I’ve heard about ‘Deliah spirits’ for a long time but never encountered one. Just what is it? Is it the same demon that influenced Delilah in the Bible? Or is it anyone who displays similar characteristics to her? Is it something we need to watch out for? What does the Bible say about this spirit? That last question is easy to answer because nothing is mentioned about such a demon in the Bible.
Could it refer to influences that cause people to respond like Deliah did – lead others from God’s purpose for their lives? Judges 16 speaks of what Delilah did to lead Samson astray. Samson was set apart from birth to serve God (Judges 13:5), living as a Nazirite (no fermented drink, no cutting his hair, not touching a dead body). Samson didn’t take his calling seriously. He gave in to anger, revenge and lust from a young age. He touched the dead body of a lion he killed and probably drank wine at his wedding feast. Satan brought along a woman named Delilah to get him to break the third part of the vow, cutting his hair. She wasn’t aware this was the key to his great strength until she enticed him to tell her. She used sex and manipulation to get what she wanted, pretending to love him when she was just using him. He was just using her as well. The Philistines hated him because he had killed many of them. They offered her a fortune to find out the reason for his great strength and she was greedy enough to do anything to get it. She nagged and nagged him until he told her (Judges 16:17). She had his hair cut off while sleeping and he lost his strength (Judges 16:20) because he had broken the instructions God gave at his birth. The Philistines blinded him and used him as a slave until his hair grew back, his strength returned and he avenged himself by killing thousands of Philistines along with himself. Probably Delilah died that day, too, for everyone was present to worship their god and watch Samson be mocked.
Bible movies like this story, but it really is a sad story with a tragic ending. Still, from this one chapter about her relationship with Samson, Delilah has developed a larger-than-life reputation. That reputation has led many people to associate certain traits with Delilah, which they also associate with the Delilah spirit. First, she was very seductive. She never loved Samson but used her body to get what she wanted. Second, she was extremely deceptive. She probably went after him for her ego because he was very popular. She used ‘romance’ to get information and didn’t stop until she got what she wanted. Also, she appears greedy. When offered a large sum of money she went for it, no matter the cost to Samson. She was willing to betray his trust if the price was right, and it was! Finally, she was an unbeliever. She was not Jew, and Jews were forbidden to be involved with Gentiles but Samson broke that law, too. She was the very kind of woman God had told His people to avoid!
This all contributed to her reputation of a woman using greed, deception and sexual allure to lead someone from God. Certainly, that happens today, and men do the same to mislead woman as well. But is the demon(s) who most likely had access to her through her pagan background and sin around today as a ‘Delilah spirit’? Some groups of Christians use terms like ‘Delilah spirit’ and ‘Jezebel spirit’ regularly, but often too much credit and power is given to them. When we see someone acting like Delilah, Jezebel, or anyone in the Bible it doesn’t mean the same demon who impacted them back then is attacking that person today. There can be a bit of pride wrapped in claiming that the Delilah Spirit is now attacking them. That puts them in pretty exclusive company!
If we just refer to an attitude or sin pattern like Delilah, than that could be more accurate. But why single out Delilah and Jezebel of the hundreds of Bible people whose sin patters are still common today? Why are some so anxious to name demons anyway? The less personal involvement we have to do with them the better. Satan wants to be worshipped instead of God and he’ll take any kind of attention he can get, even negative attention. Better to say a godly leader has the spirit of Moses or Daniel. Why just focus on some of the most sinful people in the Bible? These people deserve no recognition or publicity in any way. We need people with an ‘Esther spirit’ or a ‘Mary spirit’ – the Holy Spirit! You have that if you believe in Jesus.
Ephesians 4:27 Do not give the devil a foothold.
Are you giving Satan too much attention and focus?
What do you think about my opinion about this? I’d love to hear from you