by esther phinias | 9 December 2023 08:46 pm12
There are places that are not conducive to the healing and well-being of your life, both physically and spiritually.
There are certain towns, villages, and neighborhoods where it’s difficult to receive anything from God unless He Himself has directly instructed you to live there. However, if there’s no clear divine leading, be cautious about where you choose to settle—whether it’s a street, town, or village. The spiritual atmosphere of your surroundings can have a significant impact on your personal and spiritual life.
You may ask: How can you know?
Think back to the blind man who was brought to Jesus for healing. The Bible specifically tells us that Jesus “took him out of the village before healing him” (Mark 8:23). After the healing, Jesus warned him not to return to the very village he had come from.
Mark 8:22-26: “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When He had spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him, He asked, ‘Do you see anything?’
24 The man looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around.’
25 Once more, Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes. Then his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Don’t even go into the village.
Why did Jesus take him out of the village?
The key point here is that the spiritual environment of that particular village was not conducive to the man’s healing. It wasn’t about the people’s hostility or violence (as some might think), but rather about the spiritual atmosphere that prevailed in the place. The village itself may have been a spiritual stronghold, filled with unbelief or rejection of God’s works. Jesus understood that the man’s healing required an environment that was spiritually prepared, and that was outside the village.
This principle still holds today. There are places in the world where spiritual warfare is more intense, where the forces of darkness seem to have a stronger influence, and where people are more resistant to the gospel. As children of God, we are called to be discerning, and we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to places that are aligned with God’s will for our lives.
Pay attention to these types of places:
Places with people who have no fear of God.
The Bible frequently speaks of the importance of the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). If you find yourself in a place where there is no fear of God—where people are indifferent to the gospel, or even openly hostile to it—be cautious. A lack of reverence for God often leads to a culture of disregard for morality and justice.
Jesus warned His disciples in Matthew 10:14-15:
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
This passage underscores the spiritual danger of being in a place that rejects the gospel. Such places are often under spiritual condemnation and may experience various forms of judgment, including economic hardship, disease, and even natural disasters. The Bible speaks of the consequences of rejecting God’s message: “They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good” (Psalm 14:1).
Places with high levels of witchcraft and immorality.
Witchcraft and immorality are strongholds of the enemy. These two forms of idolatry—witchcraft and sexual immorality—are among the most pervasive in Satan’s arsenal to deceive, destroy, and enslave. Both are condemned in the Scriptures, and places steeped in these practices are often filled with spiritual darkness.
Galatians 5:19-21 warns: “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Similarly, Deuteronomy 18:10-12 describes how witchcraft and occult practices defile a land: “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.”
Such places are spiritually dangerous. The enemy uses them to bind people in spiritual darkness, often leading to generational curses, broken families, and destroyed lives. The apostle John also warned against participation in such places in Revelation 18:4: “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.'”
Spiritual Warfare and Discernment
As believers, we must remember that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). In places where witchcraft and immorality dominate, the spiritual atmosphere can become a battlefield for the soul. If the Holy Spirit leads you to live in such areas, trust that He will protect and guide you. However, if you are not led by the Spirit, it’s better to avoid these environments in order to safeguard your spiritual health and the well-being of your family.
Psalm 91:1-2 gives us comfort: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
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