Receiving the Holy Spirit’s Power to Set Captives Free

In a recent article, I highlighted the importance of our authority to cast out demons. But also important to ministering deliverance is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He cast out demons “by the Spirit of God” (Matthew 12:28). If Jesus relied on the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit to minister to others, how much more do we need the power of the Holy Spirit!

Below is an excerpt from my new deliverance manual How to Minister Deliverance that describes receiving the Holy Spirit’s power to set captives free.

Receiving the Spirit’s Power

How can we receive a greater empowerment of the Holy Spirit? The following teaching will help to answer this question.

The disciples once asked Jesus to teach them to pray (see Luke 11:1). In response, Jesus gave some instructions on prayer, part of which is recorded below. There are some powerful truths here in regards to pursuing and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit.

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:5-13)

There are three main things that I want to draw out of this passage:

1. 1. The target of the prayer is to receive the Holy Spirit. The culmination of the whole parable and subsequent teaching is, “…how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

      We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation. But there is a difference between being indwelt with the Spirit and empowered by the Spirit. We can have deeper experiences with the Holy Spirit, be filled/baptized with the Holy Spirit, receive more of His gifts in our lives, know Him more, etc. So, it is completely appropriate to keep asking for more!

   2. The motive of the man who went to his friend’s house asking for bread was not selfish. He was not asking for bread in order to feed himself, but to give to someone else who was in need.

      This is a very key point to emphasize. We must seek to receive the Spirit’s power, not for our own benefit, but for the glory of God and the sake of others. Sometimes we might desire good things, but for the wrong reasons. Let’s make sure that as we seek for a greater empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we are doing so with the right motives. The anointing of the Holy Spirit comes upon us not to feed ourselves but to feed others. This mindset keeps us rooted in God’s heart of compassion. And let’s also recognize our complete dependence on the Holy Spirit’s power. Without His empowerment we have “nothing to set before” the ones in need.

   3. The reason the man received the answer was because of his persistence. Notice that the first response when he knocked on his friend’s door was denial. Friendship got him to the door, but persistence got the door opened.

      We should continually persist in our prayers for a greater empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We can faithfully steward what God has given us, while pressing in for more. It is good to be hungry and persistent!

Keeping the above points in mind, I believe that there are two main ways that we can receive a greater empowerment from the Holy Spirit:

1. 1. Waiting on God in persistent prayer: Like the parable and teaching above illustrates, we ask, seek, and knock. Then we can wait on the Lord in expectation to receive.
   2. The laying on of hands: Have someone who is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit lay hands on you. This principle is shown to us various times in Scripture:

a. Moses laid hands on Joshua (Deuteronomy 34:9)

b. Peter and John laid hands on new converts (Acts 8:14-17)

c. Paul laid hands on a group in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6)

d. Paul laid hands on Timothy and imparted a spiritual gift (2 Timothy 1:6)

So, keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Keep waiting on the Lord in prayer, asking and expectant to receive a greater empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Receive the laying on of hands from a reputable and anointed minister if you are able. The key is persistent hunger and expectancy to receive.

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God is restoring deliverance to the church, but many believers feel intimidated or ill-equipped to cast out demons. Perhaps the only examples they have seen use bizarre, unbiblical, or unhelpful methods. How to Minister Deliverance is a training manual that will help equip and empower you to step into the ministry of deliverance. This manual is not just for church leaders—it is for any believer who wants to begin or grow in ministering deliverance. Make sure to get your copy!