How Does the Spirit of Control Affect Us? The A-B-C Series on Ancestral Influences

Healing Prayer Training

When we think about a controlling person, we often imagine one who is manipulative. Did you know that manipulative behavior may be the result of a negative ancestral influence in the person’s lineage? Someone in the past opened the door to the spirit of control. In other words, they gave the spirit of control a legal right to remain. This spirit will continue to manifest itself in various ways throughout the generations until it is stopped.

The good news is that the spirit of control’s power can be broken. First, we need to recognize this spirit and then renounce it and repent for anyone who partnered with it. Then, we declare that we break its power over us and our future generations in Jesus’s name.

Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” We have the power to break negative ancestral influences in Jesus’s name.

How Does the Spirit of Control Affect Us? The A-B-C Series on Ancestral Influences #manipulation #spiritualwarfare #healing Click To Tweet

The Many Faces of the Spirit of Control

We have heard pastors call the spirit of control a form of witchcraft because it uses a counterfeit spiritual authority, not the Holy Spirit, to manipulate others. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit and not a counterfeit spirit to guide and protect us.

When we don’t know who we are in Christ, we try to hide our shame by resorting to controlling ourselves and others. The spirits of shame, fear, and control often work together in an attempt to protect us from exposing our shortfalls. If we feel shame, then the spirit of fear tells us that if others see our faults, they won’t accept or love us. We then believe we must control our environment and others so no one sees our perceived inadequacy.

A person under the influence of a spirit of control may demonstrate some of the following behaviors:

manipulate others for their selfish purposes
intimidate
dominate
claim they know best (evidenced by pride)
exhibit anger or threats to coerce others to follow what they want
instill fear
gaslight
show signs of bulimia
cut themselves

In addition to the above behaviors, the person may use:

passivity to manipulate
withdrawal
denial
silent treatment to induce guilt
enabling to feel superior
appeasement

Sometimes exercising control is appropriate. Parents need to exert control over their young children for their safety and security. However, in most circumstances, no one should exert excessive control over another person.

Appropriate Control Can Become Unhealthy

We have seen situations where parents used excessive control when their children were young and sought to continue controlling their children later in life. They manipulated them with threats of punishment, abuse, and withdrawal of financial and emotional support. Children can manipulate in return by threatening to expose family secrets, withdrawing support, or even abuse. These unhealthy relationships are called unhealthy soul ties. Overdependence on another person can signal an unhealthy soul tie that needs healing.

In all these situations, the spirit of control seeks to hurt and confuse, create disunity, and isolate people from each other, family, and God. Second Timothy 1:7 says: For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. We do not need to control others to protect ourselves. When I know who I am in Christ, I realize I have the power of self-control and God’s love.

The Blessings

When we renounce and reject the spirit of control, we replace it with divine peace and a deep understanding of our identity as beloved children of God. There is nothing to fear or be ashamed of when we know we are loved unconditionally by the Lord. The need to control others dissolves when God takes away fear and shame.

Do you recognize a recurrent pattern of control or manipulation in your family line? How will you pray against this negative ancestral influence?

Be sure to leave your thoughts on our Facebook Group Healing Prayer Discussion.

Looking forward to your input.

Blessings,
Gena