Page Suggestions: Deliverance Prayers, Demons

Casting Out Demons - Performing Excorcisms

Items That Should Be Present at an Exorcism

Take your own Bible so you can readily find passages of Scripture. I also recommend having more than one translation available. Many contemporary churches use the New International Version, but I often find that the language of the King James or New King James is better suited to a literal translation of Scripture.

A good concordance is also important. The one in most Bibles are brief so it is best to have a separate concordance, such as Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. The Holy Spirit may bring to your mind certain Scriptures to use in battling the demons, and your ability to locate the Scripture and apply it precisely might depend on a complete, unabridged concordance.

If your ordeal is long and arduous, the victim often experiences extreme thirst. Sometimes light, healthy snacks are helpful if you are breaking your fast. Remember when David was fighting and his troops were hungry, he went into the house of God and ate the bread off the altar (1 Samuel 21:6So the priest gave him hallowed [bread]: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.1 Samuel 21 verse 6, Matthew 12:3-4(verse 3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

(verse 4) How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?Matthew 12 verses 3-4). This act would normally have been unlawful, but as Jesus pointed out, the human necessity of the moment was more important than abiding by strict legalistic edicts.

I have also found it is helpful to have a portable cassette player with tapes of praise and worship music. While taking a break from the ordeal to rest or rethink what is happening, the tapes are a means of torment to the demons and a further invitation for God's presence to be with you.

Make sure that toilet facilities are readily accessible, and never let the victim go into the rest room alone, once the demons have been aroused. If the exorcist is male and the victim is female, it's important to have another woman present who can assist in this regard. If the victim is offended by such seeming immodesty, at least make sure that someone stands next to the bathroom door and that the door is left slightly ajar. I've had demons manifest once the victim in a trance state, the demons kept the person in the bathroom for hours, and thus stopped the exorcise.

I have also encountered circumstances when a demon tried to provoke suicide while the person was in the bathroom. Medicine cabinets often contain scissors, razor blades, or other sharp objects. Demons will stop at nothing to impede the exorcism, and those ministering deliverance must constantly be on guard for any delaying tactic.

When is a Person Ready for an Excorism?

The presence of a demon doesn't necessitate the immediate act of exorcism. Some Christians erroneously assume that if a demon is manifesting and challenging the saints of God, retaliatory measures must be taken right away. In fact, not everyone who has a demon is ready to be exorcised. Three factors affect this decision: the volitional willingness of the victim, the spiritual preparedness of the exorcist, and the weakened condition of the demon.

Not everyone with a demon wants to get rid of him. Codependency with a demon or a desire for the temporary benefits spirit possession can offer will prevent some people from seeking help. Even those who want to be free are not always cooperative. The victims may have been threatened with harm to them or to family members.

Trust is also a big issue. Does the victim really trust the exorcist? Does the victim really trust God? Wanting to be free and willing to be free are different. The will of the victim is the spiritual battleground on which the war of exorcism is fought. The slightest reluctance can mean defeat.

For example, issues that need to be resolved may arise in the midst of an exorcism. This is where biblical ministry must blend with a sound psychological understanding of how trauma affects the soul. During a recent deliverance session with a woman, I discovered that an act of incest had been committed by her father. The woman lived in denial about the incident. She wanted be free from the demons, but found it difficult to admit that the father she loved so deeply had violated her as a young child. Her initial unwillingness to admit what happened gave the demons legal grounds for remaining.

The willingness of the victims can also be affected by their feelings toward God.

Logic tells them not to equate those horrible deeds with the exorcism, but on a deep emotional level the link remains. Victims may will to be free, but a full volitional surrender depends on a 100 percent mental and emotional acknowledgment of that.

What to do When an Excorcism has Ended

In a significant number of exorcisms I've conducted, demons went through all the actions of being cast out, but they' didn't go. Consequently, I've learned that when an exorcism seems to be over, it's still wise to check, recheck, and then check again to be sure the demon is truly gone. This is not a time for wishful thinking, hoping that everything is okay.

You should ask the victim how he or she feels. This person knows what it is like to have that demon around, and he or she is the best one to evaluate whether the spirit is gone. Ask the victim repeatedly if he or she senses any presence of the demon. The victim may feel hollow inside, because evil once filled spaces now empty in his or her soul. If the victim has any misgivings about freedom, it's better to err on the side of caution.

One way to find out if the demon is still present is to pray for the victim's complete filling of the Holy Spirit. Treat the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Dedicate each section of the body to Christ (Romans 6:12-13(verse 12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

(verse 13) Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.Romans 6 verses 12-13). Ask the Lord to force into any open part left behind and to indicate what area of the mind or body the demons might yet try to control. Be thorough. Take time to complete a spiritual diagnostic follow-up before the fruits of victory are fully savored.

Can Someone Who Isn't a Christian Cast Out a Demon?