This is a challenging blog to write for I know there will be disagreement. It’s also difficult because I want to express my feelings just right. But it’s been on my heart and I know I need to address this subject. God has used deliverance ministries greatly in many lives. I have seen it happen. But God led me in my spiritual warfare ministry in a bit of a different direction and I want to share that with you. First some background.
I have been involved in spiritual warfare ministries for over 40 years. I have done a lot of teaching, writing, counseling and studying the subject. My early exposure and involvement was more as a typical deliverance minister, but God has clearly led me to see spiritual warfare more as a tool in discipleship and spiritual growth. It should be a means to an end, not an end in itself.
Many times, people call or email me wanting me to perform deliverance for them. I try to explain that only Jesus can deliver. I can pray for them and with them. I can counsel them as to how to find deliverance in Jesus. But I cannot command demons to be gone by my ability. I don’t try. The Bible warns that if a demon is removed but the house is not filled with God’ presence seven worse demons will come back (Matthew 12:43-45). Just removing a demon is not our goal.
We know that God is sovereign and Satan can only do what God allows. We see that in the book of Job where Satan had to have God’s approval to attack Job. God always has a purpose for allowing demonic attack as he did with Job. The same is true of Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
When working with people who are being demonically attacked I try to counsel them and lead them to overcome issues in their life in order to help them see why God might be allowing the attack and what He wants to teach them about it. They need to know these things in order to close any ‘doors’ that are open and which allow demons to work. I believe this counseling is very important. Understanding the underlying causes is essential to close those doors and keep even more demons from working against the person.
I do not recommend public delivered sessions or mass deliverance meetings. Any kind of ‘deliverance’ that is preceded by training about what is happening and not followed up with counseling and discipleship training is lacking. If the demons do leave, it can be just to come back later and make things worse. I don’t doubt they sometimes do leave, but unless that which allows them access is taken care of they will just be back. Sometimes they leave just to make it seem like the deliverance is working, but slip back in later and establish a much stronger foothold in the person. Then the person often thinks that deliverance failure is their fault, or the fault of the one administering deliverance. Thus, they end up in a much worse state than before.
Until God’s reason for allowing the oppression it is completed, there will not be total freedom. God always allows it for a reason – for our growth and for His glory. For Paul, it was a lifelong situation used to bring glory to God. He never found deliverance from demonic attack, but God did promise grace to endure the demonic affliction (2 Corinthains 12:7-9).
I know some might say Paul was not demon possessed, and claim believers cannot be demon possessed. But the Bible never talks about demon possession or oppression. It only talks about “demonizing,” being strongly influenced by a demon. Using the word “possession” only brings confusion and misunderstanding. Believers still have a sin nature and the capacity to sin just as much as they did before salvation. This is where demons do their work, whatever it is. No matter the details of how it all works (oppression, possession, inside or outside), Christians are not immune to these attacks. The cause of the demonic influence, in or out, as well as the cure is the same. It just gives believers false assurance by telling them they can’t be possessed. We can be attacked and influenced just as strongly as an unbeliever. But that’s another subject which I have already blogged about.
My concern is that some people look for a shortcut or an instant cure if they feel they’re under demonic attack. There are usually other factors in their lives that need to be delt with as well as demonic activity. Making Satan the scapegoat for it all prevents them from learning and growing in other areas God wants them to deal with. Their focus becomes on Satan and their own struggles instead of on Jesus which is where it needs to be. This actually strengthens demonic power over them and tightens the bondage.
Be especially aware of those promising exorcism who are not true born-again, blood-bought, Spirit filled children of God. There are demonic exorcisms done by Hindus, Mormons, Catholics and others. Pagan and witchcraft cultures also claim to be able to drive out demons. We know they are not doing it Biblically in Jesus name. So where does their power come from? Satan. He can go along with these counterfeits pretending their rituals and procedures are effective and withdrawing the demonic attacks so that people will put their faith in these false teachers and end up in greater bondage. The Bible warns these things will be more and more common in the last days. Matthew 24:24 says “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.”
Instead of going to an intermediatory for relief from demonic attack, go directly to Jesus. Use God’s word as Jesus did when He was tempted (Matthew 4). Deliverance ministries can be very expensive and time-consuming, and that limits their availability to many people. Their focus can be on the person’s symptoms instead of on Jesus. In addition, unless the person discovers why God is allowing this and His purpose for in allowing it, the opening will remain and the oppression will continue.
In a time of instant-everything and feelings of entitlement, Christians facing real spiritual battles can be tempted to want a quick and easy solution by having someone pray over them and then ‘live happily ever after.’ The Christian life does not work that way.
I’ll close part 1 by repeating that deliverance and spiritual warfare is an important tool when needed. But it is not a one-tool-does-all solution to all our problems. God allows demonizing for a reason, and we must learn what He is teaching, where He is pointing out sin and what He wants us to change to have victory. A hammer is an essential tool, but it can’t do the work of a saw or screw driver. Spiritual warfare is essential in our faith and growth, but so is prayer, worship, Bible study and fellowship. They all have their place. None are an end in themselves. All are a means to the end – becoming more like Christ (Romans 8:29). Use your tool of spiritual warfare, but learn to use it correctly and effectively.
(I’ll conclude this topic in the next blog by focusing on what we should do when we are attacked in order to have freedom and victory.) Comments are welcome jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India, Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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