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Chapter 14. Counselling - Deliverance Ministry
'And Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.'’ (Matt. 17:18)
Deliverance ministry is the work of the pastor and the church in setting men and women free of the power of the devil because he has gained access into their lives.
Who is the Devil?
The devil was part of a host of angels that were created by God before man and the world. They were created by the Son and for him. ‘For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him.’ (Col. 1:16)
About the Angels in General
The Scripture reveals that they have spiritual bodies but take on the outward appearance of man . ‘Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth.’ (Luke 1:26) It is assumed that they would not have wings. They do not have a sex. ‘For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.’ (Matt. 22:30) They are always referred to as masculine. They cannot die. ‘Nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.’ (Luke 20:36) They are inferior to the Son but superior to man. ‘For he has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you take care of him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour, and set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.’ (Heb. 2:5-9)
They have many names in the word: ‘Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?’ (Heb. 1:14) ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’ (Eph. 6:12) ‘I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.’ (1 Tim. 5:21) ‘Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.’ (Rev. 5:11)
They are without number: ‘But you have come to mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.’ (Heb. 12:22) They are overseen by Archangels. ‘For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.’ (1 Thess. 4:16) ‘Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”’ (Jude 9) They have great power. ‘Bless the Lord, you his angels, who excel in strength, who do his word, heeding the voice of his word.’ (Psa. 103:20)
Divided into Two
At one time all these angels enjoyed the unity of being in the presence of God and then the Devil was lifted up in his heart and rebelled against God. This meant that he was cast out of heaven and a third of all those rebellious angels were cast into the earth. ‘How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will be like the most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.’ (Isa. 14:12-15) They now are referred to as the lost. ‘Then he will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41) They are compared with the elect. ‘When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.’ (Matt. 25:31)
The work of those angels who serve God, the faithful angels, are occupied in worshipping and adoring God and the Lamb. “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 18:10) They serve God continually and are always looking into the mystery of God’s great salvation. ‘To them it was revealed that not to themselves but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things which angels desire to look into,’ (1 Peter 1:12) ‘To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.’ (Eph. 3:10) Thus they only know what they outwardly see. This is clearly expressed by the apostle Paul when he reveals the truth concerning the necessity of head covering in the church: ‘For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.’ (1 Cor. 11:10)
Angels are there for God’s purpose as instruments of his will: ‘For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward’ (Heb. 2:2) and they show the will of God to man: ‘But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Gen. 22:11) ‘Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.’ (Jud. 6:11)
God prepares us to receive ministry through them: ‘Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go towards the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ‘ (Acts 8:26) They act as God’s messengers in deliverance: ‘Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.’ (Acts 12:7) They also appear in judgement both in this life: ‘Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.’ (Acts 12:23) and on the final judgement day: ‘Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ (Matt. 24:30-31 ‘Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.’ (2 Thess. 1:6-7)
The Devil
The Devil has many names in the Scriptures. ‘Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”’ (John 13:27) ‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.’ (Matt. 4:1) ‘But when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” (Matt. 12:24) ‘And they had a king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.’ (Rev. 9:11) ‘Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.’ (John 12:31) ‘He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.’ (Col. 1:13) ‘Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2 Cor. 4:4) ‘In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.’ (Eph. 2:2) ‘How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!’ (Isa. 14:12) ‘In that day the Lord with his severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And he will slay the reptile that is in the sea.’ (Isa. 27:1) ‘And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (2 Cor. 6:15) ‘Now when the tempter came to him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”’ (Matt. 4:3)
He is a Person
We must be clear in acknowledging that we are not dealing with a force but a person who together with demons seek to rule over the lives of men and women. ‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. Now when the tempter came to him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ‘ (Matt. 4:1-3)
It may be valuable at this point to illustrate this by referring to a young man I met, who had been for some seven years a spiritualist medium. He was a simple man, working as a valet and had met a young college student who, realising his desperate state, brought him to a friend of mine whom I was visiting. He had entered into a covenant with the devil when he was sixteen and was now possessed by what he called a master spirit and many demons. When we had spoken for some time he needed to go to the bathroom. He later said that this was to have a cigarette and to communicate with his various demons. We decided that we would embrace and love him with the love of God. At that the devil spoke using the voice of our friend ‘Get your hand off my slave’. The master spirit was the devil himself and he went home that night troubled. Apparently he was tossed all over the room, where he slept, finding himself on the ceiling at one point.
The next day he was desperate to be delivered and said that as we loved him, a chink of light penetrated his dark soul and he wanted to come into the light. We prayed that God would cast out the devil and he came out, as the Scripture reveals, together with all the demons that like parasites hang on to those who are not clear with God. ‘For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralysed and lame were healed.’ (Acts 8:7)
His Power
The devil has a greater power than man but to those who are born of God he is limited. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.’ (1 Peter 5:8) ‘Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”’ (Jude 9) He does not inhabit the holy ways of God. ‘A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there.’ (Isa. 35:8-9) He is however the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air. ‘Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.’ (2 Cor. 4:4) All evil is from him and he controls the power of death. ‘Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.’ (Heb. 2:14-15)
His power was illustrated to me when one of our members here, whilst working as a policeman, was sent to arrest a violent man during a domestic scuffle. It took eight strong policemen to hold him still while he was shouting about the power of God. He was being motivated by the devil.
Another young man rang me in the early hours of the morning to tell me that he had seen his motorbike lift one or two feet off the ground and it had terrified him.
Where Does he Live
The devil dwells in high places: ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’ (Eph. 6:12) He seeks to live in human hearts as does the Holy Spirit and all his activity is designed to take the place of God in the human heart.
What is he Seeking to Do
His total purpose is to destroy the work of God, to oppose all of God’s will. He caused the fall: ‘And the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”’ (Gen. 3:4-5) ‘But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.’ (2 Cor. 11:3) Even though he controls the power of death Jesus has taken away its sting by the resurrection. ‘So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.’ (1 Cor. 15:54-56)
He controls all unbelievers and their activities and binds them and orders their lives. He works actively against the children of God. ‘For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect’ (Mark 13:22). He discourages, tempts, lays snares, sows doubt into our minds and by dropping seeds into our hearts seeks to take root in our lives. All his work is therefore, destructive.
The Devils Way In
As we have seen, the devil seeks to gain access into the hearts of men and women but he must first find a way in. Devil possession is not automatic just because we have been born into a sinful world. The devil will seek to use the following means:
Heredity
As we have seen earlier, heredity is the transmission from one generation to another of genetic facts that determine individual characteristics.
Uncleanness
This perhaps is the most common of the ways in which the devil gains access into lives. There is so much portrayed in the world today that encourages young people into early sexual experiences outside of the will of God. Fornication, sexual relationship before marriage, masturbation, homosexuality, lesbianism, pornographic literature, sexual abuse of children, rape, incest, adultery, these all allow the devil access.
One young teenager who came to stay with us had entered into physical relationship in the woods after school when she was nine and had practised sexual acts while in the playground. She was now full of unclean spirits. Another woman now in her early forties had lived her life with uncleanness and had been troubled for many years because her mother had allowed a boyfriend to sexually abuse her in early life. Parents are often unaware of what is happening to their children at school or in the homes of their friends because they assume they would not do anything. I have proven over many years of ministry that young girls have been introduced to devil possession and its following uncleanness, and then grow up to leave home with a man perhaps twenty years older. Some have moved in with those of their own sex because of the failure of parents to be closely in touch with their children. Husbands too have been so occupied with themselves that they have failed to know that their wives have been drawn away by the devil into adultery.
Medium Realms
These include witchcraft, occult, occult reading, spiritualist churches, seances, fortune telling, reading of stars, transcendental meditation, yoga, karate, tarot cards, ouija boards, faith healing, New Age: ‘And many who had believed came, confessing and telling their deeds. Also many of those who had practised magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totalled fifty thousand pieces of silver.’ (Acts 19:18-19) ‘Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.’ (Acts 16:16)
There are many times that the pastor will find men and women troubled in these ways. One night I was called to the home of a couple because they were frightened by manifestations in their house. It was two o’clock in the morning and the bedroom where they were sleeping was icy cold and there was a powerful presence of evil. We sought to establish the area of opportunity that the devil had taken to trouble this Christian couple. As we prayed our hearts were directed to a box on the mantle piece and inside was a ring given to her by her grandmother. As the story unfolded it became clear that her grandmother was involved in spiritualism and the ring the means of passing on of the spirit.
There are always great stories to illustrate the work of the enemy through the medium realm no greater than a story of a young five year old who was seriously troubled. Socially she would have been classed as hyperactive. She was violent, aggressive, destructive and especially set on pulling people’s hair. The father was at a loss to know what to do. He had brought her for prayer and I promised to visit him again in his home on the south coast. My visit was an eventful one. Her mother was not happy at all with the things of God but as we were talking a rather dishevelled cat entered the room with tufts of hair missing. It apparently had pulled out its hair and was generally unsettled. My inquiry as to how long the cat had been in the home matched the same length of time as the young girl had been troubled and it was my conclusion that the cat was acting as a medium for the spirit. I have known so many people who have opened themselves up to the demonic spirit but have refused to accept deliverance from God.
Worldliness
The first three ways in which the devil gains access might seem to be quite obvious but worldliness is perhaps the subtlest way in which the devil seeks to enter into hearts. Films, rock music, drugs, drunkenness are some of these realms deliberately entered into, others unknown, but the devil seeks either to approach subtly or to gatecrash into every heart. ‘And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.’ (John 13:2) ‘But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?”’ (Acts 5:1-3) We are encouraged therefore to: ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph. 6:11-13)
Also illustrated earlier in the book is the story of my visit to the home of a respected leader in church life where I was met by whom I felt was a very strange man. The couple who led the church declared that he was a tremendous man of God who was able himself to cast out devils using the gift of tongues. My spirit witnessed that he was not to be trusted and I did not give any room to the things which he said. The leaders, however, were quite upset that this man was doubted, but fortunately five or six weeks later his true colours were revealed and he turned out to be a clairvoyant medium, well known to other Christians.
Devils Must be Cast Out
It is clear that Jesus gave the disciples instructions to cast out devils: ”Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:8) “Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.” (Luke 9:1) ‘And Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.’ (Matt. 17:18) This was accomplished by the finger of God. (Luke 11:20) The exercising of the authority given by the Lord is, to demand that the devil gives up his ground and that the soul receives the experience of the presence of God. This ministry might seem quite daunting to some, but the Pastor in the hands of the Chief Shepherd will receive teaching.
I had spent some six months seeking to minister to a young woman and although I had seen many wonderful things accomplished, one night I was aware that the devil was laughing at me from inside her heart and went to bed that night rather discouraged. Fortunately, the next day an older brother was to visit as part of a weekend conference and I asked him to see her. We sat in the room and I was an observer. He seemed to put his finger right on the problem and began to pray, just pointing his finger at the young woman. As he prayed she began to scream and shout violently. The devil had been exposed and now he struggled to stay but it was of no avail, after nearly shooting off her seat she was free. My reaction was two fold - thrilled that she was free but aware of the lack in my own experience of deliverance ministry. However some three years later I was asked to visit the sister of a woman in the church who had been up all night tremendously troubled and the three of us sat in the room and as I prayed the devil came out and I realised that God had brought me into the place I had desired those three years earlier.
The Devil Can Return
It may seem distressing to suggest that having once been delivered of a devil, the person now free should open themselves up again, but sadly it is true. The devil can return because the ground of sin has not been cleared: ‘nor give place to the devil’ (Eph. 4:27). There is not an openness in the heart to make sure that sin has been completely dealt with. The devil also will seek to deceive often by fear or insecurity: ’Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same; that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.’ (Heb. 2:14) ‘But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. And these things command, that they may be blameless.’ (1 Tim. 5:6-7) ‘That they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.’ (2 Tim. 2:26) The devils ultimate purpose is to drive men and women to death. If he can persuade souls to commit suicide he has successfully won his battle against God.
Preparation
All ministers must be ready and prepared to deal with the spirit of the enemy. Jesus said that these things come not out but by prayer and fasting. ‘Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast him out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”’ (Matt. 17:19-21)
May we all be able ministers of the new covenant.
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