Spiritual Deliverance

Spiritual deliverance refers to the act of being set free from spiritual bondage, oppression, or the influence of evil forces. It is a significant theme in the Christian faith, emphasizing God's power to rescue individuals from sin, demonic influence, and spiritual death. Deliverance Ministry plays a crucial role in helping individuals overcome spiritual bondages, enabling them to experience spiritual growth and a closer relationship with God. Additionally, it involves tearing down spiritual strongholds and finding inner healing. Ultimately, spiritual deliverance is about achieving freedom and healing through faith. 

 

Steps toward Deliverance

  • 1. Recognize You Need Deliverance
  • 2. Repent of Known Sin
  • 3. Renounce the Occult and Satanic Ties
  • 4. Release Yourself in Jesus' Name
  • 5. Resist the Enemy's Lies and Attacks
  • 6. Replace Bondage with God's Presence
  • 7. Renew Your Mind with Scripture
  • 8. Stay Rooted in A Christian Community
  • 9. Remove Demonic Objects from Your Life
  • 10. Keep Growing in Faith and Maturity

Deliverance

Spiritual warfare deliverance refers to the practice of seeking freedom from spiritual bondage or oppression through the power of the Holy Spirit and refers to the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the biblical belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. The Bible presents spiritual warfare as a reality for believers, emphasizing the need for vigilance, prayer, and the use of spiritual armor.

The Apostle Paul provides a foundational text for understanding spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-18. He writes, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12). Paul then describes the armor of God, which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The New Testament also highlights the role of prayer in spiritual warfare. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, believers are encouraged to "pray without ceasing," and in James 5:16, the "prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail." Jesus Himself exemplified the importance of prayer in spiritual battles, as seen in His time of temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).

Deliverance in a biblical context refers to the act of being rescued or set free from spiritual bondage or oppression from demonic influence and oppression. This concept is closely related to spiritual warfare, as deliverance often involves confronting and overcoming demonic influences.

The ministry of Jesus Christ is replete with instances of deliverance. He cast out demons and healed those who were oppressed by evil spirits. In Mark 1:34, it is recorded, "And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was" . Jesus' authority over demonic forces is further demonstrated in Luke 11:20, where He states, "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" .

The early church continued this ministry of deliverance. In Acts 16:16-18, Paul encounters a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination. Paul commands the spirit to leave her in the name of Jesus Christ, and she is immediately set free. This account illustrates the power of Jesus' name in deliverance ministry.

Deliverance is not only about casting out demons, but also involves the transformation and renewal of the mind. Romans 12:2 exhorts believers, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God" . This transformation is essential for maintaining freedom from spiritual oppression.

In summary, spiritual warfare and deliverance are integral aspects of the Christian life, emphasizing the believer's reliance on God's power, the authority of Jesus' name, and the necessity of prayer and spiritual vigilance.

The Full Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.


Can a Christian be Possessed?

While the Bible does not explicitly state whether a Christian can be possessed by a demon, related biblical truths make it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed. There is a distinct difference between being possessed by a demon and being oppressed or influenced by a demon. Demon possession involves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts and/or actions of a person (Matthew 17:14-18Luke 4:33-358:27-33). Demon oppression or influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior. Notice that in all the New Testament passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast a demon out of a believer (Ephesians 6:10-18). Believers are told to resist the devil (James 4:71 Peter 5:8-9), not to cast him out.

Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-111 Corinthians 3:166:19). Surely the Holy Spirit would not allow a demon to possess the same person He is indwelling. It is unthinkable that God would allow one of His children, whom He purchased with the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19) and made into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), to be possessed and controlled by a demon. Yes, as believers, we wage war with Satan and his demons, but not from within ourselves. The apostle John declares, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Who is the One in us? The Holy Spirit. Who is the one in the world? Satan and his demons. Therefore, the believer has overcome the world of demons, and the case for demon possession of a believer cannot be made scripturally.

With the strong biblical evidence that a Christian cannot be demon possessed in view, some Bible teachers use the term “demonization” to refer to a demon having control over a Christian. Some argue that while a Christian cannot be demon possessed, a Christian can be demonized. Typically, the description of demonization is virtually identical to the description of demon possession. So, the same issue results. Changing the terminology does not change the fact that a demon cannot inhabit or take full control of a Christian. Demonic influence and oppression are realities for Christians, no doubt, but it is simply not biblical to say that a Christian can be possessed by a demon or demonized.

Much of the reasoning behind the demonization concept is the personal experience of seeing someone who was “definitely” a Christian exhibiting evidence of being controlled by a demon. It is crucially important, though, that we do not allow personal experience to influence our interpretation of Scripture. Rather, we must filter our personal experiences through the truth of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Seeing someone whom we thought to be a Christian exhibiting the behavior of being demonized should cause us to question the genuineness of his/her faith. It should not cause us to alter our viewpoint on whether a Christian can be demon possessed / demonized. Perhaps the person truly is a Christian but is severely demon oppressed and/or suffering from severe psychological problems. But again, our experiences must meet the test of Scripture, not the other way around.