EVERY believer is called as a full-time deliverance minister. There are three reasons why demons submit during prayer and are cast out in the name of Jesus Christ.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of satanic strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Jesus said all power and authority has been given unto us in the name of Jesus to break the chains of bondage, set the captives free and lead the oppressed out of darkness into His glorious light!
Jesus came to break the chains of bondage; to set the captives free. He has delegated to us this ministry and expects us to function in “all power and authority in heaven and on earth” to make demons submit.
He started the work-salvation and deliverance, that we must continue ( and even do much more) before His return.
Click on this link for a related post on deliverance ministry and casting out of demons. Do Christians need deliverance?
Every believer is called in spiritual warfare to fight and win in battle. Mark 16:17. “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues.”
Demons are the believers’ real unseen enemies who spread snares and traps to defile, ruin and shame God’s children. They are like parasites that are attracted to a condition.
Mathew 24:28. “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”
Demons love it where there is a curse or unconfessed sin that keeps the doors open.
For example, if there is a curse in a family brought by sin, demons will want to continue to keep the family in bondage until the curse is broken through repentance and renouncing of the sin that made the curse to come in the first place.
Click on the link below for a related post on how curses flow through the generations and what you can do.
Believers are engaged in a constant battle with demonic entities whether we realise it or not!
Ephesians 6:10 “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.”
These evil entities desire to manifest their nature through human beings. They act out who or what they are by using the person’s mind, emotions, will and body.
They are totally depraved in character, perverse, unclean, cause sicknesses, can speak, have knowledge and a personality.
When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.” Mathew 12:43.
Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” Mark 3:11.
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. Luke 7:21.
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.
They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Acts 19:13.
Demons will obey you as you boldly command them to leave a stronghold in your life or in the life of a loved one because of these three reasons;
- Authority of the believer
Are there special words God expects us to use as believers to cast out demons?
Let us look at Acts 16:18 when Paul encountered a girl who had the spirit of divination.
She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!”
At that moment the spirit left her.
In the scripture above, Paul spoke to the spirit not the girl. He commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus.
Paul made the demon to submit because of what Jesus had already done on the cross.
Luke 10:19. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
1 John 4:4. 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.
Evil spirits will obey you because as a believer you have, through Christ, the authority to overcome all power of the enemy, the one who is in you is greater-He overcame the world!
Colossians 2:15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
We should not be fearful or doubt because according to Verse 19 of Luke 10, we have been given authority to “overcome all power of the enemy” and we have “authority in the name of Jesus.” We are “empowered” as well by the Holy Spirit.
- We fight a defeated foe
Adam and Eve handed over the authority God gave them to dominate the earth. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, authority was passed on to Him.
Colossians 2:15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Evil spirits hate this truth. Read it loud to them, reminding them of their future! Jesus defeated Satan through His death on the cross.
He stripped him of the armour that he prided in and made a shameful show of him when He rose again-Hallelujah!
Jesus told His disciples that all authority, on heaven and on earth, has been given to Him. He took back this authority for the church. The battle belongs to Him and He already won!
- Satan power is limited
Satan’s not omnipotent, neither is he omnipresent. Unlike God, who is everywhere every time, Satan is not. He is not the one who directly attacks us.
He depends on the multitude of evil spirits and fallen angels to torment, oppress and inhabit people. There is nothing Satan can do on earth without getting that authority from man.
Once Jesus took authority back from Satan and gave it back to His church, Satan resorted to a different ball-game.
Knowing that man had been given authority over him through the death of Jesus on the cross, he now looks for people whose authority he can use.
He woos human beings with worldly things in exchange for their soul(emotions, will and mind).
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Mathew 16:26.
Satan has limited power compared to God. Demons can suggest evil, but cannot coerce the human will. Satan needs you to consent!
He cannot forcefully use human will, he can only tempt them to hand over the control to him by making an agreement with him.
God will not interfere with a covenant that a human being has made with Satan.God has given us the freewill to choose our actions, beliefs and attitudes.
Casting out demons
It is important to know that evil spirits do not work alone. Demons operate in groups with a captain or controlling spirit called the strongman who leads the others.
Click on this link for a related post on deliverance. Expect these 4 during spiritual deliverance.
Normally, it is the strongman who is in command and in charge of the lesser spirits who manifest the undesirable habit.
Mark 3:27. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.
In casting out demons, first bind the strongman, then cast out the subordinate spirits under him to leave.
For example a strongman spirit of Rejection will work with lesser spirits of Despair, Discouragement, Depression, Suicide, Unworthiness, Self condemnation, Low self-esteem and the like. Remember, a spirit can be a strongman in one instance and a lesser spirit in another.
As a believer, you have the relegated authority from Christ, therefore do not be timid!
Be Bold demons will obey! Christ has fully equipped you for this spiritual battle to cast out demons in His name. It is for you to align yourself practically and actively in the ministry of deliverance.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Our weapons have divine power to demolish all demonic strongholds of the enemy. When we know the authority we have over the devil, it helps us know how to deal with his demons.
Some of Satan’s tested weapons against those who seek holiness and to be set free from demonic strongholds is to send oppressing and tempting thoughts into their minds, afflict the body with diseases or create circumstances that would cause discouragement and doubt.
Be careful the images and thoughts Satan would want to sow in your heart. Take captive every thought that arises in opposition to the truth of God’s word.
Demons will oppose people from searching and finding the truth of God’s word. They will not only tempt non-Christians, but also hinder God’s people from growing spiritually even after committing their lives to Christ.
We are all plagued by a demonic spirit constantly looking for ways to weaken and destroy our testimony, sowing destructive thoughts which if allowed to germinate, and grow will become attitudes and habits designed to enslave under demonic chains.
“Be strong in the power of God’s might,” not your own. Pray through every opportunity for your deliverance and growth in Christ.
Need for deliverance
Remember, evil spirits do not automatically leave at re-birth when when we become believers. If we are candid with ourselves, we will accept that there are some areas or strongholds that we have struggled with even after we became saved.
Such demonic strongholds keep us from being fully submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ to walk in freedom and victory and to be effective in His Kingdom.
Click on this link for related post on need for deliverance. Do Christians need deliverance?
If you notice that you are struggling with constant sin habits or even unhealthy mindsets, there is need for deliverance in that given area.
It is certainly an area not under the control of the Holy Spirit, but an evil spirit, still lurking in an area not fully surrendered to the Lord!
Lying, greed, unforgiveness, lack of self control can become open doors that give the devil a foothold. Evil spirits will guard a stronghold, viciously, from outside. Ephesians 4:27 tells us, “and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Churches today are full of believers who are living with evil spirits, oppressed and afflicted from outside and from the inside ( the soul- mind, will and emotions).
Neither, they, nor the people around them are aware that the reason why they are not able to live victoriously is because they have these invisible intruders.
Pray today, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an area in your life where you may need deliverance, so you may live a victorious life in Christ.
When demons are present in a person’s life, their manifestation is seen in the undesirable and destructive habit which will continue until such a time that sin is confessed and they are commanded to leave in the name of Jesus Christ.
