Recently, while hanging around the lobby of a church in the United States during a tea break, I overheard two men discussing what appeared to be a topic from their ongoing discipleship class.
One of them said something like:
“Man, I can’t imagine this demon thing. You mean demons actually possess people for real?”
“I thought all that was Hollywood stuff. I can’t wait to see it for myself.”
“The thought of it really freaks me out.”
He was African American, and his apparent unfamiliarity with the subject got me thinking.
For a moment, I felt like interrupting, “Bro, add this to your list of ‘Things I Must Do Before I Turn 50, cast out a demon!”
I smiled at the thought, but behind the humor was a serious question:
How can Christians believe they have been given spiritual authority and yet go through life never learning how to exercise it?
You don’t need to become an expert in demonology before you can minister to someone experiencing what you believe to be demonic oppression. Neither does Scripture present deliverance as the exclusive ministry of a few spiritual specialists.
But I say that cautiously.
Some situations attributed to demonic activity are extremely complicated. They require maturity, discernment and wisdom. And not every disturbing behavior should automatically be labelled demonic; physical and mental health conditions must never be carelessly dismissed.
So what does someone ministering in such circumstances need?
You Need Courage
Let’s call it guts.
When someone is writhing uncontrollably on the floor, screaming in distress, speaking in strange voices completely different from theirs, or displaying other frightening behavior, you don’t casually walk into the situation as though nothing unusual is happening.
Unless, of course, you know you’re watching a staged performance.
But courage alone is dangerous. Our courage must be anchored in the knowledge of Scripture, an understanding of our spiritual authority in Christ, and wisdom about how that authority should be exercised.
You Need Jesus
Deliverance is not about shouting louder than a demon.
It is not about physical strength.
It is not about developing a frightening personality.
And it certainly isn’t about proving how spiritually powerful you are because our confidence is in Jesus Christ. The authority belongs to Him. The name belongs to Him. The victory belongs to Him.
Scripture says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…” Mark 16:17 KJV
We cannot match the strength or cunning attributed to demonic powers through mere human ability. That’s what makes deliverance such a fascinating picture of the Kingdom of God.
God repeatedly works through what appears weak to demonstrate the superiority of His power.
Sheep among wolves.
The apparent underdogs carrying the authority of the King.
So, what’s the score? Jesus wins. Now and always!
But Authority Must Wear the Clothes of Love
Jesus told His disciples to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).
That balance matters enormously in deliverance ministry.
The discerning of spirits is an invaluable spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10), but discernment should never produce arrogance. And spiritual authority should never become an excuse for violence, humiliation or abuse.
At our last Students’ Conference in Yei, several young people experienced what we understood to be deliverance from demonic oppression.
What particularly encouraged me was that fellow students had already begun praying for some of them before the facilitators arrived.
Young believers were discovering that ministry wasn’t reserved for the people standing behind the pulpit.
But something else happened that concerned me.
At one point, someone attempted to become physical with one of those manifesting demonic possession in an effort to control the person.
That troubled me.
Over the years, I have seen people experiencing what their communities understood as demonic attacks being slapped, punched, beaten, restrained harshly or otherwise mistreated by people supposedly trying to “deliver” them.
At such moments, you begin wondering, Who exactly needs deliverance here?
We must never forget that the person in front of us is precisely that, a human, made in the image of God.
But also someone frightened, vulnerable, possibly confused and overwhelmed. Ultimately, someone Jesus loves.
If there is an evil spirit involved, our hostility should be channeled toward the evil spirit, not toward the human being who needs freedom.
Authority Without Compassion Is Dangerous
Perhaps this is where the conversation about deliverance needs to mature.
The question isn’t simply, “Can you cast out demons?”
There are deeper questions.
Can you exercise spiritual authority without humiliating the person you are trying to help?
Can you confront what you believe to be darkness while still treating the suffering person with dignity?
Can you minister boldly without becoming proud of your spiritual experiences?
Can you distinguish between something requiring prayer and something requiring medical or psychological attention, or recognize when both kinds of care may be needed?
And perhaps most importantly, Do you actually love the person you are trying to set free?
Ignorance of spiritual authority can be costly and fear can paralyze us. But possessing great confidence in deliverance ministry while lacking passion for God and compassion for people can be equally tragic.
Jesus did not give His disciples authority so they could become fascinated with demons. He gave them authority so captives could become free.
So perhaps the real question isn’t whether you’ve ever cast out a demon. The better question is, Are you learning to exercise whatever authority Christ has entrusted to you, with truth, wisdom, courage, grace and love?
What do you think?
Kingdom Exploits With Uche 