CHAPTER FOUR
Defeating Demonic Carpenters

“If anyone fiercely attacks you it will not be from Me. Whoever attacks you will fall because of you. Listen carefully, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the destroyer to inflict ruin. No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from Me,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 54:15–17 AMP

Dreams are one way God communicates with me. Not every dream I have is a message from God, but many are. Several years ago, I had a dream that looked like a typical scene from a war movie. I was being pursued by dark forces. In every house where I found refuge, my location became known to them, and they would then try to find a way in. Each time I escaped. Toward the end of the dream, I was walking across a lawn in front of a house, which I consider to be a type of threshold between the street and the entrance of the house. I had been hiding in a house, and as I exited, the dark forces started to engage me. I began to battle against them with everything I had. It seemed as though the battle had just begun when a voice from heaven suddenly spoke. “Safe passage!” I knew this was God’s voice. In that moment, all of the dark forces froze in their tracks—no one moved. God spoke again, “Safe passage.” I could see the sun rising in the distance, representing a new day, and I walked toward it.

What was God saying in this dream? I believe the interpretation is that no matter what dark forces come against you, God has the final word. God’s word is absolute in all matters when He declares, “Safe passage!” Every dark force working against me had to cease. God tells Israel, “No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn” (Isaiah 54:17 AMP, emphasis added). God has given you authority over your enemies, and you condemn every tongue!

Though our victory is sure, we still must recognize how Satan and his forces come against us so that we can confront them in the wisdom of the Lord. Among the forces he releases against us are demonic “carpenters.” Demonic carpenters are dark forces that operate against you by trying to construct a different reality for you than the one God intends. These dark forces operate within a highly structured framework and have a singular focus: frustrating your purpose by hindering your prayers. The enemy believes if he can frustrate your purpose by hindering your prayers, you will become disillusioned and stop praying. When you stop praying, unbelief and discouragement takes the place of faith, and your heart begins to grow cold toward the Lord. Ephesians 6:12 admonishes us that we do not contend against flesh and blood. Your fight is not against your neighbor, co-worker or family member with whom you have an unresolved issue. Your fight is against demonic rulers committed to keeping you from seeing promises of God manifest in your life. God has given you spiritual weapons to fight and prevail against demonic powers. God has given you the weapon of prayer to overcome your enemy. Satan does not play fairly; he uses your weakness against you to overcome you. But, when you commit to prayer, God will give you strategies to overcome your enemy, and you will triumph. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14 AMP).

Demonic forces operate in a type of confederacy, which is defined as a league or compact for mutual support or common action; it is an alliance of people or groups formed for an illicit purpose. Another way to look at this structure is to think of gangs or teams. I want you to notice how Satan not only mobilizes demonic forces against you, he also constructs demonic structures designed to entangle you, which will then hinder and frustrate you. Thus we see demonic carpenters operating in opposition to us, working to establish a demonic stronghold within us. This stronghold becomes a base of operation for the enemy.

Demonic confederacies sometimes operate through a local confederation of people. In his book The Future War of the Church, Chuck D. Pierce discusses Satan’s confederation:

Even though we are not warring against flesh and blood, the demonic forces in an area are usually working through a group of people who have aligned themselves with Satan through idolatrous worship, forming a churchlike entity—a fellowship devoted to Satan. Such confederations can take on many forms, including covens of witches, churches of Satan, Wicca groups and pagan worship.1

In many instances, Satan uses people to advance his agenda on earth. Perhaps you are being oppressed by an employer or co-worker. Maybe attacks are perpetrated against you by someone else you come in contact with. Is it possible that Satan is using these individuals to attack you and frustrate you as you move toward seeing God’s promises released on your behalf through prayer? This is not an encouragement to become suspicious of everyone around you, but in some instances, this might be exactly what is happening. That is why you must operate in the gift of discernment, which is one of the spiritual weapons we will discuss in chapter 10.

Unforgiveness

Satan uses weapons such as demonic arrows to pierce your soul. These arrows can come in the form of hurtful words spoken to you by someone, disappointment, unresolved traumas from your childhood or betrayal in a relationship. When your soul is pierced with a demonic arrow, if the issue is unresolved, you can suffer a setback in seeing your prayers answered.

Let’s consider the issue of unforgiveness. When you choose not to forgive, it is like dropping the anchor of your life into a moment in time when you were wounded by another. This anchor keeps you tied to your past. Demonic carpenters have free access to you, constructing walls around you to isolate you—not only from the people who hurt you but from positive relationships as well. Unforgiveness can lead to resentment, bitterness and mistrust, thereby separating you from others. It is possible that the people who offended you are unaware of what happened as a result of their actions. They may sense a change in your emotions without understanding that you are harboring unforgiveness. This change is directly related to your thought processes and behaviors. When this happens, you will not see the measure of response to prayer that you desire because you are harboring unforgiveness.

If you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14–15 AMP

Peter raised the issue of forgiveness with Jesus in Matthew 18, asking Jesus how often he should forgive his brother. Peter probably knew the number seven was considered the number of completion and perfection. He was assuming that if he forgave seven times, this was all God required of him. But Jesus responded by telling Peter he was required to forgive seventy times seven, or nearly five hundred times. In other words, Jesus was telling Peter that he must be prepared to forgive every time someone transgressed against him. When we receive forgiveness from God, it is eternal. The reference to seventy times seven is representative of the eternal forgiveness that we extend to our transgressors. It seemed that Peter did not remember Jesus’ earlier teaching on forgiveness.

Growing up in a home with a stepparent who was a functional alcoholic was not easy. Although I found a hiding place in books, at times I was affected by the angry noise that would often arise in our home. The effect on my life manifested in anger and resentfulness. I could not understand why our home was not like the homes of my friends. My perception was that their homes were quiet, and no family member spoke in anger to another. I thought their homes were always filled with laughter and kind words. This perception became the catalyst of overwhelming anger, and I developed resentment toward my parents that grew into unforgiveness and bitterness. I had been pierced with a demonic arrow of offense. The feelings remained with me until I surrendered my life to the Lord. As I surrendered my life to the Lord and received deliverance, the Holy Spirit began revealing the bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart. Although I wanted to be free, I just could not seem to overcome in this area. Thank God for His grace and mercy. What I could not surrender in my own strength, the Holy Spirit helped me to surrender. I began walking in total freedom.

When you are pierced by a demonic arrow, it can come in the form of offense or some other issue. It is important to recognize these circumstances as an attempt by Satan to pierce you. I often hear people say, “I will never forgive that person!” This is tragic simply because when we choose to hold on to the wrong that has been done to us, we are locked in that moment in time. Forgiveness is liberating. It is not easy to forgive someone who has wounded you. Maybe the offense against you was a horrific event that you have kept secret for many years. If you want to experience more answers to your prayers, you must allow Holy Spirit to help you to forgive. He helps us when we are weak. Those things that we cannot do in our own strength, Holy Spirit helps us. If you have dropped anchor on a situation in your life and have not been able to move forward, choose today to let it go. Forgiveness is a key to defeating demonic carpenters that might be operating in your life. Remember the words of Jesus: “If you are not willing to forgive, you won’t be forgiven.”

LAW OF FORGIVENESS

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

APPLICATION

Ask the Lord to show you anyone against whom you are harboring a spirit of unforgiveness. As Holy Spirit brings situations and people before you, surrender each situation to the Lord. Do not attempt to justify your feelings, just release them to the Lord.

It is time for you to move forward into your destiny. Do not choose to remain in a place of unforgiveness. A simple prayer for these times follows.

Today, I choose to forgive those who have offended and wounded me. I give up my right to be angry or carry thoughts of vengeance. Lord, vengeance belongs to You, and I place this issue in Your hands, trusting Your ways and not my own. I release myself from every demonic arrow the enemy has tried to pierce me with. Instead, I send the fiery arrow of the Lord to the camp of the enemy. I decree that the arrow the enemy has tried to pierce me with, he is pierced with himself. Today, I choose to meditate on the Word of God and not on the wrongs done to me. As I pray, everything concerning my potential that has died as a result of unforgiveness is being resurrected now. According to Isaiah 60:1–5, it is my time to rise and shine, for the Light of the Lord is rising upon me. Right now, every dormant gift within me is being resurrected. I pray this in the name of Jesus!

Familial Spirits

Releasing familial spirits to operate in our lives is another way demonic confederacies operate against you. This may also be referred to as generational iniquity. Familial spirits or generational iniquities are passed down from generation to generation. We can see this in families struggling with issues of domestic violence. Research shows that children who grew up in families marked by domestic violence often find themselves in similar situations as adults.2 Drug addiction or alcoholism in the family often continues among children raised by alcoholic parents.3 This is an iniquitous pattern, a manifestation of iniquity that has been passed down from generation to generation. Chuck Pierce discusses iniquitous patterns and familial spirits in The Spiritual Warfare Handbook:

Through the sin and iniquitous pattern, a familial spirit controls a certain person in a family. Sin is an opening for demonic forces to work in subsequent generations of a family through the iniquity produced. They know the family weaknesses, and therefore entice, tempt, or lure family members with that weakness into the same or related sin. Spirits that are assigned to a family are called familial spirits. Some have been in families for generations on end.4

In this pattern of generational iniquities, resulting in familial spirits operating within a family, the enemy operates generationally. God manifests Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Satan, in counterfeiting whatever God does, also operates within a generational structure.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. . . . He did what was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father (ancestor) David, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

2 Kings 22:1–2 AMP

You can choose righteousness, regardless of the iniquitous patterns in your family line. Josiah looked back more than ten generations in his family line before finally choosing King David, a man after God’s heart, as his example for living. The result of Josiah’s decision was the reestablishment of a pattern of righteousness, which his grandfather Manasseh had chosen to ignore. You can follow Josiah’s example. If there are iniquitous patterns in your bloodline like alcohol, drugs, pornography addiction or some similar issue, you can choose to walk in righteousness. If you are struggling with iniquitous patterns that have been passed down in your bloodline, you can be free today. This simple prayer will help move you toward freedom:

Father, I thank You for the power of redemption paid for me through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Lord, thank You for revealing iniquitous patterns that are affecting me and hindering my prayers. These patterns are things that became part of my life as I grew up watching behaviors in my family. I acknowledge that these patterns are unrighteous and do not agree with Your Word. They hinder my prayers. Lord, I repent today and refuse to walk in ungodly patterns. Beginning today, let me walk in the redemptive gifts You have placed in my family. Like Josiah, I choose to walk in righteousness. Today, I choose freedom, in Jesus’ name.

Thrones of Iniquity

Thrones of iniquity can operate in a region, providing Satan with access to entire regions. Thrones speak of government or rulership and can be established within families and regions. Demonic carpenters are working to build dark access points of control. Chuck Pierce explains that

Satan’s objective is to block the plans of God by establishing his legal right to control an area. . . . Satan gains access in an area the same way he gains access to an individual’s life or family line: through sin. He does this by encouraging individual or family sin to escalate into corporate sin. When corporate sin enters into our assigned boundaries, we need to be aware of how that sin can build a throne of iniquity and how we, being positioned in God’s army, have the authority to dismantle it. Corporate sin—for example, idolatry, bloodshed, immorality and covenant breaking—creates a break in God’s purpose, or order, for a region. Once this break begins to occur, Satan will take advantage to gain an upper hand and begin to establish his influence in that area. From that place of influence, Satan can build a throne upon which he is seated in a territory.5

Satan establishes himself as a counterfeit authority within a region, seeking to draw the entire region to his false light. Ultimately, Satan’s desire is to establish himself within a region as the object of worship. This has been his singular goal, to exalt himself above God and become the object of man’s worship. When this happens, God’s authority is rejected. Pierce continues,

Satan knows that men and women were created as vessels of worship and, whether they realize it or not, they will worship something. The simple fact is that either they are worshiping the true and living God or they are worshiping Satan and his demonic forces, whether overtly or through their sin (whether sins of omission or commission). It is this corporate sin that builds the foundation of the throne on which Satan is seated, and it is from that throne that demonic forces work to perpetuate the sin and establish the throne of iniquity to an even greater extent.6

Satan is always looking for an opportunity to control entire family lines, which then creates demonic access into regions. Prayer is a way to keep ourselves connected to God’s Kingdom agenda, accessing Kingdom power and strength to overcome every assignment of the enemy against us. “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all [the universe]” (Psalm 103:19 AMP).

Prayerlessness, then, creates the opportunity for Satan to enter and entrench his agenda into our lives. Prayer is the key strategy helping us to resist the enemy’s attacks. Developing skills to engage in the type of prayer that brings forth manifestations of God’s will and purpose in your life is vital. God is the supreme ruler of the universe. No matter how powerful Satan’s kingdom seems to be, God rules over all! God’s plan will be fulfilled on earth. It includes freedom and victory for you over every obstacle the enemy places on your path. No matter how long you have waited for the manifestation of God’s promises, His plan will come to pass. As you partner with God and develop the strategies of violent prayer, demonic carpenters that are trying to hinder you will be defeated. This is God’s will and desire for you.

Demonic Altars

Demonic altars are established in a family or territory through false worship. When God delivered Israel out of Egypt, the first thing He did was establish the pattern of worship. Generations of the children of Israel had grown up in Egypt worshiping idols according to the pattern in the kingdom of darkness. Now God was liberating His people with His mighty arm so they could learn how to worship Him, the supreme ruler of the universe. God’s intent was for the Israelites to know Him through worship and reject the pattern of worship at demonic altars that they had learned in Egypt. This proved problematic for Israel, as they continued to return to false patterns of worship.

The book of Judges demonstrates a cycle of worship at demonic altars to which the people of Israel continually gave themselves over. Judges 6 describes a young man named Gideon, whose father, Joash, worshiped at the altar of Baal. As the patriarch of the family, Joash would have instructed Gideon in the family pattern of worship. No wonder Gideon responded in unbelief when the angel of the Lord spoke to him. Gideon had never heard Baal speak to him, and I am sure he was not expecting to hear God speak to him that day, either.

The angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD be with you, brave soldier.” Then Gideon said, “Pardon me, sir, but if the LORD is with us, why are we having so many troubles? We heard that he did wonderful things for our ancestors. They tell us the LORD took them out of Egypt. But now it seems the LORD has left us and is letting the Midianites defeat us.”

Judges 6:12–13 ERV

APPLICATION

Ask the Lord to show you any familial spirits or thrones of iniquity in your bloodline that might be operating against you.

Gideon recognized that God’s presence was not with Israel. False worship stagnates your spiritual walk and hinders your prayers. Gideon’s conversation with the angel showed him what to do: return to the pattern of worship God gave to his ancestors. You see, there is almost always someone in a person’s family who has been rightly aligned with God. As in Josiah’s case, your godly example might have lived many generations before you. Perhaps no one in your family has ever been rightly aligned with God. You can change this by choosing to align with God’s pattern of Kingdom worship, as Gideon did. Gideon offered a sacrifice to the Lord—in other words, he worshiped.

Demonic Cords

Demonic cords are a way the enemy operates against believers. You cannot afford to forget that the enemy works within a well-organized demonic framework of principalities, powers, rulers and spiritual wickedness in high places—places that are, according to Strong’s Concordance, above the sky,7 which is considered to be the second heaven. Demonic rankings are revealed in the descriptions of principalities, powers, rulers and spiritual wickedness in high places. This depicts a confederacy, and it indicates that demonic teams working together are like a three-strand cord. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves, and a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. The enemy understands the power of teams to combine their forces to frustrate the believer. Within these teams is agreement; the demonic forces work together toward a common goal. This demonic picture shows the enemy working in a distorted manner, opposite to the intention of God.

Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 AMP

Scripture declares that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. This refers to teamwork and unity. You probably have heard this Scripture quoted at a marriage ceremony as an exhortation to a new husband and wife to keep Jesus as their partner in the marriage. Wherever there is agreement, there is strength. The Bible gives us another image of the power of unity in Leviticus: “And you will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will put ten thousand to flight; your enemies will fall before you by the sword” (Leviticus 26:7–8 AMP).

There is strength in numbers when there is unity. The enemy understands this, so each day you and I are subjected to the enemy’s attacks. If the enemy can drive you from the place of prayer, he has been successful in disconnecting you from your Holy Spirit power source. When this happens, failure is inevitable. When you encounter demonic resistance, find believers who are faithful to stand in faith, praying with you. This is the law of agreement Jesus taught. Finding other believers to agree with you in prayer is a key to destroying demonic carpenters. Though the enemy knows the power of unity, it is not stronger than the unity of believers.

LAW OF AGREEMENT

When two believers come into agreement about anything they ask within the will of God, it will be done by our Heavenly Father.

Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.

Matthew 18:19–20 AMP

We see an example of a demonic confederacy in the book of Judges, which shows clearly how such confederacies form threefold cords of wickedness. Themes of judgment, repentance and restoration recur throughout Judges. The enemies of the nation of Israel would often form alliances with other nations so that they might overcome Israel. An example is King Eglon, ruler of the Moabites, whom we will discuss more fully in chapter 9. To secure his victory over Israel, King Eglon formed a demonic alliance with two other long-standing enemies of Israel, the Amalekites and the Ammonites. The nation of Israel had been under judgment, serving Eglon for eighteen years. Prophetically, Eglon represents a sevenfold spirit of destruction, robbery, fear, murder, kidnapping, deception and delay. The enemy operates from a position of pseudostrength—in other words, the enemy cannot overcome you. Therefore, he will form demonic alliances against you in order to frustrate your purpose. Operating in revelation is necessary for victory, for gaining revelation from heaven is key to overcoming your enemies. Through revelation, Holy Spirit will not only show you how the enemy is operating against you, He will also give you strategies for victory.

APPLICATION

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how any demonic carpenters might be operating against you. Then ask the Holy Spirit to show you how heaven is moving on your behalf. Let the Holy Spirit reveal prayer strategies to dismantle any cords of wickedness that might be in operation.


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Key Scriptures: Isaiah 54:15–17; Matthew 6:14–15; Judges 6:12–13; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12; Leviticus 26:7–8; Matthew 18:19–20

Key Points:

Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.

Matthew 18:19–20 AMP

Reflection: Ask the Lord to show you any areas of unforgiveness that you have not released to Him. Ask the Lord to show you any areas where familial spirits are hindering you.