Fear: The Spirit of Control
This spirit establishes its stronghold primarily in women;
however, many men have been victimized by it as well,
where it functions as a “controlling” spirit.
I. Why do we want to control?
Fear of not ending up with control and/or attaining whatever s/he desires is what propels
a Controller. And this is of course typical of demons; beings that
thrive on that very emotion. Fear is the catalyst for generating all
other negative emotions.
Fear drives aggression, it fosters insecurity, anxiety, self-pity,
narcissism, greed etc. All these emotive qualities are sharply
contrasting the fruits of the antagonist of fear, which is, LOVE,
or God’s currency. Fear is the currency of the demonic.
Fear that I’m not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough,
athletic enough. Changes our lives. This is where the enemy
came in as little children thru 1.family influence of learned
behavior, 2.generational curse or 3.inner vow.
The most common cause of the controlling personality is fear
and insecurity. Insecurity is the
root of the spirit of control. It is the
deepest root cause of all problems of
fear, jealousy, anger, resentment and
control.
Those plagued with insecurity have
a great sense of rejection and are
seeking attention and approval. The
complexity of insecurity and
inferiority comes to a head in
the desire to control.
Finding the feelings of inferiority
intolerable (often in one who feels his
physical body doesn’t measure up),
the mentality flip-flops into a
sense of superiority and pride.
This twisted pride runs even deeper than
the typical ego of an athletic jock. This
person who once felt so deeply
inferior now, in a perverted
sense, feels superior to
everyone. He is now a know-it-all and is
threatened by anyone who dares to disagree,
seeing him as the enemy. He now has the
answer to everything and is
characteristically extremely
opinionated. He’s quick to express his
opinion as the final authority. No input
needed. Steve Sampson (p 54-55)
Learn a Lesson–“This person who once felt so
deeply inferior now, in a perverted sense, feels
superior to everyone.” I am quite convinced
though that these feelings of superiority are not
sincere.
I regard these feelings to be the consequence of a
psychological mechanism that seeks to offset feelings of
inferiority.
They are not genuine feelings of superiority but rather the
result of an ego-based act of
overcompensation.[Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder] Perfectionist in whatever rehelm
of life we control to protect our inner fears or insecurities.
Problem:
Deep down inside their feelings of inferiority
and insecurity still remain[still damaged, still
abused] but they are now camouflaged by a mere veneer of
superiority, false security.
Indeed, their inherent insecurity is shown to still
exist, as evidenced by their fearful reaction when
someone challenges their usurped authority. They
demonstrate to still be prone to feeling threatened
of there assumed control.
Truth
Sincere (feelings of) superiority only belongs to
God. And unlike pretenders and usurpers, He
doesn’t have, nor does he need to have, the urge
to flaunt it. God just is superior.
Defensiveness is a common reaction when a suggestion
is made. This again is out of insecurity.
Insecurity, which is deeply rooted, cannot
take correction, because all correction
is perceived as rejection.
Therefore, you will never hear a person
with a controlling spirit admit they are
wrong. It is always the fault of someone
else. Never is there confession of guilt, contrition or
true remorse. The closest controllers come to
apologizing is, “I’m sorry you
misunderstood me.” Steve Sampson (p 59)
Basically, the spirit of Control has no
conscience. Those under its control have
hardened their hearts, and their consciences are
seared. Their will is king, and they are
supreme. Steve Sampson (p 16)
Truth: Controllers tend to work alone in isolation because to work in
groups or teams will expose the bull in the china closet very quickly.
They just do not co habit with anyone easily even their spouses.
When a CONTROLLER is confronted, he
commonly spiritualizes the situation, explaining it off on
God. This prevents him from owning up to responsibility
required of him. The implication is always,
“You’ve got a problem; I don’t.”
Steve Sampson (p. 65)
James 3:14-1714 But if you have bitter envy and
self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie
against the truth. 15 This wisdom[perceived] does
not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual,
demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking
exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full
of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and
without hypocrisy.
The Controller stronghold is rooted in
the man/woman’s reaction to fear. S/he
controls because s/he seeks
predictability; [walking by sight] s/he
manipulates because s/he cannot trust.
II. However, the scriptures tell us that
“perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment” (1
John 4:18 KJV).
Notes for Verse 18
Verse 18. Fear has no place in love. Bold confidence (1John 4:17), based on
love, cannot coexist with fear. Love, which, when perfected,
gives bold confidence, casts out fear (compare Heb 2:14,
15). The design of Christ’s propitiatory death was to deliver from this
bondage of fear.
Hebrews 2:14-15 (KJV)
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to bondage.
boldness—”confidence”: the same Greek as 1John 3:21,
to which this passage is parallel. The opposite of “fear,”
1John 4:18. Herein is our love perfected, namely, in God
dwelling in us, and our dwelling in God (1John 4:16),
involving as its result “that we can have confidence (or
boldness) in the day of judgment”
fear hath torment—Perfect love is incompatible with
such a self-punishing fear.
A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New
Testaments.
During the process of
deliverance, he/she needs godly
men and women to stand with
her in love, especially as s/he
embraces the allotted times of
weakness. Remember, the person
under the influence of this spirit is a
person tormented. S/he has not
been properly loved; the
controllering stronghold is the
result. Francis Frangipane (p 43)
What does not properly loved mean?
Controllers as a woman: have with issues in her heart
concerning male authority. She has probably been wounded by a male
authority figure(s) in her past, and hasn’t allowed God to heal those
inner wounds. A Controller is often a woman who has great disrespect
for her father, either because he
- abused her,
- ignored her, adopted, neglected, not nurtured, or thought poor
- or the opposite because where you spoiled as a child (the baby)
by never confronting her immaturities as a child, and who let
her run wild- this too is abuse.
Regardless of the type of abuse, she has nursed a deep disrespect for
manhood inside her heart. . .
Sometimes a Controller is a controller because, by default, she had no
example but her mother… who was a controllers herself… in the home
and this is a learned behavior. Old habits die hard.
By Default: The women will take over the husband’s role because
she senses he is unsure of himself and she has the stronger
personality and dominates—except in the area of His stronghold
where He may hold on violently. This will be an ongoing source
of contention in marriage.
I see grown men making their calling in life to appease the
women in their life. This is out of order!
This is the Sin in the Garden by Adam and Eve!
See the Clip—Is there a snake in your Garden- aaron T
- Make a Jesus in our image,
- Dominate everyone to make that image
III. What is wrong with the Spirit of
Control?
Control- Why this obsessive pursuance of power and control over other
people is so antagonistic to True Christian Doctrine is explained by
Steve Sampson:
The reason the desire to control is akin to witchcraft is that
it is in total contradiction to the nature of God Himself.
The irrevocable gift God gave to mankind is that of free will itself.
God Himself refuses to violate His gift of our free will. He will woo us,
draw us and attempt to lead us, but He always leaves it up to us to
choose His way. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today
against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that you and
your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). God will
love people to their graves, desiring to woo them to Himself, but He
will never force His purpose on any man. He will in no way force
eternal life or heaven on any person. He honors our “right” to
choose.
Therefore, when people try to manipulate or dominate the will of others,
it is in direct violation of God’s laws and comes under Satan’s domain,
namely witchcraft.
God wants us to come to Him based on our own free will and love for Him, he doesn’t want us to come to
him based on coercion and as such out of fear. Unlike Controllers, God
is not a control-freak or dictator!
The Church desperately needs humble
godly unified leadership in this hour not
frightened unbelief.
IV. Recognizing the Controlling Spirit in the
Church
CONTROLING SPIRITS CAN LOOK THE PART
SPIRITUALLY.
CONTROLING spirits have the ability to work through some of the
sweetest-looking, nicest, most spiritual people you ever want to see in
your life. They are usually gifted, loyal, self-sacrificing, giving, praying
people. But in most cases there is an open wound or character flaw
that was never confronted or healed that Satan attaches himself to
in order to work through.
CONTROLING SPIRITS LOOK FOR AUTHORITY WITHOUT
MUCH RESPONSIBILITY.
They don’t care about fulfilling the responsibilities of their position/or
office before God. They are self-important and believe their gift is the
reason they are in the church to save it from ruin.
The “CONTROLING spirit” is in a constant agitation, terribly
aggressive, very determined, callous, controlling, selfish, power-
hungry, manipulative, unrepentant, up and down, an overwhelmingly
evil spirit, and those are mostly only it’s good points!