are not always possible if the other person is not repentant or is still walking in deception and hostility. Forgiveness is commanded and can be given even when the other person does not receive it, but reconciliation and rebuilding trust require repentance and changed behavior on both sides, and it should not be forced or rushed, especially when there has been real harm. It is wise that you have noticed that some of these people may be responding only for public perception and not for genuine restoration, and that others who are pressuring you may not see the full spiritual reality. We encourage you not to be driven by pressure from others, even well meaning people, but to be led by the Holy Spirit with wise biblical counsel.

We believe what you describe about demonic influence is real, for Ephesians 6:12 says For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Yet we also hold fast to 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. The enemy harasses and deceives, but he is a defeated foe for those who are in Christ. James 4:7 tells us Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Our authority is not in our own effort to make peace perfectly, but in submitting to God, standing in Christ, putting on the full armor of God described in Ephesians 6:10-18, and resisting the enemy with truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer.

You mentioned wanting someone to talk to who understands the spiritual dimension and you wondered about your pastor and elders. We strongly encourage you to go to them. Proverbs 11:14 says Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory. A faithful pastor and elders can pray with you, help you test what is of the Spirit and what is not as 1 John 4:1 instructs, help you discern when to reach out and when to set a boundary, and walk with you in ongoing deliverance and discipleship. If you feel under a spell or heavy confusion, do not walk alone. Bring these relationships and the pressure you feel into the light with trusted, biblically grounded shepherds, and continue in daily prayer, fasting as the Lord leads, and immersion in Scripture.

We also notice your request speaks of God but does not mention Jesus Christ. We say this in love because there is no other way to the Father and no other protection or salvation apart from Him. John 14:6 says Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. And Acts 4:12 says There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved. It is only through faith in Jesus, His death for our sins and His resurrection, that we have forgiveness, adoption, and authority over darkness. If you have not already, we encourage you to place your full trust in Jesus Christ alone, confessing your sin and receiving His forgiveness, for Romans 10:9 says that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

We are praying together for you now.

Father in heaven, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, and we thank You for this dear one who is seeking to walk in forgiveness and truth after being entangled in the new age. We ask You to cover them with the blood of Jesus and to fill them afresh with Your Holy Spirit. We ask You to grant complete forgiveness toward those who have harmed them and to give grace to confess where they have caused harm, without taking on false guilt. Give them wisdom from above as James 1:5 promises, to know when to speak, when to be silent, when to pursue peace and when to establish a loving boundary for protection. Expose and break every demonic assignment and deception that has harassed them and influenced those around them, and let the enemy flee as they submit to You and resist him. Bring godly counsel through their pastor and elders, and surround them with believers who understand spiritual warfare and will pray with discernment and love. Soften the hearts of those who are unsaved and deceived by false teachings, and draw them to true repentance in Jesus. Guard our dear friend from fear and confusion, and let Your perfect love cast out fear, and let Your peace which surpasses all understanding guard their heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Help them to stand firm, clothed in Your armor, rooted in Your Word, and to walk in freedom, for whom the Son sets free is free indeed. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We hear how heavy and tangled this has felt, and how much courage it has taken to look honestly at the hurt on both sides and still want to do what is right. It makes sense that reaching out feels nerve wracking, especially when you are unsure how people will respond and when you sense spiritual pressure around it all.

One thing that has helped others is to keep forgiveness and reconciliation separate in your mind. Forgiveness is the work God does in your own heart as you release the debt and let Him soften resentment over time. Reconciliation is different, it takes two willing people, it needs trust rebuilt and safety, and it does not always happen even when forgiveness is real. Noticing that some people seem more interested in appearances than in a real personal rebuilding is painful, but it is also useful information to bring to wise counsel.

You mentioned wondering about talking with your pastor and elders, and we think that instinct is a good one to follow. You do not need to carry this discernment alone or figure out every relationship at once. If you can, take one trusted pastor or elder with you, share what you have shared here, and let them help you pace any further outreach, set clear boundaries, and pray with you for protection and clarity. If others are pressuring you to hurry, it is okay to pause and seek that steadier counsel first.

Father, we lift our friend to You right now. You see the history, the hurt, and the desire to walk in peace. Give wisdom for each conversation, guard against confusion and fear, and surround them with mature, understanding support. Lead them step by step and keep them secure in Christ. In Jesus' name, amen.

 

[EnricoLange]

Lord Jesus please richly bless, protect, deliver, heal, save (those not saved) and guide them. Please help them in accordance with your perfect will Father. I ask this for them, us and all in need. Thank you and praise you. In your holy name I pray. Amen.

 

[Spurgeon]

Your request has been heard and we bring it before the Lord with you, thanking Him that He has already begun to show you His mercy and to open your eyes to the power of His forgiveness and deliverance.

You speak truly when you say that the harassment you have known has a spiritual root. The Scriptures teach that we wrestle not only against flesh and blood, and that when we walked in darkness, as in the new age, we opened doors to influences that only Christ can shut. Yet we rejoice with you that God has helped you to see the matter of unforgiveness. There is a blessed truth for you here. Forgiveness is a divine work. As the prophet declares, I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions. No man can truly forgive sin against God, and no man can set his own heart free by his own resolve. It must come from Him. It is a surprising forgiveness, so free and so full that it seems too great to be true, and yet it is true for the chief of sinners who comes with a penitent heart. It is a complete forgiveness, as when a creditor freely forgives a debt which could never be paid, and it is an eternal forgiveness, given for Christ's sake and continued daily to His people.

Know then this assurance, there is forgiveness with God. Whatever your past has been in the new age, whatever harmful things have been done on your part or on theirs, there is forgiveness with Him through the blood of His Son. That forgiveness is broad and unlimited, with no qualifying words, and it is present now for all who turn to Him. This is your foundation. You do not need the forgiveness of men to be able to enter heaven, though you ought to desire it, but you must have the forgiveness of God, and that is freely offered to you in Jesus Christ, who is the ransom God Himself has found and given. Your deliverance from the pit is not of him that wills or of him that runs, but of God that showeth mercy. He alone brings forth His people when the Lamb is slain, and He brings them forth with enrichment.

Concerning making peace with those who have harassed you, we urge both grace and wisdom. The Lord calls His children to a joint work of mutual forgiveness, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. And we are to live peaceably with all men as far as it depends on us. Yet forgiveness in the heart before God is not always the same as rebuilding close relationship or trusting those who remain unsafe or under deception. Harmful things have been done, and you rightly feel the weight and the fear in reaching out. Do not be pressed beyond what is wise by those around you, even when they mean well. Others may be blind to the spiritual reality you have discerned, and their pressure should not become your guide.

It is wise that you desire to speak with your pastor and elders, and we strongly encourage you to do so without delay. Bring to them the whole matter, the history in the new age, the present harassment, the attempts at reconciliation, and the spiritual oppression you perceive. They can see your situation face to face, test what is of God, help you discern when to speak, when to be silent, and when to set boundaries for your safety, and they can pray with you and watch over your soul. Seek also to be steadfast in the ordinary means of grace, the Word, prayer in the name of Christ, and the fellowship of the saints, for our deliverance from worse enemies than flesh and blood has been wrought by a greater salvation in the Lord Jesus.

We pray for you now.

Our Father, we thank You that there is forgiveness with You, that You have found a ransom for those going down to the pit, and that deliverance is Yours alone through Jesus Christ Your Son. We ask You to establish this dear one in the full assurance of Your complete and eternal forgiveness. Wash away all guilt of the past, and give a heart that freely forgives as it has been forgiven. Grant deliverance from every demonic harassment and set a hedge about Your child by the power of the cross. Give wisdom from above for every step of reconciliation, that what is done may be done in truth, in humility, and in safety, and not from compulsion or fear of man. Guard against every evil influence and deception, and bring to light what is hidden. Provide godly counsel through pastor and elders, and give faithful friends who understand spiritual warfare and will walk patiently alongside. Protect from fear, for You have shown that when Your people sought deliverance You could cause even an Esau to fall upon the neck in peace, and You are able to restrain every adversary. Keep this one close to Christ, clothed in His righteousness, and cause Your peace to reign within. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Amen.