Man, 34 Years Old (Perpetual Babyhood)
The devil fragments, tears and binds your soul with ungodly soul ties. There is also another hidden line of attack. He works to arrest the development of your soul (mind, will, emotions) so that you will remain in a little girl or little boy stage.
Although normally the growth of mind, will and emotions will be paced to physical development, it can also be slowed down or stopped at a certain age. My own emotions ceased to develop properly when I was only five. This was the result of my realization of how completely my father was rejecting me.
It is possible for growth to be arrested in one area and not in another. Physically, it seems that evil spirits often work through affecting the pituitary gland and growth hormones. There are demons called Stunted Growth and Midget which are particularly stubborn and difficult to remove.
Because of its critical nature, the pituitary gland seems to be a favorite target for demonic activity. Spirits of Arrested Development may cause one to have or to keep a very youthful appearance even when normal aging should occur. Our youth crazed society drives people to seek to look young at all costs. There is another spirit called Premature Aging which has the opposite effect as his name indicates. Those with this spirit look much older than their years.
Other things pave the way for entrance of the arrested development spirits. Some of these are: Severe Trauma; Abuse; Incest; Molestation; Loneliness; Fear; Severe Rejection; Rebellion and Lack of Discipline.
Control spirits operating through the parents can hinder a child’s normal growth and maturity if they determine not to allow him to grow up. Sometimes fears that the child will make a mistake can make them overprotective.
Others feel that their own age will be exposed when the child matures. Arrested development promotes the stupid philosophy and vanity that somehow it is wrong to feel our chronological age. It would seem that growing old gracefully is strictly a thing of the past. Like modesty, though old fashioned and rare, aging gracefully is still very attractive.
Lack of proper, consistent and balanced scriptural discipline can also be a door through which Arrested Development enters our lives. False love will block the adult from his/her responsibility to be an adult and rear the child. Children do not need a “buddy,” they need a mature and loving parent.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)
“He that spareth the rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes or early.” (Proverbs 13:24)
Human emotions are a primary focus of attack. When spirits manifest they can produce childishness and immaturity. Childish attributes include: Strong Willed; Defiance; Rebellion; Temper Tantrums; Always Wanting His Own Way; Childish Self-Will; Irresponsibility; Fearful; Jealous; Foolishness (Proverbs 22:15); Instablity (be no more children, tossed to and fro–Ephesians 4:14); Overly Dependent; Continual Need for Instruction (Train up a child in the way he should go–Proverbs 22:6).
You should be teachers and still need to be taught the first principles of the Bible, needing milk, not meat, an unskillful babe–(Hebrews 5:12-14; 6:1,2); Shortsightedness is another which is detrimental to an adult who is attempting to make long range decisions for family or church.
Immaturity (When I was child, spoke and thought as a child; when a man, put away childish things–(I Corinthians 13:11). I Corinthians 13 presents a cross section of arrested development and contrasts it with how we should be. Charity or love in action is synonymous with maturity.
It is interesting to note that Paul is correcting the Corinthian church in an effort to bring order out of the chaos caused by the runaway abuse of spiritual gifts. In I Corinthians 13:20 he urges them to be childlike in malice but adults [mature] in understanding. I Corinthians 13:1 exhorts them not to be ignorant and then explains how the gifts should operate. This chapter also proves that the mere possession of gifts does not make one spiritual or mature. There must be more than the simple manifestation of gifts to demonstrate spiritual maturity.
There is an exhortation in Hebrews to move on in Christ and leave the elementary principles behind as maturity is attained. Hebrews 6 points out our deep need for such growth. Verse 9 discusses greater things which come as one builds on the foundation of salvation. Spirits of Arrested Development hinder people from understanding eternal salvation and will help to create a terrible fear of losing it.
A study of scripture reveals an exhortation running through the entire New Testament to grow up into “perfection,” literally, maturity. The apostle John made a distinction between little children, young men and fathers.
Little children need continual reassurance that their sins had been forgiven (salvation). Young Men, who are more mature, have overcome the Wicked One. Unless we are engaging the enemy in successful warfare we are not operating in this second level of growth.
John speaks of fathers who know God. Grounded in basic doctrine, they have developed strength by winning victory over the enemy. This produces a deep, abiding fellowship with God.
John clearly stresses the difference between little children and young men. Nevertheless, the apostle continues to teach them about the Antichrist; confidence; how to guard against deception and how to love their fellow believers.
An extreme Fear of Being Deceived is another very common manifestation of Arrested Development and will cause a hesitancy in trying to walk in the Spirit. Confidence in his walk with the Lord will enable a young man to respect the power of the enemy but not walk in fear or terror.
Arrested Development spirits cloud thinking and produce childish understanding and perception of situations and circumstances. Children must learn the consequences of their actions and learn to shoulder responsibilities for their own actions. This is true in physical relationships and also in the spiritual realm.
A case of parental interference occurred when Rebecca conspired with her son to deceive her husband. Then she tried to shield him from the consequences of his actions by sending him to her brother Laban. Her punishment was to never see her beloved son again. Later the Lord had to bring him to a surrender to God (Genesis 27).
Solomon said that he was but a child and needed an understanding heart to judge God’s people. He asked the Lord for the ability to discern between good and evil. (I Kings 3:6-12)
This must be the plea of every sincere soul who is struggling against the bondage of arrested development. People who are handicapped by this are acutely aware of it just as Solomon was.
One of my fervent personal prayers for years was for help to go through the maturation process. The Lord answered by delivering me from a multitude of alcoholic spirits. They had to be forced out before I could honestly face and accept my own immaturity.
After deliverance in this area the Lord kicked me out of the nest in a sense. (Deuteronomy 32:11) I was forced into situations in which I had no choice but to grow up. At this point God revealed the spirits of Arrested Development. Deliverance continued leading me down many strange trails. It was not pleasant and I learned all about growing pains! Be sure that you mean business when you ask the Lord to mature you. The process of learning to fly as a young eagle can be frightening, tiring and painful. However it is absolutely necessary if you are going to become a soaring eagle for God.
Finances was an area of crippling bondage for me. I simply could not lay aside provisions for the future. It was as if I had a hole in my pocket and lived only for the current day. Paradoxically I was also bound by a deep seated fear of making money.
Demons convinced me that this would draw me away from the Lord. Before my deliverance it would have done exactly that. I first had to be set free from wicked spirits which caused me to handle money as a child would. A mature adult understands enough about the use of money that he does not devote himself to the collection of “toys.” Unfortunately many do not quit playing games, they merely buy more expensive toys. In I Samuel 18 Saul betrayed arrested development by his attitude toward David when people were singing the praises of the shepherd boy. Seething Anger, Jealousy, Murder, Childishness, Competitiveness and Cruelty are some of the spirits which manifested in King Saul.
We have uncovered spirits embedded and hidden in the emotions who began interference with development in their prey as early as the age of two. Spirits working in the will to stop growth and control came in at the age of six or seven.
For years we have known that the spirit called Childish Self Will sits blocking the gate of maturity. Refusal to Grow Up, Rebellion, Stubbornness and Pouting are some of the spirits found working under the spirit of Arrested Will.
King Ahab threw a pouting fit when he failed to get what he wanted (I Kings 21:1-16). Thus he used a childish means of control with Queen Jezebel to manipulate her into seizing the vineyard he coveted. He was the king and could have easily ordered Naboth’s execution and seized his property.
Instead he showed his slothfulness and “get this for me, Mommy,” attitude. Pouting spirits in children should be dealt with quickly because they open the door for more dangerous demons to enter.
On the other hand, there are control spirits which steal away men’s masculinity or keep them in a little boy state. This will block them from becoming the protectors and leaders of the family, church and the nation which God designed them to be.
Arrested development of the mind results from the use of drugs and/or alcohol. E.K.G. readings taken after the use of marijuana show brain waves typical of a twelve year old child. Continual, habitual use of various drugs can drop the readings even lower.
Samson demonstrated his immaturity by refusing godly counsel from his parents. Spirits of the Brute (unteachable), Unreproveable, Wanted His Own Way, and Lust were all held in place by Arrested Development. They very obviously manifested in his life.
Paul solemnly warned Timothy to flee his youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22). Arrested development leads to extremely undisciplined lives. This gives grounds to Bad Habits, various Lust spirits, No Self Control, Impatience, Short Attention Span and an Inability to Communicate on a Mature Level to operate.
One of my greatest pleasures today is the ability to communicate with my wife. This is the direct result of being freed from demonic bondage. I no longer react childishly to her comments, nor am I constantly driven to have the last word! Previously it was impossible and out of the question for us to talk and interact as mature individuals because of my dreadful bondage.
The demonic family operating under Arrested Development seems to have been at the root of many of the problems which had fettered and driven me for so many years. These included Anger, Rebellion, Bad Habits, etc.
Dealing with this group of demons first made freedom come much easier in other areas. If there is difficulty in casting out demons of a particular area, it might be well to check on Arrested Development. He may well be the hidden power clogging up the deliverance process.
The roots of Arrested Development produce some other poisonous fruits. Look for: Gossip (lack of self control); Malice (active intent to harm others); Foolishness (bound up in the heart of a child); Immaturity; Instability (tossed to and fro Ephesians 4:14); Bad Habits; Fear (this a major spirit). Many spirits of Fear left both me and my wife as the power of arrested development was broken.
These were spirits which had stubbornly resisted being cast out even after years of spiritual battle. Others were Intolerance and Little Boy and Little Girl spirits (marked by facial appearance and voice tones); attributes of Selfishness; Wanting to Play all the time; Avoidance of People of the Same Age; Jealousy, Competition for Love and Competition for Position.
There are several other biblical examples in the New Testament parables which illustrate the principles driving arrested development. The man who built his house on the sand is an example of Shortsightedness (Matthew 7:26).
The five virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 made no provisions for the future. This speaks of living for today and with little or no financial responsibility and planning for future needs. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14 reflect Fear of Punishment, Immature Reaction with Investing, Fears and Foolishness.
Arrested development can manifest in women and cause them to dress inappropriately for their age. Dressing too young and extremes in makeup and hair styles can make them look ridiculous. Sometimes it seems that the older the woman, the more she paints. Her paint and dyes are more appropriate for a clown. They actually make her look older, emphasize rather than to mask her age.
Women are also driven to look to their husbands to provide paternal needs which have not been met during their childhoods by their fathers. This will create an ungodly male\female relationship. This will hinder or prevent the women from ever attaining the godly attributes listed in Proverbs 31.
One woman with whom we prayed had a tubal ligation to prevent conception of children. She wanted to have all of her husband’s love, the love which she failed to receive from her father. Think of all the blessings which this family will never receive. Other spirits operating in these women are Passivity, Clinging, and Over Dependent Personality.
Having so many of this vicious and powerful family of spirits cast out has brought me tremendous blessing and spiritual advance. Deliverance becomes sweeter and more effective every year that goes by. My family and I are so thankful for the bread for the children (casting out evil spirits). Daily we thank the Lord Jesus for this marvelous provision for us and the continuous work he is doing in us.
The following is an excerpt from “Evil Spirits of Arrested Development, Booklet #42″ by Pastor Win Worley. Copyright © 1991 by Win Worley. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including storage and retrieval system, without securing permission in writing from the publisher, WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite, TX 75185.
If you’d like to obtain your own copy of not only this, but other materials authored by Win Worley, please contact WRW Publications at www.wrwpublications.com
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