Your Pkg Has Been Delivered…..

The topic of deliverance in the lives of Christians is very interesting, yet complex. The complexity is mainly due to the lack of teaching in today’s worship environment. Based on my experience with some (not all) westernized assemblies, most times Christians are taught to avoid sin and repent from any committed sin.

What happens when the sin has such a stronghold over your life that it seems like no matter how many times you try to resist the temptation to commit a particular sin, you never feel like you have the strength to say no???

Unfortunately this is a reality for many believers and it doesn’t just relate to sexual sin. Sometimes its lying, being prideful, gambling, or maybe some form of substance abuse.

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly believe in the power of repentance and the transforming of our minds through the word of God. However, I also believe that sometimes we need spiritual deliverance from spiritual strongholds and Jesus showed us that when he walked the earth. In Matthew 17 we learn of how Jesus cured a young boy from an epileptic spirit. Prior to Jesus performing this great miracle healing, his disciples had also tried to cast it out but they were unsuccessful. Once Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith, he also revealed that “this kind of demon does not go out except by prayer and fasting” Matt 17:21

The point I am making is that deliverance is a process and in some cases, even when we are trying our best to overcome in our own strength, and even when others around us are trying to help us be healed, sometimes we need divine, spiritual assistance from a divine, spiritual power source. That source is Jesus.

Here is an analogy on the topic of deliverance:

Back in April I bought a new bunk bed for my sons and new mattresses for my daughter and I to replace the old ones we had. The mattress I was using was causing me to have such terrible back pain so I was very excited to replace it. I did the proper research for the best mattress for my specific needs, ordered it and waited for it to arrive. Once it came I quickly removed the old mattress from my bed frame and put the new one on. Although I now had a new and better mattress to sleep on, the issue was that I had no way of getting rid of the old mattress. I didn’t have a truck big enough to haul it to the landfill and the Salvation army was not accepting donations due to the virus pandemic. So I wasn’t able to completely enjoy my new bed because every time I woke up I had to look at the old mattress leaning against the wall in my room.

This is what it feels like to receive salvation in Christ, to have a transformed mind and instruction from the Holy scriptures, yet the old sin nature has not yet fully passed away because we haven’t received deliverance from unclean spirits that attached themselves to our lives through open doors. Sin gives demonic spirits legal access to our lives. Perhaps you have closed the door by turning away from sin but the pre-existing spirits were not cast out, nor have you been healed from any spiritual damaged caused by its presence.

I noticed that the longer I kept the old furniture in my house, the harder it became to keep my house clean and I begin to feel like I was losing space in my house. This is how we begin to attract the company of people who have similar trauma as us. Or we begin to attract negative energy because we aren’t able to properly filter the energy we are allowing into our lives. Eventually we begin to carry around shame and guilt. We may be afraid to let good people into our lives because we don’t want our mess to be exposed.

That is what I experienced with the old furniture in my room. Whenever I would have a visitor at my house I would be sure to keep my bedroom door closed because I didn’t want anyone to see the condition of my room. Also I had no peace in my room because it no longer served as a place of relaxation, instead it was only a reminder of a mess that I was unable to clean. I believe as a result of the clutter and frustration I felt, I started experiencing problems sleeping and also some episodes of sleep paralysis.

Eventually I had enough! So I decided seek some help. I have a high school friend named Jasper who owns a moving and hauling business. I reached out to him, telling him the items that I needed removed from my house and he agreed to come and haul them away for me. HALLELUJAH!!!! Jasper is a very strong and hard working man who came equipped and prepared to do this job. Not only did he remove those old mattresses out of my room but he also took other large furniture items away that I desperately needed to get rid of. I was so relived afterwards because I no longer had to be reminded of the old and I could finally focus on enjoying all of the new furniture that I purchased.

That is what happens when we allow someone of spiritual authority to perform the work of deliverance on us. Someone who is dedicated to praying and fasting. Someone who regularly exercises their spiritual authority and power to undo the work of the enemy. Clearly Jasper had more experience in moving and hauling away furniture than I did. He had a moving truck and he knew how to organize the truck to fit everything in properly. He also knew the proper place to dispose of it. Allow yourself to experience true deliverance from spiritual strongholds by allowing someone more experienced and better prepared for that level of warfare to pray for you and if possible, lay hands on you. You don’t have to face this alone.

In my next post I will address the healing work that takes place after deliverance……..