Breaking Strongholds – Ungodly Soul Ties

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I have realized over the years that there a lot of people, including Christians, who are dealing with demonic strongholds in their lives, due to doors that have been opened for the enemy and many do not know how to close those doors and get free. I would like to share a personal experience and some scriptures to explain how to break an ungodly soul tie, but first let me explain that a soul tie is an attachment or bond with another person, which affects our thoughts, emotions, will, etc. It could be with a former boyfriend or girlfriend or ex-spouse, or even with a a parent who has exerted undue influence in your life, tried to use control and manipulation on you, etc.

Here is my story: I got married just before I turned 25 years old and I knew the Lord had put my husband and I together (I shared that story in the post entitled “He Completes Me”). Before the Lord brought my husband into my life, I had dated a young man, who was a Christian, on and off for about 7 years (more off than on, he lived in another county and was not as serious about me as I was about him). After my husband and I married (for several years), I would have dreams about this young man wanting me back and it was always the same thing, this time he was really going to love me, etc. I would wake up feeling torn up emotionally. I knew this was not from God. He was already married to someone else and so was I. So, I would rebuke the enemy, ask forgiveness if I had given place to the enemy in any way, etc. and over time the dreams became less often, but still they would come and I felt like it kept me from really being able to bond with my husband as completely as I should have.

One day, I was talking to a friend of mine who had a similar experience. She said, “Kelly, you need to repent.” I said, I thought I had repented (of everything I could think of), but I will pray about that. When I got down on my knees to pray that night and bring the situation before the Lord, He convicted me that I had committed idolatry because at one time (years before meeting my husband) I had basically built a shrine in my mind to this person that was composed of all the thoughts and memories of all the times we had been together. Without realizing it, I had allowed the enemy to build a mental stronghold in my mind. I had opened the door for a familiar spirit (a familiar spirit is one that is familiar with you or someone else and can impersonate someone). When I realized this, I prayed a prayer of repentance for the the idolatry and asked the Lord to forgive (release) me. I then asked the Lord to sever all unrighteous soul ties (connections) between me and the other person and then took authority over the familiar spirit that had been tormenting me in my dreams and thoughts, and commanded it to go in Jesus name. I immediately felt the presence of the Lord and a release. Afterwards, I would still occasionally have a dream about that person, but I no longer felt torn up inside. It had lost it’s hold on my emotions (after years of being tormented). Praise the Lord!

For those who are unfamiliar with what a stronghold is, II Corinthians 10:4-5 reads: 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood), but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 (In as much as we) refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) AMP. The word stronghold is a military term; it means encampment, fort or fortress. It’s when the enemy crosses over into your territory and builds an encampment or fort. He accomplishes this through deception, by getting people to entertain and believe lies or half truths or accepting thoughts and reasonings that are contrary to God’s word and desire for our lives. Romans 12:1 tells us that we must renew our minds and learn to think the way God thinks in order to get rid of a mental stronghold, but also we must remove any licenses (legal rights that we have given the enemy).

In Ephesians 4:17-31, Paul gives a list of sins and wrong behaviors that grieve the Holy Spirit. In verse 27, he says “Leave no (such) room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him)” AMP. In the original language, the word for foothold means place, opportunity or license. So when we open the door for the enemy by choosing sin (especially repetitive sins, like addictions, etc.), we give him a license or legal permission in our lives and we retract that permission when we pray a prayer of repentance, ask the Lord’s forgiveness (which means release) and then take authority over any unclean spirit that you have given place to and command it to go in Jesus name.

I know some are teaching that since Jesus paid the price for our sins past, present and future, that we no longer need to confess our sins (Hebrews 10:14). I have found by experience (and I believe that there are scriptures to back this up, like I John 1:9, Matt. 6:12, etc.) that deliverance from strongholds, etc. happen so much quicker and easier when you confess the sin, pray a prayer of repentance and ask for forgiveness. That way you remove the enemy’s legal rights (permission or license) . This same principle applies to any type of bondage, whether it be pornography, addictions, dabbling in occult practices, etc. I have helped pray for others in these types of situations and found that it works over and over and over again. Jesus paid the price for our freedom, but we need to appropriate it by doing what His word tells us to. God bless you all. Kelly Rowe