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Mark 16:17 says that casting out demons in the name of Jesus confirms we’re working on His behalf. This practice is known as deliverance. The ministry of deliverance is strictly limited to Christians. We have authority over all the power of the enemy, but we’re not in a position to pronounce judgment on demons. Even Michael the archangel didn’t condemn Satan. That’s God’s job. Michael simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” In the same way, we rebuke evil spirits in the name of Jesus. We evict them and let God judge them at a later date. Still, how do we know someone has a demon?
Generally, whenever a person has a compulsive behavior, uncontrollable, sinful thoughts or a chronic ailment that doesn’t respond to prayer, the laying on of hands or medical treatment, it’s a good idea to suspect a demonic affliction. Obviously, there’s a difference between sin and a demonic affliction. Sin can be dealt with by cooperating with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to clean us up. If there’s little to no improvement in a person’s behavior, even after prayer or counseling, a demonic affliction may be to blame.
By the way, no one is possessed by demons in the sense that they are mindless slaves. Similarly, no one is completely overpowered and controlled by the Holy Spirit. We have free will; we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit or resist Him. Naturally, we can listen to demons or rebuke them. That’s why 2 Corinthians 11:4 warns us not to “receive a different spirit.”
Sometimes, a baby or a child is suffering from a demonic affliction. A generational curse is usually the cause, but a traumatizing event in childhood can also provide an opening for demonic attack. Jesus delivered children from tormenting spirits, based on their parent’s consent and faith. To be delivered, a person must express a sincere desire to be set free. In addition to consent, the individual should confess any sin, forsake any sinful behavior that may have led to the affliction and commit to fully following Jesus. Failure to do the above may result in a partial deliverance. Put differently, only one demon could be identified and cast out while other evil spirits remain. Indeed, this is the main limitation of self-deliverance. While self-deliverance is legitimate, it may be necessary to have a second set of eyes to help identify which evil spirits need to be cast out.
The process
The process of deliverance involves pleading the blood of Jesus, binding the demon in Jesus’ name, commanding the evil spirit to be quiet and be still if it’s acting up and then ordering the demon to come out in the name of Jesus.
Step one: Plead the blood
First, plead the blood of Jesus.
“Father, in the name of Jesus, thank you. Thank you for Your Son Jesus, the Lamb of God who shed His perfect, precious blood for our sins. I cover myself and ____ with the blood of Jesus. I sprinkle it freely upon us, because it was freely shed. We are protected by the blood. We honor the blood of Jesus, which has saved us, healed us and delivered us.”
Stretch your hand toward the person and declare authoritatively: “Be covered in the blood of Jesus.”
Step two: Bind the demon
Next, bind the demon.
“Evil spirit causing ______, I bind you in the name of Jesus. I rob you of your strength in the name of Jesus.”
If you know you’re dealing with a specific spirit, you can call it out by name:
“Spirit of infirmity, I bind you in the name of Jesus. I rob you of your strength in the name of Jesus.”
Don’t ask the evil spirit for its name. This only draws out the process and the demon will probably just lie anyway.
On a side note, although a one-on-one session in a private setting is ideal, sometimes evil spirits manifest in public. If this happens, it’s best to bind the demon. Sure, when confronted by a girl with a spirit of divination, Paul cast out the demon in the name of Jesus. He correctly discerned she wanted to be delivered, but if there’s any doubt about what the person wants, binding the demon is the best option. This is because binding can be done without a person’s consent. The afflicted person can choose to release the bound spirit by submitting to it again, but at least the demon will be immobilized for a short time.
Declare: “In the name of Jesus I bind you evil spirit causing ______. Stop tormenting this person. I bind you with the blood of Jesus. You will not be active, you will not torment him/her and you will not communicate with any other evil spirits in Jesus’ name. I loose the Holy Spirit to talk to this person.”
Afterward, ask the person if they want to be delivered. If yes, the demon can be cast out right there. That said, it may make more sense to set up a meeting and cast the demon out in a private setting where the tormented person is more comfortable. It’s also not necessary to bind an evil spirit in front of the individual. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to do it discretely, even though in some cases it’s unavoidable. Whenever you discern an evil spirit at work, bind it in the name of Jesus. Perhaps you have a co-worker suffering from a spirit of anger who tends to freak out in meetings. Bind it beforehand!
“Evil spirit causing ______, I bind you from operating through _[person’s name]_ in the name of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over them and I loose the fruit of the Holy Spirit upon them in Jesus’ name.”
Step three: Command the evil spirit to leave in the name of Jesus
“I command you to come out in the name of Jesus! Come out immediately in the name of Jesus!”
If the evil spirit appears to resist, tell it to speed up.
“Come out in Jesus’ name! Speed up! You are legally evicted by the blood of Jesus. Go!”
If it starts talking, tell it to be quiet and come out in Jesus’ name. If it starts acting up, tell it to be still and come out in Jesus’ name.
“In the name of Jesus, be quiet, be still and come out! Do not delay! Come out in Jesus’ name!”
Ideally, the afflicted person is delivered without any visible manifestations. Sometimes, however, demons are expelled through coughing or perhaps even vomiting. Don’t be concerned by that. If the afflicted person is distressed, choking, having difficulty breathing or something like that, cover them in the blood of Jesus.
“I cover you with the blood of Jesus. I sprinkle the blood of Jesus on you.”
Laying hands on them and commanding them to be at peace in Jesus’ name is another option.
Place your hands on the person and declare authoritatively: “In the name of Jesus, be at peace.”
This is only recommended when the evil spirits are visibly being expelled, after they’ve been commanded to be still, to be quiet and to leave.
Step four: Lay hands
Once a person is delivered, it’s a good time to rebuke any debilitating effects of the demonic affliction.
“Father, in the name of Jesus, let all the effects of this affliction be taken away. May ____ walk strong and upright, covered in the blood of Christ, in Jesus’ name.”
After this, lay hands on the person so they receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is the standard practice for new believers and for that reason it’s considered a basic doctrine.
Place your hands on the person and declare authoritatively: “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Preventing a return
Demons will try to come back. Jesus explained that when an “unclean spirit goes out of a man” it says to itself, “I will return to my house from which I came.” If the evil spirit finds it empty, “It goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” Make your body an uninviting place for demons by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Close any open doors for demonic affliction. Like the Ephesians burned their occult paraphernalia, get rid of anything that could invite a demonic entity.
Make no mistake, the enemy will plant thoughts in your mind to lure you into sin, giving him a legal right to torment you. Romans 6 explains that the old, sinful version of us died with Christ, was buried with Him and we rose again with Him to live a new life. We’re “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” We’re new creations in Christ; we have the mind of Christ. Yet, in Romans 7, we read about how Satan tries to resurrect our old nature by tempting us to behave like we used to.
If you give in to one of these temptations, confess it, plead the blood of Jesus and don’t dwell on it. Instead, submit to God and resist any demonic attacks. Dedicate your life to Christ and renew your mind. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Rebuke any thought or feeling that doesn’t line up with the reality of heaven and replace it with the facts: we’re saved, healed, delivered and blessed in Christ. Confess the relevant promises of God, depending on the situation. Put on Christ and keep a positive perspective. In this way, we can withstand demonic attacks. Do not give the devil an opportunity!