If you have an argumentative attitude or SPIRIT (especially with your spouse) and you cannot stop or control it; you are under the influence of a Bickering Spirit. The trouble with a Bickering Spirit is that when these issues arise, you may think the problem is with the other person and not see the spirit that is driving you/them.
You may think “so what? Bickering doesn’t sound so bad.” But, listen! This situation is not just demonic; it’s the place holder for other major demonic entry!
The Bickering Spirit’s Goal:
• To well up your self-pride, creating a critical attitude.
• To fool you into believing it’s the other person/people causing the attacks and problems.
• To subtly and subconsciously make you angry at/blame God.
• To build resentment.
• To justify wrong thoughts and attitudes.
• To weaken your self discipline in many areas, beginning with controlling your tongue. Eventually this lack of self discipline can lead to eating disorders and other bad habits.
• To subtly draw you away from your spouse, your marriage, and ultimately God’s plan for your life by attracting you toward things that seem to fill a void.
• To distance You from the Lord through justification of not spending time with Him in prayer and devotions.
• Advanced stages of this spiritual attack will be a critical nature; fault finding in others (maybe everyone in your life), gossiping, complaining, etc .
A Bickering Spirit seeks to destroy you. It is a door holder for other spirits and it allows other demonic influences, such as: eating disorders, lust, attractions to pornography and thoughts of infidelity, isolation, and desire to give up. This list is for individuals but when this Spirit attacks a marriage it usually happens to both spouses.
So what next?
The first key step toward destroying this spirit is to first recognize you have it. You may feel you can see it at work, and you may feel like you can’t stop it. But you can!
You will first need to realize and accept that the problem does not reside in another person or group of people. Spirits use people against us to cause us to feel attacked, bringing out blame and a judgmental attitude within ourselves.
We must stop accepting these attacks and instead, learn how to combat them.
Here’s how we fight back:
1. We must start by having a repentive heart
2. Each day we need time with God- in prayer and in His Word.
3. We constantly need to intentionally resist this critical behavior, control our tongue, and be mindful of our attitudes. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!”
Begin battling the Bickering Spirit today! Apologize. Get your spouse, friends or family to pray with you. Speak openly about your struggles and repent to one another; committing to making changes. Begin taking back your life and home! We are engaged in a spiritual war and we cannot let the enemy reside within our homes and our hearts! God did not design us to be alone and the more aware we are of Him and the forces we fight, the easier it becomes for us to win our battles and fulfill our destiny!