Hundredfold Ministries, Int'l

This chapter deals with the deliverance process. As I have already said, most often demons will be relatively easy to cast out but we must not assume that will be the case. Read this chapter prayerfully and carefully, and remember each person is unique and each deliverance is unique.

Consider the Individual to be Delivered

After you have determined the person really wants to be free and will be an active participant, ask yourself these questions, “Are there any complicating circumstances such as a mental or physical condition that will interfere with deliverance? Does the person have an existing injury, is he on medication, or if it is a woman, is she pregnant?” and so on. Another thing to consider is that a demon will often take advantage of natural weaknesses in its host’s body. For example, if a person already has a weak back, the demon may try to take advantage of this condition by making the back pain worse.

Often demons begin to do violence to their host when they know the host has learned they are there. You can control this violence to a great degree by commanding the demon and by physically restraining the person.

Bear in mind too that the deliverance process may be highly emotional. Determine if the person is emotionally ready for the event. There is usually a definite time for deliverance. The Holy Spirit is faithful to let you know when the time is right.

Consider the Place

Is there an adequately private place available for the deliverance? The place should have privacy since there may be loud commands, demonic voices and some physical activity if demons seek to do harm to their host. Try to avoid disturbing the neighbors. You may have to stay involved for many hours. You may be there through the night and even into the next day. You will need toilet facilities, chairs, a couch or bed, food, water, etc. If the weather is hot, a fan or air conditioner would be good to have.

The Deliverance Team

1. It Is Always Better to Have A Team Present.

The team assures that all the responsibility is not on one person. Only mature Christians who know the Word of God and understand their authority in Christ should be on the team. There should be a clear love for Jesus in each team member’s life. No team member should be a new Christian.

2. Every Team Member Must Be Fully Submissive

All the team members must submit to the authority of the team leader. By this I mean no one should be belligerent, pushy, argumentative or willful. Demons can quickly spot people who are not under authority and will use such people to split the team’s cohesiveness.

3. Biblical Balance

As much as possible, biblical balance in each team member is a goal. Each member should understand that this is only one part of being a Christian. In other words, no “demon chasers.”

4. Spiritual Compatibility

The team should be spiritually compatible. Avoid any present who are not in harmony with another brother or sister on the team. Team harmony is extremely important if you are going to have victory over the demons.

5. Flow Together in Praise and Worship

The team should learn to flow together in praise and worship before beginning to exorcise demons. Praise and worship bonds believers together in a powerful way. If the team moves in absolute harmony of praise and worship, they will move in harmony during exorcism.

6. Free From Sin

Each team member must be free of known sin. Total honesty among team members about known/unconfessed sin is essential. Some demons are clever in picking out a team member who is in sin or rebellion. Often they will try to divert attention from themselves to the sinful team member.

Additionally, demons have been known to leave a demonized person and enter one of the exorcists. This can only happen when there is an open door of sin.

7. Spiritual Covering

Each team member must claim a total spiritual covering over his or her home and family as well as his own person before proceeding. By spiritual covering I mean say aloud to God, the devil and yourself that you are placing your God-given, priestly authority over yourself, your family, your home, your job, animals and everything you own. Declare to the demonic world that all you own and do is off limits to the hosts of hell. Command the demonic world not to touch anything you have under your covering.

Some who teach exorcism teach team members to “plead the blood of Jesus over themselves.” It may be well to do that but I believe that we already live, move, eat, sleep, walk and continually abide under the blood of Jesus.

8. No Spectators Present

There should be no spectators present during the deliverance. No one other than the selected team should be present during the deliverance session.

9. Woman on the Deliverance Team

If the demonized person is a woman, a woman must be on the deliverance team. In fact, most, if not all, of the team members should be women. Demons are very aware of human sexuality and will not hesitate to use their knowledge to embarrass or compromise their hostess or the team members. People sometimes confess sin during deliverance. Confessing sexual sin is often more difficult when members of the opposite sex are present.

Pre-Deliverance Counselling

There are several goals for pre-deliverance counselling. You must determine:

1. The Person’s Willingness to Receive Deliverance.

2. The State of His or Her Salvation.

3. The Existence of Any Hindering Circumstances.

4. How/When the Demon Gained Access.

It is very helpful if you can find out how and when the demon first gained access to the person. If you can find out this information (the event or sin that first allowed the demon to enter) you have the key. Then you can help the person close the door of entrance through confession and repentance.

Normally, you get this information through counselling and prayer, and the Holy Spirit confirms it. For example, see if the counselee can trace the beginning of demon related problems. Remember, this could have been during a time of severe injury or emotional shock. Other examples may be a past involvement with witchcraft, drug use, alcoholism, spiritist practitioner, traditional healers, etc. (See Chapter Eight).

Once you learn the possible source, ask the Holy Spirit for confirmation in your spirit. He bears witness to the truth. Remember, if the open door involved sin, the sin may long ago have been confessed and forgiven, but the demon’s continued presence is a result of that sin.

5. Is There Major Sin?

Try to determine if there is major sin in the person’s life (such as drug/alcohol abuse, sexual perversion, hatred, unforgiveness, vindictiveness, etc.). Such sin is hard, deep rooted sin that has become a part of the person’s life. If such sin exists, you must deal with it before you can achieve a lasting deliverance.

6. Are There Idols, Charms, Etc?

Determine if there are any demonic idols, fetishes, amulets, charms, or other demonic manifestations in his or her house. If the counselee has any of these items in his possession, home or work place, they must go! Destroy them. Often these items are dedicated to demons and they can have a demon in them. Having such an idol in one’s home grants automatic authority for the demon to enter when the item enters.

On many occasions I have gone to a counselee’s home and prayed through each room. I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance to such objects. After collecting all the demonic objects and destroying them, deliverance usually is easier to accomplish. People with tribal backgrounds should be especially watchful for tribally related objects that may have demons.

7. Instruct the Counselee

Detailed instructions need to be given to the counselee. Not only must he or she follow all of the above, you must instruct him about what to expect and how to help with the deliverance. The candidate must understand the different things demons may do during deliverance. Demons may speak in different voices, be emotional, cause physical/emotional upheavals, etc. It shouldn’t surprise the person if these things do happen.

Steps for Deliverance

Prayerfully apply these steps as necessary. They don’t need to be in the order I have listed them.

1. Assault Demonic Strongholds

Before the actual deliverance, an assault against the demons should begin. Military soldiers bomb enemy positions with bombs and artillery shells for several days before a ground assault. So pound the demons with your bombs and artillery. Only the bombs and artillery you use is Scripture!

If you have a tape recorder, have the demonized person listen day and night to Scripture recordings. If this is not possible, have people take shifts reading the Scripture to the person. Often this tactic alone will defeat the demons and cause them to leave with no more action necessary.

2. Select a Team Leader

This person is to be the one who is in charge of the deliverance session. Honor his or her authority. Expect the Holy Spirit to speak to and through him at the proper time. If the session goes on for hours, you may transfer the leadership to another person. This allows a time of rest for the leaders.

3. Develop a Strategy

In prayer and under leadership of the Holy Spirit plan ahead as much as possible. Often your plans will change after you get started but you should have plans.

4. Gather the Team

Gather the team and person at the selected place of deliverance.

a. Pray Together - Pray together, asking the omnipotent Jesus to come and take control. Anoint the walls, doors and windows of the place in which you have gathered and declare it off limits to any outside satanic forces.

b. Speak in the “Name” of Jesus - Speak in the “name” of Jesus when making your commands and demands of the demon. Use that authority spoken of in Chapter 10. Use the name of Jesus with authority. Jesus said, “...the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (Jn 14:16 NIV).

An example from the military may help to illustrate this point. When an assignment is given to a lower ranking soldier to guard a given room, building, or area he is given a “duty belt” and a weapon. When he puts the duty belt around his waist he is then fully in charge of his assigned duty post. No one except his commanding officer has authority over that soldier. If an officer or another higher ranking soldier comes onto that soldier’s post, he automatically comes under the duty soldier’s authority and must submit to his instructions.

God has given all Christians a “duty belt.” Let us learn to wear it with authority. Jesus sent us to set the captives free! Go and move in the authority of that Name! You also may use your authority by declaring the power of the Word of Jesus and the blood of Jesus.

c. Bind the Demon - Jesus said, “... how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.” (Mat 12:29 NIV). Often there are several demons in a person, especially if the oppression or possession has existed for a long time. In such cases there is a “head demon” or a “strong man.” This demon must be bound by your verbal command. Command it not to harm the person in whom it is living or to harm any of the team members. It will obey your command, however reluctantly.

Remember too, taking authority over a demon is not done in volume, but in authority. You don’t need to shout. You just need to speak with authority.

d. Anoint the Person - Anoint the person with oil. Pray as you anoint. Declare the oil to be symbolic of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to move against the demonic power as you spread the oil. You may wish to anoint the person in more than one place as you feel led by the Spirit.

e. Confess and Renounce - Have the person confess and renounce all known sin. If there was occult involvement, have him renounce such involvement. If there was a demonic contract, have him declare out loud that such a contract has been broken by the blood of Jesus and that it is no longer in effect because Jesus is his Lord now and forever!

f. Lay Hands on the Person - Lay hands on the person and with authority command the demons to go in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. Be sure to tell the demons about which Jesus you are speaking. That is, the One who was sent by God, who was born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life, who defeated Satan, and who rose again from the dead...THAT Jesus! The reason for this is there are many “Jesuses” in the world. Demons fear Jesus our Lord, so be specific.

g. Active Participation - Whenever possible, insist that the person for whom you are praying be an active participant. Occasionally you will meet a person who wants you to do all the work. Do not allow him or her to remain passive. Remember you have authority. But the demon loses power when its host exercises his or her authority by commanding the demon to get out. If the demonized person will not participate actively, chances are they will not remain free even if you succeed in casting the demon out. The person must WILL to be free! The team should gradually allow and encourage the person to exert his own authority in Jesus over the demons.

h. Use Scripture - Demons don’t like the Scripture, especially Scriptures about your power and authority, their defeat, and the blood of Jesus. I have listed some Scriptures here for your use, but also ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in the use of the Word. After all, the Lord is the author of the Bible.

i. One Team Member Should Continually Pray - The prayer should include asking the Holy Spirit for words of knowledge and wisdom for the team. Pray in the Spirit. I have found it very useful while praying for deliverance to pray often in my prayer language. We are praying under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit when we pray in the Spirit. We are also praying in a language that the demons cannot understand. It’s like having a secret phone line directly to the Lord that the demons can’t understand!

j. Demons May Move - Demons may move to different parts of the body seeking to hide or evade the oil and hands of the team members. Often the Holy Spirit will use the hands of one member of the team in a special way. That person’s hands may become very hot. Demons react strongly to hands so anointed by the Holy Spirit. (Note: men must be very careful about where they put their hands on women).

k. Demons Don’t Know Everything - Be aware that demons don’t “know everything.” While some demons are more intelligent than others, none are omniscient. Demons will try to deceive you by trying to make you believe they are more intelligent than you are and that they know more than you do. Jesus said, “...I have given you authority over all the enemy’s power...” (Lk 10:19-20). Use that authority forcefully.

We are sometimes asked the question, “Can a demon read my mind?” I believe that no demon, including Satan, can read the mind of a born again believer who is walking with Christ.

I Cor. 2:16 states, “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” This verse tells us we have the mind of Christ. Certainly nowhere in Scripture are we lead to believe Satan can read Jesus’ mind. Therefore, I believe we can properly conclude that no demon can read the mind of any Christian who is not living in sin but is walking in obedience to the Lord, that is, those who have “the mind of Christ.”

Further, it has been my personal experience that clairvoyants (people who are able to read someone else’s mind by demon power) cannot read the mind of Christians who are walking with Christ. These clairvoyants just don’t seem to be able to read any mind which is centered in Christ.

l. Don’t Allow Demons to Talk - Every time a demon speaks, remember it speaks for its own benefit. Otherwise it would remain silent. Each time one speaks, rebuke it and command it to be silent and to leave. Do not get into a conversation with the demon. It serves no useful purpose and delays deliverance. It is enough to command it to leave.

m. Several Demons May Leave - Several demons may leave during the deliverance session. In my experience the most powerful demon is usually the last to leave. The strong man (the principal demon) sends out a lesser demon while making much noise and physical commotion. It tries to deceive you into thinking that he, the strong man, left. Rely solely on the Holy Spirit to let you know when there are no more demons. Do not depend on what you see, hear, feel or think.

Here is an example of an approach to a demon.

Remind the demon of Jesus’ shed blood that purchased ___________’s salvation. Tell it that Jesus has ALL authority. Tell the demon that it has no authority to stay. It has no choice, it must go. Tell it that Jesus defeated it’s “lord” two thousand years ago on the cross. Focus on your authority and the demon’s lack of authority to stay. Cause the person to forcefully use his or her authority over the demon. Have him or her reject the sin and/or open door of the demon’s initial entrance.

n. The Deliverance Session May Continue - The deliverance session may continue for several hours. The team may decide to end the session and start again later. If so, bind the demon and command it not to show itself in any way in your absence.

o. Distinguish Between the Person and the Demon - Be careful to draw a line between the person for whom you are praying and the demon you are trying to cast out. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the difference between the two. Be demanding and willful to the demon. Be kind and gentle to the person. Sometimes deliverance sessions take hours or even days to complete. The person will need food, water, and rest from time to time.

p. Once the Deliverance is Complete - Once the deliverance is complete...and you are certain of that, the team should join together in thanking God for His faithfulness in casting the demons out. The team should pray completely through the building you have used. Do not allow the exorcised demons to remain to cause future problems.

What to Expect During Deliverance Sessions

Tell all team members what to expect during a deliverance session.

1. Demons Will Often Speak

Demons will often speak through the person’s mouth. That voice is often different from the voice of the person. The demon may curse, blaspheme, lie, whine, accuse, etc. In such cases command the demon to be silent. DO NOT dialogue with the demon or question the demon. Remember his lord is the father of lies. The Holy Spirit must be your only source of information.

2. Superhuman Strength

The person may become violent and have superhuman strength. If that happens physically restrain the person and command the demon to stop demonstrating.

3. Demonic Manifestations

Some of the manifestations of demons include growling, barking, hissing, writhing on the floor like a snake, and cowering in a corner. Occasionally demons will show obscene behavior to try to sidetrack the deliverance through embarrassment.

4. The Demon’s Eyes

5. Demons Give Visual Signs

Sometimes, as the demons come out, the person will cough, spit, foam at the mouth or even vomit.

6. More Than One Demon

Generally there is more than one demon. The strong man always sends lesser demons out with great demonstration. He is trying to deceive the team into believing it is over while he is still there.

7. Various Demonic Attitudes

Win Worley, in his book on demonism entitled Battling the Hosts of Hell, Diary of an Exorcist describes the various attitudes of demons. He said that they show different attitudes as the struggle progresses. He states they, 1) start boastfully and defiantly, 2) then get abusive and threatening, 3) then get angry, and 4) then enter a whining stage before they finally leave.

The Deliverance of Children

There will be times when it becomes necessary to drive demon(s) from a child or even an infant. The devil does not play fair. He will attack anyone he can. Small children and infants are not immune from his diabolical schemes.

Obviously small children are an exception to much of the instructions above on the exorcism process. Needless to say we must be very careful when casting demons out of children. Issuing rebukes and strong commands into the face of a small child is unthinkable.

One should always avoid causing fear in the child. The parent or guardian over the child needs to be a strong Christian. If there is no parent or guardian, teach whomever is responsible for the child to exercise his or her authority on the child’s behalf. In all cases, seek guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Here are my recommendations for the deliverance of small children:

1. Instruct the Parents

Instruct the parent(s) (guardian or overseer) fully about the principle of parental authority before God. Tell them that they are responsible to God for the welfare of the child. Tell them also that the devil knows that too.

2. Anoint with Oil

3. Lay Hands on the Child

A team member should gently lay hands on the child. In a calm, gentle voice, first bind the demon, then rebuke the demon and tell it that it has to go in the name of Jesus. The parent or guardian also should issue this order, thereby exercising his authority as parent. Repeat this process time and again until the demon(s) leaves.

4. The Child Can Even be Asleep

This procedure can be done when the child is asleep so he is never even aware of it. That way there is no danger of causing undue fear or emotional trauma to the child.

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14 NIV)