THE TRUTH ABOUT DELIVERANCE
Women have heard me say time and time again that deliverance is not just something you go “do” or go “get.” Meaning, deliverance should never be about scheduling some “appointment” or “session” in order to get a few demons off of your back. This false perception of deliverance is actually discrediting the ministry of deliverance as a whole. And unfortunately, social media is only compounding the issue.
Almost on a regular basis, I see more and more sensationalized videos advertising the casting out of demons. If you are paying attention, the pattern is recognizable. First, there is always some intriguing picture of a huge serpent or witch with a tagline that hooks the viewer in with something like, “LEVIATHAN IS CAST OUT!” Second, there is a short clip (maybe 7-10 minutes) of a minister getting into a conversation with demons that seem to either be speaking or manifesting out of the person. Next, as long as the demons cooperate, the deliverance minister works some magic and BANG… the demons are gone!
Now, while it is absolutely possible, biblical and even commendable for ministers to cast out demons from people, most of the time these videos do not show what true, long-lasting deliverance actually looks like and requires. I can appreciate the vast appeal of these videos in their ability to attract higher view counts, but I have to conclude that most people watching are simply very naïve to the spiritual realm.
Today’s day and age is all about quick and easy, or better known as, instant gratification. That being said, I can see why women would expect nothing less in their spiritual walk than what they can get in their natural walk. In fact, I have a name for it in our ministry. I call it botox deliverance. I understand this all too well having been a regular consumer of this poison for years. Oh, by the way, it’s made out of snake venom…..go figure.
While it is possible that Botox can make a woman look ten years younger for a few hundred dollars in about 30 minutes or so, true deliverance and healing do not operate in this same carnal and worldly manner. If they did, every single Christian would be free and healed. You see, God is not interested in what we are interested in (our desire to be delivered and healed only). So, while we might be enamored by the instant gratification videos floating around on YouTube, God has an entirely different take on the subject. Let’s explore the Book of James to see what it is.
I will summarize Chapter 4: 1-10 and encourage you to read and mediate through it yourself. Click here to read through the Amplified version for more detail.
James is saying that we, you and I, have hedonistic desires that continually wage war in our bodily members that fight for control over us. The term, hedonistic, means, “to pursue pleasure.”
He then goes on to say that this type of self-centered, heart attitude tempts us to become jealous and to covet what others have. When our lusts go unfulfilled, it goes on to say that we become envious as we cannot obtain the object of our envy, so we fight and battle for the object of our desires, which brings about the war within our flesh and soul.
It says that the result of this internal war is that we ask and do not receive from God because we ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda] so that when we get what we want, we may use it for our hedonistic desires.
This entire passage balances many passages of scripture that promise answers to our prayers as long as our hearts are purely unselfish and in the perfect will of God.
God is not our genie who is obligated to grant our wishes,
which includes wishing for deliverance and healing.
So, restating what I’ve already shared, God is not interested in what we are interested in, in the way we are interested in attaining it. God is first interested in our desire to purposefully pursue intimacy and integrity in relationship with Him.
The rest of the verses in James go into great detail regarding what this looks like in order to achieve permanent deliverance and healing.
1. God is interested in us committing our entire heart to Him.
2. God is interested in us completely and totally divorcing the world and our own selfish worldly desires. (Verse 4)
3. God is interested in being our friend and not our enemy. (Verse 4)
4. God is interested in our deep desire to defy sin in order to live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and gratitude for our salvation. (Verse 6)
5. God is interested in complete humility. (Verse 6)
6. God is interested in full submission. (Verse 7)
7. God is interested in our contrite hearts. (Verse 8)
8. God is interested in purification. (Verse 8)
9. God is interested in our desire to grieve and weep over the sin that caused us to be infected with spirits. (Verse 9)
10. God is interested in turning our foolish laughter regarding past sin, into mourning. (Verse 9)
11. God is interested in us humbling ourselves with an attitude of deep repentance. (Verse 10)
The above encompasses the real truth of what deliverance requires.
You must be extra cautious as to not get sucked into these over sensationalized, 10 minute, “botox style” deliverance methods. As talked about in James, the enemy will use them to tempt you to desire and covet what “they have” (incomplete deliverance) with the entirely wrong heart motive, which does not meet the requirements talked about in James.
And while it is absolutely possible to believe God for some deliverance as promoted on these YouTube videos, keep in mind, they are edited to show what they need to in order to get views. It would be absolutely ridiculous to assume that these individuals have attained what is described in James. (Please read the FAQ on demons to learn more).
Time and time again, I witness the collateral damage of so many people left high and dry because they bought into this type of quick style deliverance. In fact, many of these people become worse off because they were not discipled with the truth of what I am sharing that will actually not only set them free but also keep them free long term.
Remember, deliverance is a process and when you commit to it God’s way, that is when you will start to move the mountains in your life.