Deliverance And Exorcism

Deliverance ministry is intended to heal through setting people free from demonic influence over their behavior and emotions. This entry presents specific guidelines and cautions with respect to the conduct of deliverance ministry.

Within the Roman Catholic church, a distinction is made between exorcism and deliverance. Exorcism is a formal ecclesiastical prayer to free a person possessed by evil spirits and requires the permission of the bishop. Deliverance, on the other hand, frees a person from oppression by evil spirits and is a relatively common occurrence. In the Protestant community, the term exorcism is rarely used, but some charismatic ministries are known for their emphasis on deliverance. Deliverance ministry is more often avoided than pursued by the clergy. It is much easier and less frightening to pray for healing than to command evil spirits and do battle with supernatural powers. However, there are some people who cannot be helped without being delivered from the power of demonic oppression. Jesus did not draw back from dealing with Satanic powers, nor did his disciples. The one who ministers in Jesus' name cannot refuse to follow his example and fight the demonic whenever it presents itself. Indications That Deliverance Is Needed Our society has tended to diagnose various personality problems as neuroses and psychoses, but such labels do not reveal the root causes of the problems. They merely describe symptoms. It is not legitimate to assume that evil spirits afflict every person who suffers with these conditions. On the other hand, those who are closed to the possibility that such problems as schizophrenia can be caused by demonic intervention may be refusing the patient what could be his or her only opportunity for a cure. Three basic guidelines can be used to determine when deliverance ministry is appropriate: (1) Is there a history of compulsive behavior? When a person is unable to change destructive behavior in spite of repeated attempts to employ self-discipline, either prayer for inner healing or prayer for deliverance (or both) may be the answer. Common compulsions include drug addiction, alcoholism, attempted suicides, and overeating. (2) Does the person asking for prayer state that the problem is demonic in origin? This is not to suggest that every person who thinks he or she is beset by demons is correct. However, such a person's testimony should be seriously considered by the minister. (3) Does the prayer for inner healing appear to be ineffective? Because this kind of prayer usually has a positive, visible effect, the fact that it does not, in some cases, should alert the minister to the possibility that the problem is demonic in origin and deliverance is required. Persons who are under demonic oppression are often guilt-ridden and consider themselves unworthy, unlovable, and destined for failure. These same symptoms can be produced by psychological wounds from a traumatic or unhappy past. Chemical imbalance in the body can sometimes cause depression and feelings of guilt. The spiritual gift of discernment is necessary for determining what kind of prayer—whether for deliverance, inner healing, or physical healing—will be most effective in the situation. It is wise to enlist the help of people known to exercise this gift whenever possible. The Prayer for Deliverance The prayer for deliverance differs from prayers for healing in two specific ways: (1) whereas prayer for healing is addressed to God, in prayer for deliverance, the minister addresses the demons directly; and (2) whereas prayer for healing is ordinarily a petition, prayer for deliverance is a command. For a person who has the gift of faith, prayer for healing can also be a command—"?In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!?" (Acts 3:6b)—but prayer for deliverance is always a command, ordering the demonic forces to depart in the name of Jesus Christ. When delivering the soothsaying slave girl, Paul said to the evil spirit, "?In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!?" (Acts 16:18b). Prayer for Protection. As the prayer begins it is wise to pray for protection. Ask God to surround and protect every person in the room with the power of the blood of Christ. Pray that no evil force will be able to harm anyone in the room—or anywhere else—as a result of demons being cast out. That this kind of harm can occur is evident in the biblical record in Acts 19:15–16:

The evil spirit replied, "?Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you??" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

In this instance, the exorcists, the sons of Sceva, apparently did not have the spiritual authority needed to perform the exorcism. Similarly, problems can arise for us if we do not pray for God's help and are not called to this ministry, which deals with powerful spiritual forces.

Binding the Enemy. After praying for protection, we should ask in the name of Jesus that the force and power of any demons be bound and lose their power to resist. This kind of prayer seems to help the deliverance take place more quickly and with less effort. For example, during prayer for deliverance, some persons feel as if they are being choked by an invisible hand; they may be thrown to the ground; or they may suddenly go blank. The demons may begin speaking through the person, saying things such as "?You will never drive us out; we are too many and too strong for you.?" All of these manifestations temporarily interfere with the prayer until they are dealt with. Praying that the powers of evil be bound can avoid some of these unpleasant occurrences. Identifying the Oppression. It is helpful to determine the identity of the demon with whom we are dealing. Usually demons are identified by their predominant activity; e.g., a spirit of self-destruction or a spirit of fear. This may sound strange to those who have never dealt with demonic forces, but demons do seem to have identities and names, which they reveal to us in several ways: (1) The person asking for prayer knows what the demon is or its characteristic activity is. (2) Through the gift of discernment, the persons doing the praying know the identity of the demon(s). This does occur, but it is unusual. (3) Through commanding the demons to identify themselves, their names or characteristics are discovered. Often they will speak through the oppressed person or he or she will receive a strong mental picture or idea of the nature of the demon. Renunciation. If an area of demonic interference is recognized, the person should renounce any sin connected with it. If, for example, a spirit of hatred identifies itself, then the person should forgive any persons who have ever wronged him or her, and thus cut away the sin or wound that has given the demonic force a hold on the sufferer's life. In addition, one can renounce the spirit of hatred or whatever else it is. If the evil spirits do not have a profound hold upon a person, self-deliverance is a real possibility. If the person has been involved in spiritualism or other forms of occult activity, he or she should renounce by name each one of these activities. Casting Out the Demon. The next step is to ask the tormented person himself or herself to cast out the demon by a prayer of command. Sometimes this is enough to cause the demonic force to depart. If the demons have not yet departed, the minister should pray for deliverance. This deliverance prayer has several definite components: (1) "?In the name of Jesus Christ … ?" It is not by our authority that we cast these demons out, but we name the power to which all principalities and powers must bow. "?'?Lord,?' they said, '?even the devils submit to us when we use your name?'?" (Luke 10:17). (2) "?I command you … ?" (looking directly into the eyes of the person for whom you are praying). This is a prayer of authority, not of entreaty. The person commanding can speak quietly, but must really believe that the authority of Christ will rout the forces of evil. (3) "?the spirit of … ?" Identify the spirit, if possible, by name, "?spirit of hate,?" "?spirit of despair,?" or whatever else it is. (4) "?to depart … ?" (5) "?without harming [the person being freed] or anyone in this house or anyone anywhere else, and without creating any noise or disturbance … ?" There have been occasions when other people have been attacked by the demons leaving; or the person being prayed for has been needlessly tormented. These problems can all be precluded by praying for God's protection. Since deliverance tends to be a spectacular or ugly performance if the demons are unchecked, it is advisable to command them to be quiet and not to create any disturbance. (6) "?and I send you straight to Jesus Christ that he might dispose of you as he will.?" Some practitioners prefer to command demons to "?return to the abyss,?" but it is better to leave their destiny to the wisdom of Christ. "?But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, '?The Lord rebuke you!?'?" (Jude 9). After the prayer for deliverance, there is often a transforming change that takes place in people who have not been helped by any other means. They may say things like, "?I just felt something leave?" or "?I feel a tremendous weight being lifted off me.?" If there are many demons, the person seems to know when they have all gone. There is a sense of freedom and joy; at times, there is actual physical relief, such as the removal of some gripping pain. Often the demons come out with a struggle. Sometimes they cry out or throw the person to the floor (phenomena mentioned in the Gospels) or they come out in a fit of coughing or retching. All of these symptoms are unpleasant and make the work of deliverance an unsavory task. If these phenomena become too exhibitionistic, the minister can command the demons to keep quiet, to stop tormenting the person, or to cease whatever else they are doing. After praying the prayer of deliverance, it is helpful for the leader and others to praise God or to sing (and for those who pray in tongues to do so). This kind of prayer goes on until the demon releases whatever hold it has upon the person and leaves. If there is no change, the person leading the prayer needs the discernment to know how to proceed from there. Following the Deliverance In order to prevent a return of oppression, three procedures should be followed after a deliverance. (1) Immediately after the deliverance the minister should pray inviting the Lord to fill the person with his love and grace. Any area left empty by the departure of demons should be filled by the presence of Jesus. (2) The person should be taught to break the habitual behavior patterns that led to the original demonic infestation. If the problem was in the area of despair, for example, some kind of spiritual discipline is needed to combat the area of human weakness that caused the problem in the first place. In addition, the person should be taught how to rebuke any forces of evil and keep them away, once they have been driven out. "?Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you?" (James 4:7). (3) The person who has been delivered should adopt a regular schedule of prayer, of reading the Scripture, and (if he or she belongs to a sacramental church) of receiving the sacraments of the Eucharist and of reconciliation. (4) Ideally, the person should then become part of a Christian community. Just as alcoholics have found that they cannot, for the most part, remain sober without the help of people who understand and care (such as members of Alcoholics Anonymous), so people who have been delivered need the prayer and loving support of community. Churches should make a concerted effort to provide such interaction and support. Who Should Pray for Deliverance For a variety of reasons, the ministry of deliverance should be reserved for those who have been called to it. Because deliverance requires a prayer of authority, those who feel uncomfortable in situations of authority—who are timid or insecure—are not suited to this ministry. They will either be so frightened that nothing will happen through their prayer or they will mask their insecurity by false posturing that will only discredit their ministry. On the other hand, because deliverance is a confrontational ministry, persons with aggressive tendencies may feel called to this work, when in reality they are working out their own aggressions. Since their motivation is ambiguous, the results of their ministry are likely to be the same and can result in damage to the sensitivities of the person to whom they are attempting to minister. Because of the need for sorting out the complexities of good and evil and knowing when to pray, what to pray for, and how, the deliverance minister must be experienced, wise, and discerning. People with a simplistic mentality, who tend to see issues in terms of black or white, often seem drawn to a deliverance ministry in which they help some people while they harm many others. This often gives deliverance a bad image, frightening away the very persons who might be qualified to exercise a discerning ministry of deliverance.