We Heard Jesus Could Help

How casting out demons is as simple as ABC

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Hi Everyone and welcome to this weeks Holy Go Newsletter!

Over the past few weeks we have been looking at “Power Evangelism.” We started with healing, covered Prophetic Evangelism last week, and this week we move on to dealing with demons!

As you will soon see, deliverance can be as simple as ABC…

Equip

We Heard Jesus Could Help

Expectations for the miraculous always rise when you are on a mission trip and this time was no different. We were in India visiting some friends and were invited to share at a local Church. We agreed we would have a healing meeting.

We walked into the Church and began praying for the upcoming service. Suddenly a family shuffled into the back of the Church and sat down. Something felt off, so we went over to say hello.

As we began speaking to them, two of the young women started screaming and thrashing about. One of the ladies was going from looking like she was dead one minute, to aggressive and violent the next minute.

The team took her to a prayer room off to the side so they could help her. The service started and I didn’t think any more of it until I was preaching. Every time I said the name “Jesus” the young ladies screamed from the other room.

At the end of my message we had a big altar call for healing, and we heard countless testimonies of how God had healed and set people free. However, there was still one family in the prayer room.

The Church staff pulled me into the room and told me the story. They said this family had two daughters who were both demonised. They would scream and go berserk then suddenly stop and look as though dead.

I said hello to them and through a translator they responded with words that I still remember,

“We heard Jesus could help.”

Demons and Jesus

When we look at the life of Jesus we see that He dealt with demons. Sometimes demons were the cause for sickness, distress, supernatural strength, attempted suicide, violence and anger. Jesus set people free and healed them of their demonic issues.

Therefore it is unwise to dismiss demonic activity.
However, it is just as unwise to overemphasise the demonic.

After all, Jesus did say He “saw satan fall like a flash of lightning” (Luke 10:18) and the Apostle Paul says the demonic has been disarmed and defeated. (Colossians)

But if demons have already been defeated, what do they actually do?

The Apostle Paul says that they “blind people from seeing the light and glory of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) This fits with what we see in the scriptures where demons: lie, manipulate, distort the truth, and tempt people to sin.

We then see what happens when people partner with and agree with these lies: they experience sickness, loss of control, outbursts of anger, violence, and other supernatural phenomena.

The basic premise is this: whoever we submit our life to will rule it. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?” (Romans 6:16)

If we entertain and obey the voice of the powers of darkness, then that darkness will manifest in our life. If we submit to Jesus and His way of life, then we will experience the fruit of the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul shared what He heard God say when he was called,

“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:18)

Sharing the Gospel and Deliverance ministry go hand in hand. In fact, deliverance is simply the result of people changing their mind and agreeing with God.

Sharing the gospel is about opening peoples eyes to see the truth. The victory has been already been won! It is now about helping people reject the lies the enemy has told them, and helping people agree with the truth that will set them free.

The ABC’s of Deliverance

I looked around the room. Everyone looked absolutely exhausted.

The women who were demonised and their worried families had tried countless avenues for help yet nothing was working. Was this another failed spirituality that had no power to make a difference?

The ministry team had been ministering to them for hours now and nothing was changing.

As I knelt beside the women their comment, “we heard Jesus could help” rung in my ears. I remembered the stories of Jesus and the disciples setting people free in the gospels. How come it happened then and not now?

I was reminded of a simple pattern repeated throughout the New Testament. I call it the ABC’s of deliverance.

• Acknowledge the truth of Jesus. (A declaration of the Gospel)

• Break Up with the lies and agreements made with darkness. (Repent and Renounce)

• Commit to following Jesus and ask Him for help. (Believe and Follow)

“Break Up and Commit” is the common response to the gospel. While the language changes depending on the author, the concept remains the same. For example,

• Jesus communicates this message by saying “Repent and Believe”. (Mark 1:15)

• In Paul’s ministry it is “Put off and Put on”. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

• In James’ book he tells them to “Resist the Devil and Come near to God”. (James 4:7-8)

So I took the women through these simple steps.

A
I assured them Jesus loved them.
I said Jesus could help them.

B
We disagreed with the lies.
We renounced the darkness.

C
We turned towards Jesus.
We asked Jesus for help.

I remember the first woman’s simple prayer, “Jesus help me!”

It was quiet.
There was no aggressive manifestations.
Just peace.

And just like that she was set free!
Then the same with the second daughter!
Jesus had indeed helped!

By now their whole family filled the room. They were excited that their daughters were now in their right mind. Since they were not followers of Jesus I explained who Jesus is and what He has done.

Overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving the whole family decided on the spot to follow this Jesus who helped their family!

There are countless people all around us who have been blinded to the goodness of Jesus! The demonic is holding them in bondage through lies and agreements. Our job as followers of Jesus is to preach the good news that opens their eyes and sets them free.

Casting out demons is for you and me. Jesus has commanded us to cast them out. (Matthew 10:8) But do not fear, deliverance is as simple as ABC.

Activate

This weeks challenge is to ask God to open your eyes to a lie you have been believing.

Spend some time in prayer and go through the ABC’s of deliverance. Practice these steps on yourself so that you are ready to disciple someone through the steps when the moment arises.

As always, let me know how you go!

Let’s Go!