Dismantling 26 Stumbling Blocks That Keep Disciples From Doing Healthy Deliverance
These 26 stumbling blocks to deliverance keep many disciples from casting out demons – here is how to expose and overcome every one of them, as Jesus did.
(Acts 17:11: Please learn to do your own Bible studies like this one – here.)
Watch the teaching: DELIVERANCE: 26 Bad Reasons All Christians Don’t Do Healthy Deliverance – 4 Session Series (YouTube playlist).
Destroying 26 stumbling blocks to deliverance – we must expose and destroy and overcome them all – for we can and should all do it – and that is both loving, exciting, and very, very necessary.
1 John 3:8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
Acts 10:38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.
We Are to Do This – Following His Example
Luke 10:1-23 The Lord appointed seventy-two others to go to the places where He Himself was going to go … they returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” So, He told them, “I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of Heaven, and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
This Is a Real, Felt, Full-Blown Challenge
I didn’t really do serious deliverance for 26 years of my Christian life – even as a very proactive charismatic Christian for many of those years. The reasons why are below. I admit there is real opposition against doing healthy effective deliverance today. I wonder why… (no).
Yes, there is a lot to overcome – but through Him we are more than overcomers – also over demons – even though we “face death” all day long – even death to pride, fear, ourselves, and for some our very lives.
For the love of God is greater – and NOTHING is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:31-39).
I have activated the promise and truth in this Scripture for myself and have won – and so have many others now because of my story and work to help others – and many will now be trained to help others – who help others etc.
Stumbling Block 1: The Enemy Fights the Ministry of Deliverance
Generally – as an over-arching theme – the plan of the enemy is to stay hidden “in the unseen spirit realm” – while still exerting plenty of influence on both Christians and pre-/ unbelievers. It is smart to be stealthy, unseen, undetected – and therefore unattacked. Healthy deliverance exposes, attacks, weakens the enemy, while strengthening the believers who get delivered as well as those doing the deliverance.
The plan of Jesus was, is, and will be to expose the darkness in both people and demons. All sin and all things that are hidden will anyway one day be “shouted from the rooftops” – everyone will know the darkness you have done. There is only one way through to true victory – and that is: into the light now!
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
Luke 8:16-18
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden, that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Luke 12:1-5
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John 3:19-21
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-20
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Stumbling Block 2: Seriously Bad English Bible Translation Tradition Causing Bad Theology
There is a seriously bad English Bible translation tradition on the ONE word – daemonizomai – translated into the word “possessed” in most English translations.
Please see my Bible study on that point here: Short Theology and Practice of Deliverance.
Stumbling Block 3: Fear: Is It Dangerous for Me or My Family or Even Other People?
Will special super-attacks of the enemy come after us as we do this. No. Jesus promised this in connection with deliverance: Nothing will by any means harm you (Luke 10:19). Job said in 3:25: What I feared has come upon me. Fear is the opposite of faith.
If we believe bad things will happen – that is faith in fear and trust in the power of the enemy – and that is a sin. Everything that is not from faith in God – is sin (Romans 14:23).
So, believe God is there for you and is with you and will protect you – and He will. Since starting to do deliverance I have not seen any more accidents, sickness, or attacks from the enemy than what is “normal”.
1 John 4:4 – He who is on you (The Holy Spirit of God in truly born-again believers by the blood of Jesus alone paying for all your sin) – is stronger than he who is in the world (the devil). Let’s believe THAT!
Stumbling Block 4: The Sin of Omission
Sins of commission are obvious: you lie, steal, murder, destroy etc. Sins of omission are different. You can get by in your Christian life with many sins of omission. It is to not do – what Jesus clearly commanded.
It is possible to live a Christian life and not go for healing the sick, prophecy, raising the dead – and deliverance. We must – eagerly desire – the gifts of the Spirit. If we don’t – they won’t just “happen” upon us. The Christian life is about obedient discipleship.
You are now a disciple directly under Jesus, following Him means to learn what He did – including all the supernatural stuff. A disciple of Jesus cannot say – no Master – what you do – I don’t feel led to do that.
We can say no – but then – in that area – we are not disciples of Jesus – but of ourselves, the world, the devil or whatever else.
Jesus clearly said: whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Stumbling Block 5: The Christians – Even the Leaders – Have Demons Sometimes
Can you imagine that that demon in that Christian, even the Christian leader, will fight tooth and nail – either visibly and publicly or by secretly undermining (or both) those doing deliverance? Yesssss. Greetings from hell. The fight is absolutely real. The testimony of Alexander Pagani is a clear example of this: “Jesus appeared in my jail cell” (YouTube).
Stumbling Block 6: Fear of People
What will people think, if??? If they found out I have a demon? If they found out I have this sin? If they knew this or that about me? Will they then reject me? Will they reject Jesus? This problem is called the “fear of man” vs. “the fear of God”.
And this is not fear as in – now I run away – afraid of God – no on the contrary – it means that what God thinks of me is so much more important to me than what people think of me.
It means it means so much to me what God thinks – that I do not care what people think. This frees us to be honest open and broken – for God knows everything anyways. It frees us to be obedient to what God says – no matter what the cost or consequence is.
Also – no matter what people will think. For they will think a million billion weird things – that are out of our control and that are 100% their own responsibility. If we fear people – we will not be able to fully “fear” = obey – the loving commands of God.
We will be lamed, maimed, stunted, limited, reduced to puppets of “popular” opinion. Who is your God? It is the thing / people / fear – you are obedient to.
I have a full-blown Bible study on this subject here: Fear of God Versus Fear of Man.
If you – in any area – have bowed down and worshipped the fear of people – repent before God. And the best thing: God has ONLY good, loving, wonderful affirming thoughts about you – including loving rebukes and help to live holy.
Stumbling Block 7: Weirdness of Those Doing Deliverance
In the Bible there is no such thing as a “Healing Ministry”, a “Deliverance Ministry”, a “Dead Raising Ministry”, a “Stopping The Weather Ministry”, a “Mud Healing Ministry”. There are the ordinary normal everyday disciples doing all these things. And yes, then there are the 5-fold ministry gifts – but their primary task is not to be “superstars” – but to serve all the saints and equip all the saints for the work of the ministry – so they are to train people to train others.
Historically there has been Deliverance Ministers, and Deliverance Ministries. That is so limiting and therefore partly non-Biblical – when Jesus just sent out the 70 “others” to do exactly what He did.
An over-focus on one gift only – and creating a whole ministry around that takes away from the health of the fullness of Christ – and the fullness of what it means to be a normal disciple. It makes it unhealthy.
We have to go to the Bible here. Yes – you can get very skilled and knowledgeable in a certain discipline within discipleship. But that might indicate an unhealthy weakness and fascination – not a special calling or gift for just “singing in tongues” or “discernment of spirits”. A disciple must open their entire toolbox and be trained to use and to train others to use all the tools that the Holy Spirit has given them – which is all tools.
And also – disagreements and internal attacks between those doing it. There’s a terrible lack of maturity among many Christians – and also even Christians who do deliverance can be living in various kinds of sins. Even opposing opinions on how you absolutely can or cannot do deliverance can easily be found.
Immaturity within some in doing deliverance or any other thing should not take away from the beauty and power of the Spirit displayed through that gift. If we judge like that, we are immature and need to repent and learn to look at Jesus and Scripture – not bad experience.
What often can happen to those doing deliverance is that they become lone cowboys. Hurt by “church” and “leaders”. And they were hurt – but this is a test to overcome with patience, endurance, humility, and showing real fruit and taking all around you on the same journey God has taken you – over time.
Some deliverance ministries have become unhealthy in an over-emphasis on the end times / antichrist ministry, conspiracy theories, heresy hunting, “ancient” revelation and books, types of demons, and just not focusing on healthy broad discipleship. Paul warned Titus and Timothy of people not having healthy doctrine and of having focus on endless genealogies and meaningless talk – instead of focusing on Christ – and keeping the main things the main things.
Stumbling Block 8: Inaccurate Oversimplified Either/Or Judgments
I have seen, because someone does deliverance in an unhealthy way, or they do deliverance well but other things not so well – then some Christians discard ALL that that person is doing. And if they then do one thing bad – but deliverance semi ok.
Then they discard all of deliverance – for that cannot be good. They throw out the baby of deliverance with the bathwater of “bad deliverance” or “moral failure with someone doing deliverance” or “bad theology or practice in another area” – while also believing in and doing deliverance.
We must learn to eat the meat but spit out the bones. We must be more mature in our judgments. The Apostle Paul said (1 Thessalonians 5:21): Test all things, hold on to the good. Jesus said in John 7:24: Judge accurately.
Let’s wholeheartedly repent of inaccurate judgments – and honor the good in each other – while growing into the fullness of Christ!
Stumbling Block 9: Human Reasoning vs. Thinking and Acting from Heaven’s Perspective
Let’s hide this away, so people do not lose face / lose honor / end up being persecuted. This is human reasoning. What seems right to people.
Where from Heaven’s perspective deliverance exposes the real reality – that demons are real, Heaven in stronger, and Christians can and must deal with it in a healthy way. Mark 8:33 is a clear example of this. Peter pulls Jesus aside and says: Do not go to the cross.
Jesus says – this is what man wants – human reasoning. Not what God wants. God wants us to testify openly about deliverance, dead-raisings, healings etc. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Revelation 12:10-11)
Stumbling Block 10: Lack of Healthy Demonstration of Deliverance
Followers generally automatically follow leaders (Hebrews 13:17) and culture and society around them. Not many stand up and go in the opposite direction – even though they – and we, should, must – when it comes to following conscience and Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says: Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
The enemy will try to trip people up who do deliverance. Hosea 4:6 says: My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. We need people who will humbly learn, grow, and do this as much as possible how Jesus and His followers demonstrated it.
Both wisely, humbly, unafraid, not naïvely, who have solid faithfulness to Scripture and live holy lives. And people who do not become unobtainable superstars – but who lay down their lives to train multitudes who train multitudes, who train…. This needs to be as normal to us as it was to Jesus.
This is actual normal obedient discipleship directly under Jesus: to learn how and to actually do it.
Imagine if each one of us had been one of the 70 – trained directly by Jesus and the 12 – then you would also have been trained, hands on in doing deliverance. You would have seen the dead raised – and would have learned how.
You would have seen the prophetic and would have been guided in how. You would have seen storms stopped, trees die, the blind see, the lame walk. So you would have been trained to practice all the gifts – according to what was needed in the situation (1 Corinthians 14:12).
Let’s be like those who are trained and who therefore train others to train others to excel in all the gifts, so we can help the most, because different gifts are needed to fix different situations (death, storms, sickness, demonic influence, lack of direction, wounded soul).
In fact – I hereby approve you to learn it, to grow in it, and to end up doing it. I call, appoint, anoint, and commission and yes – command you – on God’s behalf to learn this and to do it – in a healthy, strong way. Go!
Stumbling Block 11: Lack of Faith in Full Holiness
Since I watched porn on and off for 18 years. I had kind of lost hope that I could be free again – even though I had been free for 10 years from 1994 to 2004. Part of my freedom came as I re-read the Bible on holiness and in an even deeper way ensured that it was utterly sinful to do it and that I must find a solution – again and again.
I therefore affirm. God says: Be holy as I am holy. It is possible to say no to every temptation. Temptation is unavoidable. Jesus was tempted in all things – yet without sin. We are tempted and do not always pass the test – but we can do it and are without excuse to sin.
So, we have to repent when we do fall and sin.
But my experience after my repentance and deliverance is that now – when I am tempted – I simply say no and go the other way – where before, I would say no – and I would somehow still feel bound to commit the sin – and I did.
Now I don’t feel bound, and I walk the other way – the way of truth – into the love of the Father – and I command the demon of whatever the temptation is to leave, and I say: “You spirit of xyz, leave me, come up and out with my breath in the name of Jesus.
I burn you in the name of Jesus. Go to the Abyss and never return.” And I again just run into the perfect mega love of the Father through the blood and cross and love proven by Jesus and that is it.
Stumbling Block 12: Fear of Governmental Consequences
Yes – you can go to jail for this one day. You can be accused of breaking laws. You can be accused by family, friends, and co-ministers of being used by satan (I like to write his name with small beginning letter).
We should try our best to keep the laws of the land – while yet first following the laws of Heaven. We should try to follow GDPR – while there is also testimony and laws that enable journalists to work and help people get their stories out to the world.
Jesus went to jail and was killed for proclaiming the good news and spreading the power of God on earth – and it was part of proving that the problem is not with Jesus and His followers (never with Jesus – but sometimes with His followers), but the real problem is actually the demons, and our own sinful nature – that must be defeated.
We need to be willing to be treated as Jesus and His first followers. And it is very likely to happen when we do what He and they did.
Stumbling Block 13: Lack of Understanding of Real Absolutely Normal Discipleship for All Believers
Many think Christianity is and being a real Christian is about being very nice, going to church, serving in church, praying, reading the Bible, giving to church, and even inviting friends to church.
That is all good and nice and is part of the Christian life but it is not the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-15) and that is not completely what Jesus lived.
Being a disciple of Jesus is dying to self, picking up our cross daily (Luke 9:23, Matthew 10:37-38), giving up everything (Luke 14:33) and following Him.
It is to be obedient to all that He commanded (Matthew 28:18-20) – including all that He commanded His 12 in Matthew 10 and Luke 9 and then the 70 “others” in Luke 10.
Stumbling Block 14: Is There Even Real Fruit in Doing Deliverance – Is It Worth My Time?
First – if Jesus took time to do it – quality time, even. Even right before He went to give His life for us un the cross – maybe we should?
Here he gives an insight into His calendar for the next 3 days when someone tells Him that now Herod also wants to kill Him (Luke 13:31-33): 31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else.
Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
Newsflash: The Demons Haven’t Left… – at All!!
May I ask: As a direct follower of Jesus – directly responsible to Him for the life you have lived and the loving obedience to Him you have done – how does your schedule look? He is your Master, God, Lord, and example to follow. Be a disciple who does what He does.
Do you think the eternal perfect God in the flesh spent a wasted moment when He said we will be judged for every empty word we speak (Matthew 12:36)? If He prioritized doing deliverance and healing – we must do that as well – as all the other things He did – including teaching, fellowship, living loving, humbly, patiently, holy, and obediently.
Stumbling Block 15: Limited Bad Theology on the Supernatural Grace Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are a 3-fold collab. You have your Master guiding you as a disciple. You have the eager desire to learn. And you have the tools of the trade. All of it is yours to believe and receive and step out into and to desire to learn and grow in.
You already have it all if you are born-again by the Holy Spirit of God through simple heart-faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Master, the education, the tools, and the opportunities, and the faith. Now are you willing or not? That is the actual question.
Please read the in-depth Bible study if you don’t yet think we have it all, because we have all of the Holy Spirit: Are All Supernatural Power Gifts of the Holy Spirit for Everyone?
Stumbling Block 16: Leave It to the Experts
The so-called deliverance ministers and ministries will take care of this. Nope. That’s not how Jesus set this up.
We are all to take the general basic discipleship education – which, clearly, according to the Bible and the way Jesus did it with both his 12 and 70+, includes deliverance, healing the sick, and raising the dead etc.
That you “don’t feel called” to do it – is really more about “traditions of men” (what has your church leaders taught and show you), “fear of people’s opinions” (the love of God drives out all fear), preferences and comfort (as a disciple we are to die to your own preferences and your own personality if it does not match both the words and actions of Jesus), wrong theology (the super-gifts are for a few super-people.
Wrong. They are for all disciples), and even things like laziness, non-Biblical limitations, simple disobedience, and unwillingness, and religious excuses serving as an excuse for you to step into all the good and powerful and fruit-bearing that God lovingly is commanding you to do in love.
Deliverance is for all who will obey “all He commanded His disciples” (Matthew 28:20). Let’s read it exactly as it is. The consequence is that it is actually not optional if you say: “I will believe in You, follow You, Jesus.” All of John 14 is about how following Jesus is about obedience to Jesus.
Yes – of course – there is a learning curve. That is fine and different to saying: “It’s not for me – but for the experts.” Yes – some are further along in a healthy understanding, faith, practice, and experience than you in this.
I am and you are to the learn from them – with the Bible as the basis. And we are not to be satisfied until we can say: Yes, I got this. I bear much fruit in this – as well as all the other areas of full obedient discipleship directly under the original Jesus.
And we all need to get to the place where we say: I am teaching others to teach others as 2 Timothy 2:2 says: And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Stumbling Block 17: We Now Have Therapists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Medicine
We have all those new tools, disciplines and people who can help. They are trained and government backed and they do help people. It is so much safer than the controversial, dangerous, unknown, uncontrollable of inner healing and deliverance in a Christian context. The beauty, however, is that now, when we know about inner healing and deliverance, there is so much we can do as disciples that we did not know about before and we could not help people. We can really help people much now.
Is inner healing and deliverance against modern treatments of therapists and medicine? No – and deliverance ministers should never take away medicine from someone. They can help – but they cannot heal the deepest wounds – the places in our soul and spirit that only the love of the Father God and the need for deliverance can fully heal and set free.
Stumbling Block 18: There Is a Big Measure of Fruit and Life Change Through Christ Without Deliverance
That is true. We can live our entire Christian lives at a measure of fruit and success without healing the sick, speaking in tongues, and casting out demons.
However – like me, many Christians end up living double lives with hidden sin – because Christian leaders and churches do not understand how to lead people to deep repentance to the intimate love of the Father and how to set people free from demons.
I believe this is one of the reasons many “big” Christian leaders have moral failures! It’s not the only reason – but I can definitely see how it is a part of the reason! I could have ignored my problem of porn and risen in the ranks of Christianity.
I am so happy I dealt with it before going public with my calling again. My fall could have been great as it has been for Ravi Zacharias, Mike Bickle, Bill Hybels, Brian Houston, and so many others.
So, yes. We can live as Christians and not give, not be fully obedient to all the commands of Jesus. And we can get very far with personal discipline, deep repentance, worship, prayer, service, humility, fellowship etc.
But there are demons – they are real, they live in the flesh of people, and you cannot counsel or medicate them out. They need to be cast out. There are generational curses that need to be broken. There are demons of sickness that need to be cast out etc.
This is not against any of the good and important Christian disciplines – it is one part of normal Christian discipleship.
Stumbling Block 19: Shame and Pride Hold Us Back
What if it turns out that I have a demon? We want to look cool and collected. We want to look like we got this. We want to surface of – I am ok. I don’t want to reveal I do not live right. I as a pastor – might lose my job.
Demons and deliverance are not “cool”, it is not “controlled”. People who have them might scream, cough, puke, yawn, burp, shake, run away, attack. This sometimes happens – not always. It is not the definition of cool. But so very real. Demons are just not cool. But they are real.
And Jesus is awesome and cool, and He has given us His authority over them – and we must use that authority.
I had a problem. I watched porn. But the fruit of sin – was hiding the root of sin. And because of my sin – I had opened up to demons who strengthened the chains in my thinking patterns – put turbo on the engine of sin.
So, I have a problem – like I watch porn. Or I have hate, anger, lying, lust, resentment, low self-esteem. I have irrational thoughts of depression, suicide, or fear.
I have a secret sin, a dark side – that I don’t know how to get over – even though I hate it and have repented from it numerous times.
So, shame and fear of exposure and lack of knowledge of the true love of God and lack of knowledge of the power of deliverance – keeps people from opening up to getting set free.
Sin causes us to hide in shame. And demons strengthen the shame and keep us from coming into the love of the light and healing of God, Daddyo. He was and is “looking for them in the garden”. He is looking for you. So come to Him – and get help from loving fellow believers through Jesus Christ – also through deliverance.
We must repent and radically seek the good good Father. We have to have a desperation for freedom that says: I don’t care what people think and what I lose. I just want freedom and I believe Jesus wants to give it to me.
Stumbling Block 20: The Distortion of Hollywood Movies
When we as Christians don’t know true healthy deliverance Jesus-style – someone else steals the narrative and makes it into scary horrific distorted screams, faces, bodies, and priests who can barely win the battles – and probably don’t really. Sorry – let’s own the narrative and teach people to use their beautiful authority in the mighty name of Jesus.
Stumbling Block 21: Rejection & Pride vs. Rejection & Pride
Rejection with pride (due to own fruit and spotting errors in those doing deliverance) of deliverance and those doing deliverance by Christian leaders and churches has caused counter-rejection and pride (due to real fruit and spotting a lack in those not doing deliverance) in and from those doing deliverance and has caused so much division in the body of Christ.
This must stop now! Let’s grow up, be mature, be accurate. Let’s honor the good in all places (Romans 13:7). Let’s grow in love, patience, endurance so that unity can emerge.
Not a sloppy unity with no stamina and backbone, but a humility and clarity, a brokenness with a clear direction, a holiness and loyalty to Jesus, Scripture, each other, and the calls each one of us have that God never repents of.
If not seen and dealt with correctly, this ends in division, mud-throwing out of “you started” rejection – and people are quite blind to this. The enemy wins. Healthy deliverance and unity do not spread. But here his plan is – exposed!
My Story
Have I faced rejection, false accusations, lack of honor, ridicule of deliverance and all supernatural from stage, from Christian leadership – also from my own church where I served for 10 years as a volunteer, bringing tithes, my family, my time, talents, and treasure? Yes! Have I had to deal with my attitude, my heart.
YES! Have I felt rejected and been rejected and counter-rejected – YES! Have I sinned in that process? YES. Have I repented? YES. Therefore, I have written a full Bible study on Matthew 18:15-17 – and how important confrontation is, and humility, and patience, and holiness, and maturity, and brokenness.
See Correcting Others Correctly, Part 1. For I gossiped. I did not confront the right people at the right time in the right way. I did not honor the good as well as confront the bad.
We all need to disciple each other into healthy deliverance ministry as well as all other gifts of the Holy Spirit – all over the world – also in Western Europe where I live. We need to honor the good fruit that looks like Jesus and the Word in each other’s lives.
We also need to address the lacks – the sins of omission, the lack of normal original obedient Jesus-style “all-in” discipleship. First in our own lives – then also humbly, lovingly, brokenly in the lives of those around us.
Stumbling Block 22: Tradition and Honor
In my church tradition we don’t do it. My mentors – whom I deeply love and honor – and who taught me and helped me so much – didn’t practice it – and they were so successful. Or: We actually believe in it & practice it a little bit. But we do not train all disciples to do it. No need. Not a big deal. Not necessary. There aren’t a lot of demons around in Christians.
Oh but – there is. They are hiding with all they’ve got. Let me show you.
Stumbling Block 23: Hiding the Supernatural – Instead of Going for It as the Best Sermon Illustration Ever
Wrong handling of the supernatural expressions and manifestations of the spiritual world – especially coming through and from Christians and truly from God.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:23 when all speak in tongues and an uninstructed comes in and hears it: Will they not think you are crazy? What did Peter do at Pentecost when they all spoke in tongues.
He stood up (Acts 2:13-15) and explained what was going on – and used the supernatural as his very powerful and convincing sermon illustration! That’s what we should do as well – instead of packing it down, hiding it.
Jesus did all His miracles (dead-raisings, deliverances, healings, prophecies, Spirit baptisms) everywhere He was – on roads, public places, synagogues, the temple, homes, parties, one on one. Jesus and His followers did not hide any of the supernatural in a tent, a bush, behind a hill etc.
Many Christians today want to hide the power of God – due to fear of what people will think – instead of clearly, boldly, wisely – explaining it and using it to prove the truth of the power and reality of the love of the Father. I did this wrong for a long time.
We need to own our sin and repent and change to proactively doing this the right way.
Stumbling Block 24: Wrong Limitation and Definition of Who This Is For
The wrong limitation is: It’s just for those who have been deeply involved with the occult or satanism and have opened themselves up to demons like that. I have found now that many – even Christians who have grown up in good Christian – even Charismatic homes – need deliverance. The situation is NOT good.
There is so much help to get through also using this tool in our toolbox. Please read here to see who could need and therefore could be helped through getting deliverance: who needs deliverance (Word doc).
Stumbling Block 25: Fear of Doing It in Our Own House / Kitchen / Living Room
It is simply not dangerous to do it or to be around it or to use your house or company rooms for it. Otherwise, Jesus would not have done it around Judas, the deceiver, Thomas “the doubter” or the “sons of thunder”. He would not have done it in homes, synagogues, streets, or squares.
Again – this is another of the enemy’s Hollywood scare tactics. I have done it in our car, over Zoom, in the church foyer, in our kitchen, our living room, from my office, in a friend’s office etc. etc.
Some think this can and should only be done in a church fellowship – that is safe. That is just simply not Biblical – and is more fear and Hollywood based than Bible.
Stumbling Block 26: When You Actually Start Doing It – It Turns Out to Be Hard Sometimes
Deliverance sessions don’t always just “flow”. Demons are stubborn sometimes. They don’t always just leave. People might not really repent of their sin and wholeheartedly turn to the truth – and the demons can come back. People might accuse you of being bad, inexperienced, having bad intentions.
You might not be recognized for the good you do by anybody – but God – for a while. This can be very discouraging. Deliverance is hard real work. Some simply quit doing deliverance again. The fix is to realize – this is a learning journey.
I am not, you are not, the people being prayed for are not perfect. Only One is. We all start somewhere and need to learn – also by doing mistakes. We need to own our mistakes – say sorry, learn from them, adjust our course, repent, turn from sin, be open about it.
That is what discipleship is all about. It is a life-long thing. The command to love Jesus obediently – also by doing deliverance – stands. Jesus even rebuked demons – and they didn’t obey straight away (Luke 8:29). If that happened. I need 1000 tries. I really love the word: try.
It means we do something, while realizing we are not perfect. That’s the reality and truth. So, I encourage you! Do not give up! Keep learning! Keep getting back up! Keep humbling yourself.
Keep Going! Enough of All These False Limitations and Lies of the Enemy!
Mighty global army of believers – rise up!! Use the authority Jesus has given you! Obey the commands He gave! Follow His example! Do what He did and let yourself be trained by Him by His Spirit like He trained His disciples.
So – How Do We Fix This?
Please take positive proactive action. Jesus’ first sermon was: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). So, we believe in the bad news – that God is not fully for us.
How stupid is it to believe in a lie and the lie is even bad news – that God is fully bad or partially bad.
So – repent, own your responsibility, grow up and be a mature adult, use your free will to decide to believe in the good news that God is fully wholeheartedly for you.
My secret superpower is – exactly when I least feel like it – I run into the wholehearted love of the Father for me.
Non-Negotiable to Do
- First of all – when you feel the worst and are just about to do something wrong – run into the absolute perfect love of the Father. Run into His total satisfaction with you. Run into His arms – exactly when you feel the furthest away from Him. And command any evil spirit – call them by their function of rejection, lust, lies, unbelief, self-pity. Get your full satisfaction in the love of the Father for you now. Fix yourself first. Then go fix others with the love you have received.
- What does the Holy Spirit lead you to do – and remember – Matthew 10 and Luke 9-10 are first on the to do list when it comes to all normal modern disciples.
Negotiable to Do
Negotiable in terms of who, how, and when – but not in terms of direction and necessity:
- Take (my and others’) good and healthy courses on deliverance and basic normal Jesus-style discipleship.
- Find ways to do it (join via Discord – Isaiah Saldivar server). Watch as people do it online. Join in on sessions where it is done. Get trained by those who do it well.
- Do it. Step out. Do what I and others do – as you see it in Jesus Christ first.
- Read through my materials on my website: ActionChristianity.com – and those of other good and healthy ministries who do what you see Jesus doing and who bear good and healthy fruit doing it.
- Submit yourself to inner healing and deliverance prayers from one or more healthy ministries. I presently believe all Christians would benefit greatly from getting at least a yearly “Spiritual Checkup” to see if something somehow is hiding and needs to go.
- Let’s all work together to get this amazing, exciting adventure job of being a Jesus Super-Hero Disciple.
To read positive life changing and selfish life breaking teaching – see All Bible Studies of Peter Skov of Action Christianity. Let God lead you to what to engage with first.
And here is my YouTube course on the very minimum foundations of normal discipleship.
