Deliverance Ministry Does Not Need to be Chaotic

Casting out demons can be a ministry that feels intimidating or scary. Some people seem to think that it must be messy or chaotic in order to be effective, and many times it is practiced in a way that causes fear and confusion. But this does not need to be the case.

Deliverance does not need to be loud and chaotic to be fruitful. To be sure, demonic manifestations often occur during deliverances. This was true in the ministry of Jesus, and it was also the case with the early church: “For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many” (Acts 8:7). But it is also true that deliverance can happen with little or no manifestation. This seems to be the case of the woman who was delivered from a spirit of infirmity, where there is no mention of any visible demonic manifestation (see Luke 13:10-13).

Regardless of the type and level of demonic manifestations, deliverance does not need to be chaotic. I often lead whole congregations of people through deliverance, sometimes hundreds at a time. People regularly comment on how peaceful these times of ministry are, even when clear manifestations and many deliverances happen. I have certainly had situations that became quite intense, but the vast majority of corporate deliverances have been both effective and peaceful.

Remember that Jesus is in Charge

The key to remember here is that Jesus is Lord. He is in charge, not the demons. When I minister deliverance—publicly or in a private prayer session—I will declare that the kingdom of God is at hand and that Jesus is Lord. I will ask the Father to send His angels to help minister. I will pray for the peace of God to rest upon everyone involved in either ministering or receiving ministry. In this atmosphere of kingdom authority and peace, deliverance can happen without chaos and confusion.

When equipping others to minister deliverance, I often emphasize the importance of maintaining a posture of peace. We do not need to be afraid to cast out evil spirits or be alarmed when demonic manifestations occur. We do not need to lose our cool or allow manifestations to take over a meeting or ministry time. We do not need to yell and scream or allow our emotions to get out of control. While struggles for freedom can happen, and we must stand firm in exercising our authority in Christ, we can rest in the power of the name of Jesus and the victory that He has already accomplished. Remember, it is the God of peace who crushes Satan under our feet (see Romans 16:20).

One time I was praying over a young lady to break the power of word curses, and as I prayed for her, she began to have a demonic manifestation. After a few commands, the demon had not left. Under the leading of the Holy Spirit, I asked her to simply look me in the eyes as I continued to minister to her. The demon resisted, but she was able to make eye contact while I very quietly and calmly told the evil spirit to leave. Within seconds, the demon left her. She told me later that it was as though the love of God were coming through my eyes as we made eye contact and the evil spirit had to leave.

If we have the love of God as the foundation, keep Jesus at the center, and stay grounded in the Word, we can approach the ministry of deliverance in a healthy way. This is key for seeing a pure expression of deliverance released and functioning in our churches!