The Harm of Deliverance Ministry: A Biblical Critique and a Call to True Freedom in Christ

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The Harm of Deliverance Ministry: A Biblical Critique and a Call to True Freedom in Christ

Examining errors in the teachings and practices of modern deliverance ministries in light of Scripture, and pointing believers toward the true freedom, authority, and healing found in Christ alone.

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In recent years, an increasing number of Christians have become captivated by a form of deliverance ministry focused on casting out demons and providing healing through rituals of “binding and loosing”, “decreeing and declaring”, and “breaking generational curses”. While this movement promises healing, freedom, and spiritual power, I believe it misrepresents Scripture and misleads believers and unbelievers alike. I do not practice these deliverance methods, not because I deny spiritual warfare or the existence of demonic forces, or because I deny God’s power to deliver and heal, but because I am committed to a biblical, Christ-centered model of spiritual freedom. Below is an explanation of my theological reasoning, rooted in Scripture.

THE PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS ARTICLE

If deliverance ministry was a harmless practice, this article would not be necessary. I could simply agree to disagree with practitioners of deliverance ministry, and celebrate the unity we enjoy in many other areas of faith. However, when a growing practice within the church is not just unbiblical, but actively harmful to both those practicing and receiving, we must respond by speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:14-15). We must humbly search the Scriptures, and if they clearly contradict what also appears to be a harmful practice, we must respond with firm reasoning that is grounded in God’s word.

The Problems with Deliverance Ministry

When believers are told that their struggles stem from hidden demons or unbroken generational curses, it shifts their focus away from Christ and the gospel. Instead of seeking spiritual growth through the ordinary means of grace—prayer, Scripture, community, confession, and sanctification—they look for dramatic rituals to solve their problems. This creates a dependency on human mediators and endless cycles of fear and striving.

Even worse, when deliverance ministry doesn’t “work”, people may blame themselves: "Maybe I didn’t have enough faith”, or “Maybe I didn’t break the right curse.” This can produce anxiety, shame, and spiritual paralysis rather than freedom. I don’t deny that people have been truly healed by the power of God at deliverance ministries, but these cases are the result of God’s sovereign will—not the special anointing, training, or processes of the deliverance minister. If it is not God’s will to heal someone at the time they seek deliverance, it can drive them away from God and hinder their faith. This is especially true if they are told that the reason deliverance didn’t “work” is a result of their own shortcomings. We are to pray for the things we want and need (Phil 4:6), but as the sanctification process deepens in the life of a believer, their desires become more and more aligned with God’s will, the accomplishment of which is our ultimate desire (1 John 5:14-15, James 4:3). 

On top of this, many deliverance ministries fail to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. While they may invoke the name of Jesus or call upon His authority during their rituals, they often neglect to clearly share the saving message that reconciles sinners to God—that through repentance and faith in Christ, one can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life (Rom 10:9–13, 2 Cor 5:18–21). In doing so, they miss the very power that brings true and lasting freedom.

Some ministries may assume that freedom comes through casting out spirits, breaking curses, or speaking declarations—but the Bible teaches that salvation comes through hearing and believing the gospel (Rom 10:17). Without the gospel, any so-called deliverance is superficial at best and deceptive at worst. The greatest deliverance anyone can receive is not from illness or a spirit of affliction, but from the wrath of God against sin (Rom 5:9).

Jesus Himself warned in Matthew 12:43–45 that when an unclean spirit leaves a person and finds no spiritual replacement—no indwelling of the Holy Spirit—it returns with seven other spirits, making the final condition of the person worse than the first. This passage serves as a serious caution: to cast out a spirit without leading the person to saving faith in Christ is to leave them spiritually empty and more vulnerable than before. Deliverance without discipleship is dangerous.

The true mission of the Church is not to offer temporary relief through rituals, but to proclaim the gospel that leads to lasting transformation through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Without this foundation, any freedom experienced is fleeting and deceptive.

For those who love God, we know that He already has our best interests in mind (Rom 8:28). It is unbiblical to teach that He can be manipulated into aligning His will to ours by saying specific words or performing specific actions (James 4:3). Although we must pray for the things we need (Phil 4:6), deliverance ministry can cause individuals to not trust in His perfect timing.

It is with these things in mind that I write this critique of deliverance ministry and offer a more biblical understanding of true deliverance.


CAN A SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER BE DEMON POSSESSED?

Before we examine further theological errors common in deliverance ministry, we must first address one of its foundational assumptions: the belief that a Spirit-filled Christian can be possessed by demons. This idea underlies much of what is taught in deliverance circles. Thankfully, Scripture is clear that believers need not fear such invasive tactics from Satan’s minions. The Bible teaches that Christ’s death and resurrection decisively defeated Satan and delivered believers from the domain of darkness (Col 1:13–14, Col 2:15, Heb 2:14–15). Those who are in Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13), adopted into God's family (Rom 8:15), and made new creations (2 Cor 5:17). The idea that a Christian can be indwelt or controlled by a demon directly contradicts these truths.

A Word on the “Body, Soul, and Spirit” Argument

Some deliverance teachers claim that a Christian can be indwelt by the Holy Spirit in their “spirit”, but still be inhabited or afflicted by demons in their “body” or “soul.” This view often reflects a misunderstanding of biblical anthropology and veers dangerously close to Gnostic thinking—the ancient heresy that separated the spiritual from the physical and treated the body as inherently evil. While Scripture does refer to “body, soul, and spirit” (1 Thess 5:23, Heb 4:12), it does not divide the believer into spiritual “compartments” that can be separately inhabited by different powers.

Biblically, the human person is treated as a unified whole. Jesus said God can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28), not that each part operates independently with its own moral or spiritual status. When someone is in Christ, they are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17); they have been washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor 6:11), and their entire being is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9–11). Paul writes that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19–20)—not our “spirits only”, but our bodies.

There is no biblical basis for the idea that demons can take up residence in a believer’s physical body or soul while the Holy Spirit inhabits their spirit. Scripture is clear: If Christ is in you, then the power of darkness has been decisively broken (Col 1:13–14), and He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).


MISUSE OF BIBLICAL TERMS AND PASSAGES

Poor hermeneutics has been a major culprit over the millennia in establishing and sustaining false doctrines. The Bible is the supreme standard by which we must test all our doctrines, and proper interpretation of the text is crucial (2 Pet 1:20-21, 2 Tim 4:3-4, Prv 3:5). We’re going to look at examples of verses and passages that have been continually misinterpreted by deliverance ministers as a result of poor interpretive practices. The Bible was written in a specific time and place, for a specific timeless purpose. We must not take parts of it out of their literary or cultural context to support theology that wasn’t intended by the author. 

Descriptive ≠ Prescriptive

Many deliverance practices are based on narrative accounts in Scripture—especially from the Gospels and Acts—where demons are cast out. But these passages are descriptive, showing what happened, not necessarily prescriptive commands for us to do the same.

Just because Jesus or the apostles did something doesn’t mean we are called to replicate it in all cases. We are called to imitate Christ in character (1 Cor 11:1, 1 John 2:6, Eph 5:1-2, Phil 2:5, Rom 8:29), but not by doing everything He did. Jesus healed by spitting in mud (John 9:6), but we don’t take that as a model for healing ministries. Jesus proclaimed Himself to be God (John 8:58), but we don’t claim the same of ourselves just because He did. The stories of Jesus in the Gospels are valuable for teaching and understanding the Character of Christ, but these narratives are not a list of instructions for Christians to imitate directly. The New Testament epistles, which are prescriptive teachings for the church & Christian life, never instruct Christians to perform deliverance rituals on other Christians - or even on unbelievers. Instead, the focus is on spiritual maturity (Col 1:28), resisting the devil (James 4:7), and standing firm in the faith (Eph. 6:10–18), and proclaiming the Gospel (1 Pet 2:9).

As we consider the implications of deliverance ministries in our current day, we must consider scriptural stories of demons being cast out in context and discern what is being communicated. In the gospels & Acts, demons are cast out of unbelievers or people who are newly hearing the gospel (Acts 16:16–18, Acts 8:7), not mature believers. Once people are baptized and indwelt by the Spirit, there is no record of an ongoing exorcism ministry within the church. Paul never cast out a demon from a Christian or encouraged Christians to “seek deliverance” for themselves.

Poor hermeneutics contribute significantly to this confusion. For example:

  • Exodus 20:5 is often used to justify “breaking generational curses,” yet the passage is about God's sovereign justice, not a spiritual inheritance that can be broken through ritual. Notice that the curse is limited to generations “...of those who hate me”, but the very next verse (Ex 20:6) emphasizes God’s loving kindness to those who love and obey Him.

  • Matthew 12:29 (“bind the strong man”) is used to justify binding Satan or demons, but in context Jesus is referring to His own authority over Satan—not giving us a spiritual formula.

  • Mark 16:17 is sometimes cited to support exorcism ministries, but this passage’s authenticity is heavily debated, and even if valid, it refers to signs that accompany gospel proclamation—not prescribed rituals. 

  • Job 22:28 is often misused to support the authority of the believer by “decreeing and declaring.” But this verse is spoken by Eliphaz—one of Job’s friends whom God later rebukes for speaking falsely (Job 42:7). In this chapter, Eliphaz was preaching a false prosperity gospel to Job, and the purpose of this passage is to highlight how bad theology can be shared confidently and still be untrue. We must not build doctrine on verses that quote unreliable characters, especially when their theology is explicitly corrected by God.

Apostolic Examples of Casting Out Demons

  • Acts 5:16: “Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.”
    Context: General summary of the apostles' ministry.

  • Acts 8:7: "For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them..."
    Context: Philip’s ministry in Samaria (Philip was not one of the Twelve, but was a deacon and evangelist). There is no record of Philip having any special training or authority to cast out demons, or performing specific rituals to do so. It says that he was “proclaiming Christ to them” (Acts 8:5), and that people were believing him as he was “preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12).

  • Acts 16:16–18 – Paul casts a spirit of divination out of a slave girl in Philippi. This is the only instance in the entire Bible of a believer commanding a demon directly—and even then there was no drama, dialogue, or ritual. This does not provide biblical support for ongoing “deliverance ministries” that focus on identifying, speaking to, or negotiating with demons. Paul appears to be using his unique Apostolic authority in this case.

  • Acts 19:11–12 – God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, including the casting out of evil spirits through handkerchiefs and aprons.

  • Acts 19:13–16 – The sons of Sceva attempt to cast out demons by speaking to them directly "in the name of Jesus whom Paul proclaims" and are overpowered—showing the danger of treating exorcism as a ritual apart from true faith in Christ. In the bible, believers are never instructed to speak to demons. We are to speak to God directly and ask Him to deliver us from evil (Matt 6:13).

Notably, none of these examples involve rituals like:

  • “binding and loosing”

  • “decreeing and declaring”

  • “generational curse breaking”

Instead, the apostles acted under direct apostolic authority, in the name of Jesus, and without elaborate ceremonies. These examples support the argument that deliverance was a manifestation of apostolic authority and gospel power, not a method for Christians to replicate through ritual.

The Apostolic Pattern of Discipleship, Not Ritual

The apostolic method for dealing with sin, temptation, and spiritual struggle is: Preaching Christ (Col. 1:28), teaching sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), encouraging repentance and faith (Acts 20:21), practicing confession and mutual prayer (James 5:16), engaging in church discipline if necessary (Matt 18:15–17). There is no prescriptive process in Scripture for casting out demons from believers, and descriptive examples of casting demons out from unbelievers is always in the context of preaching the Gospel of Jesus.

Blaming our Sin on Demonic Activity

As we consider New Testament examples of casting out demons, we must also discuss another troubling aspect of modern deliverance ministries. This is the tendency to label common human struggles as evidence of demonic activity. People are routinely said to have demons of lust, anger, fear, laziness, gluttony, or pride. But Biblically, these are works of the flesh, not the work of indwelling demons (Gal 5:19–21). The call to Christians is not to have these “spirits” cast out of them—but to put the flesh to death by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:13), to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24), and to be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:2).

The Bible never speaks of “the demon of lust” or “the demon of procrastination”. Instead, it speaks of self-control as a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), and spiritual maturity as the result of perseverance in faith, prayer, obedience, and community (Heb 5:14, Jas 1:4). Deliverance ministries may try to bypass this lifelong sanctifying work by offering quick-fix solutions to deeply rooted sins or psychological issues. This creates a culture where confession, repentance, and discipline are replaced by spectacle.

We must also remember that we live in a fallen world. Physical sickness (see section below on Physical Healing), mental illness, emotional trauma, and temptation are not always the result of personal sin or demonic oppression. The Bible shows us a world groaning under the weight of the Fall (Rom 8:20–23), where even the faithful suffer. To attribute every struggle to a demon is not only Biblically inaccurate—it can be pastorally harmful, leading to guilt, fear, and an unhealthy dependence on human “deliverers.”

In the New Testament, when someone was truly possessed by a demon, it was unmistakable. The symptoms were severe, public, and unmistakably supernatural (Mark 5:1–20, Luke 9:39). When Jesus cast out demons, the transformation was total and immediate (Mark 5:15, Luke 9:42-43, Matt 12:22-23). There was no question as to whether the person had been set free. Even Jesus’ enemies could not deny the reality of the miracles (John 11:47, Matt 12:22–24). Contrast this with today’s so-called deliverances, where people come back week after week to have new demons cast out, or fall into the same sin patterns they supposedly were “freed” from.

We do not need to be delivered from “demons of the flesh”—we need to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16), submit to God, resist the devil (Jas 4:7), and fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). Sin must be confessed, not cast out. Sanctification is not an event—it is a lifelong process for the believer.

The Autonomous Authority to Cast Out Demons Was Unique to Christ and His Apostles

Now that we've distinguished between the sinful works of the flesh and genuine demonic possession, we must still acknowledge the reality of true demonic activity as presented in Scripture. The Bible does not deny the existence or danger of demons—but it also doesn’t promise authority over demonic forces to believers. Rather, the authority to cast out demons in Scripture is always connected to Jesus Himself and those specifically commissioned by Him.

Jesus gave the twelve and later the seventy-two specific authority to cast out demons as signs of the inbreaking of the Kingdom (Matt 10:1, Mark 6:12-13, Luke 10:17–20). These signs accompanied the initial spread of the gospel, similar to miracles in the book of Acts (Heb 2:3–4). Although the disciples were commissioned and given authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10), Jesus said to them “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (Luke 10:20). There is no indication this authority was normatively transferred to all believers for use in ongoing rituals, and for those who did receive this authority, Jesus instructed them not to rejoice in it. In 2 Cor 12:12, Paul refers to "the signs of a true apostle" as including miracles—signaling their unique role. While I don’t subscribe to cessationism, Scripture is clear that the office of “Apostle” did not continue from generation to generation (Eph 2:20, Acts 1:21-22, Rev 21:14), and that the Apostles were entrusted with a higher level of authority than an “average” Christian for the purpose of the initial establishment of the Church.  

Summary of Biblical Examples of Excorsism

Though demons are cast out in the Gospels and Acts, these:

  • Are in evangelistic contexts among unbelievers.

  • Never accompanied by rituals or formulas.

  • Never directed at Spirit-filled believers.

The letters to the churches (Romans through Revelation) contain no instruction on how to cast out demons or break curses. In the Bible, believers are never commanded to cast out demons in any circumstance. If deliverance rituals were an essential practice within the church, wouldn’t we expect them to appear in the teaching letters to the churches?

Binding & Loosing

In Matthew 16:19 and 18:18, Jesus speaks of “binding and loosing”—a phrase often taken out of context in deliverance ministry. These passages are not in the context of casting out demons or conducting spiritual warfare rituals. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus addresses Peter directly following his confession of Christ, entrusting him with the keys of the kingdom—a symbol of authority to share the gospel. In Matthew 18:18, the phrase is addressed to the gathered disciples in the context of church discipline, indicating that this authority extends to the church body, particularly as exercised through its leaders. The grammar of both verses (the future perfect passive: “shall have been bound/loosed in heaven”) shows that the church does not initiate authority on earth and expect heaven to follow. Rather, the church affirms on earth what has already been established in heaven. This is not a formula for exercising authority over demons but a framework for discerning and applying God’s will in matters of doctrine, discipline, and forgiveness (see also John 20:23). In another passage used to justify the believer’s authority to “bind” and “loose”, Luke 13:16, where Jesus says Satan had bound a woman, it is Christ who unbinds her by His authority.


EXPERIENCE DOES NOT OVERRULE TRUTH

A major driving force behind deliverance practices is anecdotal experience. Deliverance ministers will say, "I saw a Christian possessed by a demon", or "It worked when we declared a curse was lifted." But Scripture, not experience, must be our final authority. We do not reinterpret the Bible to fit our experience; we evaluate our experiences through the lens of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16–17, 2 Pet 1:20-21).

This mistake is not new. Job’s friends confidently spoke about God's justice based on their own experience and observations (Job 5:27)—but they were wrong. God later rebuked them for misrepresenting Him (Job 42:7). In the same way, even if someone sincerely believes they have seen a Christian possessed by a demon, we must ask: does Scripture teach that a believer, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, can also be possessed by an unclean spirit? The answer is no (Rom 8:9-15, 1 Cor 6:19-20). We must remember that not everyone who appears to be a Christian is a genuine believer (Matt 7:21–23).


We must also consider: Where are we getting our theology from? If a ritual appears to “work,” is that evidence of divine power—or could it be deception? Are we building our understanding of spiritual reality from Scripture, or from what we perceive to be spiritual success? Scripture clearly teaches that Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), and we are warned that not every spirit is from God (1 John 4:1). Just because an experience feels powerful or produces visible effects does not mean it is from the Holy Spirit.

In fact, we must seriously consider the possibility that these practices may be reinforced not by the Spirit of God, but by spiritual forces of darkness. Demons are not passive; they are strategic (2 Cor 2:11, Eph 6:11, 1 Pet 5:8). If they can lend credibility to false theology by appearing to “respond” to unscriptural methods, the result is deeper deception and misplaced confidence. It is perilous to derive theology from spiritual encounters, especially when Scripture warns that deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons will mislead many in the last days (1 Tim 4:1). We are told to test the spirits (1 John 4:1) and to reject any signs or wonders that lead us away from the truth God has already revealed (Deut 13:1–3).

Let us return to the Word of God as our sure foundation, and reject every teaching or practice that elevates personal experience above scriptural truth (Col 2:18, Prov 3:5, Gal 1:8–9).

As a side note, this is not blaspheming the Holy Spirit — Jesus warns against willfully attributing His Spirit-empowered work to Satan in hardened unbelief (Matt 12:31–32). But to test spiritual practices by the word of God is not blasphemy—it is obedience. God commands us not to quench His Spirit, but at the same time to discern truth from error (1 Thess 5:19–22). We do not blaspheme the Spirit by asking, “Is this from the Lord?”—we honor Him by ensuring we walk in His truth (John 16:13).


BIBLICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRUE DELIVERANCE

I believe in spiritual warfare. I believe that demonic oppression can exist within the life of a Christian (2 Cor 12:7, 1 Pet 5:8-9), and possession in the life of non-Christians. I believe that God has the ability to supernaturally cast out demons and heal physical infirmities (Psalm 103:2-3, James 5:14-15). I believe it is our responsibility as the Church to share these truths, therefore we must have a full understanding of the biblical teachings on these topics. 


The Great Commission is our primary mission:

Matthew 28:18–20: “18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Notice in this passage that there is no mention of deliverance rituals—just evangelism, baptism, and discipleship under Christ’s authority. Some deliverance ministers will point to “...everything I commanded you…” as including a command to take up your authority as a believer and engage in spiritual warfare rituals, pointing to passages such as Luke 10. Yes, Jesus cast out demons, and so did His disciples. But, they did so with Jesus's absolute authority, as a sign of the Kingdom breaking in (Matthew 12:28). Jesus never taught or commanded demon-chasing as a ministry model.


The Church is called to share the Gospel:

2 Cor 5:18, 20: “18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, …20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

The church’s ministry is encouraging reconciliation to God through the gospel. The power is in the gospel, not ritual. Rom 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” The gospel—not casting out demons—not declaring that someone is healed—is the power of God for salvation.

The Apostles in the days of the early church had a special focus on prayer and the ministry of God’s word. They appointed men from among the congregation to carry out the practical aspects of ministry so they could focus on their primary calling. Acts 6:4: “But we [the Apostles] will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  The early church leaders prioritized prayer and teaching—not deliverance ministry. Those who had special authority from God to perform supernatural signs did not prioritize demonstrating those signs! 

We see that Evangelism, Not Exorcism, is the default Apostolic Practice. Acts 1:8: “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is still available to all believers. But notice that in these words of Jesus, He promises this power to His Disciples and makes special note that they will be His witnesses. Their primary objective is the spreading of the gospel message. The Spirit empowers all believers to witness about Jesus—not to perform deliverance rituals from their own authority. Furthermore, Paul’s instructions to church leaders are about preaching & teaching, not performing deliverance ministries: 2 Tim 4:2, 5: “2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. … 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

However, it's important to know that  there is a place for spiritual warfare according to the Epistles, just not in the way that modern deliverance ministries practice it. 

Table: What the Epistles Teach about Spiritual Warfare

Emphasis

Verses

Submit to God

James 4:7

Resist the devil through faith

1 Peter 5:8–9, James 4:7

Put on Christ and holiness

Romans 13:12–14, Colossians 3:1-17

Stand in truth and righteousness

Ephesians 6:10–18

Use God’s word as a weapon

Ephesians 6:17

Destroy lies with truth

2 Corinthians 10:3–5

Trust in Christ’s completed victory

Colossians 2:15


Physical Healing

While the bulk of this article is discussing spiritual warfare, the question of physical healing must also be addressed. Some practitioners of deliverance ministry assert that all physical infirmities and illnesses are caused by demonic forces. While Scripture does give examples of demonic activity affecting physical health (Mark 9:17–18, Luke 13:11, Matthew 12:22, 17:15–18), the Bible also makes a clear distinction between demonic oppression and ordinary sickness. For example, in Mark 6:13 demons and illnesses are addressed separately, and in John 9:1–3, Jesus explicitly rejects the idea that a man's blindness was caused by sin or demonic activity, instead attributing it to God’s sovereign purpose. Therefore, we must reject the idea that all illness is demonic in origin.

The New Testament affirms that God can and does heal. The most direct prescription for the church is found in James 5:14–15:

“Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

This is a prescribed religious act, and as such, may be called a ritual—but it is not a formula for manipulating God’s will. It is a means of expressing humble, faith-filled dependence on God, to be carried out within the context of the local church. Notably, it is those who hold the office of elder in the church—not just anyone with special “deliverance training”—who are called to pray and anoint, and it is the sick believer himself who is to initiate the call: “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call…”.

In addition to this, Scripture recognizes that the Holy Spirit may distribute gifts of healing to some for the good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28). However, these gifts are not universally given (1 Cor 12:29–30, 11), nor are they always active in every situation. Even the Apostle Paul, who healed many through the Spirit’s power (Acts 28:8–9), did not always see healing take place. In 1 Timothy 5:23, he tells Timothy to take wine for his frequent stomach ailments, and in Philippians 2:25–27, he speaks of Epaphroditus being “sick to the point of death,” without mention of any healing taking place —only that God had mercy. Paul also left Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20). Even the Apostle Paul himself, despite his extraordinary ministry, was not granted healing for his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7–9), reminding us that healing is not guaranteed, but is always subject to the will of God.

These examples demonstrate that while we are right to pray in faith for healing, we must do so with submission to God’s will. Healing is not guaranteed, nor is it formulaic. God sometimes works through natural means, and other times through supernatural intervention. In all things, our hope is not in techniques, rituals, or gifted individuals, but in the sovereign mercy of God.


The consistent New Testament pattern is this:
The church is called to preach Christ, make disciples, teach sound doctrine, pray, and stand firm in spiritual battle—not to perform mystical rituals. If you cross paths with an unbeliever who is truly demon possessed, the only Biblical role you can play in delivering that person is to share the gospel of Jesus with them. True deliverance from demonic forces comes only through the power of the gospel & the completed work of Christ.


A BETTER WAY FORWARD

The gospel offers something better than what deliverance ministries offer: True freedom in Christ, who said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

I acknowledge the reality of spiritual warfare (Eph 6:12), but our participation is not through mystical rituals. We protect ourselves by wearing the armour of truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, and salvation. The only weapon we are called to wield is the word of God, accompanied by praying at all times through the Spirit (Eph 6:13–18).

We can help believers walk in freedom not by casting out what Christ has already conquered, but by discipling them to believe and live in light of the gospel. We call people to confession (1 John 1:9), repentance (Acts 3:19), and renewal through the Spirit (Titus 3:5). We remind them of the power of the gospel, which breaks every chain (Rom 6:6–7).


CONCLUSION

I do not question the sincerity of those who engage in deliverance rituals, but sincerity is not the measure of truth—God’s word is. Scripture warns that in the last days, people will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that appear spiritual but are in fact harmful and originate from deceitful spirits (1 Tim 4:1). I believe many practices associated with modern deliverance ministries fall into this category.

Many deliverance practices—such as decreeing, declaring, binding, loosing, and breaking curses—claim to offer spiritual freedom, but they misplace the source of our authority and confuse our role as believers. In Scripture, authority is always derived, never autonomous. Jesus never modeled or taught His disciples to decree reality into existence, and the apostles never spoke of binding demons through ritualized language. We are never told to speak to Satan, only to resist him (James 4:7); nor are we told to bind him—only that Christ has already overcome him (Col 2:15). Even the archangel Michael did not rebuke Satan directly but said, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude 1:9). This is a key example of humility and trusting in the Lord in spiritual warfare. To speak as if our words have spiritual causative power is to flirt with the original sin: trying to be like God (Gen 3:5). Our authority lies not in the power of our speech but in the name of Jesus and the word of God. Rather than seek power in rituals, we are called to walk in submission to Christ, filled with the Spirit, and armed with God’s word. We stand not by formulas or forceful speech, but by faith in the finished work of Jesus.

By elevating human words over God’s Word, by promising freedom through rituals rather than through Christ, and by fostering fear, confusion, and misplaced dependency, these movements distract from the finished work of Jesus and open the door to spiritual deception. Therefore, out of love for the Church and reverence for the authority of God’s Word, I urge my brothers and sisters: do not chase after teachings or experiences that Christ & the Apostles never endorsed. Test every spirit (1 John 4:1). Hold fast to sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). Let your freedom be rooted not in your performance or proclamations, but in the unshakable truth of the gospel.

The true path to deliverance is not through ritual, but through relationship with the risen Christ. He alone breaks every chain. He alone gives lasting peace. And He has already won the victory.


“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” —John 8:36

Humbly in Christ,

Adam Price