When Deliverance is Difficult
Whenever
you are in the process of delivering a person or situation from the influence
of unclean or demonic spirits, it is highly desirable to conduct the
deliverance session in both an effective
and simple manner. That desire is often not the reality of deliverance because
of three factors I would like to discuss
in this post.The Foundation:
There is one fact and belief absolutely essential for any deliverance team. They must fully believe and totally comprehend the fact that Jesus Christ has absolute authority and power in the spiritual universe. Because Christ is all powerful, no spirit can withstand a command given in his name since his name represents both his authority and spiritual power. If a deliverance session runs into resistance or difficulty, it is not because of a lack in the Name of Jesus, but in other factors which must be dealt with before deliverance is possible. Here are three of those factors
Attachment:
One of
the primary reasons that deliverance may fail is because the person needing
deliverance wants to continue the attachment to the spirit. One reason for this
is that the person enjoys the “thrill” of
being connected to the supernatural. This excitement acts as a reinforcer, and the person does not want to give up his psychological
attachment to the spirit, even when the spirit is abusive or unhealthy. Unless there is a true desire for repentance
and freedom from the spirit, deliverance should not be attempted. There is a
clear warning in this process of attachment
for ghost hunters and others seeking contact with spirits. Attachment can
become an addiction, and no matter how
the addiction is justified, it can cause much damage and harm.
Mental Illness:
Various
forms of mental illness can be easily confused with spirit oppression and
possession. Attempting to deliver a person from mental illness misses the
point. Mental illness, as the term
implies, is a sickness which needs to be addressed through the spiritual gift
of healing and not deliverance. If the person continues to experience such phenomena as delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and a lack
of contact with reality after a deliverance session, then you can be sure you
are dealing with an illness and not spirit possession.
Lack of Faith:
If Christ
has no role or meaning in the life of a person, then there will not be
sufficient faith in his power or authority for deliverance. By rejecting Christ
the person is also rejecting deliverance and will stay in captivity to the spirit influencing his life.
Of course, Christ can deliver non-believers as a way of showing them who he is
and the authority that he has in the spiritual universe, but someone who has repeatedly been influenced
by demonic or unclean spirits and still has not committed to Christ, more than
likely will reject deliverance. Salvation should come first before deliverance
is attempted. As a matter of fact, the very commitment that the person makes to
Jesus will bring about deliverance on its own.
Conclusion:
Deliverance can be a
fight. Certainly, a deliverance session
is a form of warfare against spirits who do not have the best interest of their
victims in mind. With faith and determination, we can weld the powerful Name of
Jesus as our means of bringing about deliverance, but we may have to deal with
attachment, mental illness, and a lack of faith in Christ before we attempt deliverance
