DELIVERANCE

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This process is based on personal experience receiving and ministering deliverance since about 1987. In that time, I've noticed a definitive pattern in the ways that God leads one to deeper experiences of deliverance. It's important that we recognize this, as the Lord does not want us to be ignorant of the devices of the devil.

1. Ask the Lord to 'bring up' (manifest) areas of darkness in your life.

Deep deliverance comes only as one desperately seeks the Lord for freedom. Demons will stay hidden until and unless they are exposed. Therefore it takes persistent determination to bring their strongholds to the light. One of Satan's most commonly used weapons is to lull us into complacence. We must learn to press in and to fight on principle, not based upon our feelings.

2. The Lord then 'brings up' (manifests) the area of darkness.

Usually what comes up is not necessarily a 'root stronghold' but rather a manifestation or outgrowth of a rooted spirit. For instance, if the root demon is a spirit of pride, then you'll become increasingly aware of words, attitudes and tendencies in your life that reveal the underlying presence of such a spirit.

It's important to stay focused on the particular area that the Lord is presently manifesting. Satan, at this point, will seek to confuse you with despair and hopelessness by pointing to other areas of your life where you fall short. This is just a tactic of his to divert your attention from dealing with the area that the Lord is bringing up to the light.

3. Seek the Lord for deeper revelation.

After the Lord has exposed a certain area of demonic activity, begin to seek him for the following:

The Port of Entry. It's important to determine, if possible, exactly how and when the demon entered your life. It may be that the spirit came in when someone hurt you (necessitating forgiveness), or it entered as a result of an unhealthy bonding with another (necessitating 'breaking the soul tie'), or may be in your life because of a 'family line sin' (which can be broken under the anointed power of the Holy Spirit).

Your Sin. Even though the evil spirit came into your life through a port of entry, it's strength to remain and control your life is often because of sin. Ask the Lord to show you areas of sin that you've not been able (or willing) to see that give ground to the spirit. When you truly recognize and repent of the sin that the Lord reveals, then the battle with the demon is more than half over.

Total Exposure. Many times a demon's presence is so 'familiar' to you that you may mistake it's effects for your own feelings or thoughts. The Lord often reveals only a portion of the spirit's effect in your life to see if you're really desperate to be free from it's influence. It's important at this point to pray for 'total exposure' of the demonic activity so that you can fully recognize and hate the bondage it's causing in your life. You must learn to separate the demon from yourself.

4. Enter Spiritual Warfare Against the Demonic Activity

While you are praying for deeper revelation to discover the entry port and to fully expose of the demon, maintain an aggressive attitude of offensive warfare against its every hold in your life. The following are some suggestions on how to fight offensively:

Bind the Demon often. It's good to do this even when you don't 'feel' its presence. It's important to fight by principle, as the demon will often pull back and leave you alone until the 'heat is off.' Also, bind the strongman in whose house the demonic activity lies. Please refer to the list in the article in this library entitled 'Apparent Demonic Groupings.'

Tell the Demon that Its Days are Numbered: This will cause your faith to rise as you begin to intimidate those spirits that formerly intimidated you.

Speak Truth Directly to the Demon: A demon holds its ground by getting you to believe a lie. Search the Scriptures for truth that will expose and refute the lies of the demons and speak that truth directly to the demons. For instance, if you're being tormented by 'fear of man,' , then you would speak to the demon, 'I rebuke you and reject your lie because God's Word tells me that I'm not given a spirit of fear, but rather of power, love, and a sound mind.'

Loose God's Promises and Blessings: The Word says that 'whatever we loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' So when a particular demon starts to torment you, loose upon yourself the opposite of the tormenting spirit. For instance, if a spirit of bondage is at work, then loose the 'spirit of adoption' upon yourself. (See Romans 8:15) If a spirit of pride and haughtiness begins to minister to your mind, loose 'meekness and lowliness' upon yourself. (See Ephesians 4:2)

Worship!: One of our greatest weapons is praise and worship, particularly if done throughout the day. (Read Psalm 149) 'Praise Breaks' (short times of adoration of the Lord every other hour or so) will substantially weaken the demon's hold on you. Also, the Lord is blessed when he sees you choosing to praise Him regardless of your feelings or struggles.

Fasting: Few things expose and dislodge demonic activity faster than fasting. A one day fast at least once a week will help to keep you sharp in the Spirit. A three day fast will rip the covering off of many of the hidden bondages in your life. A long term 'Pleasant Foods Fast' is also effective (particularly if over a period of several weeks) in stirring up and exposing latent strongholds hiding within you.

Stay Accountable: Often at this stage of the deliverance process, the demon will go into hiding in hopes that you will soon give up your aggressive pursuit of it. God never intended for you to fight this fight all by yourself. Share your struggles with someone you can trust and who you know will love you enough to freely speak the truth to you during the deliverance process. By keeping your life 'in the light,' the enemy will find it harder to stay hidden in your life.

5. Make Right Choices

Periodically throughout the deliverance process, you will be faced with choices to either 'yield to' or 'resist' the temptations, allurements and deceptions of the demon that you're attacking. It goes without saying that the more you resist, the less hold the demon will have over you.

But exercise caution! If you yield to a demon's influences one day while resisting them the next day, then you will find yourself needlessly dragging out the deliverance process. This is particularly dangerous because time is on the enemy's side. If you're going to see permanent deliverance in your life, then make up your mind that the demon is your enemy and that you will fight it with all that is within you.

As you do this, the demon will be increasingly separated from your soul and you'll be able to recognize the demon as a demon and not just an extension of your own feelings or thoughts. Choose to fight often and fight hard or you'll be tempted to give up and give in to the enemy!

6. It's Time for Some Serious Deliverance!

You will have a successful deliverance experience when the following things have occurred:

·         You've recognized and dealt with the demon's port of entry.

·         You've recognized and chosen to repent of any sin that has given ground to the enemy.

·         You've come to the place where you can consistently take authority over the demon when it tries to manifest itself in your life, or at least you can recognize its presence and you are able to choose to humble yourself to others by asking them to pray for you. In other words, the spirit is no longer free to 'speak or live out its attributes through you' without your clearly recognizing what's going on.

Many time the final stages of deliverance can best be determined by others, and not yourself. Given the nature of the deceived human heart, you may need the scrutiny of others in telling you when you're 'ripe and ready' to receive lasting deliverance. This submission can be a humbling thing, but God's Word clearly says that 'God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble' (James 4:6).