Breaking Off a Familiar Spirit During Dire Straits
In difficult seasons, familiar spirits often seek to exploit our vulnerabilities, leading to distress and hindering our spiritual growth. Identifying and overcoming familiar spirits during challenging seasons, such as Dire Straits, is critical to moving into the fourth dimension of faith and unlocking your Kingdom destiny.
Understanding the Dire Straits
Dire Straits, a period of spiritual trials, is likened to navigating a crowded and stormy harbor. During these times, the enemy overplays his hand, making it crucial to be vigilant and spiritually prepared. We can navigate these narrow places with God’s peace by recognizing and addressing the triggers that shift us from faith to fear.
Bein Ha-Metzarim
This time of Dire Straits begins on the 17th of Tammuz and ends on the 9th of Av. In Hebrew, these three weeks are referred to as Bein ha-Metzarim, which means “within the straits” or “within the borders.”
This period historically holds much tragedy for Israel and the Jewish people. Most prominent was the destruction of both the First and Second temples on the 9th of Av. Traditionally these weeks leading up to the 9th of Av are marked with mourning and sober reflection.
Knowing the history of this period and the destruction that occurred, it is clear why the enemy’s attacks are so fierce, trying to mock God’s sovereignty and plan. It is the perfect context for dealing with the spirit of familiarity. So we must not remain “unaware of the enemy’s schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Distraction, doubts, and confusion aim to move you from your firm foundation in Jesus Yeshua, but as you stand grounded in His Living Word and Truth, you will not be shaken!
Steps to Break Off Familiar Spirits
This is not a time to be caught off guard but rather to be equipped with God’s power to outwit the enemy. As these familiar spirits come up, they must be cast out. God can do deep emotional healing during this time, breaking off the spirit of familiarity you have been facing.
These are some steps to take, preparing your heart for deliverance and revelation:
- Journaling and Self-Reflection: Start by listing your strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on recent events where fear or familiar spirits influenced your decisions. What was the context? Was it tied to a place or person or past experience? Invite God into the details.
- Identifying Triggers: Determine the mental and emotional triggers that caused you to move from strength to weakness. These triggers often stem from past patterns of thinking that started with an agreement. Equally damaging to painful experiences and tragedies in our lives, is how we interpret them. If God reveals a memory or pattern of experiences, be honest when Him about how you’ve interpreted it, or how it was interpreted for you. What did you come into agreement with? What have you come to believe about yourself or about God as a result? Ask Jesus to show you His interpretation, the truth of where He was, and what He was doing. Choose to come into full agreement with Him.
- Seeking God’s Purpose: Understand that God uses these trials to refine you and even heal you from past experiences. Just as Jesus slept peacefully during the storm, you can find peace amid your challenges, trusting the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We’re not promised to always have understanding, but God does promise we will always have Him. As you choose God in the midst of your struggles and questions, He will minister to your heart and satisfy your soul. “Oh, satisfy us early with your mercy…” (Psalm 90:14)
Examples of Familiar Spirit Attacks
Familiar spirits often stem from generational curses. Because these spirits likely have a history in your family line, they can be hard to detect. You may have become accustomed to their impact. Look for patterns. For example, does there always seem to be an attack on your joy before a significant event? Or maybe fear cuts your knees out from under you each time you attempt to step out?
In many cases, the enemy doesn’t want you to notice him so he can continue to operate unconfronted. Through prayer and spiritual discernment, God will reveal the familiar spirit and break it off from your life. But you must ask Him. Individuals and families have experienced incredible breakthroughs by noticing patterns and asking God to shed light on it. He wants to do the same for you!
Practical Tips for Overcoming Spirits of Familiarity
As mentioned, the enemy overplays his hand during Dire Straits. So, get a journal and begin writing down what you notice. Ask God to begin revealing to you any familiar spirits that are hindering you in this challenging season.
- Take a Piece of Paper and Make a List
Take a piece of paper and pencil, draw a line right down the middle, and write “strong” on one side and “weak” on the other.
You can do this any time, especially during stormy seasons when familiar spirits and fear are pressing in and bogging you down in the narrow places, Dire Straits.
Go back and think over the past few weeks. Have you gone through a stormy season? What familiar feelings did that season bring up?
- Ask the Lord
Ask the Lord about the mental and emotional triggers that cause you to go from strong in faith to weak in fear. Write all this down in your journal.
The enemy is like an animal and can smell fear. When we operate in fear, he knows and will pile on familiar spirits to keep you there.
Spend time in prayer, seeking God’s guidance, and praying in tongues to strengthen your spirit.
- Know There Is a Purpose
It can be difficult to see, but there is a purpose to Dire Straits and familiar spirit attacks. The Lord wants to prepare you for your purpose. He is not punishing you for your past.
He wants to partner with you and give you peace so you can overcome the familiar spirits and shut the mouth of the accuser.
In the middle of the stormy season, He is preparing you to be like Jesus, to take authority over the winds and rain (mind, will, and emotions), and bring the boat through the narrow passage.
During Dire Straits…
Summing up the tips, during Dire Straits…
- Make a list of these questions and ask God to guide you through them.
- What triggered me?
- Where did it come from?
- What emotions do I feel?
- When did I feel this way in my past?
- Then…
- Spend time seeking the Lord. Ask Him to replace the negative emotions with the truth about your identity and His plans for you.
- Pray in tongues.
- Come out of agreement with and renounce the familiar spirit in Jesus’ name.
Confirming God’s Will
See resistance as not something to quickly get over, but as a confirmation that you are on the right path. Smooth paths may indicate traps laid by the enemy. Perseverance and experience in spiritual warfare build confidence and trust in God’s plan.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, focus on the ultimate goal of spiritual growth and alignment with God’s will.
Putting God into Remembrance of His Faithfulness
Overcoming fear involves putting God into remembrance of His faithfulness. By declaring God’s promises, such as “No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” we can combat fear and confusion, moving forward in our spiritual journey.
Prayer for Remembrance of God’s Word
“Father God, Your Word says, ‘No weapon formed against me shall prosper.’ Every tongue speaking against me from the outside, in my head, anywhere that speaks against Your will, I condemn it. That’s the inheritance of the saints. I’m a saint. That’s my inheritance. I cut it off. I choose to take baby steps forward. I’m going to crawl, walk, run into my future, and, Lord, go with me. Hold my hand, guide me, teach me because I have learned and decreed, may it be written in the Courts of Heaven this day that I choose to follow Your will, not mine, but let my will die, in Yeshua’s name.”
In Conclusion
Breaking off familiar spirits requires vigilance, prayer, and trust in God’s guidance. By identifying triggers, seeking God’s purpose, and declaring His promises, we can overcome spiritual challenges and grow stronger in our faith.