Christendom and Western civilization are entering their final warfare before Armageddon. In these deliberate studies of principalities and powers, we are exposing the occult and revealing the doctrines, words, rites, and definitions that demon worshippers use. The only intelligent way to interpret our times is through a biblical perspective. Jesus prophesied that His church shall prevail. In Matthew 16:18, He said, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Today, the church must rise to the greatest action of its entire history.
In this session, we will address your questions regarding demons and deliverance.
You can make life miserable for demonic forces by simply pleading the blood of Jesus every time you pass by. Years ago, my mother and a friend were walking down the street and passed a fortune teller. The friend wanted her palm read, but my mother, knowing it was wrong, decided to wait inside the door. Feeling a strange presence, she bowed her head and quietly prayed, "Oh, the blood of Jesus." After a few minutes, the fortune teller rushed out, yelling at my mother to leave, claiming she couldn't read her friend's palm with my mother there.
The devil cannot operate well with believers around. So, if you have to work with someone who is demonic, make it hard for the enemy by pleading the blood of Jesus. It is also right to pray for that person to be delivered and set free. Remember, "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). They cannot hurt you.
Demonic forces do not normally come on strong in the beginning. They move in slowly and progressively. While it might appear as a sudden outburst to an observer, the devil usually moves in subtly until he gains control. In my book on demon power, I outline seven steps the devil takes to drag a person down, beginning simply with regression—going backward. Once he gets you going down his stairs, he keeps pushing you step by step. We must always keep moving forward in our spiritual walk.
Demons are not short-time tenants; they aim for lifetime residency once they enter. What appears as a sudden change may just be the first time it is publicly visible. Furthermore, violence and murder are not merely insanity; when someone kills without cause, it is a full operation of Satan. When a person becomes exceedingly angry, it is a spirit of anger and hate. Jesus taught that hatred and murder are essentially the same.
Deliverances can certainly take time, though I wouldn't say years. Deliverance might not manifest completely at the very moment of prayer; it might be the next morning before the person fully realizes their freedom.
For example, one of the first officers of our church had severe arthritis in his knees, ankles, and wrists. He had spent tens of thousands of dollars at clinics with no success. When I prayed for him, I unexpectedly told him he would be healed the next morning. The next day, before he even got out of bed, every joint in his body popped loudly. The swelling vanished immediately, and he never suffered from arthritis again for the rest of his life.
You can be prayed for and witness your healing an hour or a day later. However, if it stretches into years, I would say it's time for more prayer and to press closer to God for a faster breakthrough.
While demons are spirits, in their demonic operations, they are capable of possessing an individual and manifesting physically. We have seen this not just in isolated instances, but across many countries. The same evil spirit can appear as a man at one time and as a woman at another, taking on different forms.
Our battleground, as the Word of God states, is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). We must recognize the reality of this spirit world. As spirits, they are sexless, but in their interactions with humans, they can possess or permit themselves to be received in either male or female forms.
No, they are not the same. The spirits that fell with Lucifer (a third of the angels) are active today. However, the angels mentioned in Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4 are those who sinned in the days of Noah.
In Genesis 6, the "sons of God" (the first priesthood, representing God to humanity, similar to Melchizedek or those mentioned in Job 1 and 2) intermarried with the "daughters of men." Because this angelic or heavenly group intermarried with natural women, monstrosities—giants and mighty men of renown—were born. Consequently, God placed these specific fallen beings in a heavenly prison.
When Jesus died, 1 Peter 3:19 says He "went and preached unto the spirits in prison." He preached to this specific group confined since Noah's day because they had never had the opportunity to hear the gospel. The demons active on earth today are the fallen angels who rebelled with Lucifer, not the ones chained in darkness.
You cannot deliver someone who does not want to be delivered. Everyone has the free will to reject God and remain in darkness. Paul pronounced a judgment of temporary blindness on him because he was actively hindering others from serving the living God.
If Bar-Jesus had repented, fallen on his knees, and cried out for God's mercy, he could have been healed and delivered quickly. But God does not run a charity hospital for the devil. Without repentance, the man could only receive the judgment of God for his wickedness.
Hebrews 9:27 states that man has one designated life to live. It contradicts the false doctrine of reincarnation, proving that no one dies and comes back as another person or an animal. Reincarnation is a lie from the devil.
However, when a person is raised from the dead shortly after their passing, their spirit has simply returned to their same body to continue their one life. I have known instances where believers died in accidents, and the Lord allowed me to sense their spirits observing the scene without any pain or sorrow. Returning to the body shortly after death is a restoration of the current life, not a second life or a reincarnation.
The herbs used by witches in primitive cultures are often poisonous concoctions intended to harm, alter the mind, or cast spells. They are entirely different from the benign herbal home remedies your grandmother might make. Simple herbal remedies and salves are fine to use and certainly will not hurt you. You do not need to discard standard herbal medicine just because witches misuse different herbs for evil purposes.
Drinking alcohol itself is an act, but alcoholism—where a person is completely mastered by it—is demonic. When a person is baptized in alcohol, unable to function without it morning, noon, and night, they are possessed by that spirit and cannot easily break free on their own.
An alcoholic is a servant to the drink. If it is taken away, they suffer delirium tremens, losing control of themselves completely. Many people have been instantly healed of alcoholism by commanding the spirit of alcohol to leave in the name of Jesus. Even if an alcoholic is kept in jail without a drink for twenty years, the moment they are released, they will head straight for a tavern. The craving is overwhelming because there is a spiritual bondage attached to it. It is a dangerous monster that destroys lives, families, and causes countless tragedies, and we must fight it spiritually.
I want to clarify that some out-of-the-body experiences are certainly of God, such as those where individuals are taken to heaven and given divine revelations. I firmly believe in these spiritual experiences. The out-of-the-body experiences that are dangerous and demonic are those practiced in the occult, such as astral projection used by witches and New Age practitioners. Those are clearly wrong and from the devil. But God can and does give legitimate spiritual visions and experiences to His people.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice... and a stranger will they not follow" (John 10:27, 5). If you are walking in the Spirit and loving the Lord with all your heart, you will know when He is talking to you.
The devil wants to instill fear, making us afraid of being deceived. But God has not given us a spirit of fear; He has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Do not be afraid.
If you feel you have received a prophetic word about the future, write it down and let it come to pass first. Share it with mature, godly leaders and ask for their counsel. The Bible says there is safety in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14). If we allow mature believers to help judge our spiritual impressions, we will walk beautifully and safely in the things of the Spirit.