Hi Mike

The question I have is on the churches that specialize in deliverance. What’s your take on that?  Apparently these Pastors are called to do deliverance; their ministry is fighting with demons every day, in terms of taking out demonic/evil Spirits out of people, and when this happens these Demons would speak out from the mouths of these people with strange voices; others will cry out loud, throw themselves on the floor. It becomes a chaos. Sometimes the Pastor will say that he sees a big python in a belly of a person or similar things, and he will call that demon out, or as he prays for the person the person will sometimes fall on the floor and start to move like a snake. Very scary and strange things happen in a Deliverance ministry. There’s a lot of these churches here, and it attracts a lot of people because of witchcraft and other things. But in terms of the Spiritual side these Pastors are still drinking milk from the bottle.

Is this still relevant, Spiritually or what is happening here????

N____

Hi N____,

In this email you are asking “What is your take” on what you call “deliverance ministries” which purport to “cast out demons”.

I think you know that if I simply give you ‘my take’, it will be absolutely worthless. However, if I show you what the scriptures say, you will be edified in your understanding of the mind of God concerning this question of casting out demons.

To answer your question directly, the power to cast out demons and to perform miracles, in and of itself, have very little to do with a man’s standing with God.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

The first thing we need to acknowledge is that there is fraud in virtually everything to which mankind puts his hand. As surely as money has always been counterfeited, so, too, have the miracles of Christ and of His apostles.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

A couple of the easiest things to counterfeit are tongues-speaking and the casting out of demons, and this is done routinely for the sake of “filthy lucre”.

Why are not these same people healing people who were born blind or who were born lame? There are many, many videos of people speaking in “unknown tongues” and there are many videos of exorcisms and casting out of demons.

Let it never be said that I, or anyone connected with this web site, have ever told anyone that God cannot and does not heal, even in the churches of Babylon. God does heal some who are still in Babylon. I have personal knowledge of God’s healing power still being manifested in this age. What I am saying is that miracles, healings and exorcisms do not a man of God make. Just look at what our Lord had to say on this subject:

Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Demons do not willingly leave those they possess. They are “cast out” only by the power of God and His Christ.

Mar 9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
Mar 9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Mar 9:40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

So clearly there are those who “follow not us” who are yet empowered to cast out demons. It is the fact that the beast himself is empowered to perform miracles, and yet “do not the things that I say” which make the deception and the delusion so strong.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

It is “a love of the Truth” which will, by God’s mercy upon us, keep us from being deceived by the miracles which even the beast is given power to perform.

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

The one miracle which is specified as being performed by the beast “in the sight of them that dwell upon the earth” is that of casting out demons. Again, just look at what the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” have to say “in that day”.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

So it is granted to some of the ministers of the churches of Babylon to “cast out devils… and in Christ’s name to do many wonderful works”. They still do not “love the Truth”, and that is so easily detected by simply waiting for the request for money. Whenever you hear that request, then know that you are dealing with either a “carnal… babe in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4) or an out and out ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ (Mat 7:15).

You mentioned a minister saying ” he sees a big python in a belly of a person”. If that minister has not confessed that python was first in himself, then rest assured that, as you put it, “in terms of the Spiritual side, these Pastors are still drinking milk from the bottle.”

I hope these verses of scripture have helped you to keep this all in perspective. Above all I hope that the verses in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 demonstrate for you that “the love of the truth” is far more important than the power to cast out demons. That “love of the Truth” is a love of Christ and His words. If you cast out a demon and do not fill that void with a love of the truth, then you have in reality done that person a disservice in casting out that demon. Here is why that is so:

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

These words are not for that minister who is casting out demons while not loving the Truth. These words are for you and for me. We all live by the spirit of these words (Mat 4:4), and we all go from being delivered from one false doctrine, which is an evil spirit, and we all go to even worse false doctrines, before we are delivered of both the one demon and the ‘seven other spirits more wicked than… the first’ .

If we are God’s elect, then at some point, via some “fiery trial which is to try us” (1Pe 4:12), we are granted to see the strong delusion we were under. We are granted to see that the deadly wound we once had has been healed, and that we are, at that point, worse off than before we received that wound or had that demon cast out of us. It is at this point that we are given to “receive a love of the Truth” and to receive a deadly wound upon the beast within us, which will not be healed, and it is at this point that we begin to be judged and to learn righteousness.

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Your brother in “a love of The Truth”,

Mike