Why and How to Move in the Opposite Spirit

This season, many of you are up against the spirit of rejection and oppression in the spiritual realm. You can feel it. There is doubt, unbelief, fear or self-condemnation. These things are not overcoming thoughts but rather are overwhelming thoughts.

God made you to be an overcomer, and you do this by moving in the opposite spirit. When the enemy whispers lies in your ears, don’t come into agreement with it. Instead, stand on God’s truth! Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the spirit behind the lie and give you a strategy to battle and move in the opposite spirit.

Why Move in the Opposite Spirit

Moving in the opposite spirit tests and strengthens your faith. James 2:20 says that faith without works is dead. Moving in the opposite spirit takes intentionality. It takes deliberately and diligently creating habits and patterns that work with your faith to produce an abundant harvest over time.

• “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” (James 2:22).

When you feel rejection and oppression but can remember God’s Word about your identity in Yeshua and put those words into action, battling in prayer and decreeing those words in the Court of Heaven, the joy of the Lord strengthens you.

Moving in the opposite spirit brings about God’s purposes and plans. Genesis 50:20 says, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” These words spoken by Joseph, Jacob’s son, reveal how moving in the opposite spirit requires trusting God to work all things—even tests and trials—out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

• “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

When battling rejection and oppression, stand on God’s Word that you are justified, redeemed and fully accepted by the blood of Yeshua. Decree that God untwist the enemy’s lies and use the circumstance to bring Him glory.

Moving in the opposite spirit shuts the mouth of the lion. The Word describes the devil as our adversary. He “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This can cause our Adamic nature to fear. Fear moves Satan, but faith moves God. Moving in the spirit of faith and courage when fear presses in shuts the mouth of the lion.

After being thrown into the lions’ den, Daniel could have moved in agreement with fear. Instead, he stood in faith and trusted God to save him.

• “‘My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him…’” (Daniel 6:22).

When rejection and oppression press in, resist fear and stand on God’s promise that He gave you a spirit of sound mind, not fear (2 Tim. 1:7).

Moving in the Opposite Spirit Uses the Opposing Force Against Itself

I’ve said before that operating and moving in the opposite spirit is like marital arts. It takes power coming against you and uses it against the enemy.

• If someone comes at you with hate, then you come at them with love.
• If someone comes at you with doubt, then you come at them with faith.
• If someone comes at you with fear, then you come at them with the truth and love.

3 Steps to Start Moving in the Opposite Spirit

1. Get aligned with God. To be an overcomer in a battle, you must submit to God and resist the enemy (James 4:7). This means staying aligned with God. You stay aligned by seeking His Kingdom and righteousness first, spending time in His Word, meditating on His ways daily, and pausing before reacting.

Getting aligned is like being a train on two tracks: faith and love. You must keep your eyes on Yeshua and walk in faith and love.

Isaiah 30:21 reminds us that God is guiding us with His voice…

• “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”

2. Slow down and examine your heart. It can be tempting, when adversity comes, to use carnal weapons (2 Cor. 10:4-6). But God’s Word says that His weapons are not of this world and have the power to pull down strongholds and every high thing.

When adversity comes, you can get angry and speak words you later regret. Rather than speaking right away, examine your heart and do as David did—cry out to God to reveal the habits and patterns that are not of His value system…

• “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).

3. Walk in forgiveness, faith and love. Whenever adversity comes, the enemy tries to get us to hold bitterness, anger, resentment and doubt in our hearts. The way to move in the opposite spirit is to walk in forgiveness, faith, and love.

• When fear comes, fight with faith.
• When sadness comes, fight with joy.
• When a judging or critical spirit comes, fight with love.
• When offense, bitterness, and resentment come, fight with forgiveness, humility, and honor.

The Bible says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. To create habits and patterns of walking in forgiveness, faith and love, you must operate out of a heart of humility and honor. Honor is the currency of Heaven.

Choosing how you walk—to move in the opposite spirit—determines the level of blessing, authority, favor, and prosperity demonstrated in your life.

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Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave Kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage. Please visit curtlandry.com.