Every Believer Should be Casting Out Demonic Spirits
When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His followers, He didn't just tell his disciples that they were to be the only ones with the authority to go around casting out demonic spirits. Likewise, in the church offices, you get: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. No where do you see "deliverer", or "caster" or even "exorcist".
Eph 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Not there.
Who Has the Authority to be Casting Out Demons
EVERY FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST! Jesus did NOT say only a select few could go about casting out demons. He commission every Believer, and gave them the authority of HIS Name to command demons aka evil spirits to leave.
Then why don't they...why don't we? Oh, that's a whole 'nother post. Let's finish this one, as we look at why even led to me writing about this subject.
Gotta Wait for the Deliverance Minister
The other day I read a testimony by a woman and her experience at a rather well-known ministry here in the US, where they perform a lot of casting out of demons and deliverance.
The main thing that caught my attention and alarmed me, was that those two women (I believe it was) that were ministering deliverance to her were told to stop and that the woman would have to go to the approved deliverance folks.
THAT was wrong. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that deliverance is limited to certain "officials". There is no such office. The Great Commission that Jesus gave was to everyone, when He "go out, cast out demons, heal the sick, preach the Gospel."
There are five "offices" in the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. There is no "healer", no "preacher" and no "deliverer", because every single Christian is supposed to do that.
Why Forbid the Casting Out of Deliverance?
Not going to go there right now. But what true minister of the Gospel would forbid Believers from doing what Christ told them to do?
Of course, over the last 2000 years Satan has convinced Christians that 1) Christians can have demons; 2) that demons are to be feared; and 3) that it takes a certain human designated authority to cast out demons. He's a liar.
Christians can have demons (as you know). In fact, it is wrong to cast out a demon out of an unsaved person, because there is no guarantee that they will come to the Lord and stay in the Word to maintain their deliverance. Instead, the demon goes out, wanders around, comes back and finds the "house" swept, clean and empty. He then calls his pals and they ALL go in and the unsaved person is worse off than he was before.
My Personal Experience Casting Out Demons
About 40 years ago (long story how I got it), I read the book "Pigs in the Parlor, a Manual on Self-Deliverance" by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond. I was raised in the church (Assembly of God, pentecostal) but NEVER saw a deliverance...Christians couldn't have demons. That book was eye-opening. After reading it, I followed the instructions and conducted, in the privacy of my own home, self-deliverance.
In my case, the spirits' reactions were controlled, I believe, by the Holy Spirit and unseen angels, and there were no untoward manifestations. They left by coughing, much yawning, a lot of burping, and perhaps a few tears. But all in all very quiet and calm.
A few years later, the Lord dumped me into the deep end of the pool of deliverance when He orchastrated my own sister's deliverance. It was at home, following reading that book to her, after which she said, "if there are any demons in me, I want them gone." There followed about a 10-hour session of demons manifesting, the gift of discerning of spirits identifying, and the verbally commanding those spirits to leave.
There was nothing calm or quiet about that. (my sister and I are also very different personalities, so I don't know how much that impacted the situation), but it was a battle...and there were a LOT of demons.
The Need for Deliverance Can Be Ongoing
Deliverance is like peeling an onion in some cases. A few are cast out, then the person set free must have time to stand against those demons; get into the Word, exercise their authority in resisting, etc. Then, if there are more, and there often are, the Holy Spirit will orchestrate another session.
If you are interested in learning from some solid, Bible-based ministers, (most of the authors of the books are not with Jesus) I would suggest the following:
- "Pigs in the Parlor - A Manual on Self-Deliverance" by the Hammonds
- "Out in the Name of Jesus" - by Pat Brooks
- "They Shall Expel Demons" by Derek Prince
- "Deliver Us From Evil" by Don Basham
Also on Youtube, just recently saw a Mass Healing & Deliverance session by Isaiah Saldivar, streamed 1 months ago: "Casting Out Demons and Praying for the Sick LIVE". I watched that, and when it came time for deliverance, I once again experienced some deliverance.
