10 basic steps in supporting deliverance prayer
The ability to command demons to leave someone does not depend on our spiritual maturity, denomination, theological qualifications, or depth of Bible knowledge. It only requires faith in Jesus and the humility to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit to work through. Even a child can command demons to leave in Jesus’ name. It is the Lord Jesus who delivers His people and it is in His name that we have authority over all the power of the enemy. There are, however, some practical matters to keep in mind as we help someone through their own deliverance.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ESVA Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Luke 10:19 ESV Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
1 John 5:4 ESV For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Satan and evil spirits are described as thieves. Just as we would hope that our neighbour would sound the alarm and chase a thief away if they saw someone breaking into our home, we should also be ready to do for a fellow believer if demons were attacking their home i.e. their body. Helping someone to be delivered from evil spirits is a test of our faith in the Lord Jesus and our love for our neighbours.
John 10:10 ESV The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Note: It is best to seek the help of experienced deliverance ministers when it comes to assisting those who have recently come out of deep occult practices, such as someone who used to be a spiritual master / priest for Satan. While this post provides some basic steps in deliverance, you are also advised to seek the Holy Spirit first and foremost for His counsel and wisdom on all matters.
Isaiah 11:2-3 ESV And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
Also, see Recognising our need for deliverance from evil spirits, Understanding demonic oppression and Overcoming demonic influences.
True deliverance begins with the heart
Deliverance is simply the act of confessing and renouncing our iniquity, and the iniquity of our forefathers, and commanding all evil spirits attached to those areas in our lives to leave us in Jesus’ name.
Leviticus 26:40 ESV “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,
True deliverance, however, starts with turning one’s heart back fully to God. It is best done when the person seeking freedom from demonic oppression comes forward voluntarily to sincerely confess their sins and renounce their past. Jesus never forced deliverance on anyone nor did He pursue it. He prayed for those who were willing to humble themselves before Him. (The exception is when we pray for deliverance over our own children whom we act as God’s spiritual guardians.)
James 5:15-16 ESV And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
This is because the biggest stronghold of all is pride. We need to renounce self-worship and self-preservation, as well as faith in oneself.
Deliverance is only one part of walking in freedom with the Lord. Much more important is our willingness to put ourselves down, pick up our cross, cherish the Lord, and obey His commandments. God is the Source of our deliverance as well as our protection. We need to wholeheartedly follow Him or we risk being lured back into darkness again, leaving one’s condition much worse than before.
Matthew 16:24 ESV Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
John 14:15-18 ESV “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Psalm 121:1-2,7 ESV I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
There is little point in casting out evil spirits when our hearts are not right before God; when all we want is to use God’s power for a more comfortable life. We need to hate the sin that gave demons access in the first place. Otherwise, they will readily slip back in, bringing more demons that are more wicked.
Proverbs 21:2 ESV Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Psalm 97:10 ESV O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked
Hebrews 10:22 ESV let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Matthew 12:43-45 ESV “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Let us remember that God has warned that He will spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. Hence, we should not foolishly use God’s name in vain and agree to pray with anyone who is not truly repentant. Never risk making a mockery of God’s work. Deliverance must be accompanied with true repentance and confession.
Revelation 3:15-16 ESV “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Exodus 20:7 ESV “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Therefore, we should check if those who seek deliverance are willing to humble themselves before God and truly be mournful over their sins. This can be hard to ascertain by appearances alone. Thankfully, we can check with the Holy Spirit if we should proceed, because He knows the motives of all our hearts.
James 4:6-10 ESV But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
1. Support in love, never pride, judgment, or fear
After we are confident that the Lord has given us the go-ahead, we should next check our own hearts to ensure that we serve those seeking deliverance with love and compassion. Jesus has great compassion on the harassed and helpless whom He came to save. He doesn’t condemn them and neither should we.
Matthew 9:36 ESV When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Therefore, we should never serve with even the slightest hint of judgment or condescendence towards anyone sincerely seeking deliverance. Demonically oppressed people already struggle with enough accusations from demons on a daily basis. Our attitude, body language, and words should be just the opposite of those demonic voices! We should speak of hope, encouragement and the love of Christ.
John 3:17 ESV For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Love will be patient and kind. It will not be arrogant or rude. It will be willing to persevere in prayer, even if it takes hours to pray for someone. It also means that we do not push anyone to pray about anything when they are not ready, no matter how much we want them to receive freedom. Christ-like love does not insist on its own way. Sometimes, demons enter through trauma and a person may need time for some inner healing of their wounds before they can proceed further. It is important to ask them to invite the Holy Spirit to show them how to proceed. We need to invite the Lord Himself to minister to them, rather than prod and pressure them.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(If we become fired up and aggressive when commanding demons to leave, we need to ensure that those involved know we are dealing with the demon/s, not the person seeking deliverance. We love people but hate demons.)
2. Start with our own confessions, don’t be a hypocrite
Generally, it is always a good idea to pray and confess our own sins before God before praying for other people. The Bible shows us that “God does not listen to sinners.”
John 9:31 ESV We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
Therefore, we should seek to cleanse ourselves from our own iniquities before supporting someone who is seeking deliverance. God’s Word teaches us that we are to submit to God first before resisting the devil — in that specific order — before evil spirits will flee from us.
Psalm 66:18 ESV If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
2 Timothy 2:21 ESV Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
James 4:7 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
We all sin and fall short of Jesus’ glory, but we should not hold on to evil thoughts and deeds that quench the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19,21 ESV Do not quench the Spirit. Abstain from every form of evil.
For example, we should not attempt to cast out a demon of lust from someone else, when we are still addicted to pornography ourselves. We will face tougher battles in ministry if we do so. Dark does not cast out dark, it is light that does. Moreover, we do not want to send a wrong message to those seeking deliverance.
Acts 26:18 ESV to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
If we still struggle with addiction for example, we probably need to undergo deliverance ourselves before praying for others. Let us remember that there will be those who “cast out demons in Jesus’ name, and do many mighty works in His name,” and still be rejected by Jesus on Judgement Day because they haven’t dealt with their own iniquities i.e. lawlessness.
James 4:7-8 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
3. Renounce secular depictions of ‘exorcism’
For first-timers, conducting deliverance may feel a little daunting because we will not know what to expect. We may conjure up dramatic images from the horror or “exorcism” movies that are distortions of reality.
Our understanding of deliverance must first be based on the Bible, not perverted secular “teachings”. Therefore, it is important that we first renounce all the horror movies or “ghost” stories we have been exposed to and repent in Jesus’ name, and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse us for His use.
Most deliverances are quiet and calm, and there may be pesky demonic manifestations once in a while, but we can be confident that every deliverance will end with great rejoicing, as long as everyone in the room submits to the Lord. The Lord does not leave us to fight any battle on our own. God’s Word has told us that we just need to stand firm and hold our positions to witness the deliverance that the Lord Himself will give us.
2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
4. Set up and start
Next, we can start things off by taking care of some practicalities. Make sure we have a relatively safe and quiet place to hold the prayer, that we have ample supplies of tissue paper as well as some plastic bags on standby, in case someone needs to throw up.
Ensure that there are at least two to three people to support the deliverance prayer session, with only one person speaking and guiding the person seeking deliverance. The others will quietly intercede, observe, take notes, and help with any practicalities, such as looking up scripture, handing out tissue paper, or discretely passing on any words of knowledge from the Holy Spirit to the main prayer minister, without interrupting the session. They can also be witnesses for the rare occasion there are misunderstandings or false accusations.
It is important that those we minister to are of the same gender as us and that every person understands their role before the prayer session begins.
Once everyone is ready, we can invite the person seeking deliverance to renounce whatever sins, curses or trauma that have given demons footholds in our lives. See A prayer of renunciation for deliverance from demonic strongholds.
5. Never submit to fear and baseless intimidation
Every believer can pray with confidence when it comes to overcoming evil with good. As we seek to do the work of God’s Kingdom, the Holy Spirit will help accomplish God’s will on earth.
Romans 12:21 ESV Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
John 14:15-18 ESV “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
As we obey God’s Word and submit to the Holy Spirit, we will walk in power, love and self control. Fear and excuses are never from God. Demons, on the other hand, will use fear to manipulate and control people. We need to stay on alert and not fall for such annoying schemes.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Demons will plant thoughts in the prayer ministers that sound like this,
- “I am not qualified.” | The truth is that our qualification is never based on external factors, it is based on our faith in Jesus. | 2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
- “I don’t have powerful anointing like Jesus had.” | The truth is that Jesus has promised we will do greater works than Him, as long as we believe and have faith in Him. He will do whatever we ask in His name to give the Father glory. | John 14:12-13 ESV “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- “I don’t know the names of demons.” | The truth is that we are to trust the Lord to help us and do not lean on our own understanding of demon names. We don’t need to know specific names, we can just command whatever evil spirits are related to the sin that has been confessed to leave in Jesus’ name. | Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
- “Demons are more powerful than me.” | The truth is that God’s Spirit who is in us is greater than any evil spirit of this world. | 1 John 4:4 ESV Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
- “I am a sinner myself. I can’t help others.” | The truth is that to not help someone who desires to get right before God and be delivered from demons is a sin both against them and the Lord. | James 4:17 ESV So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
If demons cannot deceive us, they may try to distract us. They can begin to behave like little chihuahua dogs that bark loudly but can’t overpower us. We should not allow their theatrics to derail a deliverance session. Jesus has said, “If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Our faith is based on the unseen presence of the Lord Jesus and the assurance that He rewards those who seek Him.
Matthew 18:19-20 NLT “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
Hebrews 11:1,6 ESV Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
As demonic footholds become weaker in a person, they may resort to coming out of hiding as a last ditch effort to intimidate us into silence. Such intimidation is baseless, because the Lord has already defeated all spiritual powers in our favour. It is at this point that we should push in even harder, because victory is around the corner.
Colossians 2:14-15 ESV by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
At the same time, we need to assure the person seeking deliverance to not fear but to rejoice that the Holy Spirit is “flushing out” their enemy so they can be free.
At some point, we may be tempted to look surprised or frustrated by the theatrics of demonic manifestations. However, we should keep these fleshly emotions to ourselves and refrain from having dramatic facial expressions, because these do not reflect Jesus Christ. A person that is manifesting will struggle with unnatural emotions or accusing voices inside. We should not add to their confusion but should speak with quiet confidence and compassion. We ought to remain calm and confident in Christ at all times.
Sometimes, a person’s consciousness can be taken over by evil spirits. Demons can behave strangely or speak through the persons they oppress. We should ask the Holy Spirit to help us discern if what someone is saying is from them or from the demon/s.
How demons try to derail a deliverance session |
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1. Oppress the person seeking deliverance |
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2. Operate through the person |
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Note: There is an account in Acts 19:13-20 of seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva, who tried to invoke the name of Jesus in casting out evil spirits, but were attacked instead. This happened because they were not followers of Jesus and were not covered by His protection. It is believers in Jesus who have the Lord’s Spirit in us that have all authority over and protection from demons. This account does not apply to believers.
Acts 19:14-16 ESV Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all[a] of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded
Luke 10:19 ESV Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
6. Stay alert, observe and discern
Praying with a fellow believer for deliverance from evil spirits is a privilege and a joy, because we can literally observe the kingdom of God at work before our very eyes.
Matthew 10:7-8 ESV And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Before deliverance
Those seeking deliverance often begin a prayer session looking sad or haggard or feeling confused, heavy, grieved, agitated and nervous etc. It can appear as if a grey cloud is hanging around them. They may initially experience headaches, confusion, nervousness, body aches, or nausea. But all this will change afterward!
After deliverance
As they repent of their iniquities or traumas and command evil spirits to leave, they will be filled with more of the light of life that comes from the Lord. Their countenance will literally transform; they will typically look refreshed, more radiant, calmer, and even seem to glow with life. They will genuinely experience the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as strongholds are torn down and evil spirits are expelled.
John 8:12 ESV Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Acts 3:19-20 ESV Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Galatians 5:19-24 ESV Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Here are some other typical outcomes of deliverance:
- Renewed faith | Anyone who has experienced God’s grace through deliverance typically renews their faith in a good God who is personally involved in our lives and cares intimately for us.
- Clear minds | Where there used to be tormenting negative thoughts and self-accusations, he/she will experience a quietness and peace of mind.
- Eyes | The world will look brighter and more hopeful.
- Joy | They will be filled with a sense of joy, and more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
- Lightness | They will feel light and unburdened.
- Peace | A sense of peace will come over the person. They may feel like their chests have been “emptied” and become still.
- Transformed prayers | Their prayer life will be transformed, they will be able to hear God’s voice more clearly.
- Ability to read the Bible | They will gain an interest, hunger, and ability to read God’s Word. Where they struggled to understand the Bible in the past, God’s Word will now “come alive” for them.
- Healing | In many cases, their emotional health and physical well-being will also improve. They may also experience miraculous healing of persistent ailments. Praise God!
Isaiah 10:27 NLT In that day the LORD will end the bondage of his people. He will break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders.
During deliverance
During deliverance prayers, we will need to be extra alert and observant. A person needs to be guided if they start to cry, keep talking about other topics, look drowsy, or suddenly want to leave. The enemy may be trying to create a decoy to distract or escape. We can simply say in a calm manner, “In Jesus’ name, I command all unclean spirits to be silent and cease all distractions.” There is no need to lose control over the situation, Jesus is with us.
Ephesians 6:18 ESV 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,
At the same time, the person seeking deliverance may start to feel some sensations they may not be familiar with. Some examples include aches and pains (eyes, head, shoulders, chest, stomach, arms, groin etc,), tingling, shivering, dizziness, heat, muscle twitches, something touching or holding them down etc. We need to encourage them to maintain their presence of mind and continue in their confessions. If Jesus is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31-33 ESV What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
As they expel evil spirits in Jesus’ name, they can feel something leave or lift off from their body as they cough, burp, retch, or throw up a clear colourless, tasteless, and odourless liquid. Sometimes, demons leave through a person’s fingers, arms, feet, or sides.
It is also perfectly normal if a person doesn’t feel such sensations. Whichever the case, there will be relief and more joy, even if there are no physical signs.
7. Beware physical or emotional yoking
The apostle Paul warned us not to be “hasty in the laying on of hands” on other people. This is particularly true if they are manifesting unclean spirits, as this can form an ungodly physical yoke that spirits use to transfer over.
1 Timothy 5:22 ESV Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 ESV Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
There are appropriate times to lay hands on others when we pray for them, such as the occasion when Paul laid his hands on his disciple, Timothy, and imparted God’s spiritual gift to him. There are other times we want to encourage someone by placing our hands on their shoulder, but if we feel a prompting from the Holy Spirit to abstain, we should follow His lead and keep our hands to ourselves.
2 Timothy 1:6 ESV For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
Another important caution is to not be emotionally sucked into whatever is being confessed or prayed over. This also forms an ungodly yoke.
Demons can use such mistakes or weaknesses to start to manipulate us emotionally if they see that we are being moved or influenced during the prayers. For example, they may incite someone to say, “I can’t do this, it feels so uncomfortable. How can you do this to me?” We need to recognise immediately that any voice of accusation is demonic and silence it in Jesus’ name.
8. Ask the Holy Spirit for cleansing and wait for further instructions
With each expulsion, we should invite the Holy Spirit to come cleanse the person of all unrighteousness and to take residence where the demons have been cast out from. We want the glory of God to fill more and more of our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
Ezekiel 43:4-5 ESV As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
It is not a good idea to ask the person seeking deliverance if they think the session is over. If there are any demons still hiding, they can try to convince the person to think that it is so that they won’t have to be exposed and expelled.
There is no need to rush to finish a session.
We should take the time to be still before the Holy Spirit, and wait for any further instructions. Sometimes, the Lord will alert us that there are people who haven’t been forgiven, generational curses that haven’t been broken, word curses or wishes to die that haven’t been renounced, and so on. We can encourage the person seeking deliverance to pray according to what the Lord has revealed.
9. Rejoice, but don’t give false hopes or prophecies
Our victories in deliverance are worth celebrating with joy, just as there is great rejoicing in heaven over every sinner who repents and is delivered from Satan’s grip.
Luke 15:10 ESV Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
At the same time, we should never give anyone false hopes or project our own thoughts and desires onto them. We all need ongoing deliverance from the many deceptions of evil spirits. It is dangerous to believe that someone will miraculously live “happily ever after” after a single deliverance session. A few hours of prayer is never enough to set someone free from all their strongholds.
Circumstances can become more challenging, temptations can return, doubt can creep in, persecutions can arise etc. The hope is that those who have undergone deliverance will mature in their faith and will not be easily tossed by the storms of life.
Ephesians 4:14 ESV Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
10. Close with the Father’s assurances
When we observe and sense that the Holy Spirit is bringing a prayer session to a close, we should encourage the person who has just gone through deliverance to ask the Father for His thoughts of them and for their purpose on earth.
God is in the ministry of reconciling people back to Him. It is powerful when the Lord Himself addresses someone and assures them of His love. Most people feel uncomfortable doing so, simply because of a lack of experience, and may rush through this step. Encourage them to sit in their Father’s presence and just rest there.
2 Corinthians 5:16-20 ESV From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Isaiah 30:15 ESV For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” …
We should never leave anyone in fear, especially if demons have manifested. We do not want any brother or sister in Christ to question their faith or panic that demons may come back. We should assure them that the old has passed away, the new has come! We can show them various Bible verses to reassure them that God loves them and will never forsake them.
John 14:26-27 ESV But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
We should teach them how to recognise and reject deceptions that may arise after deliverance. Demons may come back to whisper, “your deliverance will be short-lived,” “it wasn’t valid,” or “we will come back when you are alone,” etc. We need to explain that demons only tell lies. They are like barking dogs that have been locked out of the house. We may hear them bark but they cannot bite or attack us anymore.
We just need to resist, stand our ground, and reject those lies in Jesus’ name. The lie behind fictitious horror stories is that evil never ends, but that is not true when it comes to God Himself! God loves them immensely and sent His Son to set them free, at greater personal cost to Himself.
Psalm 34:4-5 NIV I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
We can also remind them that the first person Jesus appeared to after He rose from the grave was Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. He treasures and values all of us, no matter how much bondage we used to be. There is no shame for His followers, only everlasting joy. His victories are sure and true!
Mark 16:9-9 ESV Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Isaiah 61:7 ESV Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
IMPORTANT: Always ensure there is follow-up and discipleship
Most people fall into demonic oppression as a result of their ignorance of God’s Word. God’s Word is the sword that the Holy Spirit places in our hand to defeat our enemy.
Hosea 4:6 ESV My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Ephesians 6:17 ESV and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
A person who is delivered from demons will often hunger for God and will be eager to study His Word. It will be highly beneficial for them to be in a community of believers who seek God and study His Word together.
Where they have lacked godly and loving nurturing and correction — which is often the case — they will need to be discipled and mentored by mature God-fearing believers, who are guided by God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. As believers, we need to learn to obey Jesus in all aspects of our lives. That is where we will find perfect peace.
John 5:14 ESV Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
Isaiah 26:3 ESV You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Additional reminders
1. First check for cursed objects
If anyone believes they are being oppressed by demons, it is imperative that we ask them to check the places that they live and operate in, to ensure that there are no spiritually defiled or cursed objects that have given demons a foothold in their lives.
When the Lord gave Moses the plan for the tabernacle where God’s presence would dwell, He also instructed Moses to create certain pieces of holy furniture and objects for His temple. Demons will also use certain “unholy” objects to set up their presence in the places we move around in.
Exodus 40:9-10 ESV “Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it may become holy. You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar may become most holy.
We do not encourage superstitious beliefs but we do need to note that pagan cultures and faiths tend to assign power to certain objects or dedicate them to their idols or ancestors. By doing so, they can invite unclean spirits, intentionally or unintentionally, to take residence in those things. We should remove any such objects before they become a snare, preferably prior to a deliverance prayer.
Deuteronomy 7:25-26 ESV The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.
Also, see Beware spiritually unclean objects that God detests
2. Never take on ruling powers in heavenly places
Jesus only prayed to cast out demons from people. He never taught His disciples to pray against “cosmic powers over this present darkness and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” or the ruling principalities of the air, sea, on the earth, under the earth and so forth. We are only told to put on our armour of God and stand against them in these instances. Jesus left the spiritual powers in their heavenly places. God has them in place for a time and a season, for His own specific eternal plan for all creation.
Ephesians 6:11-13 ESV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
As the following testimony shows, we should not pit ourselves against such powers, and try to tear them down or destroy them, because that we would be entering a territory that God has not ordained us to otherwise. We have full authority to cast out demons from people and our residences, and we should obey the example that Jesus set for us in deliverance, and not move beyond that.
Matthew 8:16-17 ESV That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Also, see Spiritual pollution of homes, districts and territories
Testimony
“I had been fighting with fear and lust for some time and desperately wanted to remove my flaws and weaknesses. From googling online, I noticed that these are spiritual strongholds. I also watched sermons with supernatural experiences of Christians being delivered from demons, and wanted to be delivered from evil spirits tormenting me with fear and lust. So, I was busy searching for solutions online and found a template prayer titled a “Powerful prayer against Satan and demons”. Last year, I was delivered of the leviathan spirit and thought this was worth a try.
The prayer started with “rebuking and binding anti-prayer demons in the air, on the earth, under the earth, in the sea and all waters”. It was about 2-3am that I prayed this prayer and heard some loud noises outside of the home. I didn’t check or bother about it and went to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up and found a big bulk of ‘kibble’ like yellow object all over the doors of our home. My brother told me he also had an unusually problematic day. His car tires punctured and both he and his pastor were late for a ministry appointment. The washing machine and water heater broke down. I even fought with my girlfriend. I lost my peace. This series of incidents in just one day caused me a lot of unease, worries, and anxiety.
I reached out to my brothers and sisters-in-Christ to tell them about the prayer I had just done and asked them if they have had similar experiences. One of them pointed out that such a prayer may have crossed a spiritual boundary.
She explained that the “powerful prayer” I had used teaches us to take on principalities of air, earth, and water that we have no authority over. “Jesus never prayed such prayers, He left the spiritual powers in their place, even the evil forces. God has them in place for a reason. So as a result, such prayers cross a line and pit these forces against us.” She warned me that if I randomly searched on Google without waiting on the Lord first and foremost, I would eventually be led to spiritual error.
On hearing this, I repented of praying such a prayer. I also realised that I was focusing on seeking Christian “solutions” but had not sought God’s heart. During prayer, God assured me that He will take care of my fears. I was awakened to the fact that God didn’t tell me to pray certain prayers or search online for solutions to remove my anxieties. He will just take care of them. I only need to seek God and wait for His timing instead. Seeking God and being transformed by God is a process and it isn’t done by some quick prayer. There are times we need to be delivered of evil spirits, but there are also times we just need to renew our minds and wait on God.”
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