Exorcism - A Christian Manual (14 page)

4.
     
Some really don’t believe that the exorcism will work
.  For many, they simply are afraid of satan and believe that he is too strong to defeat.  These clients typically have seen evil at work through witchcraft or they were abused as children by those that practiced the black arts.  They have felt powerless and have seen evil win or they were led to believe that evil can’t be defeated.  Many will listen to demons telling them that the exorcism will not work and they believe it.  Another type of person believes that God doesn’t love them enough to deliver them.  They will not have enough faith to see the exorcism through because they listen to what the demons tell them that God does not love them.

5.
     
Some will use the exorcism to test God
.  Believe it or not, some people have lied, hidden things, or entered an exorcism with a skeptical attitude.  They try to hide things on purpose to see whether the exorcism team will find the hidden thing as a test on their spiritual alertness.  They may be testing the skill of the team, but they may also be testing God to see if He will reveal the hidden thing to help set them free.  They believe that if God really cared He would expose the hidden sin or issue.  It is very dangerous to test God and we have no right to do so.  For example, when Ananias and Sapphira sold some property they gave some to the apostles but kept some money hidden to themselves.  Peter then confronted them and said…”’Ananias, how is it that satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing?  You have not lied to men but to God.’ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died,” (Acts 5: 3-4). Later, Ananias’ wife came in and lied because she didn’t know her husband had been caught lying; she spoke the same lie and she fell down and died as well.

6.
     
There are some that are unwilling to forgive
.  Ephesians 4:26-27: “’In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” There are many people that have been brutally abused by others in their past.  For these people they see forgiveness as letting the offenders get away with their abuse.  However, when we forgive others we are healing ourselves and letting go of the anger that binds us (Enright & Fitzgibbons, 2002).  We are not giving them justice, but we are extending mercy.  That mercy is what we want from God when we sin against Him.  When giving mercy we are halting the anger that demands fairness, and releasing peace that allows God to handle the pain.  Yet, many will refuse to forgive as they cannot get past the need to see the other suffer (as they have suffered) and will remain angry until they have restitution (which may be never).

7.
     
Some have family members that are not supportive
. In some families there are members that do not believe in exorcisms and do not believe that demons are around anymore.  They may ridicule or shame the client and create a spirit of doubt or defeat.  In other cases, the family members bring the clients in and say, “He has a demon-fix him.”  These families blame demons for everything and they usually have one person in the family that they have designated as the ‘problem family member.’  They usually believe that they know everything and are very controlling.  In one case, literally minutes after an exorcism of a young woman, the mother came in and said to the client, “They got that Jezebel demon out of you right?  If they didn’t you will go right back to your evil ways.” In these families the clients are pushed into the exorcism by the family but may not truly believe they are possessed.  They may simply believe what their parents or spouses have told them to believe.  These cases rarely have good results and it is essential to get them away from their families and see what they truly believe on their own.

8.
     
In some cases the exorcism ministers are not properly prepared
.  Remember, Jesus said that some demons will only come out by prayer and fasting.  This means that you must be spiritually ready for a tough battle because some demons are very powerful and will fight back.  Some team members may not admit to problems in their lives and are not ready for the battle.  They have many stresses and use ministry as a distraction.  The demons know fear and doubt when they see it and they will go after the weakest link in the team.  In some cases, a team member that cannot handle the attacks will break down during the exorcism.  At this point you have to get the team member out of the room and you may actually have to split the team to minister to them.  This is usually not the best idea as the enemy seeks to divide and conquer.  If this happens you may have to stop the exorcism until a replacement can be found.  Also, a team member can get involved in sin secretly and still want to continue in the ministry.  They use the ministry to feel better about themselves but they are really not up to the battle and the demons will exploit this.  The demon will call the sin out and mock the team member which will be humiliating.  It is good to make sure that all know the risks if they will not be open and honest with the team leaders before the exorcism takes place.  Also, everyone must be reminded that if they have to stop the exorcism there is a chance that the clients’ condition will not get better and may actually deteriorate.  Finally, make sure that there are no grievances between team members and that all are in spiritual harmony.  The demons will try to sow doubt in the trust of the team.  For example, a demon may say to one team member, “Your friend hates you and wants to sleep with your husband,” or, “He doesn’t trust you and wants you out of the church.”  If the team is not in harmony these attacks may be believed and the exorcism will be derailed.

The Exorcism Minister

In some denominations no one but a priest or an ordained minister may be involved in an exorcism ministry.  However, I believe that lay people can be involved in the ministry as all believers have the Name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in which to overcome the power of the enemy…"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My Name they will drive out demons,” (Mark 16:17).  Jesus proclaimed in the Scriptures that any believer can drive out demons.  This was a popular ministry of the early church as people would go to Christians with their demon possessed loved ones and their sick, because Christians had the power to set them free.  The early church grew because of miracles. 

There are several characteristics to look for to determine if someone is qualified for an exorcism ministry.  Though all believers have the power to cast out demons not all are called to this ministry.  This ministry can be very demanding mentally, physically, and spiritually.  Therefore, finding the right person with the right characteristics is essential.

Love

An exorcism is an act of power and healing, but it is also an act of love and mercy from the Father.  We must love the people we minister too and see them with eyes of compassion no matter what sins they are involved with.  In this ministry you will hear the worst sins and experience intense attacks from the enemy.  But we must have compassion for those in need.  Jesus never looked down on anyone and never treated anyone with contempt.  In Mark 10:17-23, when the rich ruler came to Jesus and asked Him how he could inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to follow the commandments.  The ruler declared that he had followed all of them.  However, Jesus knew that this was not true and that money still had a stronghold in his life.  Knowing this, Jesus looked at him and loved the man: Jesus saw the sin and still loved him.  We must be the same.  Many have done horrible things and have had horrendous things done too them.  Yet, they come seeking freedom and we must love them to help set them free.

Power

Power is necessary in this ministry but it is also a trap.  Some people want to be in the exorcism ministry because they want to be seen as powerful.  They like a good fight and glamourize the war with the enemy.  The desire to defeat the enemy is a just desire.  However, many do not balance this power with compassion.  The power of God sets the captive free, not our power, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us,” (2 Cor. 4:7).

So, we want people in the ministry that love the client first and understand that God gives His power out of love for the healing of His children.  Stay away from people that desire the power and care little for the feelings of the clients.  These people will force an exorcism when the client isn’t ready because they believe that power is all you need and there is no need for anything else.  They are usually insensitive, impatient, and pushy.  In many cases they will be frustrated with a careful, prayerful approach to the ministry and will launch out on their own.  They may actually blame the client when the exorcism takes too long and quit when things are not going their way.  It is best to not let these people into the ministry because they will cause more problems than they solve.

Demon Focused

The demon focused person is a poor candidate for the exorcism ministry.  They see demons everywhere and their lives are consumed with tracking down the next move of the enemy.  They think that every behavior, every mental health issue, and every sickness are caused by demons.  They see demons all the time but rarely see angels.  They rarely experience the Presence of the Lord in prayer and usually spend time in prayer battling demonic attacks.  A good question to ask someone that wants to join the exorcism ministry is…”In prayer, do you spend more time looking for demons or Jesus?”  Those that have difficulties in this area rarely feel joy because they are usually searching for evil.  They cannot see the good things that the Lord is doing and focus and what could go wrong…”For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17).

I knew a man that was in charge of an exorcism ministry in a local church.  He used to walk around the church at night carrying a large sword (which he used to swing around in prayer).  He was constantly battling demons in prayer and fighting off the latest demonic attack.  One night, as I was talking to him, we noticed a frog hopping by.  He saw this as a bad sign and believed that God was revealing a demonic attack that needed instant prayer.  If someone came to see him for prayer he usually ended up doing an exorcism prayer.  One woman talked to him after going through a rape and he warned her that if she did not forgive the offender she would be open to a demonic attack.  This was not what she needed to hear at that time.  She needed compassion and understanding, but demon focused people are extremely legalistic and focus on the rules, not the person. 

He went to the pastor’s office every week and outlined the new attack of the enemy.  He wanted the pastor to let him do exorcism prayers before each service on stage and the pastor refused because he thought the average church member would be frightened and not understand what he was doing.  The man got angry with the pastor and quit the church to start his own church.  After several months with fewer than 12 people attending, he left town.

Fear

Some people are obsessed with demons because they are actually afraid of them and worry about being attacked constantly.  These people are fascinated with evil and want to read, watch movies, and talk to others about demons.  However, this fascination is birthed out of fear.  Those that fear the enemy are not good candidates for the exorcism ministry.  In exorcisms there are frightening manifestations and demons love to induce fear if they can to paralyze the exorcism team.  Therefore it is essential to get to the motive as to why an individual wants to join an exorcism team.  Some actually hope that if they stay around exorcism ministers, they will be kept safe and the team will recognize for them when a demon is trying to attack them.  In these cases they will act more like a client than a minister…”Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me,” (Psalm 23:4).

Poor Theology

I have taught Bible classes for years and it never ceases to amaze me how little people know of the Bible.  Most don’t read it much and few have a coherent theology that is logical and consistent.  The exorcism ministry is a ministry where you have to have firm beliefs that are unshakable.  They must be able to answer the question of who has the greatest power: Jesus, satan, or are they equal?  Don’t be fooled; some may verbally say that Jesus is more powerful but they live in fear of demons.  It is necessary to know the Bible because demons know it and will sometimes try to trap you in an exorcism by twisting the Word of God.  For example, in the middle of an exorcism a demon spoke through a client and it said they didn’t have to go because Jesus gave it permission to be there.  One person actually became confused by this because they had ministered for hours and the demon wasn’t coming out.  In fact it mocked and ridiculed the team and said that the team wasn’t powerful enough to expel it.  The confused team member had to be removed and later, a lot of time was spent going over his beliefs and why this assaulted his faith…”He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together,” (Colossians 1:15-17).

Reckless

There are some that will not come under the authority of any exorcism team yet they think they are experts on demons.  One woman believed that if you sneezed in church it meant that a demon was coming out, if you became dizzy it was a demonic attack, and if you were sad it was caused by a demon.  These people usually have a bad combination of fear, being demon focused, and poor theology.  These people will walk up to unsuspecting people that are crying and say that they are being harassed by a demon and will offer to cast it out on the spot.  There are several problems with this: