GENERALLY, deliverance refers to being rescued or freed from a difficult or challenging situation. Specifically, spiritual deliverance is the process of freeing someone from demonic oppression or possession.
Spiritual deliverance involves the unseating of the power and control of the kingdom of darkness over someone’s life.
It consists of casting out demons or unclean spirits, healing from past wounds, renewal of the mind, cutting off ungodly soul-ties and seeking deeper intimacy with God.
The purpose of deliverance is to receive freedom, through Jesus’ Finished Work on the Cross, from hindrances that keep you from enjoying the fullness and wholeness of God’s plan for your life and your relationship with Him.
Click on the link below for a deliverance teaching by pastor Nellie on why bad things happen to good people.
Christ died for spiritual deliverance
Galatians 1:5. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
We need deliverance in our bodies-physical healing, our mind, emotions and will.
It is important to know what to expect during a spiritual deliverance session, understand what is going on and not feel confused over the process as well as, thereafter, to maintain your new found freedom or else the enemy would be more than happy to “steal” it.
Spiritual deliverance is Children’s bread
Whatever area in your life where you are bound and still find yourself struggling, is under the rule of Satan and needs to be set free from his grip.
When we get saved there is a radical shift that takes place. All things become new, but only in the spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
However, the soul still needs constant deliverance. Spiritual deliverance is the bread of God’s children!
Here’s your key to complete deliverance. Click on the link to read a related post on spiritual deliverance.
God has made us a spirit that has a soul and indwells a body.
1 Thessalonians 5:23. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we become saved, God makes our spirit new, but we must constantly heal our soul, the soul needs constant deliverance-putting to death old habits, putting off the old, putting on the new, renewing the mind, working out our salvation…it is a process!
Christians cannot be possessed by the devil because they have and are owned by the Holy Spirit, but they can be influenced.
They can be oppressed from outside and from inside. The mind, the will and emotions are spiritual hence the important role of the deliverance ministry in their lives.
Click on the link below for a related post on how Christians can be oppressed by demons.
Here’s a list of what you can expect during a spiritual deliverance session:
1. Diagnosis-often referred to as Spiritual Mapping. It involves the deliverance minister interviewing, probing or asking you questions. First he or she will ask if you are born again.
The minister may not take you through deliverance if salvation is not clear or non-existent but may choose to lead you in the Sinner’s prayer to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life, in case you are not born again and want to.
Based on your answer, the deliverance minister will then ask questions to explore your personal and family history from birth to present.
You will be asked to come along with your family genogram or family tree depicting four generations.
Spiritual mapping helps in identifying patterns in your family generations and your own life.
Click on this link to read a related post on spiritual deliverance. Generation to generation: Don’t pass it on .
As you answer and talk about your life, the minister will identify open doors and entry points that allowed demons in, like lack of self-control, trauma, unforgiveness, involvement in occult and witchcraft or sudden major changes from a particular point in life.
Open doors give demons legal grounds or rights to stay. During diagnosis strongholds that need to be pulled down will also be identified.
This is often the first step. Be candid, truthful, open and comfortable enough to express your feelings, thoughts and emotions.
Evil spirits operate in secrecy and exposing them is half the battle won. Do not be ashamed. Feel vulnerable. Spiritual deliverance is for the desperate.
Eph 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them
Click on this link 5 things to know about being set free to read a related post on understanding the deliverance ministry.
2. Manifestation or no-manifestation -These happen during prayer. Before starting to pray, there could be anointing with oil or not.
After spiritual mapping, the minister will lead you in a confession and repentance prayer to ask God for forgiveness of past and present sin.
Then with the help of what has been identified he or she will start to pray, breaking curses from the generations using the genogram you provided.
During prayer, the actual casting out of spirits is done-they entered through the doors of gates identified during diagnosis-trauma, lack of self-control, sin, inheritance.
The minister will go through the demon groups identified, first binding the strongman and then kicking out the attendant demons.
There could be mild to strong manifestations, like yawning, spitting, shaking, screaming, itching, pain in an area of the body.
If you feel these sensations don’t resist them, let go , these are demons actually leaving you! They may manifest in your vocal cords to speak as well.
There could be extreme violent manifestations requiring the counselee to be strapped by assistants.
Physical healing has taken place during deliverance sessions. Expect a range of emotions including relief, joy or lingering grief at deeper levels during deliverance.
Let the minister know how you are feeling. However do less talking but more breathing in and out as the demons leave through the mouth. You may also experience partial or total loss of consciousness.
Click on the link below for a related post on how to identify a curse and the need for spiritual deliverance.
How do I know am under a curse?
Once this is done you may or not be anointed again and a prayer of blessings prayed over you. You will be asked to close the session in prayer of thanksgiving.
Even when we do not see the manifestation, by faith we believe and are set free. There has been great testimonies after deliverance even when there has been little or no manifestation atall.
3. Deliverance is a process– While deliverance can be one time instantaneous event, it can also be a process like the peeling off of onion layers, one at a time.
You may or may not receive all your freedom at once. In one session you may address one area and yet address another in a separate session.
One may also have several sessions to address the same thing.
It may also take different deliverance ministers depending on the bondage to be sorted out.
Sessions may take few minutes to several hours, many time it takes several sessions before one is completely delivered.
Don’t be discouraged. Deliverance will mark a shift in your life, so anticipate serious adjustments and changes (you are under new management!).
Deliverance is more than demons being cast out but involves inner healing, renewal of the mind and tearing of stronghold-old and incorrect thought patterns and above all developing a renewed intimacy with God.
4. Follow-up– There could be recommendations for on-going fellowship and plugging in to ministry support systems- prayer, group teaching sessions for further guidance and strengthening to maintain your deliverance.
A follow up meeting could be scheduled in about 1 or 2 weeks after the session.
The enemy is able to bombard you with fear, doubt, disbelief and discouragement making you feel you will never be free.
Click on the link below for a related post on how to sustain your freedom after spiritual deliverance.
After being walked through a session of deliverance you must change your mind set. God is much more powerful than demons and you must believe in His power to set you free.
After deliverance a fierce battle starts, not in the heavenlies, but between your ears- your mind! You have been used to defeat, failure, lack… so your mind is programmed that way.
However, you now need to be transformed by the renewing of your mind which will only come as you soak it in the word of God through reading , meditation and application.
Roman 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Hold onto your deliverance by avoiding sin and creating new habits.
Crucify the flesh daily with its wants through Christian discipline-prayer, Bible reading, fasting. Repent quickly if you sin and then command demons that came in to leave in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God help us to create new habits that please Him. Amen 🙏