In February of this year, 2022, Peter J. Bellini wrote a series of three articles for Firebrand magazine entitled “Thunderstruck: The Deliverance Ministry of John Wesley.” He cites various writings by Wesley on demonic encounters and classifies them according to how the situations were addressed, by ordinary or extraordinary means, directly or indirectly.
“Wesley not only acknowledged the existence of demons but also often encountered them in his ministry. He did not profess to be an exorcist or claim special gifts for such a ministry. However, through ordinary Christian practices, such as preaching the Word, repentance, prayer, and worshiping God, Wesley and early Methodists ministered deliverance to those in spiritual captivity.”
Wesley’s journal entry for May 17, 1740 – “I found more and more undeniable proofs, that the Christian state is a continual warfare; and that we have need every moment to watch and pray lest we enter into temptation.”
Bellini observes, “Wesley held a scriptural view of the demonic that is confirmed throughout Christian tradition (See Wesley’s sermon “Of Evil Angels”). Satan and the hosts of hell, once angels in God’s service, fell from grace and were cast down to earth. These fallen angels constitute a hierarchy of demonic powers that rule the kingdom of darkness. Demons are neither myth nor metaphor but truly exist, and their mission is to tempt, deceive, and destroy the souls of women and men. We are called to watch, pray, and put on the whole armor of God so that we can resist Satan’s attacks.”
Working as I do among women with vile influences of drug addiction and, many times, sexual abuse and mental health challenges, as well, I see a fair amount of what is easily attributable to demonic influences. Sometimes it is simply the wounded memories of the abuse locked in anger and unforgiveness. We can often work through such fixations in the context of the twelve steps, especially steps 4&5. Demonic influences are more resistant, less rational and less easily attributable to a specific association with an event or repeated events at the hands of another person. Evidence of demonic influences often carry the burden of more fear, confusion, and secrecy rather than anger alone and may require a longer time of trust building and preceding conversations to bring the individual to recognize the source and to engage her in an active sense of empowerment in Christ to participate in ridding herself of the influence. Upon realizing that is the case with a few women who have come to Titus 2, I have found it necessary to dismiss them from the house within a few weeks. The level of chaos and conflict they inflict, disrupting the peace altogether, is not acceptable. When accompanied by a rebellious unbroken spirit, such a person is unteachable and teaching is my primary focus.
Bellini notes,”Wesley not only believed demons exist and encountered them, but he also practiced deliverance in his ministry through what he would call “ordinary means.” The father of Methodism employed the same ordinary/extraordinary distinction regarding the work of the Spirit to the practice of deliverance and exorcism. Wesley lists “casting out devils” as one of the chief extraordinary or spiritual gifts (Works [Jackson]: 10:16)*. “Extraordinary means” involved the gift of faith. Wesley separated ordinary, saving faith from the gift of extraordinary faith that works miracles (Wesley’s Notes, Matt. 7:22). In his comment on Matthew 12:20, Wesley called this mountain-moving faith, “a supernatural persuasion given a man, that God will work thus by him at that hour.” Consequently, by extraordinary faith demons may be expelled directly. Although he did not lay claim to this gift, Wesley was convinced that ministers could also expel demons by ordinary means, such as hearing the Word, repentance, prayer, and worship. Wesley would employ these ordinary means in his deliverance ministry. ” I can recognize and see the distinction between the methodology used in both. I, like Wesley, have generally employed the ordinary means of Scripture, prayer, repentance, and worship. There have been a few cases where directly confronting and calling out the spirits have seemed more appropriate. The latter seems to require more courage and desire on the part of the suffering person to want to be free. And then there are occasionally the ones who are benefitting from and enjoying the chaos of their demons who do not want to be free of them….. those are beyond the scope of my ministry and I simply give such people a wide berth and pray from a distance for God to give them awareness and desire to change. Unless God has directed me to engage and has put the burden of intercession for such a person on me, I don’t feel compelled to rush in and take direct action, unlike some who see their gift in terms of deliverance and who will take on a direct confrontation with the demonic in spite of a person’s ignorance and resistance. I find that persons in such a condition are as eager to leave as we are to have them leave. I have felt at times that such individuals are brought to us by a demonic influence to test us and to intentionally disrupt the peace in our ministry residence.