This prophetic word is about Devouring spirits, how to discern them and how to get rid of them. We’ve been talking about the thief so we need to also address the devouring spirits.
Who is this word for? Those of you who may feel like you’ve worked really hard and have yet to see the fruit of your labor. Or you take one step forward and two steps back, as they say, when it comes to your progress in life.
There are several scriptures in the Bible that refer to the locusts as the devourer. The Bible also shows 4 different types of the locusts. I would imagine that in today’s world you would be thinking “but I’m not a farmer, I don’t have a garden so how would this affect me?”
Well, you can take the teaching and look at how it applies to you in your life. You don’t have to be a farmer, the locust can still show up spiritually. The question is, would you be able to identify it?
Joel 1:4 KJV
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
NKJV
What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.
NASB
What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten; And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.
I’m giving it to you in different versions so that you can see that the locusts are represented in different life cycles, at different stages of growth so that in the end everything gets devoured.
The fact that they are referenced in different life cycles says that if you don’t identify and stop it when it just arrives (baby stages), you will have to deal with it when it morphs into another stage, and if you don’t catch it at that stage you will have to deal with it at the next stage, and if you ignore it then? The final stage arrives when it is completely out of control.
So, let’s examine the growth cycle of this devouring spirit.
1. Stripping Locusts – A primitive root; to eat off — consume.
caterpillar From chacal; the ravager, i.e. A locust — caterpillar.
Caterpillars are so cute, aren’t they? This is the first stage of the devourer. They almost appear so harmless. Slowly crawling along but if you allow them to stay there they will slowly begin to strip away what God is growing in you. It’s that thing that looks very harmless to begin with but if you don’t “nip it in the bud” the minute you see it, it begins to consume everything that you have worked so hard to produce and achieve. I want you to know that a devouring spirit doesn’t show up unless you have something to devour.
Caterpillars don’t show up for dry dead branches. No, they show up for FRUIT! That means that you are producing something or they wouldn’t be there. You start attracting them when they SEE it. Even if you can’t see it in your own life, in the realm of the spirit you are already a champion and a winner. The minute they pick up that you are going somewhere….here they come!
Watch this video and glean the spiritual significance of getting rid of them the minute you see them.
Please put on your spiritual ears to hear this. Pray in tongues while you’re watching it and ask God to show you if you have caterpillars in your life…
What jumped out for you on that video? Write it in the comments. If you have a scripture to share, you can do that as well.
2. Young Locusts – cankerworm, caterpillar
From an unused root meaning to lick up; a devourer; specifically, the young locust — cankerworm, caterpillar.
They move slowly but it’s moving at a faster pace than a caterpillar. They start at the base of a tree (notice now they are attacking trees, fully grown ministries, fully grown businesses) they inch their way to the top and if you don’t put things in place to stop them from getting to your branches they will go there and devour everything! Also, when you are next to other trees (PEOPLE and businesses) who have cankerworms they transfer to you. Because of your proximity to people, businesses, ministries who have cankerworms, the minute that ministry figures out who they are and show them the door…you’re next! Because the branches are touching. The minute you identify it affecting others, make sure your branches are not touching theirs. What I mean by this is, do not take advise from people on solving issues that they have yet to solve for themselves. When you have a group of ministers who hang out together more than likely when the cankerworms leave one ministry they travel over to the other ministry and start with the same mischief. It was the proximity that brought them to you.
Same goes if you start to pray for your friends or family members and they have devouring spirits attached to them, if you don’t cover yourself under the armor of God before you take that on in prayer, they will try to attach to you. Proximity.
Talk to your friends and your family members, let them know you are seeing things and they need to guard against it.
Watch this video…
The minute you identify them, put things in place to stop them from going up to the top, climbing the ladder, having leadership positions in your church or business. They should never have the ability to influence your decision making process because they are destructive! They are not there to help you, they are there to take from you. Ask God to show you.
Did you get anything out of this video? Write in the comments.
3. Devouring Locusts – palmer-worm
From an unused root meaning to devour; a kind of locust — palmer-worm. gnawing locusts
Gnawing locusts, means that problem has been there for awhile now to the point that you realize you need to get rid of it because it is creating a problem for you. It is now gnawing at you. Eating away at you. Energy vampires they call them. Taking too much of your time and attention. Now it is no longer harmless and slow moving, you are aware of its presence and you want it gone! Have you ever heard of a gnawing pain? Or gnawing cold? That doesn’t feel good. They are a complete annoyance! It’s taking your T I M E. A complete time waster. What are you involved in that’s taking up too much of your time? Who’s wasting your time?
It is now fully grown, no longer a caterpillar or inching it’s way to the top of your organization.
It’s the Jezebel that didn’t get stopped even though Ahab from the beginning probably saw the markings of the caterpillar. He ignores it and she works her way in there, get’s married to him and now takes his ring to sign documents pretending that she is him.
By the time Elijah gets to her, it’s not just her anymore, it is her and the 450 false prophets and the entire nation that has now rallied behind her!!!! Leads to the next point…
4.Swarming Locusts – grasshopper, locust
From rabah; a locust (from its rapid increase) — grasshopper, locust.
Overwhelming many coming from various directions and rapidly increasing in volume. They are no longer hiding. They came together and now they start attacking from all angles. You are totally distracted because there is so much of them and they all have one mission, to completely destroy you. Eat everything!
What happens is when you don’t address it in the baby stages, it grows and grows into something much bigger and then it becomes out of control to the point where you are now a total victim, running and hiding.
They move in an organized fashion as a group watching the locusts next to them to see what direction they should be heading in. Do you think this is because they are taking cues from their locusts neighbors? No. They have to watch because locusts are cannibals. Did you know that? They eat each other therefore they have to pay attention to the pack to make sure that they themselves are not about to be eaten!
Think about it. How many times in the Bible did the enemy turn against themselves and kill each other? If you have strife, envy, jealousy, selfish ambition then after they devour one oak tree do you think this type of behavior just goes away? No! (James 3:16) They transfer from one branch of an oak tree to another one if they can. If there are no other trees in sight, it is just a matter of time before the swarm devour each other.
Just because the tree got devoured doesn’t mean they stop being locusts, no. They are still devouring something, either another tree or each other. Have you ever observed these people on YouTube with these “exposure channels”? They never stop exposing other people..and generally don’t do anything else but devour other people. Then they gang up with each other, to turn on one and then eventually they start exposing each other. They are cannibals. It’s. A. Spirit.
When you meet someone and all they have to say about their last boss, last job, last church, ex whomever, is bad things….well, shortly it will be YOU that they are talking negatively about. These are not people you want to be friends with. Otherwise, you’re next!
When you are the one creating your own locusts
Yep, you can be the one creating your own locusts. If you have a garden and you plant potatoes and you get a harvest if you don’t save some of those potatoes as “seed potatoes” but instead you devour everything, guess who will never have any more potatoes?
If you don’t save the seeds from your tomato plants but you devour the whole thing, you won’t have any more tomatoes!
You ate everything and you saved nothing!
2 Corinthians 9:10
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness
When God blesses you, you have 2 piles – one to eat and the other to sow/save. You cannot just eat everything. Otherwise, you are your own devourer!
We can also have habits and behaviors that devour our own success. What are some of the bad habits that you have the devour our own success? These are the things that if you were to stop doing them you know that you will see huge improvements in your life. Those things are eating away at your progress.
How do we stop the devourer
First you need to determine how they got there because they will come for 2 reasons:
(1) You have something they want and it is not your fault why they are there or (2) you are walking in disobedience and God is using it to cause you to change course.
Therefore your solution is:
1. Repentance. Did you expect me to leave this one off the list? You know I am going to bring it up!
We have to stop making excuses for our bad attitudes and habits. I believe acknowledging them is the first step and then coming out of agreement with it. Then ask God to change that about you. If you are being disobedient, stop!
Exodus 10:13-19 we see that it was through repentance of the Pharaoh that the Lord removed the plague of the locusts.
2 When we recognize the devourer in others around us, we need to address it. You don’t want the caterpillar to turn into a swarm so the sooner you can address it, the better.
Understand that not everyone is going to take kindly to “NO” or the fact that you have to correct them. It may even make you very uncomfortable doing it but just think about the outcome if you don’t stop it.
3. God has clearly said in His word that He will rebuke the devourer for our sake. So even if you messed up and now you’re dealing with a swarm. God can handle it.
Malachi 3:11
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts;
This scripture in context (verse 3-12) was talking about tithing but the truth is, the overall message is about being obedient.
The enemy roams around looking for whom he can devour. This is like the caterpillar looking for a leaf to start devouring. You didn’t call it’s attention to attack you but what you do when he arrives will determine how long he can stay and how much damage he can do.
Therefore, your sin gives him legal access to be there. If you remove the sin, close the door he’s using to access you, he has to go.
Jeremiah 30:16-17
16 “But all who devour you will be devoured,
and all your enemies will be sent into exile.
All who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who attack you will be attacked.
17 I will give you back your health
and heal your wounds,” says the Lord.
The Lord can restore everything that the enemy has eaten and more!
Joel 2:25-27
The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost
to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts,
the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.
It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.
26 Once again you will have all the food you want,
and you will praise the Lord your God,
who does these miracles for you.
Never again will my people be disgraced.
27 Then you will know that I am among my people Israel,
that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other.
Never again will my people be disgraced.
Your sin allowed it to stay but through repentance it can go!
4. I know this may sound strange for some but just by paying attention to your environment you may pick up on cues in the natural that will tell you what is happening in the spirit. The Bible tells us to watch the animals and they’ll teach us all kinds of lessons (Job 12, Proverbs 6). So if you come home one day and there is a grasshopper at your front door, why is it there? Do you normally get grasshoppers? If you don’t pray about that right away in another day or two you’ll have rats in your house, then roaches and now weevils are in your cupboards. All of these are devouring creatures. The problem is that most of the time we ignore the signs when they are staring us right in the face. If you start to see strange animals and insects around that are not normally there, something is up!!! Time to pray. Ask yourself the question, what does this animal do? Wasps are not bees. Neither is an ant a roach. A moth is not a butterfly. Pay attention.
5. Calling on the fire of God. There are many scriptures where the Lord says He’ll destroy the enemy with fire.
Simple prayer: Lord, Send Your fire from heaven to destroy the devourer for my sake! Send fire to destroy the Locusts in my life, the young locusts, the swarming locusts, the creeping locust, the gnawing locusts, the caterpillars, the palmerworms, the cankerworms and all other forms of devouring spirit. Destroy them all in the name of Jesus. Give me wisdom to see the doors they are using the access my life so that I may close them. Give me grace to address every issue you are pointing out to me and the knowledge on how to stop them from coming back in Jesus name, Amen.
In this season of increase, we do not have time to be messing with these devouring spirits!
Praying this helped you.
Blessings!
From the first video, “seeing the same signs and following up with the same actions” grabbed me. The “teeny form” is the best time to catch them before they eat too much. INSPECT CLOSELY FOR PESTS with both hands! Caterpillars will be most active overnight in darkness made me think of the scripture: “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” Luke 12:3 KJV
Take ACTION! Remove as many as you can find and do it daily. Dinners take much pressure and the pest will go. A COVERING/physical is a highly effective way to prevent pests. Train your eyes for a keener awareness. Maintain vigilance through the season!!
This message was very timely and such a gift, thank you Nicole. I’m working toward getting my finances sorted and an IVO has been suggested. It’d be so helpful to get your views on bankrupcy.
The night before this word came out, I came home at dark with my grandchildren. There was a praying mantis on the handrail right outside our front door. I’ve lived here 3 1/2 years and never seen one yet. I’ve definitely had devouring spirits for way too long, so this was spot on for my life. When I researched Praying mantis’, I found out that they eat grasshoppers (non-swarming locusts)!
Proverbs 4:23 – Guard your heart with all vigilance…
Like the netting, pray on the armour of God.
Thank you so much for this word! In the building that I live in they recently renovated the halls so it’s bright and white and clear. Over the past month I’ve noticed several dead insects as I walk by and on two occasions I saw two brazen cockroaches just chilling on a wall. They did not even try to run away. I took off my shoe so quick and trampled and stamped on them violently…. No way. I then emailed the property management and found out that they know of it… I later found out that it’s coming from a specific tenant. My email prompted and activated them to be more diligent getting rid of them.
The caterpillar video stood out to me when he spoke about the night versus the day. Being vigilant at night through prayers and when God wakes me up making sure I’m attending to prayer. I also resonated with the various options he gave to address it. It made me think about the different weapons we can use in spiritual warfare based on the war or your skill and resources.
There is a part he says that they work more at night in the darkness and you have to bring light
Reminded me when I sleep the enemy plants tares
Also the light I related to the entrance of Gods word brings understanding
Train your eye to spot it early even as the moth is laying the eggs. The other thing that struck me significantly was if you spot it early you can scrap it off with your fingernail versus having to do something more drastic when there is a full blown infestation.
AMPC Psalm 144:1
“Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight”
Wow this is wonderful. Just yesterday my husband and the children were busy killing rats in my house which have been running around in the house at night. When I wake up at night to pray it’s like they are busy talking to each other. I pray that their time is over.
May God richly bless you for bringing timely word always
I was in prayer the other night and someone said that we should not allow the tricks of the enemy and open doors of the enemy to stay open. So on my job is tones of crickets even the next day after sweeping them up there’s always more the next day. There is lot of gossip about the boss/job and I found myself being apart of it and stop and co worker will pull me back in because I have an open door. We have been praying about direction and break through, pursuing God so I ask for an ear to hear and obey his guidance. There were also ants coming into the house a couple weeks ago in the bathroom and closet and back door. I just thought about the ants. I saw one and the next week it was swarming with ants.
Thank you because the lord is speaking and I definitely have a heart to repent and close these doors and change the course. He was more so speaking to me about tithing again and saving again.
Lord thank you for loving me so much not to allow me to be deceived. We can deceive ourselves as well.
Thank you Missionaries of prayer for hearing God voice and release it. Please pray for me and my house. We have every desire to serve God whole heartedly. Thank you!!!!!
Oh my goodness. I was out in the backyard with my grandson just playing on the swingset and as we walked to the back door to go inside there was the biggest locust sitting on the grass. We never have these anywhere near our home. I then receive this word from Nicole and I was like WOW!!! God’s timing and confirmation.
I had to pray about my canker worm. Our gracious Lord revealed it’s name: Fear. It eats relationships. The remedy: “God’s perfect Love lives in me.”
I will meditate on it and repeat it often until it casts out all fear.
This word has blessed me on so many levels. The tree banding is one of the things jumped out at me. I see it as covering myself and my family under the blood of Jesus all the time. Never to forget our children as they are like branches touching with other branches without realising it when they are out there. Also I will never pray for anyone without putting on the armour of God. Not even a spontaneous prayer, first things first. Hallelujah. Thank you Nicole
Amen Susan! Good point about the children. The people who pray for others through this ministry and interpret the dreams, it’s the same thing. Armor of God first because things can transfer. It’s not on everyone but you never know which ones and it’s better to be safe than to find out there’s a demon in your house from the last person you “touched and agreed” with in prayer. Blessings
Bless God for this word🙏 I have been praying for the Lord to help me deal with these spirits that have been attacking me mercilessly due to a spirit of jealousy from people closest to me.
Let’s start a prayer chain for each other and we will see the mighty works of God in our lives🙌
Thank you for this word Nicole!
I have been asking myself why I don’t seem to be making much progress and whatever I do and the answer is the devouring locusts.
Yes the videos are really insightful. Banding the tree reminded me if the Belt of Truth which holds things together including other pieces of the Armour of God and other necessities of life like water…. Oh my goodness, this sounds like God is giving me a whole new
sermon 💪.
Getting into prayer to get rid of all those devouring locusts.
Help us pray for our country Zambia. We have an electricity crisis as our main and major dam producing hydroelectricity has ran dry due to drought conditions the past few years and we are having very little electricity in a day. No electricity means alot of things cannot run. Small businesses are closing, families cannot store and preserve fresh food, pumping water needs electricity, etc.
We need God’s intervention for a good rainy season which should start next month (October). We also need God to give our leaders wisdom.on the way forward on finding a lasting solution. Most people cannot afford solar equipment so we really need God’s wisdom.
Thank you for your spiritual insight. I always look forward to Saturday morning😉
Hi Jessie, I will certainly be praying for Zambia. blessings
This is so good! I got so much revelation from this word!
The caterpillar video was so insightful ~ the revelation I got was always to be covered by putting on the armor every day. So the moths won’t land on you.
Banding the tree reminded me of the fire of God around us as mighty oaks around us.
Zechariah 2:5
Isaiah 61:3
I see it happening with all those exposure prophets how they will turn on one another.
this was such a good warning message!
And Joel 2: 25-27 has been ringing in my spirit for the last 24 hours!
This was so good!