DEMONS v. DELIVERANCE

A brief study on how demons affect us, and how to

achieve deliverance.

“…Commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach

others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:2

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Criticism of the ministry of casting out demons has more than a theological basis. Just as many of the differences dividing church denominations which appear to be doctrinal may, in fact, be sociological or even economic, so objections to the deliverance ministry which hide behind the facade of doctrine may actually stem from fear, prejudice, ignorance, or simply from man’s critical nature. It is important that we recognize and admit this.

In Mark 16:17. Jesus says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils [demons] …” The question I pose is “who are we to cast devils out from?” Bottom line—Christians. Over the past few years, God has given me insight and illumination about demons, how they operate, and the spiritual realm.

Demons are disembodied spirits. They desire to have bodies through which to manifest their own lustful natures. The demon of rejection as an example, cannot be rejected until it is able to inhabit a human body which might be able to feel (express) rejection. Often spirits work hand in hand with other spirits to accomplish their goals. The spirit of rejection lusts to be rejected by someone, but that lust cannot be fulfilled or satisfied until it is actually rejected. Therefore its cohort spirit must do something to cause the individual within whom it dwells to be rejected.

The following is a partial list of evil spirits that can oppress and/or indwell a person:

Abandonment Gluttony Sleeplessness

Abuse of women Harlotry Smoking

Anger Homosexuality Sterility

Bestiality Inability to Pray Suicide

Blues Incest Temper

Cancer Masturbation Torment

Childlessness (curse of) Murderous hate Transvestite

Colic Occult Spirits Tumor

Disobedience Occult-Power Spirits Unforgiveness

Drugs Perversion Vertigo (spinning sensation)

Dumb Pornography Violence

Fear Reaction to drugs Witchcraft

Fear of Demons Rebellion Works

Fear of starvation Rejection

Fear of the Devil Retaliatory hate

Foolishness Root of Bitterness

Mark, chapter 5, verses 1 through 19 records Jesus in the country of the Gadarenes, where he encountered a man possessed with many demons. Jesus had asked (speaking to the demon) “What is thy name?” (v.9). The demon replied, “My name is Legion: for we are many.” In verse 12, the demons ask Jesus if He would allow them to go into the herd of swine. Why? Because demons need a vessel to inhabit.

Now, because I used the word “possess,” I would like to make it clear that a Christian cannot be possessed by a demon. The blood of Christ has purchased a born-again Christian. He belongs to Jesus. Only non-born again folk are at risk of demonic possession.

One factor contributing to the belief that a Christian cannot have a demon is that almost universal sense of fear and loathing towards the whole subject of Satan and evil spirits. Many believers have adopted the fallacious idea that if they ignore Satan he will ignore them. Scripturally, such a person is indefensible. The Scriptures, in fact, clearly warn us to be on guard.

“Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

“Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist Satan and he shall flee from you.” (James 4:7).

“For to this end did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things…Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor.

1:9, 11).

Scripturally then, we are not to ignore Satan, but to oppose him. I have learned from counseling others that many Christians adapt the theology that a Christian cannot have a demon as an escape from having to accept what seems a terrifying ministry. How much easier to say “Christians can’t have demons” than to face the unpleasant task of dealing with demon power!

Several years ago, the Lord revealed this to me; likening the Christian’s body as a hotel, which has many rooms. When you open the door to each room—what spirit are you going to find in there? Bill Banks, in his book “Power for Deliverance” explains it this way:

“We as Christians, have free-will: we can still choose to sin. We may, for example, go to the local pub and take a drink. If we continue to drink, our being Christians, will not protect us from becoming drunk.”

“Thus, it is clear that our being saved or even “Spirit-filled” does not prevent our coming under the influence of alcohol. Demons do not own us, but they can “influence” us by adversely affecting our attitudes, our behavior, our thought-lives, our spiritual growth, our vocabulary, our morals, our mannerisms, or our appetites. When present, they can condemn, harass, torment, or vex us as causing obsessions, addictions, compulsions, fears, and in extreme cases, self

destructive or even suicidal behavior.”

It is also noteworthy to add that temptation is not a door that makes a Christian susceptible to being indwelt. The Bible says that if you resist temptation, the devil will flee. (See: James 4:7). Now, entertaining the temptation can open the door for demonic habitation. For example, if a man has a sexual encounter with another man, you just gave the spirit of homosexuality the legal right to indwell your body. Demons that indwell your body can be under the control of a Strongman in the heavenly realm, which in this example is “Perversion.”

Fornication, adultery, masturbation, all have roots to demonic activity. Leviticus chapter 18 and 20 are “sex” chapters, and you will learn a lot from them that you won’t hear in our liberal society.

If you suffer from, or have an addiction to sexual sin (homosexuality, masturbation, lust, et al.) and think that by ignoring it, it will go away, you are sadly mistaken. It may lie dormant for a season, but that demon is still there, and will not leave his house until that demon is evicted. You need to understand this truth, as that perversion can again manifest itself. Demons and deliverance are not something to be taken lightly nor to be played with. Satan and his minions take this warfare very seriously, even if unsuspecting Christians and the world at large do not.

In her book, “THE BLESSING: What Did God Speak,” by Nancy Angove, she elaborates how God taught her over the years when praying for deliverance for people—getting to the root or the source of the problem; and you will automatically cut some of the branches, leaves, or symptoms off. Sometimes the very source of sin and disease happened at conception when that iniquity entered your life. The Bible is clear that the iniquities of our forefathers are passed down

to the next generation.

Sin is something you commit and have to turn from. Iniquity is passed down from your forefathers at your conception. People hear teachings about curses, revoke them and cancel them, but over time they can return. The power of the Spirit succeeded in removing them for a time, but their cause was never uprooted, which was iniquity. To imagine the form of iniquity it would look like a twisted, black cord inside of us. It is made of hundreds of knots and layer upon layer, making it thick. These layers are like filthy rags, full of information and covenants that have been accumulating from generation to generation. Large quantities of curses cling to this cord, as well as wrong decrees we make along with our ancestors.

This body of iniquity records all the sins committed by prior generations. It is from this information that sin grows and manifests itself. This information is not removed through a general prayer such as “Lord, erase all my iniquities.” Sin, rebellion and iniquity require observation and analysis of our heart. As something comes up that is binding you, and you feel it may be an inherited iniquity, like rebellion, then name the thing and pray against it. We confess all our sins at salvation. But then the Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding about sins we never even knew to be transgression. He will lead us to repent in each area needed for our sanctification. He deals with our iniquities in the same way, since it is here the root of our problem is found and more demonic activity is woven. If we deal with the sin in a supernatural manner the body of iniquity will continue to thrive.

A curse is the penalty given by God in His Word to a person and to his descendants as the

result of their iniquity. The cause of a curse can often be found in one’s lineage.

Repent of iniquity (what comes up, may be anger that you have confessed many times but doesn’t leave), and then uproot it from your spirit and life by means of declaration and confessing that iniquity of your forefathers. Then revoke and cancel the curse, breaking its power over your life. Proclaim upon your life the victory where Christ was made a curse to set us free.

Change the word anger with the iniquity you seek deliverance from.

Conception

You can pray against a recurring problem, not only by removing the iniquity or the curse passed down, as above, but also then you can go into the very conception of that person when that iniquity came in. You can confess the sin of your forefather that may have brought that rebellion in.

You can pray against any weakness or disease that may have come in at the person’s conception. Say that you cleanse the umbilical cord, the very sperm, and changing the blood of the sperm with His blood. This is part of the “Great Exchange” Jesus bought for us on the cross.

We give Him our sin—He exchanges it for salvation. We give Him our iniquity—He exchanges it for deliverance. You can take the egg, sanctify it, breaking its curse around the egg, erasing the iniquity in the egg, and ask that the light of God would penetrate the egg. Power can be spoken over that conception that had iniquity (of whatever you name) in it, and that power and spirit of God would be over that moment of conception. You can then cleanse the dna and cleanse the chromosomes from the iniquity.

Iniquity from forefather impregnates the human spirit at conception, also the curses. That iniquity comes into your spirit and spreads throughout you body; travels through the soul and manifests in the body. Iniquity is tied to the spiritual world of darkness and it is there the devil binds the curses from our ancestors. There can be iniquity of anything passed down, like the iniquity of anger (which made you more likely to commit the sin of anger). God, I confess this sin and iniquity of my forefathers. Then the curse of anger, cast it back from where it came from. Then do the cleansing prayer above.

Sin isn’t visited: iniquity is. Sin is the fruit of iniquity.

Deliverance

I spent a little time speaking to you about iniquity because I felt it was an important subject and aspect of your Christian life. The Word of God says in Joel 2:32 that, “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” Scripturally therefore, deliverance from satanic oppression and strongholds is available.

First, you need to be honest with yourself and those ministering to you. Recognize that you are stuck in a habitual sin pattern that needs to be broken. Earnestly pray to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to show you the areas you need to repent of. If the Holy Spirit does not tell you the names of the demons, recognize the characteristics of the sin(s).

Humble yourself by a decision of your will, and willfully do battle with your pride, or your desire for dignity, if it comes to that. Determine to choose to be free and to have your deliverance, rather than your dignity.

Confess any known sins, and repent of that sinful behavior. Naming a sin by its Scriptural name is helpful for you to recognize your sin for what it truly is in God’s eyes and to be able to properly identify and confess it as the sin that it is (adultery, fornication, homosexuality, et al.).

Renounce sins and Satan. To renounce is to give up all right or claim to something. It also means to cast off, to disown; to refuse to further associate with; and to repudiate all ties. Specifically, here it means to sever all ties with sin, Satan’s kingdom and any unrighteousness.

Be determined as the Apostle Paul was, and pray with the Spirit and with understanding. As you pray, ask God to reveal to you any areas of darkness that remain within you which need to be dealt with.

Finally, use your AUTHORITY. God has invested you with unbelievable power and authority. You are a believer, the power is yours! Having done the previous steps I talked about, now use the authority given to you and the privilege of invoking the Name of Jesus—command each spirit by name, to leave you right now in Jesus’ Name!

In the name of Jesus Christ, I take authority over the spirit(s) tormenting me. I bind you, you spirit of _____________, and I command you to leave me right now in Jesus’ name!

NOTE: During the actual deliverance, if someone else is ministering to you; don’t pray in the Spirit, or use Jesus’ name after the initial command, while the evil spirits are being cast out. For the power entailed in each of these Spiritual Weapons often causes the spirits to draw back and attempt to hide, rather than come out.

Additionally, some spirits that have a stronghold on you may require prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:14-21), or another Christian who has the proper anointing to deliver you.

Forgiveness

Harboring Unforgiveness in your heart is a barrier to deliverance. It is essential that we forgive those who have hurt us or wronged us. Whether the person is now living or dead is irrelevant. We must forgive to remain righteous before God, and rightly relate to Him. (Read: mark 11:25; Colossians 3:13 AND Ephesians 4:32).

There are three natural steps that are prerequisites to true forgiveness.

1. Confess the Unforgiveness, or bitterness, or hatred as sin. Because that is how God sees it.

2. Renounce the Unforgiveness, or bitterness, or hatred. Make the decision to break fully with the Unforgiveness (“Can two walk together unless they be agreed.” Amos 3:3). We must make the decision not to walk in agreement with Satan or any of his works, or any other work of darkness: to sever ourselves from any and all ties with him.

3. Make the decision with your mind, and confess it with your mouth, to forgive that person, or those persons who have hurt you or wronged you. (Forgive them each by name, individually and specifically,) and ask the Lord to forgive them.

Having done these three natural steps, we can then rightfully expect the Lord to sovereignly do the fourth step—take all the Unforgiveness, all the bitterness, all the hatred, pain, resentment, hardness of heart, anger, hurt, rejection, and all the poison out of the relationships.

Conclusion

There are scores of books written on deliverance that can give you deeper knowledge on this subject. This is my “crash-course” to give you a rudimentary understanding on how to live in the freedom that Christ purchased for you. However, I must warn you, it is imperative that you walk out, and maintain your deliverance. Otherwise, those demons can come back with seven other demons worse than him!

“When an 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 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

You need to fill that void with the Word of God!!!

The old habits, fleshy appetites, lusts and desires, have to go. We may find it necessary to discipline ourselves to cease indulging our flesh, but such self-discipline will yield good fruit. If you were delivered from alcoholism, you must recognize that although God as sovereignly delivered you (that is He has broken the spiritual bondage to alcohol) there still may be habit patterns to be broken. If for example, it was your custom every afternoon at 3:00 to meet your friends at the local bar—then you will have to make the decision not to go to the bar at 3:00. God will not make the decision for you, or else you would merely be a robot. You still have free will ever after you’ve been delivered. You can go to the tavern or not go, but of you do go, you will probably wind up soon forfeiting your deliverance.

Another situation is that which involves harlotry or adultery (or sexual sin). If you have been set free from this kind of lust, then you will need to avoid any individual who would draw you back into that type of sin no matter how much you care for him or her. This “loved one” becomes the worst enemy of your soul, and your spiritual freedom as well as your life is at stake.

God is not an “Indian-giver.” He will not take back what He has given you. (“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29), but the enemy is no gentleman and he will steal your deliverance if given half a chance.

If temptation reoccurs, resist it immediately. If an attempt to return is made by a spirit, cast it out immediately. Do not entertain an unwanted guest: cast it out yourself, or get assistance from other believers.

Satan will also try his best to make you doubt that your deliverance was successful. So as a final closing thought in reference to maintaining deliverance: Remember, we can’t set our will against the sin of doubt, just as we would set our will against any other sin. As we stand firm against the doubt, the Holt Spirit will come to our assistance and strengthen our faith. You should be cognizant of the fact that “soul-impartation” takes place when you engage in sexual activity with another person. 1 Cor. 6:16 says, “What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two saith he, shall be one flesh.”

Divine Healing

“For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Ü The word of God is alive and powerful. It is alive!

“But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body (bodies) by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11

Ü There really is no life in the physical body. The life is in the Spirit. This is why when your spirit leaves the body, the body falls to the ground. The life is not in the body, but the Spirit. He will give you life. When the Lord gives you something, we have to receive it.

“It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profitheth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life. John 6:6 [Jesus speaking]

Ü So the words themselves are Spirit, and they are life. So when we speak the words of God, we are releasing the Spirit of God. We are releasing the life of God. Proverbs 20-22 says that the word is health, or medicine, to our flesh. When you or I take God’s Word in, we are taking our medicine. God said that we are created by His Word, and when we take our medicine, we are taking in what we were created out of. So when we stand on the Word of God, we receive our medicine, we receive our healing.

“There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord has spoken unto the house of Israel and all came to pass.” Joshua 2:45

Ü Not a word fails of any good thing which the Lord has spoken. All comes to pass. And I declare that all that I have spoken concerning health and healing will come to pass. Jesus spoke to fig trees, to wind, to the sea; and we need to start speaking life into our physical bodies.

“The word of God declares He will give you life through His Spirit who dwells in you. Life is in the Spirit – it flows into the body. God promised to give it, but we have to receive it. (See Romans 8:11)

Matthew 8:3 says that God is willing, and you and I are clean; we are whole. Declare it!

Exodus 15:26 says if you will diligently heed His voice, and obey His commandments, and do what is right in the sight of God; giving heed to the commandment of love, loving others as Christ loved us, none of the diseases which comes upon the world comes upon you.

Ü He is Jehovah-Raffa. Raffa in Hebrew doesn’t just mean healer. Raffa in Hebrew actually means Physician-Healer. The Lord is not just our Healer, He is our Physician-Healer. A healer is someone who shows up after you are sick. A physician is present to help you stay well. Healing isn’t God’s best. Divine health is God’s best.

Exodus 23:25 says He will take away sickness from the midst of you.

Deuteronomy 7:15 says the Lord takes away all sickness and will put no diseases of the world upon you, but will lay them upon those that hate you.

God forgives all our iniquities, and heals all our diseases (Psalm 103:3)

Psalm 107:20 says that God sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from all destructions.

By the stripes of Jesus, we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

God will hasten His Word to perform it. God is alert and active in performing His Word. (Jeremiah 1:12)

Jeremiah 30:17 says God restored health unto us and heals our wounds.

Jesus bore our sins in His own body and by whose stripes we are healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

Matthew 18:18-19 says God binds sickness on the earth and looses healing.

Ü Whatever is bound on earth, is bound in heaven, and Whatever is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven.

I have the God-kind of faith. I speak to sickness and say be removed and cast into the sea. (Mark 11:21-23)

Nahum 1:19 declares that this affliction, this sickness, will not rise up a second time. It’s done. It’s over; it is finished.