The concept of “binding and loosing” comes primarily from two passages in the Gospel of Matthew. The first is Matthew 16:19, where Jesus says to Peter:
“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
The second is spoken to all the disciples in Matthew 18:18:
“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.”
The terms “bind” and “loose” were commonly used in Jewish legal discussions to mean forbidding or permitting something based on Scripture. In this context, Jesus was giving authority to His disciples to act in alignment with heaven’s will regarding spiritual matters, particularly related to the church and discipline.
While some teach that this refers directly to spiritual warfare, such as binding demons or loosing angels, Scripture does not present “binding and loosing” as a formula for confronting demonic forces. There is no instance in the New Testament where Jesus or the apostles command believers to “bind” a spirit using this phrase.
Instead, spiritual warfare is addressed through commands to resist the devil (James 4:7), stand firm (Ephesians 6:13), and use the Word of God as the weapon (Ephesians 6:17). Casting out demons was always done by the authority of Jesus’ name, not through “binding” language.
Binding and loosing in proper biblical context deals with authority in teaching, church discipline, and decisions that reflect God’s will. Any application to spiritual warfare must remain grounded in the commands and examples explicitly found in Scripture.
