How does the Bible define true deliverance?
1 John 4:4: ““You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
Deliverance, in Biblical terms, refers to the act of calling on God in total surrender.
In recent months, I have been more selective about the messages I listen to. My spirit has been troubled by many topics, igniting my passion to seek the truth. The Bible tells us ignorance is the culprit behind why people perish. What are we missing? I was desperate for answers and intentional about measuring every teaching against the standard of the Scriptures. I was surprised to find that most teachings out there are far from the doctrine of the apostles and prophets we are instructed to follow. One widespread trend in the church is the ministry of deliverance.
It has become increasingly disheartening to see the same people seeking deliverance week after week. What’s going on? So I went back to the word for evidence of this practice in the Scriptures. I looked up all the scriptures on deliverance from the Old Testament to the New Covenant, and none of them instructed or illustrated people rolling on the ground and vomiting as a means of deliverance. If demons tremble at the sight and name of Jesus, why then do the church permit the theatrics to carry on at every meeting?
Psalm 50:15 "And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
The church lacks teaching on true deliverance. Many have copied and pasted the tradition, but it bears no fruit. Laziness and lack of biblical literacy have kept many in captivity to satan’s tactics for far too long. The way we have been doing or seeing deliverance performed has led to disappointment and defeat; it is time to seek the truth. Doing the same thing without results is bondage.
Throughout scripture, humanity has rebelled against God, and God has rescued them. The reasons for their captivity are vast; however, the way to deliverance has always been the same. When humanity cries out to God, He delivers them from troubles. God does His part. He arranges the circumstances and gives instructions to keep them free. With every account, there is a cause and effect. Man sins against God, falls back into idolatry, and God sets them free.
John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed
Nothing has changed. The penalty for sin remains the same. Sin leads to separation from God. Where the presence of God dwells, there is freedom. Poverty, famine, destruction, and immorality follow rebellion. Think of this in natural terms. Laws govern a country. When the citizens abide by the law, they are not put in prison. There is no penalty for a law-abiding citizen. God grants us grace and mercy. He always allows us to do right. God does not turn His back on anyone who cries out to Him in repentance.
For the integrity of His name, He answers and rescues man from their fallen state. The enemy hates it. He hates us because He can’t be forgiven. The simple explanation for this is that Lucifer lives outside of time. His rebellion cost him eternal damnation. God created us in time. When Adam sinned, God’s mercy was set in motion. He guided them away from the tree of life so that humanity would not have the same fate as the fallen angels. Had they eaten of the tree of life, humanity would be doomed to eternal separation from God.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Jesus and the Apostles taught on living a Holy Life. They called people to repentance, cast out devils, and instructed them to go and sin no more. Sin is the problem, not God. We can not allow demons to have more of a voice in our lives than the Holy Spirit. We can’t continue to disobey God and come for a quick fix at the next church meeting to give an offering, vomit, and fall under a spirit (not the Holy Spirit). One pastor called it the bucket ministry. At some point, we either become tired of running away from God and submit to His will or die in the state of sin to join the enemy in his eternal fate.
The church has made God look weak by accepting this sherdade rather than upholding His standard. Praying is essential, and laying on of hands is great. Manifestation of demons is non-negotiable. Don’t continue to sin and rebel against God, then come and put on a show in church. I have a problem with that. God is not in it. He gave rules and instructions. Obey it. He will not bend His word to suit rebellion. At the point of repentance, there is a spiritual exchange, and you will reap the rewards of your obedience or pay the consequences of your rebellion.
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
The blood of these people is on the hands of the leaders who market deliverance for profit. We are not up against the same devil Jesus dealt with. He is defeated. Jesus took the keys from Him. We are victorious over death, hell, and the grave. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are not ordinary. We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why are we so bothered about the devil? Why are we calling believers to the altar call every week for deliverance instead of teaching them to live holy? Do we really know our God? Do we understand what Jesus did at the cross? What are we teaching these people?
Choose life. The principle remains the same. Jesus gave the same instruction to everyone. Go and sin no more. It is that simple. Go and make better choices. Renew your mind and allow the Holy Spirit to change your character and your heart. The early church focused more on inner transformation than external works. They were not sowing a seed for healing, financial breakthroughs, or a spouse. The simple accepted the Lord Jesus and lived by the principles He taught.
Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give
The devil is loud; he wants the church to remain ignorant of the truth. Those who know their God will do great exploits, right? Let us get back to the fear of God, and we won’t have to be so worried about the enemy. He is already defeated. He has no power unless we give him access. In fact, we will cast out devils and carry on with the work of the Lord without fear, like the early church did. We are bought with a price. We should not be fooled by doctrines of demons anymore.
Many are more submissive to their pastors' preaching than to the uncompromising word of God. That is idolatry. May we be hungry for God rather than sermons that sound good. We need sound doctrine that brings conviction. Let’s ensure we measure sermons to the Bible. Wake up, church? Truth sets us free. We carry the Holy Spirit. He leads us to all truth. We do as our Father does and say what he says. We are endowed with the power to be the witnesses of God. Revelation is power. Get back to the word.
