“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines 
the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23

“Matters of the Heart” is a weekly blog that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart, the issues we all face but sometimes don’t want to talk about. The heart is the programming center of our lives. What is programmed into our heart will affect every area of our lives. Learn how to examine your heart and how to program your heart for success.

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Are you being squeezed by the python spirit? How can you know?

What is the python spirit?

The python spirit is a demonic evil spirit that tries to squeeze the life of Christ out of His saints by distracting them from study of the Word, from prayer, and from worship. Like the python that coils itself around the body of its victim to destroy it, so the python spirit coils itself around the soul of the saint to choke out its connection to God. The python spirit seeks to stifle the breath of the Holy Spirit and to cut off our prayer life, which is our lifeline to God.

We first encounter the python spirit in Acts 16: 16. In this chapter, the Apostle Paul is being harassed by a young slave girl with a spirit of divination. She has the ability to foretell the future and is earning lots of money for her masters. When Paul finally commands the spirit of divination to come out of her, she loses her power to predict the future and makes her masters angry because she can no longer make them rich.

The word divination in this verse comes from the Greek word Πύθων, or puthon, which means python. Hence, the name of the spirit. The python spirit’s agenda is to make us ineffective in the Kingdom of God. The python spirit’s ultimate goal is to stop us from being and doing what God has purposed for us. 

Some Characteristics of the Python Spirit

Following are some possible indicators that one is being squeezed by the python spirit:

Now, just because one may be experiencing the symptoms listed above does not mean that one is a victim of the python spirit. We must be discerning and ask Holy Spirit to show us what is going on if and when we experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms.

Prayer for Today: Lord God, we thank You that through Christ, we have authority and power over every evil spirit. Grant us discernment to know what, if any, evil spirits are operating in our lives so that we may cast them out in Your Mighty Name. Amen.

Now, it’s YOUR turn: Please share your questions and insights in the Comments box below. Thank you!

TWEETABLE:  “Are You Being Squeezed by the Python Spirit?” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio @DrMaryAnnDiorio (CLICK TO TWEET).

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Check out my You-Tube series, YOU WERE MADE FOR GREATNESS!, based on my popular book by the same title.  

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