False Ways and The Way

The path to deliverance is paved with the Word of God; and as we walk this path through study, faith and obedience through suffering, we are "able to withstand in the evil day" (Ephesians 6:13). Oswald Chambers states:

To mistake conscious freedom from sin for deliverance from sin by the Atonement is a great error. No man knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced on Calvary. The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. It takes the last reach of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the impartation of His absolute perfection, to make a man know what sin is.

The Holy Spirit applies the Atonement to us in the unconscious realm as well as in the realm of which we are conscious, and it is only when we get a grasp of the unrivalled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." This does not refer to conscious sin only, but to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Ghost in me realizes.

If I walk in the light as God is in the light, not in the light of my conscience, but in the light of God—if I walk there, with nothing folded up, then there comes the amazing revelation, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin so that God Almighty can see nothing to censure in me. In my consciousness it works with a keen poignant knowledge of what sin is. The love of God at work in me makes me hate with the hatred of the Holy Ghost all that is not in keeping with God's holiness. To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the centre of the light.²⁷⁶

Before we discuss the process of deliverance, let us examine some popular practices that do not necessarily bring deliverance: 1) Sing for Deliverance; 2) Binding spirits; 3) Loosing Devils; and 4) Pleading the Blood. As you will see, these false practices stem primarily from "private" interpretations of scripture without a thorough assessment of all relevant scriptures. "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:128).

Sing for Deliverance

Popular theology often states, "your deliverance is in your praise" or "your victory is in your praise!" These are not scriptural; notice who brings in deliverance in the following: "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah" (Psalm 32:7). Another lie of popular theology that is oft repeated is that "praise will confuse the enemy." Hmmm? So, devils "which are greater in power and might" (2 Peter 2:11) and also "full of wisdom" (Ezekiel 28:12) get confused when Christians praise God? Which scripture tells us that? Just like we cannot "calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17), we cannot sing and scare away the devil (see "Name it and Claim it"). Deliverance comes via believing in the Lord—the Word of God—and agreeing with his ways through obedience. Christians have to become skillful in the Word of righteousness: "For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14). It is only through wisdom and righteousness do we truly embrace the power to "cast out devils" (Mark 16:17). True praise follows as a result of learning of God: "I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments" (Psalm 119:7). And by learning of God, we learn to trust him (Romans 5:1-5). "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded" (Psalm 22:3-5).

Popular theology often uses praise to induce an emotional surge, which releases endorphins whereby a rush of "positive" feelings and a temporary lifting of emotional doldrums (see "Worldly Music over Holy Music"). Jesus, however, came to deliver us from evil, and it is through our righteousness we can access his power: "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Thus, our deliverance—our victory—is through our faith: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). And, our faith is based on believing and obeying the Word of God. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). And it is through our faith that we are able to be "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37)—able to "resist the devil" and cause him to flee from us (James 4:7)—who offer "songs of deliverance" after the enemy is vanquished. "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him" (Psalm 28:7).

Binding spirits

Popular theology, through misinterpretation, has many Christians attempting to bind devils instead of to cast them out (Matthew 12:28). You can hear many ministers vainly shouting, "I bind you devil!" And, if you can discern spirits you may hear Satan laughing every time this is done. The prescribed treatment for people inhabited with devils, per the examples in scripture, is for a Christian with authority and power over devils to command the devils to come out of the person (Matthew 8:16, 28-32; Mark 1:23-26; Mark 5:1-13).

And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. (Luke 4:33-36)

It should be noted that the command to "hold thy peace" means "don't tempt him anymore." Temptation from devils should be rejected—resisted—or, said another way, no agreement should be made with a devil pertaining to lies or disobeying God. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Luke 4:8). Commanding a devil or Satan to "hold thy peace" is a temporary measure which can be used in order to prevent Satan who "cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts" (Mark 4:15). This is a means by which "a door of utterance" (Colossians 4:3) may be opened and "that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified" (2 Thessalonians 3:1). "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

"How can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house" (Matthew 12:29)? So, what was Jesus referring to when he stated that you must "first bind the strong man?" First off, the strong man—Satan—and his devils are already bound in darkness. They were cast out of light (Revelation 12:7-9) into darkness; they are regulated to operate in darkness (Ephesians 6:12). "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude 1:6; see also 2 Peter 2:4). Secondly, Jesus, the light of the world, while on Earth walked in light and was therefore not subject to the power of darkness: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Thirdly, Jesus, through his death, dealt Satan his initial defeat. Jesus went into Satan's innermost principality—hell—and was resurrected from the dead taking with him the spoil of Satan's house: those that had died in righteousness. "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15). "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)" (Ephesians 4:8-10). Finally, Satan's final defeat will come once Jesus returns. Satan has already been tried, judged, and sentenced. We are simply awaiting the start of Satan's prison sentence: eternal damnation. Once Jesus returns, Satan will be bound—shut up—in his own house—hell, as prophesied by Isaiah, for a thousand years and then loosed to suffer his final defeat and be cast into prison—the lake of fire. "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (Isaiah 14:12-15).

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. ... And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:1-3, 10)

Jesus also referred to another form of binding that is the authority of Christians to offer Jesus to heathens. In other words, the authority to bind—to put under an obligation—is the authority to bind the church—the body of Christ—with the souls of Christians; in other words, to make heaven liable for a Christian or include a Christian in the kingdom of God. This concept of being bound in the church with the Lord was expressed by Abigail, one of king David's wives, "the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling" (1 Samuel 25:29). Thus, in the following verses, the "whatsoever" is referring to the church being bound with the soul of the brother in question or the church being loosed from the soul of the execrated brother.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:15-18)

In the Insurance industry, an insurance company appoints an agent and gives them permission to "bind" a specific amount of insurance under the terms of the company rules and requirements. "Binding authority" is agreed on between the company and the agent. The agent can then bind the company to a customer for the specified insurance coverage. Thus, for the Christian—the Lord's agent, binding authority is expressed summarily by Paul as "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Timothy 4:5), and concisely by Jesus: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:19-20). The authority to loose, however, is the authority given to apostles, to two or more ministers of Jesus Christ operating as elders (pastors, teachers, etc.), or to the entire church (100% of members) to remove heaven's liability for a Christian. "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Corinthians 5:5). We see this authority being exercised by Paul when dealing with backsliders: Hymenaeus and Alexander. "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme" (1 Timothy 1:20). For a more detailed discussion of correction in the church, see the "Judge Not" section in the "Lack of Charity" chapter.

Loosing Devils

Another similar practice used by popular theology is to use phrases like "loose her and let her go" to supposedly "cast out" a devil from a woman. This is not scriptural. If the devil loosed her, he could simply recapture her. "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God" (Luke 13:11-13). Jesus, however, made her free from the spirit of infirmity—he effectively cast out the spirit of infirmity and healed her, as opposed to simply setting her free from the spirit of infirmity. Setting free is temporary, made free is permanent (see "Private Interpretations"). After all, it is God "who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17) not man. Our option is to cast out the spirit of infirmity: "In my name shall they cast out devils" (Mark 16:17).

Pleading the Blood

As we discussed in the "God Needs You and Other Lies" section, some churches, when attempting to cast out an unclean spirit cry, "the blood of Jesus, the blood of Jesus!" as if to cause the unclean spirit to go away by their declarations over someone. People also attempt to ward off unclean spirits from something by use of the phrase "I plead the blood of Jesus over X." We, however, do not see the Apostles or anyone else in the New Testament speaking about the blood of Jesus in this manner. In fact, there is no scriptural foundation for such declarations; not even in the Old Testament. "And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses ... For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you" (Exodus 12:7, 23).

To "plead" means to ask of, or make a plea with something. So when we claim to plead the blood, we are claiming to have the ability to ask the blood of Jesus to do something for us. In reflection, that sounds absolutely silly. How could anyone think that they can ask something like blood to do something for them? This is what church people are doing every time they suggest that you plead the blood over something or someone. They are literally asking the blood of Jesus for its blessing or something or someone. Go back and review "The Anointing: The Mojo of God On Earth" section for a similar example. Again, to "plead the blood" is an act of idolatry; the blood of Christ is only as holy as Christ is. To separate the two, is to say we want God's power but not God. That is crazy! Moreover, believing to have the power to "apply" the blood (another way of pleading it) misinterprets the scriptures and what God did in the Old and New Testaments with the blood. The blood of Christ is powerful enough to wash us, purge our sins, and bring us into communion with God, but only when used by Christ. Only the High Priest or Moses could exercise the right of power with regard to the blood. Only they could apply the blood. The same goes for us; only Jesus Christ our Moses, our High Priest can apply his own blood to our hearts and our lives. It is through this blood that he reconciles us unto God and we receive the "atonement" and are redeemed from the curse of sin. When we claim to plead the blood, we are claiming authority equal to that of Jesus. We are claiming that what he did on the cross was not a finished work; that we simply have to keep going to get the blood and making it available for ourselves as if it doesn't cover us. The scripture proclaims that we have come into a an eternal inheritance, by our pleading the blood, we are saying that it was a temporary inheritance and we, like the Roman Church have to sacrifice Christ all over again. On the contrary, the Bible says that Christ entered into heaven once to put away our sins, and thereby our curses, so there is no more need for us to be doing it.

Under the New Covenant, "the blood" of the lamb that protects us from "the destroyer" is "applied" to us—the houses—directly when we are born again. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth" (1 John 5:4-6). Thus, pleading the blood, like the other forms of sorcery we have discussed in this book, is satanic in nature and heretical. Instead of "hocus pocus," born again believers should either seek deliverance via the means set forth in the next few sections or pray earnestly for God's mercy. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death" (1 John 5:16). "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). For those not in Christ, pray that they "be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

THE WAY

The process of deliverance starts with our faith in God. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world" (1 Peter 5:8-9). Our faith is our victory over the "wiles of the devil": "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Faith, however, requires that we know "the only true God, and Jesus Christ" (John 17:3), whom he sent. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). Over the next few subsections, we will examine seven steps to deliverance grouped under three categories:

We begin with a discussion on denying yourself.

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