Deliverance: A Divine Mandate for All Believers

The Need Is Not The Call

The need is not the call. You’ve heard the saying. And a lot of times, that’s true. I’ve done many ministry “works” over the years that taught me how to serve (along with other lessons well learned), but I was definitely not called by God to do most of them full-time. For example, 23 years ago when hubby and I moved to Florida with our Pastor and his wife to plant a new church, we needed help with everything. The magnitude of work involved with a church-plant is amazing. But within a few short years we had one of fastest growing multi-cultural churches in the nation, within the Assembly of God directory.

I taught youth ministry, worked in the nursery, started the small-group ministry within our church, participated in the dance team, helped in the office, taught discipleship classes, and whatever else was necessary. Even though I voluntarily assisted my Pastor in those areas in a time of need, I realized I was not called by God to remain in them. It was only for a season. God simply used me temporarily to meet a need, until those who were called by God stepped up to the plate. Those acts of service gave me great insight and experience in how the local church as a whole functions, but it also revealed what I was not called to do! God has great need for many things in order to advance His Kingdom on this earth, but just because the need is there doesn’t mean YOU are called to fulfill it. In fact, if you step out into an area of ministry you are not called into, you will be a miserable person.

The late great Reverend Kenneth Hagin tells a wonderful story relating to this. He was called by God at a very early age, as a teenager. Initially, he didn’t understand what that meant so he assumed he was to be a Pastor. So he started a church, and within a few years he was the most miserable man on earth, so he says. After seeking God for clarity, God told him, “I called you to teach my people faith. I never called you to be a Pastor!” At such a young age, and with no formal theological training, he thought ministry meant being a Pastor. Soon thereafter he quit pastoring, started Rhema Bible Training College, and to this day, 45 years later, it’s one of the premier accredited Christian colleges in the nation. Reverend Hagin learned the hard way what he was called to do… and just as important, what he was not called to do! The need is not necessarily the call!

Knowing that, for decades I went around telling people I was not called to a deliverance ministry. Shortly after my medical miracle at age 29, I knew God called me to a healing ministry. But I never even considered getting involved with deliverance. The need is not the call, that’s what I would profess to anyone who asked about deliverance. But in this case, I was sorely wrong! Upon further examination of the Word of God, I realized I am called to deliverance! And here’s another revelation… so are YOU! Let’s take a look at the progression of our calling by Jesus.

Jesus Appointed 12 To Healing And Deliverance

1 John 3:8b says, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Clearly, the Bible states that Jesus came to earth with the express purpose of liquidating the devil’s activities. God sent Jesus to earth in the flesh to (1) take away the sin of the world, and (2) destroy all the works of the devil. He came to forgive our sins and deliver us from the nasty effects, or the negative consequences, our sin caused in our life.

Acts 10:38 says it this way, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” According to this verse, a major aspect of the ministry of Jesus was to heal all those oppressed by the devil. The word “oppressed” in the Greek (original language of the New testament) means “to dominate or exercise lordship over.” Sickness (in the body or mind) is a result of Satan’s work. God calls it oppressive. But He sent Jesus to be our healer.

Let’s go on a little rabbit trail right here… Some people erroneously believe God is the one who puts sickness on people. God cannot be the inflictor and the healer. That would be a Kingdom divided against itself. God is not schizophrenic – He’s not double-minded, and he doesn’t possess dual-personalities! He doesn’t make people sick one day, and heal them the next. Sickness, illness and disease is an oppression of the devil that God gave Jesus power to heal, according to Acts 10:38. And throughout the Gospels we see that Jesus was continually, everywhere He went, setting people free from the oppression of the devil, through the ministry of healing and deliverance. But, progressively, Jesus expanded His ministry to include you and me.

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.
Mark 3:14-15

The purpose of the appointing of the twelve Apostles was that they might be with Him in order to learn from Him, and then go forth in divine power to extend His work. His work of (1) preaching, (2) healing sicknesses, and (3) casting out demons. Scripture reveals to us that the twelve men were good students of the Master, and accomplished what they were sent out to do.

And He called the twelve to Him, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
Mark 6:7

So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Mark 6:12-13

The twelve fulfilled their assignment. They went forth in the delegated power Jesus gave them and preached, healed sicknesses, and casted out demons. They did their part to advance the Kingdom of God in their generation. They impacted communities and brought lives into order. Mark 6:7-13 was a fulfillment of Mark 3:14-15. But Jesus’ commissioning didn’t stop there.

Jesus Appointed 70 To Healing And Deliverance

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He himself was about to go.
Luke 10:1

Now we see that Jesus appointed seventy others. He expanded His ministry workers from twelve to seventy. The instructions He gave the seventy were very, very similar to those given to the twelve disciples (see Matthew 10:5-14). And part of those instructions included healing the sick.

And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘the kingdom of God has come near you.’
Luke 10:9

And not only did the seventy heal the sick, they also cast out demons.

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’
Luke 10:17

The Gospel never advances without someone going. Wherever believers go, the Spirit of God wants to go with to touch lives. As the seventy were obedient, the Kingdom of God manifested through healings and deliverance. (A word of caution: in Luke 10:20 Jesus admonished the seventy not to celebrate charismatic operations, like casting out demons, but He said any rejoicing should be to celebrate the registration of their names in heaven.)

Jesus Appointed All Believers To Healing And Deliverance

Very systematically, believers in Christ were being called into a ministry of healing and deliverance. As followers of Jesus were being trained in His ways and witnessed firsthand the miracles He did, He then appointed them to go and do the same. The commissioning was first to the twelve, then to the seventy, and then…

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Mark 16:15-18

Now Jesus expanded His ministry to everyone who believes! These are some of the most powerful words in the entire Bible. The Great Commission! After the resurrection, and right before Jesus ascended into heaven, these were some of His final words. Think about it. He could have said a million different things in parting, but He chose to focus on world evangelism and setting people free. His will is that none should perish. And He made an incredible promise to ALL believers. He said if we would publicly proclaim the gospel, our words of truth would yield signs, wonders, and miracles. Signs and wonders validate the message! If we do our part, He stands ready to do His!

These signs will follow those who believe… to anyone who believes, they can expect God to show up on their behalf. He assures believers thy could (1) cast out demons (in His name), (2) they could speak in new tongues (receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit), (3) while engaging in ministry they could cast away serpents without being harmed (like Paul shook off the viper in Acts 28:5), (4) they could receive divine protection if they accidentally ingested anything contaminated (many missionaries have testified to God’s miraculous protection in heathen territories, where they experienced no ill effects from impure food and drink), and (5) they will heal the sick through laying on of hands (please refer to my previous article here regarding laying on of hands).

Wow! Those are some mighty, powerful promises from Jesus to me and you! It’s clear from the Great Commission all believers are called to a healing and deliverance ministry — even if it’s just on a very simple level. Not every believer is called to attend seminary. Not every believer is called into full-time ministry, but we are to incorporate our beliefs into our every day life — into our little corner of the world. The woman God used to facilitate my medical miracle was just an average woman; a wife, mom, and layperson in her church. She didn’t have a religious title or formal ministry credentials, but she knew who she was in the spirit realm, accessed the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confronted the powers of darkness unafraid! I am alive today because of her obedience to the Great Commission in her own neighborhood.

Every believer has an assignment from God, and a territory in which to operate. The key is to believe that we can! We have power (through the baptism in the Holy Spirit) to heal sicknesses in Jesus name, and to cast out demons. So many people need help, even Christians, but sadly many do not realize their problems are demonic. When we encounter a situation where there is a demonic presence, we cannot be passive. We have to engage our faith and believe our authority can cast them out.

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
John 14:12

Those are the words of Jesus! Once again, spoken to anyone who will dare to believe. Whatever Jesus accomplished in His earthly ministry, including healing and casting out demons, you have the power to do. Believe in the miracles of Jesus. Understand that the glory of God is revealed to those who believe. Recognize that it is what you practice of God’s Word that brings blessing to yourself and those you minister to. It’s not your head knowledge or mental assent. It’s not memorizing a million scriptures. It’s acting on the Word of God with child-like faith. Some of the greatest healing and deliverance ministers in history never even had a high school diploma! If you are a Spirit-filled believer with a passion to help people, you are qualified. Pray for and expect those “greater things” Jesus promised you!

I do hope your faith is being built up through this teaching series on Deliverance. Next up, we will be looking at Demonic Infestations: What demons are and how they behave, based on what we know from the New Testament.