Breaking Territorial Strongholds: 4 Types of Demonic Curses That Bind Areas and How to Break Them

Territorial spirits ruling over regions often target individuals that enter their domain.

This type of warfare can manifest simply because your presence in a cursed or spiritually defiled territory disrupts the established control. Such opposition does not necessarily mean that you are directly engaging the territorial spirit but does reveal the broader, strategic-level conflict tied to the region. I refer to this as a triggered curse. These curses are not personal but activate when a man or woman of God steps into a territory controlled by a principality. For instance, in Acts 16:16, Paul encountered a slave girl possessed by a spirit of Python. The spirit began following him, creating annoyance and distraction for several days. This encounter illustrates how Paul’s presence in Philippi, which was a spiritually defiled region, triggered demonic resistance.

Importantly to note, Paul did not immediately confront the spirit. Instead, he waited for the Lord’s timing to enter this higher level of warfare. In Acts 16:16 (NIV) describes this encounter: “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.” This event demonstrates the resistance encountered in regions dominated by territorial spirits and further underscores the need for discernment and timing in spiritual warfare.

Rebecca Greenwood, in her book Authority to Tread, offers profound insights into territorial warfare. She describes how confronting territorial spirits requires not only authority in Christ but also strategic wisdom. Her work highlights the importance of understanding the spiritual climate of a region and the strongholds that maintain its oppression. Greenwood writes:

Paul and Silas in Philippi: According to Greek legend, the Greek god Apollo killed Python, the terrible earth serpent who lived in the caves of Parnassus in Delphi. He killed Python in retaliation for its harassment of his mother while she was looking for a place to give birth to her twins. Because of his act Apollo is at times referred to as Pythian, predictor of future events.

During Paul’s day the people in the region of Philippi believed that Apollo or Pythian was the influencer of events. The term python was used to refer to those through whom the python spirit spoke. We read in the book of Acts that Paul entered into spiritual warfare by casting out this python or fortune-telling spirit from a slave girl (see Acts 16:18). This caused great turmoil in the city of Philippi. It is my belief that the response and activities that occurred as a result of Paul’s prayer indicate that the spirit operating through this young woman was indeed a territorial spirit. Let me explain what I mean. Acts 16:19 says that when the owners of the slave girl realized what had occurred they became greatly disturbed. It ruined their opportunity to make money from those seeking information about the future.

They seized Paul and Silas and brought them before the authorities in the marketplace. In verse 20 (NIV) the slave owners stated, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar” (emphasis added). I find this accusation highly interesting. Paul addressed a demonic spirit operating through a young girl. Next he was accused of throwing a whole city into an uproar.

I have prayed deliverance prayers over many individuals, but never has it resulted in a city uproar. Then we read in verse 22: “The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.” Not only was the whole city in an uproar, but now a crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Why would casting out a demon from one girl cause a city uproar and a crowd, who knew nothing of the deliverance, to turn against Paul and Silas? The python spirit operating through this slave girl or spiritist was a territorial spirit that gripped the city of Philippi.

The magistrates ordered that Paul and Silas be flogged and thrown into prison. Locked in an inner cell with their feet fastened in stocks, Paul and Silas began to pray and worship God.

Let’s investigate what occurred next. “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose” (Acts 16:26, emphasis added).

Wow! As a result of casting out this demonic spirit in a slave girl, a violent earthquake occurred over the region. Not only were Paul’s and Silas’s chains released, but everybody’s chains came loose. When effective spiritual warfare prayer has occurred, signs of what has transpired in the spiritual realm will also manifest in the physical realm—thus, the earthquake.

God was shaking the foundational worship of Apollo in that region. The earthquake resulted in everybody’s chains releasing. Another indication of effective spiritual warfare prayer is the release of the people of the region from the darkness that has gripped them. They are then free to understand and experience the truth and love of God.

Note the breakthrough that occurred in this spiritual warfare encounter in Philippi:

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family (verses 29-34).

The most significant demonstration that spiritual breakthrough has occurred over a region is the salvation of those who have been trapped in spiritual darkness by a territorial spirit.

Let’s review this spiritual warfare encounter. Paul cast out a python spirit, also called a spirit of divination, from a slave girl. The resulting actions were a city uproar, an angry crowd, the imprisonment of Paul and Silas, a violent earthquake that released everybody’s chains and the salvation of the jailer and his family. It is obvious that the spirit in this young woman was indeed a territorial spirit that held this region in darkness.

Territorial spirits cannot simply assume authority except in the absent or neglected authority of Christians over an area. Just as a demon cannot enter an individual without a cause or a legal right of entry, the same principle applies to territorial spirits. There must be some form of agreement between the people dwelling on the land and the territorial power that grants the spirit the legal right to rule. Once the territorial spirit gains this authority, it draws the people into deeper bondage and results in spiritual oppression and the “locking up” of the land. There are four primary factors that commonly grant rulership to a territorial spirit.

1. Shedding of Innocent Blood

The shedding of innocent blood is one of the most severe sins that defiles the land and causes it to cry out to God for justice. This includes murder, abortion, occult practices involving human sacrifice, and even the cruelty and injustice of certain wars. Genesis 4:10 (NIV) illustrates this principle when God confronts Cain: “The Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.’” Blood unjustly spilled creates a spiritual stain upon the land. Practices like systemic violence or legalized abortion perpetuate this defilement and require repentance and intercession to bring cleansing and healing.

Our ministry recently began working in the nation of Cambodia. Before formally launching this work, some friends and I took a private, low-key trip to the country to test what God had placed on our hearts. The morning after our arrival, I woke up early to pray over the capital city of Phnom Penh. As I interceded, God gave me a vision of two large warring monkeys which reminded me of Hanuman, the god of war from Indian mythology. These monkeys had grimacing expressions of anger, and their eyes were fixed directly on me. They raised their hands high in the air and stomped the ground, rocking back and forth as though trying to intimidate me.

In that moment, I felt the weight of their intimidation, but even more, I felt the righteous anger of the Lord rising up within me. As I continued to pray, I began to hear the blood crying out from the land. It was one of the most profound spiritual experiences of my life. The blood cried out for the Lord of Justice to come, and its anguishing cry penetrated my being. I was overwhelmed by the deep injustice that had been committed against the people and the land. Through that moment of intercession, God birthed within me His heart for the nation of Cambodia.

Cambodia’s history is absolutely tragic, and it is a land that has endured immense suffering. Under the Khmer Rouge regime, nearly 50 percent of the population was murdered in a horrific genocide from 1975 to 1979. Today, Cambodia remains one of the youngest nations on the planet by average age. These young generations are locked within the systems of Buddhism and Hinduism. Yet, I know that the Lord of Justice is coming to bring freedom and awakening to that land. His plans are for restoration, and I believe we are on the cusp of seeing His righteousness and mercy transform Cambodia.

2. Broken Covenants

Broken covenants, whether between nations, people groups, or within marriages, defile the land and create long-lasting spiritual repercussions. Violations like broken treaties between indigenous peoples and settlers often leave spiritual wounds that persist across generations. Marriage, as a covenant ordained by God, holds special significance. Malachi 2:14-15 underscores this:

Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant. But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth.

Violating marriage covenants introduces spiritual rifts that affect families and communities. Restoring the sanctity of these covenants through repentance is key to breaking the curses that result.

3. Sexual Immorality

Sexual immorality defiles the land profoundly as it violates God’s design for purity and relationships. Prostitution, adultery, perversion, incest, rape, and molestation are among the sins that create spiritual contamination. Leviticus 18:25 attests of this: “For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has vomited out its inhabitants.” The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah exemplify how unchecked immorality invites divine judgment. This collective guilt highlights the need for repentance, both personally and corporately, to cleanse the land and break the grip of these spiritual strongholds.

4. Idolatry and Witchcraft

Idolatry, witchcraft, cults, and false religions empower demonic forces and further defile the land. When communities worship false gods or engage in occult practices, they establish spiritual agreements that bind the land to darkness. Deuteronomy 12:2-3 gives clear instructions:

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. And you shall tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones to pieces, and burn their Asherim in the fire, and cut to pieces the carved images of their gods; and you shall eliminate their name from that place.

Such practices often involve rituals and sacrifices that entrench territorial spirits. Cleansing these defilements requires prayer, fasting, and strategic spiritual warfare to dismantle these agreements and reclaim the land and the people for God.

Moving Toward Restoration

To heal defiled land, believers must engage in repentance, prayer, and spiritual warfare. Recognizing the specific sins tied to the land enables us to pray targeted prayers that dismantle these strongholds. God promises restoration in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “And if My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Addressing these root causes of defilement brings healing, not only to the land, but also to the people who inhabit it.