By Hank Hanegraaff

A common expression in certain Christian circles is “I bind you, Satan, in the name of Jesus.” Biblically, however, the phrase binding and loosing has nothing whatsoever to do with demons.

First, when Jesus told the disciples, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19), He was not talking about demons, but discipline. In other words, in the context of church discipline, those who repent are to be “loosed” (i.e., restored to fellowship). Those who persist in sin are to be “bound” (i.e., removed from fellowship). Demons are totally foreign to the context.

Furthermore, humans are not authorized anywhere in Scripture to bind or loose Satan. Even the archangel Michael did not tackle Satan on his own. Despite his wisdom and power, he called on God to rebuke Satan. Christians should never suppose that they are smart enough to engage Satan on their own. Rather they, like Michael, should pray, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude v. 9).

Finally, while it makes sense to ask the Lord to “bind” the power of demons in the sense of thwarting their plans to undo us, to “loose” Satan and his minions makes no sense at all. Thus, common sense alone should be enough to convince us that biblically binding and loosing has nothing whatsoever to do with demons.

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:15–20 NKJV

For further study on biblical spiritual warfare, see Hank Hanegraaff, The Covering: God’s Plan to Protect You from Evil (Nashville: W Publishing, 2002).

 

***Note the preceding text is adapted from The Complete Bible Answer Book: Collector’s Edition: Revised and Expanded (2024). To receive for your partnering gift please click here. ***