Healing and Deliverance

As with physical illness, there are many promises in the Bible of deliverance from Satan and his demons or evil spirits. Jesus said that one of the reasons He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power was to release the oppressed (Luke 4:18). Everywhere He went, He drove out demons from those who were oppressed (Matthew 4:24; Mark 1:34; 3:11). Jesus gave this authority to drive out all demons to His original twelve disciples and later to seventy-two others (Luke 9:1; 10:1,17-19). Jesus included the casting out of demons as one of the activities of those who believe (Mark 16:17), and we see this throughout the book of Acts (Acts 5:16; 8:7; 16:18; 19:11-12). Among the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the gift of distinguishing between spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10).

Demons are not the spirits of dead persons that have come back to oppress people on earth. The Bible teaches clearly that the spirits of dead men and women go to heaven to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), or to hell to await the final JUDGMENT (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:5,13).² Demons are evil or unclean spirits (Matthew 10:1; 12:43), who are the servants of Satan (Matthew 12:2627; Mark 3:22-26). Satan and his spirits were created by God, but later rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-17). Demons are very numerous and are found everywhere in the world (Mark 5:9; Ephesians 6:12). They can enter and control both men and animals; indeed, they do not like to remain outside a body (Matthew 12:43-45; Mark 5:2,12-13). They recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Mark 1:23-24,34; Acts 19:15), and in that sense they “believe” in Christ (James 2:19); but they know their own final fate will be “torment” in the Abyss (Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:31). Paul said that sacrifices offered to idols are, in fact, offered to demons (1 Corinthians 10:19-21).

Sometimes a person is actually “possessed” by an evil spirit, meaning that his own personality is suppressed by the personality of the evil spirit who is “ruling” that person’s mind and body (Mark 5:15-16). But many times the person is not completely “ruled,” but only “attacked” or “oppressed” in mind and body by the evil spirit (Matthew 9:32; 12:22; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 6:18).

All Christians know that believers cannot be possessed completely by an evil spirit, since believers are ruled and owned by God Himself (1 Corinthians 6:1920). However, many Christians think that believers can be “oppressed” or “attacked” by evil spirits within them. They point to Paul’s messenger of Satan that tormented his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), and to Paul’s warning to believers not to be participants with demons by eating food sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 10:20-22). They point to the many people who had physical illnesses possibly caused by demons and who were brought to Jesus for deliverance (Mark 3:10-11; Luke 6:18-19). They believe that not all of them were totally ruled by the evil spirit, but that some were only oppressed by an evil spirit within. Christians can be influenced by evil spirits, even to the point of believing their lies and teaching (1 Timothy 4:1-3); and Paul warns us that our constant fight is not against flesh and blood but with these evil spirits (Ephesians 6:12). We must test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1-3).

Other Christians, however, think that believers can never have an evil spirit within them. They say that the Holy Spirit and an evil spirit cannot exist inside a believer at the same time (1 Corinthians 6:19). Some of these Christians believe that a true Christian can never be attacked by an evil spirit at all. Others think that an evil spirit can attack or influence a believer from the outside, but cannot enter inside that believer’s body.

The matter is important, because it determines how we pray for others. If a believer can have a demon, he will need to have the demon cast out of his body to obtain full freedom from certain illnesses and emotional problems, or to obtain victory over certain sins. We must remember, however, that most sins are the result of our own sinful nature, and not the result of a demon or of Satan (Gal-atians 5:19-21).

Whether or not a Christian can have a demon, we at least need to know how to deliver other non-Christian people from Satan and his evil spirits. All Christians need the full armor of God, the parts of which are listed in Ephesians 6:10-17: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God’s word. Prior to deliverance, preparation in prayer is very important (Mark 9:28-29; Ephesians 6:18). Some Christians believe that Mark 9:29 should be translated “by prayer and fasting” and not “by prayer” alone, and that a special dedicated time of prayer is essential for a deliverance ministry to be successful. If possible, prayer for deliverance should be done in a group rather than alone. All those who undertake a deliverance ministry should be mature spiritual Christians (see Acts 19:13-16).

There must be a time of consideration with the afflicted person beforehand. If the person is not a Christian or shows no interest in becoming a Christian (which would leave him without the Holy Spirit’s power) or cannot be followed afterward, we should be very cautious about praying for such a person’s deliverance. A short quick prayer may leave the person worse off than he or she was before (Matthew 12:43-45). Some think that a person should not be delivered if any existing idols are not taken out of his home or destroyed (Acts 19:19). Otherwise, the evil spirit can easily return.

Many physical illnesses may have a demonic component. But many mental or physical illnesses may seem as if they are demonic in origin, but are not. For example, seizures can seem like demonic activity, but usually they are caused by a physical illness in the brain. An important help is the gift of being able to distinguish spirits, a gift which comes from the Holy Spirit and enables one to identify the demon oppressing or possessing an individual (1 Corinthians 12:10).

The actual deliverance should begin with a prayer for protection for those taking part in the deliverance, all of whom must be believers (Acts 19:13-16). Then Satan and his forces should be bound (Matthew 16:19; 18:18), and the afflicted person should renounce any sin that may be involved. Prayer for healing is usually a “request” to God for healing (and may be silent prayer in the heart); but deliverance is a “command” given to the demon in the name and authority of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:17; Acts 16:18; 19:13-16). However, there is no need for shouting loudly; the demon cannot be scared out of a person. The demon is commanded to leave the person without harming him or anyone else and to go to Jesus Christ Himself for judgment (Jude 9). The name of Jesus is very powerful and will usually cause immediate deliverance, so that the person will know he is free.

This deliverance should be immediately followed by a prayer that the delivered person might be filled with God’s love and His Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:43-45). Of course, the delivered person should become a child of God if he is not already. He should also be taught to resist Satan and to avoid the sin that may have allowed the demon to enter his life (James 4:7; 1 John 1:9). The main reasons that may block full deliverance are unbelief (Matthew 17:16-20), rejection of Christ, failure to renounce any associated sin, such as unforgiveness, and failure to distinguish or identify the spirit (that is, trying to deliver a person who does not have an evil spirit).

Both healing and deliverance demonstrate God’s love to us,³ and His concern not only for our spirits but also for our minds and bodies. God is ready to heal our diseases and weaknesses, and to deliver us from bondage. God desires that we enjoy good health and that all may go well with us (3 John 2).

¹ The Old Testament was written originally in the Hebrew language.

² For further discussion of this, see General Article: What Happens After Death? in The Applied Old Testament Commentary.

³ For further discussion of God’s supernal ural power, see Ganeral Article: Miracles and the Laws of Nature, in The Applied Old Testament Commentary.