You have to ask questions. What is your problem? How does it affect you? When did it start? That tells us whether it could be a generational problem. What happened at that time when it started? Was it something you did, or was it something that happened in your family? Those are sorts of the ways I would look and ask. I’m looking – did you do something that opened the door; did someone do something to you that opened the door; or did this come from the family. The person must be open and honest. So we have to find out what the real problem is. Have you opened the door to evil spirits; and has it been opened in your family by someone else?
I’ll just give you an example. I had a woman call me, whose house was haunted. “Please come and fix the haunted house”. So I went there, and the woman and her boyfriend, and her daughter and boyfriend, were all in the house. They were all very afraid - they said: “Our house is haunted. There are noises and things. We can’t sleep and we’re frightened”. As I began to talk with them, I could hear the noises. “Wow. Can you hear this?” I said: “Yeah I know there’re things there - they’ll go soon. I want to know how they got here.”
So I started to ask questions. In finding the root of problems, you have to ask questions - and listen - then ask more questions. Develop a listening attitude. Listening to the people, and listening to the Holy Spirit - because He’ll show you where to ask. You’ll have a thought come, to ask something.
So this is how I did it, because I knew what the problem was – there were ghosts in the house, I said: “How long has it been like this?” “A while, it was two weeks”. “What happened two weeks ago?” “I don’t know”. Then they tell me “Oh yes, my daughter and her boyfriend came to live here”. So I get this clear: “Before they came, no problems at all?” “That’s correct”. “After they came, now the problem’s here?” “Correct”. “Therefore the boy and the girl have brought the problem to the house”. Quite simple - not hard to ask these questions.
So I said to the two of them: “Tell me this, before you came here and had this problem here, did you have this problem in your house?” Yes they did. So you brought it with you then. “Yes we must have”. “So it came with one of you - we can find out who it came with”. I said: “Was it in the house where you previously lived?” “No it wasn’t”.
Let’s have a look again. So I asked them: “Has either of you been involved in the occult?” “No.” “No.” I said: “Has either of you slept with someone involved in the occult?” The girl said: “That was me - it was my last boyfriend.” I said: “Did that relationship end badly?” She said: “Yes.” “Did he curse you?” She said: “Yes.”
I said: “Well, by sexual relationship with that man, you become one with him, so the demon had every right to enter your life. As a result of sexual relationship, and him cursing you, the demon has come to you, has come into your house - and you brought it to this house. So when you leave, it will go - it’s with you.” This was a shock! She said: “All they could think of was there’s a ghost in this house. They didn’t think of finding: if there’s a ghost there, how did he get to be there.” I said: “Your sin has opened the door for the spirit.”
So we led them all to the Lord, renounced the relationship and agreement with the spirit, commanded them to leave, and the house came to rest - and they came to rest, and they moved back to their own place again. It was easier to blame the house of being haunted, than to take ownership of the problem. Do houses get haunted? Yes they do, and usually someone has invited the spirit in- either they were involved in the occult, or some form of Spiritism; or there was a tragedy in the house - otherwise it wouldn’t be there.
So, you see then you’ve got to actually diagnose the root of the problem. If you find the person has been involved in some form of sorcery or occultic activity - and there’s just so many of them - you’ve got to enquire, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you locate the root. So asking questions like: when did it first start; and what happened about that time; can draw out this issue.
So I begin to identify: is this generational; or is this personal – they did something themselves. You got to really get this clear: we’re diagnosing what the cause of the demon being there is.
Then, step 3: you need to explain to them what Christ has done. Briefly explain what Christ has done. They need to understand the power of the blood of Jesus, the power of God - He has authority over all these demons. It doesn’t need to be long, but you need to present Jesus to them. Jesus is the deliverer; Jesus is the conqueror of demons - share a little bit like I just did with you about the scripture.
Then you need to explain their part in getting free - explain to them what they must do. Explain their part, and their part involves: you need to repent, and confess the sin. Go through the foundations - you have to deal with your sin. You’ve invited the spirits in, and you must confess, and ask Jesus to forgive you.