Lets look at some other demonic forces that you might find in somebody who has a religious spirit:

• judgemental

• self-righteousness

• religious pride

• criticism

• legalism

• perfectionism

• division

• unbelief

• doubt

• confusion

• argumentative

• false holiness

• salvation by works

• guilt

• condemnation

• fear of losing salvation

• fear of GOD (unhealhty, scared feeling)

• intolerance

 

Someone who has a religious spirit finds it hard to believe that salvation comes through the grace of GOD and they don't have to work for it.  They find it easy to judge others or criticize them over petty issues.  There is usually a sense of "earning" your status of good standing with God.

 

Legalism is a symptom of a religious spirit.  A person feels that they have to adhere to a strict set of rules (laws) before they can be made right with GOD. People who never feel good enough for a relationship with GOD, but are continually condemned or have a guilty feeling hovering over them may have a religious spirit operating in their mind.

 

The feeling of never being good enough is a dead giveaway, because it shows that the person is trying to make things right with GOD themselves and not relying on the work that JESUS did on Calvary, which already paid our debt in full.  Why would we need JESUS to go through everything HE did if there was something we could have done.  Don't you think GOD  would have done it another way if there was another way? If you think of yourself as more imporatnt than others, then you almost certainly have a self-righteous or false holiness spirit.

 

Other things you might look for are feelings that you're always right and everyone else is wrong, or a weakness with being outspoken.  Someone who comes across as a know-it-all may also have a religious spirit.

 

Thinking that you can do things apart from GOD is another dead-giveaway.  JESUS made it very clear that apart from HIM, you can do nothing:

John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

 

Let's look at some biblical examples of people who are judgemental and self-righteous.

Luke 18:9-14  "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, GOD, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breasts, saying, GOD be merciful to me a sinner.  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

 

As we can see, someone who sees themselves as superior to others is often in bondage to a religious spirit of some kind.  This Pharisee felt that he had earned his good standing with GOD, and that the sinner had not, so he had reason to boast before the LORD.

 

The Bible makes it clear that our Salvation is an undeserved gift from GOD, lest any man boast: Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of GOD: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 

Let's look at Luke 5:30 where they were criticizing JESUS for hanging out with tax collectors: Luke 5:30, "But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"

 

Another example of this is where a woman poured expensive perfume over JESUS' feet, and washed them with her tears and her hair and the Pharisees had to put in their two cents about this woman: Luke 7:39, "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, this man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner."

 

People with religious spirits are often judging and criticizing others in their thought-lives.  They see themselves as holy, righteous, and favored by GOD, but look down on others. Religious spirits are more interested in judgment than forgiveness.

 

                                                                                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Pharisees were known for laying heavy burdens (spiritually speaking) on others, but omit the more important matters such as justice, mercy and faith:  

• Matthew 23:4, "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

• Matthew 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement (referring to justice), mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone."

 

JESUS said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden in light."

 

Salvation apart from works does not settle well with religious spirits.  People who have spirits of religion and legalism find it hard to accept the fact that their sins have been paid for on the cross, and that there is nothing that they can do but accept the gift that GOD has given them.

 

Religion likes to 'earn' status with GOD, where relationship accepts the gift that CHRIST has given. Luke 7:29-30, "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified GOD, being baptized with the baptism of John.  BUT the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of GOD against themselves, being not baptized of him." This tells us that the Pharisees felt too proud or self-righteous to accept a free gift from GOD; they felt they were already holy or they felt they could earn their right standing themselves.

 

A religious spirit will often hold your past against you, because they deny the work of CHRIST on the cross and the way of righteousness through faith in CHRIST.  Romans 3:22, "we are made right with GOD by placing our faith in JESUS CHRIST.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are"

 

Grace refers to something that we don't deserve, but is given to us because of GOD'S great love and mercy.  Religious spirits have little or no room in their theology for grace! GOD'S WORD makes it clear in Galatians 5:4, "CHRSIT is become of no effect unto you, whoseover of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

 

So what it's saying is if we try to gain Salvation through works, then we have fallen from grace and the work of CHRIST is of no effect to us.  When JESUS would freely forgive a person's sins, it made the Pharisees irate, because it didn't settle will with their self-righteous spirits.  The thought of grace was an abomination to their doctrine of legalism!

 

The religious spirit wages war against our intimate relationship with GOD.  They make you feel distant from GOD, because no matter what you do, it will never be enough.  

 

PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD....Have a religious spirit.