Hidden Spirits (6)

The Spirit of Divination: A Python spirit that hinders the flow of the Presence of God and grieves the Spirit of God!

Acts 16:16 “It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.”

Acts 16:18 “She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.”

I. The IDENTIFICATION Of This Spirit!

Acts 16:16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl having a spirit of divination met us . . .

What is a spirit of divination? The translation of the phrase “a spirit of divination” is the Greek word for PYTHON.

This is the only instance in the book of Acts that God identifies a specific demon by its name and God calls it PYTHON!

Why do the English translations of the Scripture call it a spirit of divination?

There was a famous prophetic center in the ancient city of Delphi in Greece known as the Center of Delphi.

According to traditions of men, the Greek god Apollo had killed a giant female serpent—a Python—at the Center of Delphi.

According to the traditions of men the spirit of the python remained at the Center of Delphi and prophets and prophetesses who went there had their vocal cords possessed by the spirit of python.

The spirit of python would seize control of their vocal cords and give them prophetic words to speak, compelling them to speak as the spirit of python gave them utterances.

During the height of Center of Delphi’s popularity there were three prophets and three prophetesses who offered advice and counsel through the spirit of python.

As you can imagine there was a constant flow of people to and from the Center of Delphi seeking to receive prophetic words from the spirit of python.

This is where the concept of a “ventriloquist” came from. As you know when a ventriloquist speaks, you hear the words, but you don’t see their lips moving.

Many people believe that this slave girl became demonized when she visited the Center of Delphi and met with one of the prophets or prophetesses.

So, the first thing I want you to notice is that the spirit that controlled this girl was identified as PYTHON. That is the Identification but now I want you to notice:

II. The OPERATION Of This Spirit!

Acts 16:17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation”

WHO was the spirit of PYTHON following after? Luke tells us the spirit of Python was following after PAUL and US!

HOW does the Python spirit gain access into your life? Luke says the Python spirit was “following after Paul” this means Python STALKS its potential victims, looking for access points!

WHAT does the Python spirit often use to gain access into its potential victims? Luke says it was saying something true, but it was using flattery to let weaken their spiritual discernment!

Acts 16:17 “Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.””

WHAT does Python do once it has found an access point into a person’s life? Notice again how Luke describes this young girl: Acts 16:16 “It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.”

Luke describes her as being a “slave girl in bondage to her “masters.”

Whenever the Python spirit enters a persons life through another person, it will not let you break that relationship easily!

This is known as a unholy or unhealthy soul-tie! Even after you have ended the physical or emotional aspect of the relationship, the spiritual nature of the relationship continues!

HOW does the Python spirit manifest its presence and power in your life? The Python snake is unlike all other deadly snakes such as a rattlesnake, spitting cobra, black mamba, copperhead, they all want to kill you with their poison.

The Python spirit wants to CHOKE its prey by seizing control of your BREATH!

Spiritually speaking, the spirit of Python is after the BREATH of God inside of you! The word for breath in Scripture is PNEUMA and it is also translated as WIND.

Notice with me, where the spirit of Python was attempting to keep Paul and the others from entering:

Acts 16:16 “It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us . ..”

Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

I believe the Church of the Living God is being hindered by the spirit of Python from entering into her place of prayer in order to choke the breath, the spirit of God out of us!

However, I hear the word of the Lord saying to me again:

Ezekiel 37:4 “Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’”

Ezekiel 37:5 ““Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.”

Bones in scripture is a picture or type of STRUCTURE without BREATH or LIFE. The spirit of Python’s major objective is to squeeze the breath of the Spirit of God out of a person or place.

Every time you exhale Python constricts tighter and tighter until all that is left is your STRUCTURE.

Python’s major objective is to squeeze the BREATH or the SPIRIT out of a person’s life and or out of a ministry or a Church so that all that is left is their STRUCTURE.

People and Churches get all hung up on STRUCTURE and all that is left are BONES.

Religion does like initially Ezekiel did, religion Prophesies to the BONES and FLESH grows around the bones but there is No Breath or Life or Spirit in the bones anymore:

and I looked, and flesh grew and skin covered them, but there was NO BREATH in them 37:8!

O, but listen to what happened when Ezekiel spoke to the BREATH or to the Spirit. Your Bible says in 37:9 He said to me, Prophesy to the Breath, Prophesy son of man . . . Come from the four WINDS, O BREATH, and BREATHE on these slain SO THAT they can come to LIFE!

And then your Bible says in 37:10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and BREATH came into them, and they came to LIFE and stood on their feet, and exceedingly great army!

The spirit of Python is seeking to choke the anointing out of your life, ministry, marriage, children, finances, dreams, vision, and church!

Anything that has life, anything that has the breath of God is a target of PYTHON! The slave girl possessed with the spirit of Python was following after Paul and US . . .

In Closing I want you to notice:

IV. The RENUNCIATION Of This Spirit!

Acts 16:18 She continued doing this for many days, but Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment!

Notice what your Bible says in 16:18, she continued doing this for MANY days . . .

The Python spirit kept attacking Paul and the disciples for many days, but what did this do to the apostle Paul?

Notice what your Bible says in 16:18 But Paul was greatly annoyed . . .

What did the apostle Paul do when he discerned the activity of this demonic spirit for many days?

Acts 16:18 Paul turned and spoke to the spirit of Python, I command you In The Name Of Jesus Christ to come out of her!

How did the spirit of Python respond to the command it was given in the Name of Jesus Christ?

Acts 16:18 . . . “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.”

My question to you is this: Is anybody GREATLY ANNOYED by the presence of the spirit of Python in your life, ministry, anointing, marriage, family, finances, destiny?

Are you willing to speak to it and in the name of Jesus Christ, command it to come out of your life, ministry, finances, church?

Stand to your feet and join me in singing praises to God and in renouncing the spirit of Python today!