Are You Driven or Led? And Who's Benefiting?

“These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation!” (Acts 16)

Paul became so tired of hearing these words shouted in the shadows behind him that he delivered the demon possessed slave girl who followed them, blurting her message. But someone had been profiting from the spirit of divination operating through this girl – and those people were irate to learn that their benefits had been cut when Paul expelled the demon from her.

It’s not unusual to see someone else benefiting financially, or in some other way, from a stronghold in another person - even if it’s just an erroneous mind set and not a demonic possession. A simple example of this would be the person who is driven by compassionate giving but can’t seem to discern when the Lord is saying ‘open your hand and give’ and when the enemy is whispering ‘give, give, give.’ This compulsion to give will keep another stronghold living and active within the person who is a compulsive taker.

Scripture shows that compulsion is a sign of a stronghold. God gently leads and guides us, but the enemy gets behind us and shoves us - even if it’s a shove in the direction of something we’re gifted in. The enemy will even compel us to unspiritual obsession and captivation with the gift God’s given us, to the point that we consider ourselves the one person who ‘has it right’ or who needs to be heard or who needs no one to discern the use of our gift.

If we get free from the compulsion to give money, the obsession to earn approval by doing and doing and doing, the workaholic mindset, or any other obsession inspired by the enemy, someone stands to lose a benefit and that person might be very angry. However, allowing God to cleanse us from these strongholds will bring TRUE benefits in the long run, not worldly advantages with no Kingdom benefit.

We are Kingdom people and our activities must completely line up with Kingdom ideas. If we neglect our children or spouse to feed our compulsive behaviors we are not in balance with God’s will. We can check ourselves by focusing not just on one scripture to justify our behaviors, but accepting the whole counsel of God in the right balance.

May God give us eyes to see and ears to hear where we are being compelled and driven from behind instead of being led by the King of Kings for His benefit and glory!