Spirit of Python | Pastor Landon Schott

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Acts 16:16-26

BSB

16 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
18 She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
20 They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
21 by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
24 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

The spirit of Python comes for your passion for God.

This is the Year of Encounters & Visitations!

This is an Exodus 3:5 Year. A year of Holy Ground.

You choose your Daily Encounter, God chooses your Holy Visitation!

Spiritual warfare is the spiritual war over who rules the will of man.

Ephesians 6:12

BSB

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Spiritual battles require spiritual strategies!

Python Spirit Definition: A demonic spirit of divination that squeezes out spiritual life through oppression, deception, confusion, and discouragement.

Greek: Πύθων (Python) = Python; a spirit of divination; a spirit associated with fortune-telling.

Python Simplified: A demonic spirit that offers spiritual direction to lead you away from God.

Divination Definition: Seeking supernatural knowledge or guidance through a source God forbids.

Greek: μαντεύομαι (manteuomai) = To practice divination; to tell fortunes; describes how the slave girl earned money for her owners.

Soothsaying is pretending to prophesy to draw people to yourself through information you know about them!

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

BSB

10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
11 casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

Divination Simplified: Demonic spiritual direction.

WARNING: Christians, don’t seek communication with the dead!

1 Samuel 15:23

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23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

1 Samuel 16:14

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14 After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

1 Samuel 28:7-11

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7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.
8 So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
9 But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”
10 Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”
11 “Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.

1 Samuel 16:23

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23 And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

Your worship MUST reflect your warfare!

Practical Advice: When you feel the heaviness of the Python spirit, worship God!

Genesis 3:4-5

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4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent told her.
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Revelation 12:9

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9 And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:2

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2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Exodus 7:12

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12 Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.

Matthew 10:16

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16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Acts 28:3-5

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3 Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.
4 When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
5 But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

The closer you get to the fire, the more snakes get exposed!

Luke 10:19-20

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19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

WARNING: Snake handling is not a command.

Mark 16:17-18

BSB

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

10 Warning Signs of Python:

1. You are constantly frustrated
2. You feel like you’re carrying a heavy weight

Practical Advice: When you feel spiritual heaviness, pray in the Holy Spirit!

Python loves drama because drama distracts from real ministry!

10 Warning Signs of Python:

1. You are constantly frustrated
2. You feel like you’re carrying a heavy weight
3. You are struggling to Daily Encounter
4. Your worship has become routine
5. You have an over-infatuation with yesterday's encounters
6. You are drawn to drama more than the presence of God
7. Confusion is pulling you away from God’s house + call
8. You are losing your desire to obey God
9. You are drawn to unsupported spiritual claims
10. You are obsessed with YOU and what benefits you

2 Corinthians 11:3

BSB

3 I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

The spirit of Python squeezes out your passion for God!

Matthew 22:37

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37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

3 Areas Python Steals Your Passion
1. Python steals your passion and love for God

Revelation 2:4

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4 But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.

3 Areas Python Steals Your Passion
1. Python steals love for God
2. Python steals your passion for God's house

Ephesians 5:25

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25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

3 Areas Python Steals Your Passion
1. Python steals your passion and love for God
2. Python steals your passion for God's house
3. Python steals your purpose

Ephesians 2:10

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10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

James 3:16

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16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

Question: How do you deal with Python?

Question: How do you deal with python?

Answer: We respond to Python by returning to God with zeal!

John 2:17

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17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”

Hebrew: קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) = Zeal, ardor, jealousy.

Psalms 69:9

BSB

9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

Greek: ζέω (zeō) = To boil, be hot; figuratively, to be fervent.

Zeal Simplified: A holy passion for God!

Zeal is loving what He loves and hating what He hates!

Warning: A sign of Python is profit from bondage.

Acts 16:17

BSB

17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

Practical Advice: Ask the Lord for the gift of discerning the spirits every day!

Acts 16:18

BSB

18 She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

Acts 16:19

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19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

Python wants your breath (War Cry)!

Acts 16:25

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25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Python is powerful, but God is more powerful!

Zeal defeats the spirit of Python!

Acts 16:26

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26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

Zeal for God delivers you from the Python spirit!