Since our 2024 first quarter church emphasis on prayer, the Lord has been putting on my heart and putting resources in my path on deliverance ministry….. not showy acts of laying on of hands and wild manifestations of the demonic spiritual reality, but the necessity of relying on Jesus Christ and praying diligently for wisdom and equipping.
As I have been carefully picking my way through Scriptures and a couple of resources God put before me in February, I have become more aware of how frequently demonic presence, oppression, and harassment impacts our lives, even for those of us in the church.
I’m not one that sees a demon behind every tree, in every difficult circumstance or in every conflict. Nor am I one who denies the reality and activities of evil.
The following statement by Jon Thompson in his book “Deliverance: A Journey Toward the Unexpected” caught my attention and is confirmed in my experience
“Discussions like this usually bring out the assumption that because Jesus has all authority (and he does!), the use of his name in deliverance settings should cause immediate victorious results. But Jesus’ own practice and experience indicates that the struggle is real and the battle isn’t easily won. Assured eventual victory doesn’t mean the warfare isn’t still intense and deadly. The demonic argued with, resisted, insulted, and even tried attacking Jesus, why should we be amazed when they dig in their heels with us.”
There have been times I’ve seen evidence of demons fleeing when recognized and confronted. Other times, I’ve observed stubborn defiance, even mocking over the course of several contacts. Knowing God is always aware of the circumstances and the need….. and what it will take to break the bondage….. if my efforts appear inadequate, in spite of prayer and direction from the Holy Spirit, I trust God. Perhaps He is allowing further sifting of the individual. Perhaps my work is merely a warning to the demon that he is obvious, exposed recognized, and targeted and his elimination is surely coming, if not through me now, through Someone Else directly and definitively… and soon. I’ve seen situations that were certainly demonic changed after weeks or months, and in one case years later, that I knew would be resolved in a way that would not be so obvious, but very much low key, even “undercover.” It’s like advance troops having been sent in to scout and establish a beach head against the darkness for the REAL POWER forces to demolish the enemy at the right time and place.
The Kingdom of God will prevail.
One Titus 2 graduate wrote:
”You remember when I first got to Titus 2 like I had those bad headaches and I was feeling nauseous for like 2 days in a row and then on the third day I threw up some grayish looking crap and felt fine right after that was that Spirit of fear leaving?”
Me:
”i remember it well. You, Tamyra, and I knew in the Spirit what was going on and could see the symptoms, the resolving action and the results! Immediate change.”
She replied:
”Yes ma’am I struggled to even understand what I was reading when I would read my Bible like I would reread the same chapter 5 , 6 times and still not remember the word that I had read last, let alone be able to understand and retain anything that I had read but after that it was all good and I was picking up what the Lord was putting down.”
Amen!