WHO IS LEVIATHAN

There is a strong evil spirit named leviathan. This very powerful demon has been repeatedly encountered and the more we know about what leviathan does and how he operates, the more likely we are to win this fierce contest with him.

"Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength; thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of the leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness" (Psalms 74:13). Here leviathan is associated with water and the ocean and is pictured with multiple heads.

"There go the ships; there is that leviathan, whom thou has made to play therein" (Psalms 104:26). "In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea" (Isaiah 27:1). Here he is called both a dragon and a serpent, and again is connected with the sea.

The most extensive reference to this strange creature is found in Job 41. The fact that the Bible devotes an entire chapter describing him indicates his importance. The Modern Language translation reads:

"Can you draw out the crocodile with a hook or hold down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a fish line through his gills or pierce his jaws with a spur? Will he make repeated requests of you: Will he use friendly words in addressing you: will he make a bargain with you that you should take him as your servant for life? Would you play with him as the birds or keep him as a plaything for your girls?

"Will fishermen bargain over him, apportioning him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with barbed darts or his head with harpoons? Lay your hand upon him then remember the conflict. You will not do it a second time! The man who hopes to master him will be disillusioned. At the sight of him a person is paralyzed. No one is foolhardy enough to stir him up.

"Who has ever stripped off his thick coat or mail or pierced his impenetrable scales? Who can open the doors of his mouth; around his teeth there is terror. His back is shingled with scales closely fitted together with a tight seal. So near are his scales to one another that no air can get between them. They clasp one another, joining so closely they cannot be separated.

"His sneezings sparkle light; his eyes are like rays of morning. Out of his jaws come burning torches and sparks of fire shoot out. From his nostrils vapors issue as steam from a boiling pot over burning rushes. His breath sets coals on fire; a flame issues from his mouth.

"Such strength dwells in his neck that panic moves before him. The folds of his flesh close in on each other firmly and are immovably cast upon him. His heart is as hard as a rock, solid as a nether millstone. When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid and are beside themselves with panic.

"To hit him with a sword is useless; so is a spear, a dart or javelin. To him iron is as straw and copper as rotten wood. Arrows do not rout him, sling stones he treats as stubble. Clubs are counted by him as reeds and he mocks the rattle of javelins. His nether parts are like potsherds, they leave threshing sledge grooves in the mire.

"He makes the deep to boil like a pot, the sea like a vessel of ointment. Behind him he leaves a foaming wake and one wonders if the sea might be growing frost. On earth there is not his equal. A creature devoid of fear, he looks down on all that is highest. He is a king over all the sons of pride" (Job 41).

Leviathan particularly hates this chapter, and the first and second commandments; also the references to him in Isaiah which label him as the crooked serpent.

Although we do not know much about leviathan's work, this chapter and other references definitely connect him with the sea. Undoubtedly he is the inspiration for the various mythological gods of the sea: Neptune, Poseidon, Dagon and others. Always there is one demon god who rules the seas or rivers and who has his characteristics. Some believe leviathan was the chief deity worshipped in Atlantis and that this kingdom was destroyed by God in judgment.

As we have confronted leviathan in deliverance, certainly we have only uncovered a very few of the various things that he does. Over and over when there have been severe problems with Bible study; concentration on spiritual goals; restrictions and bondages which hinder worship or just about any thing which is genuinely spiritual and of the Lord; there we have found leviathan operating. I refer to a real flowing with the Holy Spirit, not the shallow, bogus religious externals which often pass for spirituality today. Another area where he works is in causing a variety of learning difficulties for youngsters, including reading problems.

Another common characteristic of leviathan is that he is almost always present as the result of a curse riding on the family. Almost everyone in the family will have problems in this area.

To break the curse, declare: "I do break the curse of leviathan back to ten generations on both sides of the family, and destroy any legal rights or grounds which give evil spirits reason to operate. I destroy all these in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Next move directly against the evil spirit, ordering him to mainifest and leave in Jesus' name.

Believers need genuine edification by prayer in the Spirit and with the understanding; Bible study; heartfelt praise; and fellowship with the Lord's people. These are hindered or stopped by leviathan, depending upon how much control he exerts over that particular individual. Some deliverance workers have reported that leviathan is responsible for stopping revival movements and works in conjunction with ruling spirits in the heavenlies to block and hinder the moving of God's Spirit in the climatic, final endtime revival.

When you battle with leviathan you will learn why scripture declares him to be a powerful, wily foe and a nightmarish monster. His description is so frightening it is probably just as well that we cannot see him face to face.

If the Lord lets you see in to the spirit world, fine, however, if not, don't fret about it. People often ask if I can see the spirits I battle. On very rare occasions I have seen a demon. When I asked the Lord why I did not see them all the time He said I was to teach thousands how to cast out demons. Because I did not see them but could cast them out, believers everywhhere would be encouraged to join in the battle. If I could see the demons with whom I dealt, then others would tend to take the view that they too would join the battle as soon as they possessed this "gift."

"Seeing in the spirit" realm is not an unmixed blessing. Although it can be useful, too often it is a hangover from the mind being forced open in the occult. One danger is the tendency to become absorbed in the bits and pieces, losing sight of the goal of knocking out the enemy. The battle is the important thing, the weapons by which it is won will vary from case to case.

Leviathan certainly doesn't sound like anything you would want to meet on a dark night or even in the daylight. This demonic entity is said to be impossible to attack. His appearance is so terrible, he is so powerful and ghastly looking, that his enemies are paralyzed with fear at the sight of him.

We do not go into conflict as natural men, but can succeed because of the supernatural power which we have in Jesus (Luke 10:19). Attacking from the third heaven, high above Lucifer, principalities, powers, thrones, dominions, world rulers, kings, princes and every other angelic rank, we are able to prevail.

When leviathan manifests expect a determined resistance to expulsion. He often will manifest with serpentine twisting and winding of the person's head, body and limbs.

In Isaiah 14:14, Lucifer said in his heart (secret sin), "I will be like the Most High." Ambitious pride snared Satan himself and he has regularly used this to subvert human beings, since all are susceptible and never quite immune to it. We must remain constantly vigilant lest this spirit gain a foothold in our lives and thinking.

Often pains and stiffness in the neck and shoulder region have been traced to leviathan. As he begins to manifest, many times these symptoms will surface. Although this is not the only source of such discomfort, for problems of this nature, check leviathan.

One of the immediate blessings resulting from the expulsion of leviathan is a radical change apparent in outlook and whole approach to spiritual growth process. Many report a clearing of confusion and a greatly increased ability to read and retain the Word.

Notice that after the long, detailed description of the monster, God asks, tongue-in-cheek, if you would care to make a pet of him. This would be like taking a tyrannosaurus home for a pet.

If we could see these awesome powers we attack we would appreciate even more the superior power and protection given to us by the Lord. Not only can we confront but we can attack these tremendous creatures with impunity! This explains their fuming anger, fury, and frustrated rage.

The Bible speaks often about loosing captives and this very thing was prophesied about Jesus. As we follow Jesus and learn to do his works, we must loose the captives, held prisoner by demonic forces.

Freedom is available; God has ordained it and we must never let the ridicule or opposition of foolish people prevent us from pursuing deliverance. Always there will be those who misunderstand what we are doing and why; they will even think us to be enemies.

Satan's prison house still holds multitudes in dreadful bondage and he uses cruel creatures such as leviathan to drive, to harass and to torment, destroying all hope. To be captive is a terrible, miserable existence.

When demons gain the upper hand in lives, seizing control, they force victims into abject slavery to every whim of the spirits. Surely we must storm the citadels of the adversary and destroy leviathan's kingdom.