14. Overcoming the Spirit of Suicide

The Spirit of Suicide
Manifestations: Suicide Attempts
Roots: "The Works of the Flesh," Galatians 5:19–21.
"By their fruits, you will know all men." Matthew 7:20. According to Matthew 6:10; 11:12; 12:29; 16:18; 18:18; 28:18 Bind: Spirit of Death
Loose: Spirit of life, love, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost

Overcoming the Spirit of Suicide Overcoming the 12 Evil, Strong Men Overcoming evil spirits and demolishing strongholds of Satan, which fight against the soul of man

The spirit of suicide

According to authorities on the subject of suicide, suicidal rates are on the increase, with more cases being documented over the years. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), on average, almost 3,000 people commit suicide across the world daily, and for every person who commits suicide, 20 more people might have attempted to end their lives. Suicide was estimated to be the eighth leading cause of death in all age groups. As of 2011, an estimated one million people per year die by suicide, cutting across genders, different age groups, social class, and all with different underlying motives. The spirit of suicide is one of the devil’s most strategic “condemnation machinery” against the human race. The devil is an assassin—going to and fro the earth, seeking who he may devour. Suicide is gloomy; it is darkness, and it is one of the strongest weapons and strategies of the enemy against the soul of man. This wicked spirit is in charge of suicide bombers, suicide terrorists, militants, or terrorists who carry out deadly operations to kill others without expecting to survive themselves.

People who undertake a suicide pact and agree to kill themselves at the same time are under the domain of the spirit of suicide. It is a demon of recklessness, rashness, irresponsibility, and madness. The spirit of suicide haunts the man who sheds the blood of another man: A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him. Prov 28:17 KJV

This agrees with the ancient law, “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen 9:6)—there is a connection between murder and suicide. He that has committed murder, though he flees for his life, shall be continually haunted with terrors; he shall himself flee to the pit, betray himself, and torment himself, like Cain, who, when he had killed his brother, became a fugitive and a vagabond and trembled continually.

Judas was suicidal and under a curse. The Scripture records: (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood. "For," said Peter, "it is written in the Book of Psalms, "'May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, "'May another take his place of leadership.' Acts 1:18–20 NIV

The sin of Judas was not only his shame and ruin, but it also created a vacancy in the college of the apostles.

The LORD defeated the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that He might bring disaster on Absalom (read II Sam. 17:1-29; 18:1-33). When this was done, Ahithophel took his own life (II Sam. 17:23).

The counsel of Ahithophel in those days was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God (II Sam. 16:23). He used to be a source of wisdom for the office of the king over the nation of Israel. This means King David occasionally inquired of him for wise counsel—because he had the ability, vision, insight, and grace to forewarn, foreshadow, and predict things and dangers for the king. He was indeed resourceful to the king. To be precise, the counsel of Ahithophel was infallible—which means incapable of making a mistake. He had unfailing wisdom, which you may call foolproof. But when he took part in Absalom’s conspiracy against God’s anointed king, David prayed, "O Lord, turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness" (2 Sam 15:31). Because Ahithophel the Gilonite, with his inventiveness and originality, was in this plan to overthrow the king, the conspiracy grew strong, and the people increased continually with Absalom (see II Sam. 15:12).

How to overcome the spirit of suicide

By prayer, when David heard that Ahithophel was in the plot, he lifted up his heart to God in this short prayer: “O Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” David had no opportunity for a long prayer, but he was not one of those who thought he should be heard for his much speaking. It was a fervent prayer, and God is well pleased with the importance of those that come to Him with their petitions. David prayed not against Ahithophel's person but against his counsel, that God would turn it into foolishness, that, though he was a wise man, he might at this time give foolish counsel, or, if he gave wise counsel, that it might be rejected as foolish, or, if it were followed, that by some providence or other it might be defeated and not attain the end. David prayed this in a firm belief that God has all hearts in His hand and that when He pleases, He can take away the understanding of the aged and make the judges fools (Job 12:17; Isa 3:2, 3), and in hope that God would own and plead his just and injured cause.

We can pray in faith, and we should pray with fervour, that God will turn that counsel into foolishness that is taken against His people.

In most cases, people who fight against God end up committing suicide or becoming suicidal. The same is the case with several servants of God who disobey or rebel against Him. When Prophet Jonah disobeyed the Word of the LORD to go to Nineveh and preach and fled from the Presence of the LORD, at a point he became suicidal, and as it were, in his drowning in the sea, yielding to death, God intervened. Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" He answered, "I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of Heaven, Who made the sea and the land." This terrified them, and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the Lord because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you." Jonah 1:7–12 NIV

By fervent prayer with trust in God, the Lord of Hosts can pursue His enemies to their ultimate destruction (like Judas, who became a traitor and betrayed the Son of Man)—or, by the same token, give the grace for salvation (like the thief that received the gift of salvation on the cross).