One cannot fully understand the message of the New Testament if unaware of war in the heavenly realms (in the spirit world) between forces of good and evil, between a kingdom ruled by God and a kingdom ruled by the prince of the world Satan. This struggle between light and darkness harkens back prior to man’s creation and has grown increasingly fierce with time. Satan is well aware of his future and knows prophecies about his defeat: “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Rev 12:12). And Jesus has detailed many of the events currently unfolding before our very eyes (e.g., Mt 24:4-25).
That such times are upon us is clear from many standpoints. Major biblical prophecies are being fulfilled as anticipation of the rapture and coming of the antichrist grows by the day. Unrest in the middle east is seen preceding appearance of the antichrist (Daniel 9) as one who negotiates a peace treaty or covenant between Israel and its enemies regarding a land dispute (Daniel 11). As warned by Jesus, there is a multitude of wars and of ethnic cleansings (kingdom against kingdom) as well as wide-spread famine and ever increasing earthquakes (Mt 24:6,7). And we’ve already seen false prophets claiming the authority of Christ, be it leaders of cults or the head of the Roman Catholic church (24:4,5).
There is persecution today with putting to death of Christians in Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu nations. Many are turning away from the faith, not only in Europe and the United Kingdom but in America where false prophets promote a prosperity gospel that deceives multitudes of God-seekers. Wickedness is on the rise and the love of many for Christ is growing cold with ever decreasing church attendance and some 1500 leaving the ministry monthly. Sexual perversion is rampant, the commandments of God are being removed from public places, and the sanctity of the family is increasingly violated to a point that homosexual and lesbian couples are judged fit to parent children by our judicial system.
Were the above not sufficient, most churches do not acknowledge need for a deliverance ministry. Multitudes suffer demonic oppression and depression if not physical affliction. These are consistent with examples described in the gospels of the NT as well as in the book of Acts. And letters of the apostles contain numerous reference to the work of Satan and his kingdom of evil spirits. But deceiving spirits have not only succeeded in causing entire denominations to deny an existence of spiritual gifts today such as gifts of healing. Demonic spirits have infiltrated seminaries and bible schools so as to deflect attention away from believers coming under demonic attack despite warnings of such in Ephesians chapter 6 and elsewhere in the Scriptures.
As a result, untold millions in the church find themselves medicated with drugs for emotional and mental illness and multitudes suffer various types of physical affliction having a spiritual if not demonic basis. If you don’t believe this, simply read the synoptic gospels. As long as need for deliverance remains below the radar screen, casualties will continue to mount. Soldiers in our armed forces are taught to “live and die by the book.” The same must be applied spiritually! The word of God gives clear marching orders and guidelines for captives being set free from every kind of demonic influence. The only question is whether we choose to appropriate the victory which Jesus has won for us.
How then do we appropriate victory and help others do the same? The following are guidelines found useful in the experience of many who serve God with a ministry of deliverance:
(1) The first is remembering that Jesus has already won the victory just as was true for Joshua. “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands” (Jos 6:2). We can verbally confess this today as follows: “Thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57). It’s an issue of genuine faith that we have One in us who is greater than the one in the world who is Satan (see 1 Jn 4:4).
(2) The next step is to take responsibility for and repent of all known sins. God never commits Himself to forgive sins and heal or set us free from demonic influence unless we confess and repent of our sins. We must be willing to turn from sinful behavior to be released from bondage, verbally telling God, “I confess and am turning at once from……(state specifically and verbally what is being confessed).
(3) Forgive everyone who has offended you in the past. Mark 11:25 is a sound spiritual principle: “If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Doing this must be a conscious decision, not an emotion, and it must be a decision which is made sincerely from the heart with an unconditional willingness as well as genuine desire to forgive.
(4) Humble yourself. The Holy Spirit says through a pen of James, “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (Jas 4:10). This involves both confessing and renouncing self-righteousness of any kind. Whenever dealing with evil spiritual powers, we are only strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Eph 6:10). Dependence on self and on our own strength must be completely rejected.
(5) Renounce and ask forgiveness for involvement with any past group which required personal loyalty. This includes any kind of fraternal or secular organization where an oath of allegiance might have been taken as well as any religious affiliation which might have involved devotion or prayers to any person or being including angels other than God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
(6) Pray to be released from every curse. There may have been curses placed on your forefathers in generations past for their sins and such can still play a role in our lives today. Curses are mentioned over 600 times in Scripture which obviously suggests they are not to be taken lightly (see Neh 1:6, 9:2). We’re in error by having neglected the importance of what are often called generational sins.
(7) Stand with God without compromise against evil of every kind and have confidence in the full armor of God. “As for God, his way is perfect…..He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Ps 18:30) . “Lord, I stand with you against every demonic influence that comes against me and I commit myself completely to not opening any doors which might give evil spirits an unintended access to my life.
(8) Expelling of demons! Use the name of specific spirits when recognized by their activity and command them to leave in the name of Jesus. In preparation, one might well prepare with fasting as well as prayer and have intercessors praying during the time of deliverance. It is critical to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and very helpful to have the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits, always depending on the power of the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead to set the oppressed free from bondage. Remember that we struggle not against flesh and blood but against forces of evil in heavenly realms. So it is that Satan will only flee our resisting him when our lives are genuinely submitted to the lordship of Christ (Jas 4:7).
