And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness: whose end
shall be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:14-15)
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
HIGH PLACES
It seems to be inherent in human nature to
think of God as dwelling somewhere in the heights. From earliest times men have
chosen high places for worship, both of the true God or false gods and idols invented
by man. In Old Testament times these high places became the scenes of evil
orgies and human sacrifice connected with the worship of false gods. God told
Israel when they entered the Promised Land to drive out all the inhabitants of
the land and destroy their high places:
Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants
of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all
their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. (Numbers
33:52)
In the book of Judges we read of Israel's
failure to drive the people out of the land. As a result, they fell into
idolatrous worship in the high places. After the period of the judges, some of
the good kings of Israel destroyed the high places. Others rebuilt them and
worshiped false gods. King Manasseh was one who rebuilt the high places. After
he had been punished and repented for this sin, he was restored to his throne
and resumed worship of the true God. The people still sacrificed in the high
places, but "only unto Jehovah their God" (II Chronicles 33).
When Gideon was called of God to be a mighty
warrior, the Lord told him to destroy the altar and cut down the wooden image.
Then Gideon was to build an altar to God. A burnt offering could be made only
after the high places were torn down. It was then that deliverance came! God
still calls today for the "spiritual wickedness in high places" to be
torn down by the mighty warriors of God.
When Paul speaks of "spiritual
wickedness in high places", he is referring to wicked spirits who have
infiltrated the religious systems of the world. They have even crept into the
congregations of the righteous. Satan has organized his evil forces to imitate
the organization of the true church of God. In some cases he actually has
congregations known as "The Church of Satan" or
"Spiritualists." He has set up a form of worship in the spiritual
high places.
Satan has also prompted the organization of
many cults. The word "occult" means to "hide or conceal a
thing." Cults are those who are part of the occult, those who hide and
conceal evil behind the cloak of religion. But even more dangerous, Satan has
set up his system right in the true church through evil people who have
"crept in unawares" (Jude 4).
Through "spiritual wickedness in high
places" Satan aims for the total allegiance of man. He uses false cults,
his own church of Satan, and infiltration into the Body of Christ to accomplish
this purpose. This is what the Bible teaches about Satan's religious
organization:
SATAN HAS HIS OWN TRINITY:
You previously studied about the Trinity of
God, the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Satan also has a
trinity. It includes Satan himself, the beast and a false prophet. You will
study about the latter two in the final chapter of this course. In the book of
Revelation, John describes the final destiny of this unholy trio:
And the Devil that deceived them was cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
SATAN HAS HIS OWN CHURCH:
God established the true church which is
known as the "Body of Christ" of which Jesus is the head: Now ye are
the Body of Christ, and members in particular... (I Corinthians 12:27)
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into Him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body
unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Satan has his own church which is called
"a synagogue of Satan":
...I know the blasphemy of them which say
they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)
The name "synagogue of Satan" is
not always openly used but his synagogue is established anywhere the true
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not preached.
SATAN HAS A DOCTRINE:
The Bible is filled with the true doctrines
of God revealed by the Holy Spirit:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine... (II Timothy 3:16)
The doctrine of Satan is called the
"doctrine of demons":
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils. (I Timothy 4:1)
One category of demons is called
"seducing spirits." Their specific job is to seduce men into
doctrinal error. The "doctrine of demons" is any teaching presented
as "truth" which does not agree with the written Word of God.
SATAN HAS A SYSTEM OF SACRIFICE:
In Romans 12:1, we are told to present
ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. This means we are to surrender in total
allegiance to God. Satan demands sacrifices also:
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils. (I Corinthians 10:20) Satan demands total
allegiance of body, soul, and spirit. There are actually services of sacrifice
carried out where men and women dedicate themselves to the service of Satan.
The blood sacrifice of humans and animals is also practiced.
SATAN HAS HIS OWN COMMUNION SERVICE:
The sharing of the communion bread and wine
was started by Jesus as a way of remembering His sacrifice for the sins of all
mankind on the cross (I Corinthians 11:23-34). Satan counterfeits this by his
own communion:
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the
cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of
devils. (I Corinthians 10:20)
SATAN HAS MINISTERS:
God has called some believers to serve as
pastors and minister to His church and proclaim the Gospel (I Corinthians
12:28). Satan also has ministers:
And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end
shall be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:14-15)
SATAN'S MINISTERS PROCLAIM HIS GOSPEL:
The "gospel" of Satan is contrary
to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Which is not another, but there be some that
trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.
But though we or an angel from Heaven preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. (Galatians 1:7-8)
SATAN HAS HIS THRONE:
God has a throne in Heaven. Satan also has a
throne, although we are not told its exact location:
And the beast which I saw was like unto a
leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of
a lion: and the dragon (Satan) gave him his power, and HIS SEAT, and great
authority. (Revelation 13:2)
SATAN HAS WORSHIPERS:
There are many who worship the true God. Satan
also has worshipers:
...and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who
is like unto the beast?...
(Revelation
13:4)
Some worshipers of Satan pretend to be
followers of Jesus:
The field is the world; the good seed are the
children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the
harvest the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (Matthew
13:38-39)
Satan mixes the bad "seed" in with
the good "seed" (believers).
SATAN HAS PROPHETS:
God has set in the Church prophets, men who
are especially anointed to bring a direct message from Him to the Church (I
Corinthians 12:28). Satan has false prophets who deliver false messages:
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)
SATAN HAS TEACHERS:
God has anointed some people as teachers to
share and explain His Word to others (I Corinthians 12:28). But all teachers
are not from God. Satan has false teachers to spread his evil doctrine:
But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring
upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you... (II Peter 2:1-3)
Satan's teachers bring in "damnable
heresies," teachings which are false and cause division. They speak lies
and are experts at mixing truth and error in a way that makes error acceptable.
Many such false teachings have resulted in the growth of cults. A cult is any
system of religion or worship that is not in complete harmony with the written
Word of God. It is a "damnable heresy."
The names, doctrines, and organization of
cults vary from nation to nation. There are so many cults that it is not
possible to mention them all. But remember, any religious system not in
harmony with God's Word is a cult. (The
"Tactical Maneuvers" section of this lesson provides additional
guidelines for recognizing cults.)
SATAN HAS APOSTLES:
An apostle is a person who spreads the Gospel
and establishes churches (I Corinthians 12:28). Satan also has apostles doing
his work throughout the world. They deceive people by imitating the true
apostles:
For such are false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (II Corinthians
11:13)
Satan's apostles become leaders of false
cults and infiltrate churches in leadership capacities.
SATAN IMITATES JESUS BY FALSE CHRISTS:
Satan has even imitated the Lord Jesus Christ
by raising up false Christs. Jesus warned:
...Take heed, that no man deceive you. For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
(Matthew 24:4-5)
SATAN HAS A SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION:
The Bible is a record of how God spoke to
man. God continues to speak to men today. (An entire Harvestime International
Institute course is devoted to "Knowing God's Voice"). Satan also speaks
to man. His first words to humans resulted in their fall into sin in the Garden
of Eden (Genesis chapter 3).
Believers pray to God regarding their needs
and God responds to the prayer of the righteous (James 5:16). Satan's followers
pray to him and communicate with evil spirits. Sometimes Satan responds with
supernatural events such as voices, the moving of objects, noises, etc.
God has communicated to man through His
written Word, the Bible. Satan's message is also being communicated through the
written word by evil magazines, books, motion pictures, and music. God's
communication through His written and spoken Word provides guidance for man in
the affairs of life. Satan has a system of false guidance accomplished through
methods such as the following:
Astrology and horoscope: Which use stars to
predict events and give guidance.
Reading of tea leaves, cards, pictures, bumps
on the head, palms of the hand and crystal balls: The formation of the tea
leaves, cards, lines in the human hand, crystal balls, and pictures are claimed
to give guidance.
Witchcraft: Using spells, potions, charms,
magic, rituals, seances, divinations, methods of
chance, divining rods, visions, drawings, and
similar unscriptural methods to receive guidance.
SATAN HAS SUPERNATURAL POWER:
Jesus promised supernatural power to His
followers after they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Satan
also gives supernatural power and authority (Revelation 13:2). His demons can
provide supernatural strength and energy. Satan can perform many supernatural
signs and miracles:
For they are the spirits of devils, working
miracles... (Revelation 16:14)
Jesus said:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and
in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23)
SPIRITUAL COUNTER STRATEGIES: TO WAR AGAINST
SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES
Here are specific counter strategies for
overcoming spiritual wickedness in high places.
RECOGNIZE SATAN IS AN IMITATOR:
From your study of this lesson to this point
it should be clear that Satan is an imitator. "Imitation" means to
copy or counterfeit something. The first step in overcoming wickedness in high
places is to recognize that Satan imitates every part of God's religious
structure. Be on the look out for imitations!
USE DISCERNMENT:
There is a special gift of the Holy Spirit
called "discerning of spirits." It is an unusual ability given by God
to immediately discern another person's spirit and know if they are good or
evil. If you have this spiritual gift, use it in dealing with spiritual
wickedness in high places. If you do not have this gift, God has provided other
methods of detection. In II Peter 2 and the book of Jude He has listed the
characteristics of these men with seducing spirits. (Use the "Tactical
Maneuvers" section of this lesson for additional study of this subject.)
All believers are encouraged to "try the spirits" (I John 4:1) To
"try" means to "test" the spirits. If you test the spirits
it does not mean you are operating in unbelief. If the spirits are of God, they
will pass the test!
STUDY THE WORD OF GOD:
In order to recognize the false doctrines of
Satan's teachers, apostles, prophets, and ministers, you must know what is
taught in the Word of God. Paul told Timothy:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II
Timothy 2:15)
Even though Paul was a great spiritual leader
in the early Church, the believers at the city of Berea checked everything he
said by God's written Word:
These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)
To avoid being deceived by spiritual
wickedness in high places, examine everything that is taught in light of God's
Word.
REJECT ANYTHING NOT IN THE WORD:
Satan establishes much spiritual wickedness
in high places through so-called "special revelation of new truth."
People will claim special dreams, appearances by angels, visions, voices, or
other supernatural events. But Paul warned:
...but there be some that trouble you and would
pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from Heaven preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. (Galatians 1:7-8)
Reject any teaching, doctrine, manifestation,
or revelation that is not in harmony with God's Word. Do not accept any
so-called prophecy that is not in right relation to the faith (Romans 12:6) and
which does not come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:22). Do not accept any revelation
that leads you away from God and the truth of His Word (Deuteronomy 13:1-5):
The man that wandereth out of the way of
understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16)
EVALUATE BY SPIRITUAL FRUIT:
Because Satan imitates the power of God
through supernatural manifestations of miracles, signs, and wonders, God has
provided a special method of evaluating ministries. You are to evaluate the
supernatural on the basis of spiritual fruit.
Jesus compared men to fruit trees. He said
you would know both the real and the imitators by
their spiritual fruit:
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Wherefore by their fruits you shall know
them. (Matthew 7:18, 20)
Satan can imitate spiritual gifts and God's
power, but he has no imitation for a holy life exhibiting the fruit of the Holy
Spirit which includes true...
...love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance; against such there is no
law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Evaluate ministries by spiritual fruit, not
by supernatural manifestations of power.
AVOID EVERY SATANIC INFLUENCE:
God warned Israel to avoid every type of
Satanic influence:
...destroy all their pictures, and destroy
all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. (Numbers
33:52)
Read the additional instructions God gave in
Deuteronomy 18:9-14. Israel was to have no contact with the work of Satan in
any form. You should destroy anything you own that has to do with witchcraft or
the work of the devil. This would include idols, "lucky charms",
potions, amulets, crystal balls, games, divining devices, and other similar
items. This is what people did in the New Testament when they became believers:
Many of them also which used curious arts
brought their books together, and burned them before all men, and they counted
the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver (about $9,300).
(Acts 19:19)
Destroy any evil literature and music that
does not glorify God. Do not spend time in places where there is evil
influence. The Bible records that God manifested Himself in special places such
as the Old Testament temple and the upper room of a house on the Day of
Pentecost. It is equally true that Satanic power can be manifested in special
places dedicated to evil. This would include places where evil pictures are
shown, drinking and riotous behavior is occurring, seances are being held,
worship of Satan is occurring.... anywhere sinful practices are going on. Avoid
such environments, because Satan's power is especially strong there. You cannot
pray the Lord's prayer, "Lead us not into temptation" and then put
yourself in such a place:
...and I would not that ye should have
fellowship with devils. (I Corinthians 10:20)
Do not associate with false leaders,
teachers, prophets, ministers or apostles:
Abstain from all appearance of evil. (I
Thessalonians 5:22)
EXPOSE THE WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES:
Believers must not ignore this spiritual
wickedness in high places. Pastors must preach the whole counsel of God in face
of deception (II Timothy 4:1-4). False teachings of the occult and doctrines of
demons must be identified. Believers are not to participate in the
"unfruitful works of darkness" but rather should expose them
(Ephesians 5:11).
EXERCISE THE MINISTRY OF DELIVERANCE:
God's organization, the true Church, is more
powerful than that of Satan. You learned that Jesus is the head of the church,
and that believers are the body. With that in mind, read the following verses:
(God) hath put all things under His feet, and
gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is His body...
(Ephesians 1:22-23) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers
in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.
(Ephesians 3:10)
Jesus is the head of the Church. Believers
are the body. If all things (including Satan and his religious structure) are
under the feet of Jesus, then they are also under our feet because we are the
body. "Under the feet" means they are under the power and authority which
God has delegated to us. Jesus said He has given us power over "all the
power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). This includes spiritual wickedness in
high places.
The church is actually to demonstrate His
power to these principalities and powers! We must exercise this ministry to
bring deliverance from those in bondage to "spiritual wickedness in high
places." We must turn men from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan to the Kingdom of God (Acts 26:18).
1. Study the warnings of God to Israel
regarding Satan and the occult: Deuteronomy 18:10- 12; Leviticus 17:7; 19:31;
20:16.
2. Study more about sacrifices made to
devils: Deuteronomy 32:17; II Chronicles 11:15; Psalms 106:37.
3. The following are common characteristics
of cults:
• Dictatorial Leadership: Cults cluster
around domineering, charismatic
personalities who have absolute authority and
are accountable to no one. • Exclusive: Cults adopt the attitude that they are
the only group with divine truth. They exclude from fellowship others who
disagree with them. • Legalistic: Cults usually have strict rules of belief and
behavior which have no Scriptural basis. • Defensive: Cult members are usually
led to believe that society, organized religion, and government are against
them. This causes a reactionary attitude towards religion, government, and
society. • Oppressive: Cult members are usually manipulated and oppressed by
the leadership. • Secretive: Many things about the cult are kept secret from
"outsiders". • Higher Revelation: Cults often claim "higher
revelation" from God. They will always have a source of authority beyond
the Scriptures. It may be the writings or revelation of the founder or another
person. In some cases it may be the founder's peculiar interpretation of the
Bible. Their doctrines will not currently represent Biblical teachings. •
Anti-church: Cults vigorously oppose organized churches and their pastors. •
Anti-family: Cults are sometimes anti-family, which means they want their
members to break ties with family who are not members. They try to break
biological family ties in order to retain their disciples.
4. There are so many cults world-wide that it
is impossible to identify them all, but because of the increasing growth of
what is called the "new age movement" we felt it important to mention
this "doctrine of demons." At the time of writing of this manual new
age involves millions of people throughout the world and is growing rapidly!
Major publishing houses in the United States now have "new age
departments" because there is such a demand for their materials. The new
age movement has its roots in the ancient occultism. It has historical ties to
Sumerian, Indian, Egyptian, Chaldean, Babylonian, and Persian religious
practices. The "new age" is a fresh title, but the occult involved in
it is nothing new.
Jesus is considered just one of many
"gods" or revealers of "truth" along with Buddha, Mohammed,
Confucius, Zoroaster, Krishna, and many others. The deity of Jesus is denied.
While the Bible teaches man was separated from God by sin, the new age movement
believes man is born inherently good. They believe he is separated from God
only in his consciousness and is the victim of a false sense of separate
identity that blinds him to his essential unity with God.
Because of this, the new age movement
advocates various methods of altering the consciousness such as yoga,
meditation, chanting, ecstatic dancing, drugs, etc. They consider these a means
to salvation. Because of these practices and involvement with witchcraft,
sorcery, mediums, etc., new age practices open the door to demonic influences.
The new age movement also heavily emphasizes
the ancient Hindu doctrines of
reincarnation and karma. They believe
successive reincarnations help work off bad "karma." Man is
considered his own "Satan" as well as his own god and salvation.
Thus, the new age movement is rooted in humanism. Values and morals are
relevant, which means they vary according to person and culture. You create
your own reality by doing what feels good and right to you. The new age
movement does not recognize the moral absolutes in God's Word.
Because they believe there is no evil,
therefore there is no crime and no victim. Death is considered an illusion and
because they believe a person is continually reincarnated, there are no victims
of murder or abortion.
The new age methods of spreading propaganda
include infiltration (even of the true Church) and unification through
world-wide networking. New age members speak of a coming "purging"
which will cleanse the world of all those "lesser evolved souls" who
do not see themselves as gods. They are working towards the centralizing of
power on a global level, an ungodly unity with man as the sole authority. The
new age movement may be one of several forces through which Satan will
culminate his plans for global unification. It could very possibly could be the
platform upon which the antichrist will rise to world-wide domination.
JESUS AND DEMONS
The teaching and ministry of Jesus
demonstrated that demonic spirits are a real force of evil. What Jesus taught
about demons and how He dealt with them yields valuable information about the
strategies of Satan.
Jesus accepted the fact that Satan is the
ruler of a host of demons. He taught of the reality and power of demons. He
said that the casting out of demonic powers was one of the signs that the
Kingdom of God had come. Read Matthew 12:22-30, Mark 3:22-27, and Luke 11:14-23
for a summary of what Jesus taught concerning demons.
A large portion of the ministry of Jesus
involved dealing with demons. It is the example of Jesus and the authority of
His name that provides the Scriptural basis for dealing with demonic powers.
Jesus ministered to "all" who came with demonic problems. Peter said
of Jesus:
... God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil. (Acts 10:38)
In the "Tactical Maneuvers" section
of this lesson you can study further on specific cases recorded in the Bible where
Jesus dealt with demonic powers.
HOW DEMONS OPERATE
As you have learned, demons are used by Satan
to oppose God, His plan and purposes, and His people. They also war against
unbelievers to keep them from the truth of the Gospel. Demons control specific
territories (principalities) such as the prince of Persia mentioned in Daniel
10:12- 13. Demons also work through personalities, through men and women, to
accomplish Satanic objectives in the world.
Opposition to God's will is Satan's main
objective. The word "Satan" means "adversary." Satan is
primarily God's adversary (Job 1:6; Matthew 13:39). He is secondarily, man's
adversary (Zechariah 3:1; I Peter 5:8).
As you learned, demons have different
natures. Remember that one demon identified himself in I Kings 22:23 as a
"lying spirit." A "deaf and dumb" spirit is identified in
Mark 9:25. Demons of various natures operate as spirits of infirmity, seducing
spirits, and unclean spirits. Satan uses them to war against man in body, soul,
and spirit:
SPIRITS OF INFIRMITY:
These are spirits that can afflict the bodies
of believers as well as unbelievers. Read Luke 13:10- 17. This woman was
afflicted with a spirit of infirmity. She was present in the Sabbath services
and Jesus called her "a daughter of Abraham." Both of these facts
indicate she probably was a follower of God, yet her body had been afflicted by
Satan for eighteen years. For other examples of demonic powers afflicting the
body see Matthew 12:22; 17:15-18; Acts 10:38; II Corinthians 12:7.
SEDUCING SPIRITS:
These spirits afflict the spirit of man,
seducing him to believe doctrinal lies and be condemned to eternal punishment.
They are the spirits of false doctrine, cults, false Christs, and false
teachers:
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils. (I Timothy 4:1)
These seducing spirits are deceptive. They
actually work miracles which lead some to believe they are of God:
For they are the spirits of devils, working
miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to
gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:14)
Even him, whose coming is after the working
of Satan with all powers and signs and lying wonders.
And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the
truth, that they might be saved. (II Thessalonians 2:9-10)
Seducing spirits include the "spirit of
divination" mentioned in Acts:
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a
certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying. (Acts 16:16)
Such spirits of divination or "familiar
spirits" operate in fortune tellers, witches, and palm, crystal ball, and
tea leaf readers. Through unscriptural methods the spirits of divination
foretell the future or discover knowledge which is naturally unknown. Warnings
against familiar spirits are given in Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:9;
18:10; Leviticus 20:27; and I Samuel 28:3.
Seducing spirits sear the conscience, seduce,
entice, tempt, allure, interest, fascinate, excite, arouse, attract, and
deceive. Seducing spirits are active in causing "spiritual wickedness in
high places." They are present and operative in every cult and wherever
doctrinal error exists.
Remember that Satan craves worship and he
will take it any way he can get it. Seducing spirits entice men and women to
worship idols and even Satan himself. You will learn more about "spiritual
wickedness in high places" in Chapter Twenty.
UNCLEAN SPIRITS:
These demonic powers afflict the soulish
nature of man. They are responsible for immoral acts, unclean thoughts,
temptations and other strategies of Satan used to bind men and women. When
Satan controls individuals with unclean spirits, he can also operate in homes,
churches, and entire nations as these groups are composed of individuals. This
is how Satan works in the various levels of structure in society. For examples of
unclean spirits see Matthew 10:1; 12:43; and Mark 1:23-26.
OPPRESSION, OBSESSION, POSSESSION
Evil spirits can oppress people. To oppress
means to bear down, come against, or bind from the outside. This oppression is
accomplished by evil spirits in various ways. They cause depression, create
negative circumstances, and insert wrong thoughts into the mind such as
thoughts of suicide, immorality, unbelief, fear, etc. Demons create Satanic
circumstances and situations which tempt men to sin:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were
OPPRESSED of the Devil; for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
Demons can also possess human beings. Demon
possession is a condition in which one or more evil spirits (demons) inhabit
the body of a human being and take complete control of their victim at will.
Some people prefer using the word "demonized" rather than possession,
but regardless of the term, the possessed person is host to resident demons. "Possession"
does not mean a person is not responsible for his own sin. His responsibility
rests with the factors that led to his condition.
Possession can happen willingly. A person may
desire to be taken over by spirit powers in order to conduct seances, pronounce
curses, become a witch, or secure some other supernatural power. Possession can
also occur unwilling. An individual does not ask to be possessed, but through
sinful thoughts, actions, or contact with the occult possession results.
Demonic powers operating in parents and the
sins of the parents can affect the next generation. (See Exodus 20:5; 34:7; and
Deuteronomy 5:9.) This accounts for demon possession or oppression of children
such as recorded in Mark 7:24-30 and 9:17-21.
There is also such a thing as demon
obsession. This is a condition where one becomes obsessed by an interest in or
preoccupation with demons. It is an unusual interest in the occult, demons, and
Satan which controls interests and pursuits in a dictating manner. Such
obsession with demon powers can lead to possession by them.
CAN DEMONS AFFECT BELIEVERS?
A true believer cannot be possessed by a
demon because the Holy Spirit cannot inhabit the same temple as an evil spirit:
What? Know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not
your own?
For ye are bought with a price: Therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (I Corinthians
6:19-20)
When you belong to God and are filled with
the Holy Spirit, you cannot belong to Satan and be filled with his spirits at
the same time. The Holy Ghost will not abide in the same "temple"
with Satan.
But this does not mean believers cannot be
affected by demonic powers. It is these powers against which we wrestle. Satan
uses demonic powers to attack believers from the outside through oppression,
the symptoms of which were previously discussed. But he cannot possess the true
believer. To "possess" indicates inside occupation. To
"oppress" or bind indicates control from the outside. The activities
of believers can be Satanically directed if they allow demonic powers to
oppress them. Such oppression or binding by evil powers permits Satan to use
them for evil purposes.
This is what happened when Peter, a disciple of
Jesus, was used of Satan to try to divert Jesus from suffering for the sins of
all mankind. When Jesus described the suffering He was to go through, Peter
said:
...Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not
be unto thee. (Matthew 16:22)
Jesus said to Peter:
...Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an
offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those
that be of men. (Matthew 16:23)
Jesus did not mean Peter was actually Satan.
He recognized that at that moment Peter had allowed Satan to operate through
him. He was not demon possessed, but he was allowing Satanic spirits to
influence him.
Believers, by their own actions, give place
or make room for Satan to use
them. (Ephesians 4:27)
When a person is born again, his name is
written in a special book in Heaven called the book of life. Only those whose
names are in this book will be residents of Heaven for eternity:
And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
It is possible to have your name written in
the book of life, but later blotted out because of turning back to sinful
living:
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed
in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but
I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels. (Revelation
3:5)
If a believer continues in known, unconfessed
sin, there is a point at which he can cease to be a Christian. The Apostle Paul
expressed his own concern that he not be "cast away" after preaching
to others:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself
should be a castaway. (I Corinthians 9:27)
Paul realized that sin, especially continued
unconfessed sins of the flesh, could result in the loss of his own soul even
though he had preached to others.
By continuing to live in sin you will
eventually end up in a backslidden condition. This means you will no longer be
a true follower of Jesus Christ. If you continue in known and unconfessed sin,
no one can tell you at what point you cease to become a follower of Jesus and
again become part of Satan's Kingdom. It is God that determines that point. But
at when it does occur, you are opening yourself up to greater attacks of the enemy,
including the possibility of demon possession. This is why it is important when
you sin to immediately confess your sin and turn from unrighteousness:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make
Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (I John 1:9-10)
Jesus is called the Word of God in many
places in Scripture. If the Word of God does not dwell in you, then Jesus does
not dwell in you.
HOW DEMONS GAIN CONTROL
Demons gain control in several ways:
1. Through generations: Demons may oppress or
possess a person because of previous possession or oppression of the parents.
This accounts for demonic influence over children (Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Deuteronomy
5:9).
2. Through the mind: The mind is one of the
major battlefields of Satan. If Satan can control your thoughts, he will
eventually control your actions. Lack of mental control eventually results in
lack of use of the will. This leads to sinful actions. Continuing in sinful
thoughts and actions can lead from oppression to possession and finally to a
reprobate mind such as is described in Romans l. This is a mind totally
controlled by evil thoughts. Demons also gain access through mind-altering drugs
which reduce the ability to resist demons and grant increasing access.
"Brain washing" or "mind control" teaching also provides an
entrance point.
3. Through sinful actions: Sinful thoughts
are soon fulfilled by sinful actions. For example, the thought of adultery is
fulfilled in the actual act of adultery. Sin is rebellion, and rebellious
thoughts and actions provides an entry point for demonic activity. 297
When a believer continues in sinful thoughts
or actions they "give place" to the Devil (Ephesians 4:27). More
spiritual room is given for the operation of the enemy. Sins of involvement
with the occult, including objects, literature, seances, etc., are actions
which are especially dangerous and attract demonic powers.
An unbeliever who lives in sin is open not
only to oppression of demonic powers, but also possession. As you have learned,
there is no neutral ground in spiritual warfare. You are either on the side of
good or evil. You belong either to God or Satan. If you belong to Satan and
have not experienced the new birth in Jesus Christ, then you are his to use,
oppress, or possess as he wills.
4. Through desire: Some people desire and
request of Satan to be under the control of demons powers. They do this for
purposes of having supernatural power or performing supernatural acts.
5. Through an empty "house": Demons
consider the body of the person they inhabit as their house (Matthew 12:44).
When a person who has been delivered from demonic powers does not fill his
spiritual house with the new birth experience and the infilling of the Holy
Spirit, reentry may occur.
6. Through permission: Sometimes God grants
permission for activities of demonic powers to accomplish special purposes.
This can be allowed as a trial of believers as in the case of Job. It can also
be judgment for sin as in the case of King Saul.
WHO IS TO DEAL WITH DEMONIC POWERS?
Dealing with demonic powers is not something
to be left to professional ministers. Jesus said all believers would have the
ability to overcome demonic powers:
And these signs shall follow them that
believe: In my name shall they cast out devils... (Mark 16:17)
Jesus has given His followers the ability to
deal with demonic powers. He first delegated such power to the disciples:
And when He had called unto Him His twelve
disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to
heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (Matthew 10:1)
And He called unto Him the twelve, and began
to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits.
(Mark 6:7)
He delegated this same power to all
believers:
And these signs shall follow them that
believe: In my name shall they cast out devils... (Mark 16:17)
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)
There is no Biblical basis for believing God
intended this important ministry to be restricted to a particular group of
people. A layman named Philip was used by God to cast out evil spirits in
Samaria (Acts 8). But this does not mean believers should rush into encounters
with demonic powers without proper preparation, as the sons of Sceva discovered
(Acts 19).
It is also important that believers do not
become overly demon conscious. We are not called to major in demons. There is
no spiritual gift of "casting out demons." But you are not to fear
demonic powers. When confronted with those affected by demons, you should have
the power to bring deliverance from God. DETECTING DEMONIC PRESENCE
To overcome demonic powers it is important to
be able to recognize their presence and tactics. The Holy Spirit has provided a
special spiritual gift for this purpose. This gift is called "discerning
of spirits" (I Corinthians 12:10).
To discern means "to discover, evaluate,
and make a distinction between." The gift of discerning of spirits enables
a believer to discern the spirits operating in others. It permits him to
discover, evaluate, and identify evil spirits.
The gift of discerning of spirits is very
important when dealing with demonic powers. It enables you to immediately
discern whether or not a person has an evil spirit operating through or
against him. It prevents deception by
seducing or lying spirits. One with this gift can recognize the evil tactics
and motives of demonic powers.
For example, some deafness and dumbness
(according to the Biblical record) is caused by a spirit. Other deafness and
dumbness might be the result of an accident or illness. Discernment would
enable you to determine the cause behind the condition which would enable
specific ministry.
Not all believers have this special spiritual
gift of discerning of spirits. If a believer does not have this gift there are
signs of demonic presence which can be observed. When the Syrophenician woman
came to Jesus with an appeal that He cast out an unclean spirit from her
daughter, she said "My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil"
(Matthew 15:22). How did she know this? She knew it by the symptoms. Detection
is simply observing what demonic spirits do to a person.
Here are some symptoms of demonic activity:
Demonic obsession is recognized by an
uncontrollable and unusual preoccupation with demons, Satan, or the occult.
Such a person may dabble in occult practices, constantly credit everything to
Satan or demons, or be preoccupied with the study of demons and Satan.
Demonic oppression can be recognized by the
following signs:
1. A physical binding: The "daughter of
Abraham" who Jesus relieved of a spirit of infirmity was bound physically.
See Luke 13:10-17. Chronic sickness may be demonic oppression. All illness is
not caused by demonic powers. Some illness is caused by a violation of natural
laws, such as not eating properly or drinking bad water. Some illness is also
chastisement. One King in the Bible who did not give glory to God was stricken
with intestinal worms and died!
2. A mental oppression: Disturbances in the
mind or thought life such as mental torment, confusion, doubt, loss of memory,
etc. Restlessness, inability to reason or listen to others, abnormal
talkativeness or reserve may be exhibited. All mental problems are not caused
by Satan. Discouragement, depression, and disorientation can be caused by
allergies to certain foods or a wrong chemical imbalance in the brain. God is
able to heal mental problems and illnesses not caused by demonic powers as well
as bring deliverance in cases caused by demons. But caution should be taken not
to class all illness or mental problems as being caused by demonic spirits.
Sometimes a simple change in diet or lifestyle will eliminate a problem if it
is caused by physical causes.
3. Emotional problems: Disturbances in the
emotions which persist or recur, including resentment, hatred, anger, fear,
rejection, self-pity, jealousy, depression, worry, insecurity, inferiority,
etc.
4. Spiritual problems: Extreme difficulties
in overcoming sin, including sinful habits. Rejection of spiritual solutions to
problems. Any type of doctrinal error or deception, including bondage to
objects and literature of the cults.
5. Circumstances: Demons can create difficult
circumstances which are oppressive. Such circumstances usually involve
confusion and can immediately be identified as demonic because God is not the
author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33; James 3:16).
Demonic possession can be recognized by the
following signs:
l. Indwelling of an unclean spirit: This is
demonstrated by a basic moral uncleanness and filthiness. It might include the
desire to go without clothing. For examples see Mark 5:2 and Luke 8:27.
2. Unusual physical strength: A person shows
strength beyond normal capabilities. For examples see Mark 5:3 and Luke 8:29.
3. Fits of rage: These fits may be
accompanied by foaming at the mouth. See Mark 9:14-29 and Luke 8:26-39.
4. Resistance to spiritual things: In the
accounts in Mark 6:7 and 1:21-28, the demons knew Jesus immediately and asked
Him to leave them alone. Fear of the name of Jesus, prayer, and the Word and
blasphemy of that which is spiritual are all symptoms of demon possession.
Excessive blasphemy may be noted or contorted physical features and abrupt
behavior changes when spiritual things are mentioned.
5. Changes in personality and/or voice: A
person who is normally shy may become aggressive or violent. Actions as well as
appearance may be affected. Moral character and intelligence may change. Voice
may be altered. See Mark 5:9.
6. Accompanying physical afflictions: In
cases of demon possession, these appear most commonly to be afflictions of the
mental and nervous system. (See Matthew 9:33; 12:22; Mark 5:4-5). They can also
include a general "pining" or wasting away physically. (See Mark
9:14-29).
7. Self-inflicted physical injury: In Matthew
17:14-21 there is the story of a man's son who would cast himself in the fire.
In Luke 8:26-39 this demon possessed man cut himself with stones to inflict
physical injury.
8. Terrible anguish: Luke 8:28 relates that
this man went about crying because of the terrible inner torments caused by his
possession.
9. Incapacity for normal living: This man
could not live in society but lived in the tombs of the cemetery. See Luke
8:27.
10. Through unscriptural methods, the ability
to foretell the future or discover that which is unknown: The woman in Acts
16:16 is said to be "possessed" by a spirit of divination.
The following also may indicate demonic
oppression, possession, or obsession:
1. Obsessive immorality such as involvement
with pornography, adultery, fornication, masturbation, homosexuality, and other
sex sins. Strong compulsions toward eating disorders, suicide, self-mutilation,
maiming, and murder.
2. Addiction to drugs or alcohol.
3. Trances, visions, and meditation which are
not focused on or from the one true God.
4. Bondage to emotions such as fear, anxiety,
depression, hatred, rage, jealousy, backbiting, envy, pride, bitterness,
negativism, and criticism.
COUNTER STRATEGIES: FOR DEALING WITH DEMONS
Here are some Scriptural strategies for
dealing with demonic powers:
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION IN YOURSELF:
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, the
specific or "Rhema" Word. Begin to build faith in your own heart by
reading the New Testament through with a new attitude:
• Whatever Jesus told His followers to do,
you begin to do. • Whatever He said He would do, expect Him to do it. • If He
said you can deliver those afflicted by Satan, then expect to see them
delivered. • If He said to cast out Devils, then do it in His name and expect
them to obey you.
Disregard all the teaching of man and
personal experiences you have had. Accept that the New Testament means exactly
what it says. Accept it as true and act accordingly. You are an ambassador for
Christ (II Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador never doubts that the country he
represents will back up its Word.
Fast and pray before you go to minister
deliverance. Since power and authority for deliverance comes from God, it is
well to be in touch! Some demons will come out only by prayer and fasting.
Isaiah 58 teaches that God honors the fast which focuses on ministering to the
needs of others.
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION IN OTHERS:
Whenever possible, a team of believers should
be used when binding or casting out demons. Jesus sent out His disciples in
pairs for this ministry:
And He called unto Him the twelve, and began
to send them forth by two and two: and gave them power over unclean spirits.
(Mark 6:7)
This does not mean you cannot minister alone
to a demonically affected person when you encounter them, but there is strength
in unity of prayer with another believer. Since strength comes from unity,
those who are joining you in the ministry of deliverance should be similarly
prepared with prayer and fasting.
In cases of oppression and obsession (such as
depression, demonically caused illnesses, etc.), prepare the person who is to
receive the ministry. They need to have their faith built through the
"Ramah" word of God about deliverance. (This may not be possible in
the case of possession).
If you encourage the demonically affected to
be prayed for without proper instruction, it is like encouraging the unsaved to
accept Jesus as Savior without knowing who He is, recognizing their sin and
need for salvation. When sharing the Gospel a wise soul winner does not press
for a decision too quickly. There is preliminary ministry to be done. Proper
instruction must be given.
The same is true of deliverance. Sometimes,
God delivers without such instruction. But in ministering deliverance you want
to properly use every channel prescribed by God's Word to see the work done.
Faith is one channel for God's delivering power and it comes by hearing God's
Word, so instruction is important. Jesus combined preaching and teaching with
healing and deliverance and He instructed His followers to do so also.
THE PLACE FOR MINISTRY:
Ministry of deliverance to those affected by
demonic powers can be done during a regular part of the church service. Such
ministry need not be confined only to private sessions. It is a valid ministry
of the church.
Jesus ministered to the demon possessed as
part of a regular church service (Mark 1:21-25). However, it is not necessary
to wait until a regular service to deal with demonic powers. Jesus brought
deliverance when and wherever they were encountered.
THE TIME OF MINISTRY:
When you are ready to minister deliverance...
1. Begin with worship and praise:
We enter His presence (where there is
deliverance and healing) through worship and praise. Deliverance can come
through worship and praise, even without ministry by prayer because God
inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise, He is present to heal and
deliver.
2. Create an environment of faith:
You already started to do this when you
ministered the Word on deliverance, but you may also need to take additional
steps to create an environment of faith.
Unbelief hindered even the ministry of Jesus
in Nazareth. Sometimes Jesus put unbelievers out when he ministered (Mark
5:35-40). Other times He led people out of their village (an environment of
unbelief) in order to minister to them (Mark 8:23). On occasion as God leads,
you may need to ask those struggling with unbelief, fear, etc., to leave.
3. Pray first:
Ask for wisdom and discernment before you
begin to minister deliverance. During prayer, God may reveal to you...
• A word of knowledge: Specific facts and
information about a person or condition so you will know how to pray. A
"word of knowledge" can include a deep sense of knowing or an
impression in your spirit, thoughts, words, or feelings. The Word of knowledge
may reveal what the sickness is or why the person has the condition.
• A Scripture verse: The Rhema word for that
situation, condition, person, or group.
• A vision: Pictures in the mind's eye
pertaining to the one to whom you are ministering.
• Words of faith: Special words of
encouragement and faith specifically for that individual.
• A special anointing: A sudden infusion of
power, perhaps felt as a tingling, heat, or supernatural confidence.
• A special act of faith, that if the person
will perform, will be delivered.
4. Conduct a brief interview:
This is not required. It is optional and
should be done according to the leading of the Lord. God may give you specific
words of wisdom about the person's condition and you will not need to
interview.
But if God does not supernaturally reveal
something to you, do not hesitate to use the interview. Jesus used both natural
and supernatural methods. On occasions He discerned people's conditions by the
Holy Spirit. At other times He asked them what they wanted and how long they
had been afflicted.
An interview helps you gain information so
you can pray more specifically. It also helps you determine if the person needs
further instruction before you pray. Jesus often did this. He asked people
questions concerning their faith and then dealt with negative forces of
unbelief before ministering. Study the following examples:
• Mark 5:1-20: Jesus questions the demonized
man. • Mark 8:22-26: Questioning the blind man. • Mark 9:14-27: A boy with an
evil spirit. • Mark 10:46-52: Questioning blind Bartimaeus.
Ask the person, "What is the
problem?" Speaking a request for prayer is important. Jesus delivered many
who came to Him making known their need. The request is in itself an act of
faith that can set in motion the healing processes (James 5:14-15). Ask for a
specific statement. You need only brief facts. You do not need the complete
history or a life's story.
Do not try to psychoanalyze the information
you are given. Your function is to minister deliverance. Some unique cases may
require privacy and more time for counseling with a trained counselor. Have
counselors available for this purpose.
Ask the person who is to be prayed for,
"Do you believe Jesus can deliver you?" If they answer positively,
then ask, "Do you believe Jesus will do it now?" If the answer is
"no" to either of these questions, further instruction from God's
Word is needed.
When you are ministering to a large crowd,
you will not be able to talk to each person. God may reveal to you specific
demonically caused conditions of people in the audience or may lead you to pray
specific prayers for individuals.
If you are ministering deliverance in a
crowd, it is best to train others to minister along with you rather than you
doing all the ministering yourself. The commission of Jesus was that these
signs would follow THEM that believe, not "him." The work of the
ministry was to be through the body, not just one or two lone believers or
evangelists.
5. Determine the specific problem:
Use the information from the interview and/or
the wisdom God has given to you to determine if the problem is in the:
Spiritual realm: Problems related to sin.
These require a ministry of spiritual healing (salvation, repentance and
forgiveness of sin).
Physical realm: Bodily sickness caused by
demonic spirits of infirmity.
Emotional realm: Problems concerning anxiety,
fear, anger, bitterness, resentment, guilt, doubt, failure, jealousy,
selfishness, confusion, frustration, perfectionism in the energy of the flesh,
unforgiveness, past situations.
This is often called "inner
healing," but the term has been abused. It is not necessary to go back
through a rehearsal of the facts and relive these emotions. It is not necessary
to spend weeks, months, years to recover from such traumas. If you do this, you
are trying to heal the old person instead of helping them become a new creation
in Christ.
Problems in the emotional realm are often
related to the social realm of a person's life, ie., they affect and stem from
family and social relationships. Deliverance comes through identifying, asking
forgiveness, and forgiving the other parties involved.
The greatest barrier to emotional healing is
usually forgiveness, so emotional healing includes the healing of social
relationships.
We are called to be ministers of
reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18-21). Reconciliation includes both with God
and man, and this is where emotional, mental, or inner healing comes in (all
similar titles for in essence the same thing).
You may need to instruct the person in
forgiveness. It is not: • Justifying someone else's wrongs which they have done
("They were under a lot of pressure") • Denying we were hurt in the
first place. • Accepting with resignation what was done to you. • Waiting for
"time" to heal the hurt.
True forgiveness comes by:
• Recognizing what was done to us was wrong,
the result of sinful men in a sinful world. • Confessing the hurt to God and
asking Him to heal the harmful emotions (i.e., hate, bitterness, etc.). You may
not ever forget the fact of the incident...What you are in need of is healing
for the wrong emotions relating to it. • Asking God to help you forgive others
involved, then forgiving even as Christ forgives you.
Recognize that God extends forgiveness to you
as you forgive others: "Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who
trespass against us." The person may also need to forgive themselves
(guilt over their own wrongdoing) and will definitely need to pray for
emotional healing:
• Acknowledge the sin causing guilt and/or
sinful emotions, confess it to God, and repent. Ask Him to forgive your sin and
heal your emotions. • Recognize when God forgives, He forgets (He casts our
sins as far as east from west). • Claim I John 1:8-9 and Romans 8:1. • By an
act of your own will, release yourself from condemnation. Control future
thought patterns by casting down "vain imaginations" and
"forgetting those things behind."
Mental realm: Problems stemming from negative
thinking, attacks of Satan on the mind, mental retardation. Remember: Because
man is a triune being, problems in one realm affect the whole person. As you
minister, deal with the whole person, not just one area. Man is body, soul,
spirit: Wholeness implies dealing with all of these.
6. Determine whether it is time to pray:
Determine whether or not it is time to pray
the healing prayer. In most cases, you will pray, but in some, do not be
surprised if the Lord directs you not to pray or to delay prayer.
Jesus delayed healing in the case of the
Syrophonecian woman's daughter and Lazarus. He did not do many works at all in
Nazareth because of unbelief. The Lord may also direct you to delay until
further instruction is given, i.e., they may need to deal with a sin problem,
need more instruction on deliverance, etc.
7. Pray the prayer of deliverance:
Pray a prayer of deliverance which focuses on
the specific problem of demonic influence which you have identified. You do not
have to persuade God to deliverance by your prayer. Just as salvation is
already available, the same is true of deliverance. Just as salvation is based
on the condition of faith, so is deliverance. God wants to deliver, just as He
wants to save.
Although the power of God is sometimes
present in a special way for deliverance (Luke 5:17), you can still pray
without a special anointing to do so because Jesus commanded you to do so just
as He told you to spread the Gospel.
Use others to help you minister if you are in
a group setting. There is multiplication of spiritual power when more people
are praying (Matthew 18:19). "Body ministry" discourages individuals
who experience success in deliverance and those who receive it from giving
glory to man. Jesus taught that first you should bind the enemy, then you can
exercise power over him:
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's
house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he
will spoil his house. (Matthew 12:29)
If demonic powers are binding in oppression
from the outside, pray for their hold to be loosed and their powers to be
bound. For example, Jesus loosed the woman in the synagogue from the spirit of
infirmity. She was not possessed, but oppressed. A casting out was not
necessary.
In cases of demon possession, you have the
authority to cast demons out in the name of Jesus. It is not authority in your
own power or ability, but in His name. It is important to use the name of Jesus
in the actual prayer of casting out the demon.
Faith, fasting, and prayer are necessary to
cast out demons. (Read the account in Matthew 17:14-
287
21). This is why preliminary preparation is
encouraged in these areas. The Word of God (Ephesians 5:17; Hebrews 4:12); the
blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11), and the infilling power of the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:8; 2:38) are also "tools" for deliverance God has given you.
Yelling and screaming at the demons is not
necessary. It is your authority in the name of Jesus that will cause them to
come out, not the volume of your voice during the prayer of deliverance.
Always forbid the demons to reenter. This is
an important part of the prayer of deliverance:
When Jesus saw the people came running
together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf
spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him. (Mark 9:25)
Do not spend time talking with the demon,
should it manifest itself through spoken words. Jesus rebuked demons and told
them to be quiet (Luke 4:34-35). Remember that any conversation with demons is
dangerous because there are lying spirits.
The Holy Spirit will direct you in the prayer
of deliverance, but if you are new to this ministry here is a sample prayer
pattern to study:
"In the name of Jesus Christ and on the
basis of the authority of His power, His Word, His blood, and the Holy
Spirit..." ...This establishes the power base for deliverance...
"...I bind you...." ...Jesus taught
to bind the strong man first before attempting to cast him out... "...and
I command you..." ...Ministering deliverance is a prayer of authority, not
of entreaty. You can speak quietly, but you must take authority over the forces
of evil in the name of Jesus. Look directly into the eyes of the person as you
speak. "...the spirit of_________" or "...you foul spirit of
Satan..." ...if the spirit has been identified either through spiritual or
natural discernment, then name it specifically; otherwise, generally.
"...to depart...." ...this is the casting out process...
"...without harming________(name of person being delivered), or anyone in
this house, and without creating noise or disturbance" ...Sometimes the
demon will try to harm the person or create disturbance. "I forbid you to
reenter this person..." ...Remember that Jesus used this command...
"...and I loose the Holy Spirit to fill of this person with the cleansing,
delivering power of the blood of Jesus."
...We are told to loose as well as bind. If
you have identified a specific spirit at work, loose the opposite spirit. For
example, bind the spirit of pride and lose the spirit of humility.
Do not make a show of such ministry and try
to attract crowds with it. When Jesus saw the actions of a demon attracting a
crowd, He immediately stopped the performance being staged by the evil spirit
and cast it out:
When Jesus saw that the people came running
together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit,
I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. (Mark 9:25)
Do not attempt to cast demons into Hell.
Jesus and His disciples did not do this. We have authority only to bind, loose,
and cast out. There is a set time for the final judgment of demons in the
future. The demons said to Jesus:
...What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou
Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us BEFORE THE TIME? (Matthew 8:29)
Prayer for those affected by demons can be
done with or without the laying on of hands. Jesus used the laying on of hands
to minister to the woman oppressed with the spirit of infirmity in Luke
13:11-13. In other cases, He did not lay on hands but simply spoke to the
demons (Luke 9:42).
8. Praise God for the answer:
Follow prayer with praise to God for
deliverance. Remember that in the Biblical example of the ten lepers, all were
healed but only the one who returned to praise was made whole. Praise by faith
and not by sight. You have done what God's Word said to do. Believe He has done
what He said He would do. Thank Him for it.
RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF DELIVERANCE:
In cases of demonic possession, sometimes the
demons come out with a struggle, such as crying out or throwing the person on
the floor. When demons have departed (whether in possession or oppression),
there will be a sense of release, joy, like the lifting of a weight.
PROVIDING FOLLOW UP CARE:
After deliverance, those who have been
possessed by demons should be led in a prayer of confession, repentance, and
renouncing any sins or involvements connected with the demonic activities. If
the person has any occult items (for example idols, voodoo items, witchcraft
equipment, etc.), these should be destroyed.
Additional follow up care is very important
for those delivered from demonic possession. When a demon is cast out, he will
seek another body through which to operate. Jesus taught that the departure of
evil spirits leaves an empty place. There is danger of a demon returning to his
former victim accompanied by worse spirits:
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man,
he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will
return unto my house whence I came out.
And when he cometh he findeth it swept and
garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other
spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there; and the
last state of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26)
When a demon is cast out it is restless and
discontent outside of a human body. It is only by indwelling and controlling a
human life that a demon is able to fulfill Satan's evil purposes. This is why
casting the demon out is not enough. The spiritual "house" must be
filled by the new birth experience and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Follow
up counseling and ministry is necessary. The person should be immersed in the
Word of God and prayer and become part of a community of believers.
Those experiencing deliverance from demonic
powers also should be encouraged to give their testimony. Jesus told the
demoniac of Gadarene:
...Go home to thy friends, and tell them how
great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
And he departed and began to publish in
Decapolis (ten cities) how great things Jesus had done for him; and all men did
marvel. (Mark 5:19-20)
