The Cycles of Torment
- Eliza Trinity
- Dec 9, 2025
- 13 min read
Understanding the Spiritual Patterns That Govern Suffering and Release
Opening your eyes to spiritual cycles is essential for breaking patterns that keep repeating in life. Many believers pray, fast, and push forward, yet remain trapped in invisible loops of delay, frustration, or inner turmoil. This teaching exposes the hidden spiritual systems behind torment—where it originates, how it operates, and what must be discerned in order to escape it.
This study is based on the sermon “The Cycles of Torment” delivered by Prophet Lovy Elias on 8 July 2025.
Study Notes
1. Opening Context: Environment, Grace, and Spiritual Perception
The message begins with expressions of gratitude for being in the Bahamas, acknowledging the beauty of the place and the warmth of the people.
The setting is spontaneous; the gathering was encouraged by close friends and family.
The future is described as “bright,” with a tone of expectation and hope for what God intends to do.
There is an instruction to share the video because God is going to move in a special way.
A reference is made to 1 Corinthians 2, emphasizing that faith must rest in the power of God, not in the wisdom or words of men.
A prophet's duty is described as helping people see God beyond the Scripture and to manifest God so that the God who is read about becomes the God who is encountered.
A quote is recalled: “If you can’t demonstrate it, stop teaching.”
The calling of a prophet is to reveal God, not just talk about Him.
Honor is given to the legacy of Dr. Myles Munroe, recognizing his global impact that began from a small island.
A reflection is made on how people often appreciate a vessel of God only after they are gone.
The speaker shares that he is personally a product of Dr. Munroe’s ministry—studying him, learning from him, and seeking to partake of the grace upon his life.
There is an intention to visit Dr. Munroe’s church and the place where he was laid to rest, to pray and receive impartation.
A major principle is introduced:
Most believers are unspiritual, therefore they do not understand spiritual things.
Spiritual truths must be discerned spiritually.
One of the “accusations” addressed is people saying he “steals grace,” but the teaching clarifies:
You cannot steal what God gives.
You can partake of what God has given to another.
Receiving from another person’s grace is an act of wisdom and humility.
A key spiritual law is explained:
There are things God will never give you directly because He designed you to receive them through humility toward others.
You cannot pray for what God intends for you to receive through someone else.
Jesus Himself humbled Himself before John the Baptist to receive the grace of an open heaven, because John carried Elijah’s spirit—the one who opened that portal.
Jesus could not bypass that order; Elijah had to open the way for Him.
Many people fail spiritually because they do not recognize the “Elijah” sent to their life, and thus suffer unnecessarily.
Greatness operates by humility; grace is given to the humble.
True greatness is accumulated through learning, receiving, and partaking of graces from many places.
Grace does not fall upon the proud, and honor is the pathway to growth.
There is a firm reminder:
Jesus received the greatest name because He humbled Himself, even to death on the cross.
No humility, no elevation.
2. Why This Message Matters: Understanding Torment
God’s purpose in the Bahamas includes the salvation of souls and turning hearts to Christ.
The introduction shifts to the core topic: “The Cycles of Torment.”
Emphasis:
Many people have been given up to Satan and do not know it.
Many have been released into the enemy’s hands but are unaware.
Torment has levels and cycles, and these cycles repeat until they are broken.
There are three levels (or cycles) of torment:
One caused by sin.
Two ordained directly by God.
One resulting from our own choices—and this one is the easiest to break.
A cycle repeats itself until:
Truth is revealed,
Humility is embraced,
Or divine intervention breaks in.
Two of these torment cycles are described as God-ordained, which is shocking to many believers.
The first cycle is introduced: the torment of sin.
3. The First Cycle of Torment: Sin
The first cycle of torment is sin, originating from the rule of “the prince of the power of the air.”
Before receiving Christ, people live under the influence and rulership of this power.
Sin creates disobedience, enmity with God, and opens the door for the enemy to take advantage.
People suffer consequences of sins that were not originally theirs—humanity was influenced into sin.
This is why God forgives mankind; humanity fell victim to sin rather than originating it.
Sin brings torment because:
“The wages of sin is death.”
Sin produces death not only physically, but also in the environments, relationships, and systems surrounding a person.
When a person comes into Christ:
They are received, purified, and sanctified.
They break away from the cycle of torment attached to sin.
The cycle itself isn’t destroyed; it continues—but Christ absorbs it.
The punishment meant for humanity fell upon Christ, allowing believers to escape this torment cycle.
When a person repents, the influence of the “prince of the air” is immediately broken.
Deliverance begins the moment Christ enters because the bondage of sin is broken.
4. The Second Cycle of Torment: God Giving Someone Up to Satan
The second cycle of torment is ordained by God Himself.
Scripture (1 Corinthians 5) speaks of a person being handed over to Satan for destruction of the flesh so their soul may be saved.
This cycle is different from the torment of sin:
It does not originate from disobedience alone.
It originates from God’s desire to preserve the soul, even at the cost of the body.
God may allow a person to die young because:
Their salvation is secure now,
But God foresees that later they may backslide or turn away.
This cycle is a mercy in disguise — destruction of the body for the salvation of the soul.
Examples given:
Jesus Himself was “given up” — His body destroyed for the salvation of others.
The only way Jesus could die was by allowing it; He orchestrated His own surrender.
This cycle reveals:
God’s highest priority is the soul.
God’s dealings may appear harsh, but are rooted in salvation.
The speaker notes personal experiences of witnessing individuals give their lives to Christ shortly before dying — recognizing that God used that moment to save them.
Suicide is addressed:
The instruction is never to encourage it — “I will tell you, you will go to hell.”
Yet, there are cases where torment drove individuals into it, which means not all situations are identical or easily judged.
Summary of this cycle:
God gives a person up to Satan
→ body destroyed
→ soul saved.
5. Testing vs. Temptation
A distinction is made:
Temptation is by the devil, seeking to expose evil desires already inside a person.
Testing is by God, to evaluate whether a person has learned truth and grown.
Key points:
Humans are tempted by their own evil desires.
God tests in order to promote.
Temptation and testing can happen simultaneously, but have different purposes depending on one’s standpoint.
God does not allow temptation beyond one’s capacity.
Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted — both a test and a temptation.
A critical revelation:
God does not deliver people from all weaknesses.
Certain weaknesses remain so that His power may rest on the person.
Weakness creates dependency on God.
Self-righteousness begins when a person forgets their own weakness and believes they are strong by themselves.
People who condemn others while forgetting their own failures fall into self-righteousness.
Jesus ate with sinners; His righteousness became their standard.
A person who believes they are purified by their own strength has already drifted from God.
6. Scripture Proofs: God Allowing Evil, Calamity, and Torment
Amos 3:5–6
“Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it?”
Evil (calamity, adversity) can occur through God handing over a city or person to the enemy.
Israel’s History
God repeatedly handed Israel over to:
Philistines
Egyptians
Babylonians
These were cycles of torment designed to straighten them out.
Isaiah 45:7
God takes ownership of creating both “prosperity” and “calamity.”
This verse is emphasized as shocking to modern believers.
Lamentations 3:37–38
Nothing happens unless the Lord commands it.
Both adversity and good proceed from the Lord.
The teaching counters the idea that every negative thing is the devil.
Believers often misunderstand God’s actions because they lack spiritual understanding.
Another principle:
If a curse works against someone, God permitted it.
No curse can land without a cause.
If a witch curses and it succeeds, the person must have offended God.
God is sovereign:
Even the devil cannot act outside God’s jurisdiction.
All things work together for good — even what the enemy intends.
7. Job’s Example
Job never blamed Satan.
When losing everything, Job worshiped God.
Job said:
“Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”
(Job 2:9–10)
The teaching emphasizes:
Christians today blame the devil for anything unpleasant.
Job understood God’s sovereignty and responded with worship.
Following God involves ups and downs, because God is building spiritual life.
God can allow hardship not because of sin, but for spiritual formation.
8. Moses and Pharaoh: God Hardening the Heart
Moses was sent to deliver Israel.
But God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, making the mission harder.
Moses questioned God: “Why did You do this to me?”
God reveals:
Pharaoh’s hardening had divine purpose.
God does not force transformation; He reveals truth so that humans choose.
God does not change hearts subconsciously.
Transformation without revelation has no substance and fades quickly.
People who quickly “love” spiritual leaders can just as quickly turn — because there is no foundation.
True love has a foundation; convenience is not love.
Pharaoh’s hardening is a sign of being in a cycle of torment.
9. How to Recognize You Are in a Cycle of Torment
The teaching shifts into one of its most important revelations:
How to discern that a person has been “given up” and is now operating under torment without knowing it.
1. Unforgiveness
When someone has experienced the forgiveness of God yet cannot forgive others, the emotion driving them is no longer natural.
Unforgiveness becomes demonic because:
It consumes the mind.
It enslaves thoughts to the person who offended you.
It creates sickness, spiritual stagnancy, and emotional bondage.
A tormenting cycle forms when a person becomes obsessed with the one they have not forgiven — thinking constantly about someone who is not thinking about them.
Obsession itself is defined as torment.
2. Self-righteousness
This occurs when someone believes they are right with God based on comparing themselves to others.
Righteousness is right standing with God, not personal moral superiority.
When someone judges others while forgetting their own failures, it becomes a sign of torment.
Condemning acts is acceptable; condemning people reveals a deeper spiritual issue.
Using others as a yardstick (instead of Christ) shows that a person has already drifted from God.
3. Self-justification
A major indicator of torment is the need to justify one’s reactions, feelings, or retaliations.
Examples given include:
“You hurt me, so I am justified in hurting you.”
“My feelings give me the right to behave this way.”
The question becomes:
“Is what you are doing justifiable before God?”
When someone believes their emotional reasoning overrides God’s standard, they may be in a cycle of torment without knowing it.
4. A Reprobate Mind
This is the climax of torment.
A reprobate mind is when:
The voice of conscience no longer speaks.
The inner warnings that once existed are gone.
A person knowingly does wrong but cannot stop.
No voice of reason can reach them.
The conscience becomes muted.
A person becomes given over to their own passions.
Illustration from childhood cartoons:
The angel and devil on each shoulder represent conscience at work.
When the good voice disappears, the person is already deep in torment.
5. Obsession With Public Approval
This mirrors the character of Satan who desired to be seen, adored, and approved publicly.
When someone needs public validation:
They lack the approval of God in their spirit.
They chase attention, applause, and visibility.
Public approval is unstable; the same crowd that praises today will mock tomorrow.
A person consumed by public opinion is already in a cycle of torment.
Example referenced:
Public figures who were adored in one season but mocked in another.
The instruction:
Do things for yourself, not for the crowd.
Living for approval means the person has already received their reward — and it is torment.
Additional Signs Highlighted Through Examples & Commentary
People who change behavior based on who is present (like Saul with David).
People who gossip or attack others but cannot explain why — influenced by emotional demonic impulses.
People who become “accountants” of another person’s blessings, lifestyle, or possessions — monitoring what others have.
People whose passions, zeal, or emotions overpower logic — a sign that a spirit is influencing them.
People who criticize or resent what God is doing for someone else — attempting to diminish those whom God has approved.
10. Why Emotions Are a Major Gateway to Torment
A key principle is emphasized:
“Demons speak to you through emotions.”
Emotions are not facts; emotions cannot determine truth.
A person may dislike someone without any valid spiritual or factual reason.
Many people claim to be “prophetic” based on emotional sensitivity, but:
If emotions guide discernment, it is deception.
True discernment is revelatory, not emotional.
Emotional instability creates vulnerability to demonic influence.
Any emotion that exceeds logic or godly balance is a spiritual invitation.
People often misjudge others based on appearance or feelings, not reality.
The teaching warns strongly against emotional Christians, because lack of emotional control makes the person spiritually open.
11. How Demons Enter: A Legal, Not Random, Process
Sin alone does not automatically cause possession.
reproIf sin alone were the gateway, everyone would be possessed, since all have sinned.
There must be a legal basis for demonic entry.
Distinction:
Poor character is not the same as demonization.
Example given:
Samson’s lifestyle did not automatically result in a spirit of lust possessing him.
Demons enter when legal grounds are created through spiritual law, not mere moral failure.
People confuse:
Character flaws
Demonic behavior
Biblical “fruit” is not personality but spiritual output that blesses others.
12. Additional Illustrations: Scripture, Religion, and Misunderstanding
Christianity is centered on Christ, not on the Bible as an object.
The Bible is inspired by God, but Christianity existed before the compiled text.
Satan can quote Scripture but does not know “the Word,” because knowing requires encounter.
Many believers weaponize Scripture in emotional ways, which leads to deception.
People can become used by the devil while holding Bibles, because the Bible without the Spirit is just a book.
13. Pharaoh, Hardening, and Emotional Influence
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for divine purpose:
To humble him.
To judge the gods of Egypt.
To reveal God’s power.
Pharaoh’s behavior — increased anger, increased oppression — was influenced by evil emotions stirred through divine judgment.
Pharaoh shows how torment produces irrationality:
He agrees to let Israel go.
Then changes his mind.
Then pursues to destroy them.
Hardness of heart is not simply stubbornness — it is a sign of judgment.
14. A Pastoral Example: When Torment Is Actually God’s Hand
A case is described of a man afflicted by torment.
When prayer was attempted, God said:
“Do not touch him. It is Me.”
The torment was punishment because:
The man abandoned his wife and four children.
God required restitution, repentance, and responsibility before release.
Certain torments are not demonic but disciplinary.
When the person repented and made things right, then prayer was permitted.
15. The Opposite Outcome: When Someone Is Against Whom God Has Approved
When a person is given over to torment, they cannot diminish someone whom God has approved.
The person they oppose will continue to increase.
God approves individuals in secret, and no public attack can undo His approval.
When someone works to bring another person down, this striving is itself evidence of torment.
The devil deceives people into believing they can “win” — this illusion drives people deeper into destruction.
16. How to Break Out of Torment
The critical question is:
“What is consuming you?”
A person cannot break a cycle they do not understand or acknowledge.
A believer should be consumed by:
The Holy Spirit
The love of God
Purity of heart
“To the pure, all things are pure.”
Someone consumed by God sees others as God sees them:
Loving them deeply
Fighting alongside them against what God hates in them
Not confusing the person with their flaws
Breaking torment begins with truthful self-examination:
Looking in the mirror honestly
Examining motives
Recognizing consumption
Scripture References (KJV)
1 Corinthians 2:5
“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Amos 3:5–6
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?”
Isaiah 45:7
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Lamentations 3:37–38
“Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?”
Job 2:9–10
“Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
1 Kings 22:19–23
(Summarized reading of the passage where a spirit volunteers to be a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab’s prophets.)
1 Corinthians 5:5
“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
Romans 1:28 (referenced concept: reprobate mind)
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…”
James 1:13–14 (concept explained)
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God… But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
Prayers
Declaration 1
“Lord, deliver me from the cycle of torment.”
Repeated multiple times in the sermon.
Declaration 2
“What is consuming me?”
(This is asked as a personal reflective cry, not a congregational chant.)
Golden Nuggets
“A prophet’s duty is to reveal God to you; the God you read about, you are supposed to see.”
“Grace comes by humility; God gives grace to the humble.”
“You cannot pray for what God intends for you to receive through someone else.”
“The first cycle of torment is sin.”
“God would rather save your soul and destroy your body than for you to be lost forever.”
“God does not deliver you from every weakness because His power rests on your weakness.”
“Self-righteousness begins when you forget your own weakness.”
“Shall we receive good from God and not receive evil?”
“Demons speak to you through emotions.”
“If sin alone opened the door to demons, everyone on earth would be possessed.”
“Character is not the fruit the Bible speaks about; true fruit is what God has placed in you that others can benefit from.”
“Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God for divine purpose.”
“Obsession is torment.”
“When God approves you in secret, no public attack can reduce you.”
“You cannot break out of something that you do not understand is happening to you.”
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