Deliverance Ministries

Within the charismatic movement, deliverance ministries have expanded exponentially. We only need to do a Google search and we can learn how widespread this phenomenon has developed. One can purchase books on how to perform and set up a deliverance ministry. Websites are devoted to teaching and delivering people from all sorts of demons.

It should be noted that deliverance is not an exorcism. An exorcism uses the ‘holy water’ as a means to exorcise demons while a person performing deliverance uses the authority of Jesus to expel a demon. It is interesting to note that deliverance ministries did not become mainstream until after the release of the movie, The Exorcist in 1973. It was this film that has been credited with creating the intense interest in the ‘Protestants’ to cast out demons. Within the protestant world, deliverance ministries did not take off and become the ‘norm’ until after the film The Exorcist was released. The same year that The Exorcist was released, Frank Hammond (a Baptist pastor) and his wife, Ida Hammond, published a book titled Pigs in the Parlor which is a ‘practical guide to deliverance.’ In other words, it is a ‘how to’ book to cast out demons. From this point forward the explosion of ‘how to’ books on deliverance emerged. The internet abounds sites on deliverance.

What does the bible teach or instruct regarding casting out demons? In Matthew 8:28 Jesus simply said “go” and they went. In Mark 7:20, Jesus’ did not even go to the person but stated to the woman seeking help for her daughter. He said “Because of this answer go, the demon has gone out of your daughter.” In Acts 16:18, Paul simply said “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her” after being followed around by a woman with the spirit of divination. Paul resumed his activities after commanding the spirit to leave.

Today, one can purchase a book on how to drive out demons. Within the books are guides on what to say, how to command them, preparations needed before hand, the exact words to repeat, etc. What are found in these books are not found in the bible.

It is also of interest to note that deliverance ministries are concentrated on delivering fellow Christians. Yet, in the bible, demons to not possess Christians for they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes His abode in the Christian. The Holy Spirit and demons do not share living quarters.

Deliverance ministries’ websites will give a list of symptoms or causes of demon oppression and demon possession. One site listed herbs as a culprit in demon oppression. I’m now wondering if the herbs that garnished my salad might be cause for concern. The list is vast and it depends on which source you look at as to what should or should not be avoided. My bible does not list any herbs as an item to avoid in order to prevent demons from oppressing me. Fortunately, I did find one deliverance ministry website that did state that a Christian cannot be possessed but did list symptoms to look for in demon oppression.

What does God’s word have to say about a Christian and demons? It’s actually very simple and does not involve deliverance ministries.

• In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (Eph 6:16-18 ESV)

• Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:7 ESV)

• But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Mat 4:4 ESV)

• Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Eph 6:11 ESV)

These are commands to the individual Christian – resist, put on the whole armor of God. These are Gods instructions to the Christian. We are not in need of someone standing over us casting out demons. God gave the command to the individual Christian – take up the shield of faith, pray, keep alert, submit to God and resist the devil so that he may flee.

As one friend of mine said who used to be involved in this, before realizing that his involvement in the deliverance ministries was nothing more than hocus pocus, he used to live in fear that under every nook and cranny, a demon might be hiding. He could not enjoy God. He recalled one deliverance he attended. They went to a particular city to deliver it from some demons. They stopped at a building that someone had ‘sensed’ might have demons. They got out of their car, placed their hands on the building and started chanting and one person started yelling “hot, hot, hot.” After a period of delivering the building, the demons left and the building cooled down. Utter nonsense.

There is no magic formula involved. It’s really very simple stuff. It can be found in God’s Word. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Ask fellow believers to pray for you as commanded by the bible. Really, it’s very simple.

Bob DeWaay who was very involved in delivery ministries, said in his article “How Deliverance Ministries Lead People to Bondage; A Warning Against the Warfare Worldview”

“I believe that God uses the gospel to deliver people from the hostile powers and that the gospel effectively accomplishes all God intended to do from all eternity to save sinners. Those who believe are “saved to the utmost” (see Hebrews 7:25) and need not fear the hostile spiritual forces of the universe. The means of grace provided in the Bible are sufficient to cause us freedom and growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

Those pushing the warfare worldview want us to think otherwise. They want us to believe that teachings, techniques, and spiritual processes that were not even conceived until the 20th century are necessary for us to be free from Satan’s bondage. This means we must believe that Christians throughout the centuries lived without freedom because the gospel they believed was insufficient. By convincing us of the insufficiency of the gospel they become bondage makers. I used to be one. I thank God He freed me from that condition through the truth of the Scriptures.”

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