Christians who do not believe in deliverance ministry settle for a life that demands managing demons rather than being free from them. This is a sad situation. Victory can be grasped but is not secured, because of a belief system that negates an essential facet of Jesus’ present-day ministry.
What is demon management? Let us consider an analogy. If you own a garden where weeds have overwhelmed your produce, what is the best option? You pull or kill the intruders. Weed management, if one were foolish enough to pursue this path, involves trimming them back as they creep close to the valued greenery. You cope with the weeds but do not deal with the root, so the problem endures.
No one would pursue this route with a garden, yet many are content to adopt this strategy with demons.
Why is that?
I believe it is out of ignorance or fear about the demonic realm. If one contends deliverance ministry (driving out demons) is unnecessary for Christians, then that option dies on the vine. Some may believe but cannot find qualified help, or they let fear keep them from moving ahead.
Many just expect that battling and resisting the demons is the best attainable outcome. While this is an important element of our walk (James 4:7), it is not the only nor the best path to victory. Many are binding and rebuking demons, and their total focus is external, rather than dealing with the indwelling aliens first.
An analogy that I frequently use in teachings is that of a concerned homeowner standing outside his home, shotgun in hand (or handgun, AK-47, hatchet, pitchfork or whatever weapon best suits your reality), anxiously surveying the surroundings. He is standing guard ready to ward off any perceived intruder. What is the outcome if the thief is already inside his house inflicting damage and destruction? The homeowner’s efforts would be tiring and fruitless because they are misdirected.
How Do People Try to Control Demons?
Medication
I found a report recently (CCHR International, 2014) that claimed that over 78 million Americans, of all ages, are taking psychotropic drugs. Only an ardent minority contend that these are cures; they are emotional Band-Aids at best.
Prescription drugs may appear to be the preferred choice for non-believers, but many Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christ-followers opt for the same path.
Cope
Anger management, addiction treatment, and various support groups top the list in this segment. I am not minimizing the benefit that these can provide. However, the focus is frequently on enduring and coping rather than gaining victory. Misery loves company and, sadly, many of these groups wallow in it.
The Tampa Bay area is home to a large military base. We have had the privilege of ministering to many officers, enlisted and civilians who have been unable, for various reasons, to get the help they needed within their support network of groups and classes.
Rationalize
If one can be convinced that the issues are a function of upbringing, environment or genealogy, for example, they give themselves a pass. This can lead to a sense of hopeless and inevitability, which deadens a desire to seek change.
Many will choose a perceived lesser evil: drinking beer to excess becomes attractive to those who are drowning in a hard liquor addiction.
Similarly, a blanket of cigarette smoke typically covers outdoor areas at alcohol/substance abuse meetings as attendees feed the addiction spirit with something they see as less deadly.
Deliverance ministry was a significant aspect of Christ’s exploits when He walked on the earth. He did it, trained the disciples to do it and passed the torch to His body (Mark 16:17), the church before he ascended into heaven. Could He have put it more plainly? Why do so many ignore this passage and continue to wallow in bondage or partial victory?
The ‘whack-a-mole’ arcade game presents a great visual of the end result when demon management fails.
If you have been trying to trim the weeds in your own life and are not seeing lasting fruit, I encourage you to stir up your faith for Christ to set you free through the power of deliverance. Seek out a competent deliverance ministry where you live. What do you have to lose?
If you cannot find one local to you, search the internet. Video conferencing technology has made virtual face-to-face encounters accessible and useful for all types of human interactions. Christian counseling and, yes, even deliverance ministry, works very well in that medium and I urge you to begin the research.
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