Deliverance
Nearly every book on spiritual warfare will include an analysis of the controversial nature concerning whether or not a Christian can have a demon. Anybody who argues against it usually refers to the experience as “demon possession,” while those in favor of affirming the regularity of sincere Christians experiencing demonization refer to it as “demon oppression.” This vernacular exposes the main contention from those who refuse to believe that Christians can suffer demonic attack; it is the paradox of coexistence and ownership. If the Holy Spirit now dwells in the temple of one’s life, how then can a demon(s) also be there? If God has purchased us, how then can we belong to another? These questions are valid, but contain erroneous assumptions, namely, that demonization is to be understood materially and that it disavows or nullifies the work of God.
There is a flaw in this idea that the coexistence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and any level of demonic presence are contradictory. It assumes and demands that spiritual reality submit to a material set of laws. Finding this coexistence problematic requires resolving the fact that the whole cosmos is “filled” with the Holy Spirit and yet the existence of Satan and his forces are somehow also around:
“Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord (Jer. 23:24 ESV).”
Moreover, Arnold states that, “Paul uses spatial language to refer to the devil securing inhabitable space in the life of a believer when he warns, ‘do not give the devil a foothold’ (Eph. 4:27),” thereby discrediting the notion that coexistence of two in one body is incompatible.[9]This material logic is not consistent with the biblical depiction of reality and how things work; we are not dealing with material entities here, but war against a much more complex foe:
“ 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 forcesof evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12b).
Thus, though not explicit, it is consistent with the biblical witness and with early church practice to believe that a Christian can be demonized and ought to be exorcised by the ministry of the church, particularly the elders.[10]
Erroneous, perhaps by inferior translation, is this idea of possession. There is nothing in scripture that clearly uses this language, which misleads the reader to attribute ownership and transfer of complete control.[11]The meaning carries more the understanding of “having a demon.” Webber and Katzer offer a list of relevant passages in the original Greek text of the New Testament that offer the following terms regarding the influence of demons on people:
A person can be demonized (Mt. 4:24).
A person can have a demon (Mark 7:25).
A person can be oppressed by a demon (Acts 10:38).
A person can be vexed or troubled by a demon (Lk. 6:18).
A person can suffer or be afflicted by a demon (Mt. 17:15).
A person can be “in” a demon, or under its influence (Mark 1:23)
A person can have a demon “in” him (Acts 19:16).[12]
None of these passages implied ownership or total control. This error is sourced from the unhelpful King James translation of daimonizomaito mean demon possession when it is better translated as demonization. With this in view, “demonization should be framed in terms of levels of involvement rather than ownership,” as David Appleby states.[13]Seeing demonization or demon oppression as demon-possession will forcefully produce errant thinking when the oppression of a Christian is in view.
It is insensitive, irresponsible, and just poor interpersonal perception to say that a demonized person has never really been a Christian. It boasts a black-and-white approach to this issue, but fails to apply in the real world where Christians are being barraged by the enemy and his minions. As Tom White says, “we wrongly assume that Satan quits his insidious schemes when someone is converted.”[14]No, we are in a war with a relentless enemy who knows that his expiration date is fast approaching and will stop at nothing to apply his hatred to God’s preferred creatures.
Approach to those experiencing demonic bondage.
There is a constant battle going on that we must not just realize, but also engage in with valor, confidence, and sobriety; “neutrality is not an option for believers.”[15]This is perhaps a reason why outward manifestations of the enemy’s activity in the west is subdued; the church does not engage in battle against what it does not believe is there. A cunning strategy of the enemy is using this against those he hates and functioning under the cloak of doubt, ignorance, and idleness. Other places on the planet where his work is exposed, there is no such strategy; he uses that reality to create fear and pronounces himself all the more. Thus, most people under demonic bondage as we see it in the west are mostly unaware that they are in some way demonized.
It is critical that we are not just aware of the spiritual battle constantly happening, but also that we understand that demonic attack does not always happen because we did something wrong; sometimes it is because we are doing everything right, and the enemy sees us as a threat to confront![16]Though demonic attack is waged simply because we are loved by God and hated by Satan, there are five primary ways that demonization happens:
People invite demons into their lives through varying “open doors”
Generational sin and oppression
Invitation by someone in authority
Wallowing in negative reactions to emotional wounds
Unconfessed/ besetting sin.[17]
Each of these categories can have varying levels of bondage, but what is most important to understand is that Jesus’ blood has power over everything! There is always hope for a person to be set free because to deliver captives is Messiah’s job description (Is. 61). If the person is willing and surrenders to the Lordship of Christ, the person will be free! Also, if the believer is walking by the Spirit, surrendering continually to Christ’s lordship, then there is no reason why the believer should walk in bondage any longer: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4b).”
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the level of bondage a believer is suffering. Tom White’s model proves profoundly helpful. This template is an invaluable resource in discerning how to proceed with a person engaged in any level of spiritual warfare.
Level I: General Warfare Against Believer
“Temptation”: Enticement or compulsion to violate God’s moral law (Matt 4:1)
Solution: Resistance (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9)
“Flaming arrows”: External harassment of evil spirits [exploiting weaknesses or hindering ministry] (Eph. 6:16)
Solution: Armor of God (Eph. 6:13-18)
Level II: Specific Bondage, Demonization
“Foothold” or “Stronghold” - Giving a place of influence to evil spirits that leads to ongoing bondage [“demonization”] (Eph. 4:18,27; Jas 3:14-16)
Solution: Deliverance Ministry (James 4:7-10)
Level III: Deception and Bondage of Unbelievers
“Control” - Dominance of a soul by Satan (1Jn. 5:19), either through deception and disobedience (Rev. 12:9; Eph. 2:2), or through the direct control of evil spirits (Matt. 8:28-33)
Solution: Salvation, transference out of darkness into light (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13-14).[18]
Christ has already won the victory, and since Christ has offered this victory to us, there is always a way to expose, resist, and overcome the evils against us.
Rightly knowing how to battle is, well, half the battle, and it is quite simple because Christ has already accomplished this; thus we simply apply what He has done. Whether we are suffering residue of our past life or are facing the venomous hatred of the enemy in our present obedience, resisting Satan is a normal part of Christian community. We are called to draw near to God, “in faith and prayer, becoming immersed in the Scriptures, attaching oneself to other believers in meaningful relationships, and understanding and appropriating the work of Christ.”[19]This phrase depicts what normal Christianity ought to look like, which is our strongest defense against enemy attacks. Simply walking in holiness of heart and life and being immersed in the presence of God is the strongest defense against Satan and his tactics.
Still the question remains of how to administer deliverance when specific bondage is afflicting a Christian. There are multiple approaches which all have a proven track record of success. I really appreciate a combination of the Truth Encounter method (presented in detail in Neil Anderson’s booklet, Steps to Freedom in Christ,) and the power encounter method as advanced by Charles Kraft and David Appleby. It is important to have discernment with each person and use what is most effective for each specific situation. I find value in the posture that this is Christ’s war, but we have been invited to participate in His victory. Thus, the authority is God’s, but the application is done through the Church. Therefore, the posture of administering deliverance is one of confidence that Christ has conquered and has given us the authority to apply that victory. From this posture, the minister walks the bound Christian through truth that sets them free.
From the minister, there is wisdom in preparing for what Appleby calls “D-day” or deliverance day.[20]This involves pre-deliverance meetings, a lifestyle of fasting/prayer, rest, and inviting others to be with you during this ministry. From the recipient there must be a willingness to be free, confess sin, and renounce all footholds and open doors. During a time of deliverance ministry, many different things can happen. Therefore, it is important that, as the demons are confronted, we maintain dialogue with the Holy Spirit and obey his leading. He knows what to do, and he loves seeing people free in order to dwell more fully in their hearts. Being thorough in exposing and renouncing any legal right for demons to oppress is very important. One should not be in a hurry. It is important to remember that the Lord loves setting people free.
Concerns related to Ministry in this Area
A main concern regarding deliverance ministry is that the minister becomes a very real threat to the enemy’s camp. This is not a ministry to be approached lightly; there are repercussions for obeying God. The enemy will wage war against any true believer. If this is not the case, then there is minimal or no threat to the enemy, as he simply will not waste his resources intimidating a powerless believer.[21]
One can no longer overlook the importance of prayer, fasting, scripture reading, abiding, praising, and obeying. These Christian disciplines are imperative for the authority of Christ to flow through the minister without collateral damage of enemy fire. It could be said that to neglect these disciplines is to evade the real ministry of Christ. It is only here that we become alive to Him and reinforce our lives with the armor of God, which protects us from the flaming arrows. However, somehow in the mystery of it all, there are times when God allows enemy afflictions and uses them as a tool for refinement, maturity, trust, dependence, or simply to prove a point. May he grant us grace to embrace the Cross!
Works Cited:
[9]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997), 82.
[10]Graham H. Twelftree, In the Name of Jesus,281-285.
[11]Charles H. Kraft, Two Hours to Freedom - A Simple and Effective Model for Healing and Deliverance. (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2010), 94.
[12]Patty Katzer and Malcolm Webber, Deliverance - The Principles and Practice of Deliverance Ministry.(Elkhart, IN: Strategic Press, 2000) , 61.
[13]David W. Appleby, It’s Only a Demon: A Model of Christian Deliverance, (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 2009), 48.
[14]Thomas B. White, The Believer’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare,(Grand Rapids: Chosen Books; 2011), 67.
[15]David W. Appleby, It’s Only a Demon, 32.
[16]Thomas B. White, The Believers Guide to Spiritual Warfare, 59-60.
[17]Charles H. Kraft, Two Hours to Freedom, 99-102.
[18]Thomas B. White, The Believers Guide to Spiritual Warfare, 65.
[19]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, 139.
[20]David W. Appleby, It’s Only a Demon, 172.
[21]Thomas B. White, The Believers Guide to Spiritual Warfare, 60.
