Deliverance ministry changes everything

JER 15:11 “The Lord said, ‘Surely I will set you free for purposes of good:’ Yes, deliverance does set a person free, not all at once, but over time. Joshua took the promised land city by city and thus it is with deliverance, a life-style change for the rest of one’s days. But other things change as well. It is painful at times and requires healing and understanding.

ACTS 16:16-19 “It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘ These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation. She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities”. Paul and Silas were accused of “throwing our city into confusion” overlooking the fact that a precious girl had been set free from demonic bondage.

LUKE 8:26—37 is the story of the demonized man from Gerasenes who had suffered agonizing torment for many years. Jesus came, confronted the demons and commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. The demon’s name was Legion, which indicated many demons within the man. Verse 32 shows that Jesus permitted the demons to enter the swine and were soon destroyed in the lake. Again the herdsmen in the area, seeing the deliverance, did not rejoice at the man’s freedom but became upset and reported the matter all through that area. Verse 37 “And all the people of the country of Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear…”. Instead of joy about the matter the people were angry, resentful and upset about the loss of the pigs and their livelihood.

When the power of ruling principalities over an area is broken it shakes and disrupts the entire area. Deliverance in an individual causes great and noticeable changes in the person. Demons are affected as JAMES 2:19 says “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder”.

Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil”. Those works include the casting out of demons from those in bondage. LUKE 4:18 “…release to the captives, to set free those who are oppressed”. At this message of deliverance there was outright rage against Jesus and deliverance ministry. Verse 28 “And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got and drove Him out of the city…”. Breaking oppression seems to irritate some people.

Relationships within the extended family are affected when a person is released from familiar spirits”. Unhealthy soul-ties are broken, spirits of Jezebel and Ahab are exposed. Issues of control, manipulation, domination, intimidation are brought to light. People are exposed for what they really are and this causes division!

There should be rejoicing but often there is resentment and anger at the changes a person makes as they are set free from the demonic. Deliverance often divides people as it exposes the works of darkness and brings people to the truth (the light). Those preferring darkness feel threatened.

Deliverance definitely changes things. Sometimes the life of a person being set free is totally changed. When deliverance happens the Kingdom of God has been among the people. Praise God for the ministry of deliverance!

Paul Nowlen - Free in the Lord Ministries   POB 386   Bedford Texas 76095-0386 © 2010