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What to Do After Receiving Deliverance

The following is a teaching article by pastor Jake:

Deliverance from evil spirits is a powerful and necessary ministry in the body of Christ today. It is one that God is highlighting and restoring to the church, and for the last several weeks we have been focusing on this area at Threshold. (See my previous article called Making Deliverance Ministry Normal Again).

We are receiving some great testimonies of deliverance. Praise God for how He is moving!

What Next?

When a person receives deliverance, there is often a question of “Now what?” What should a person expect after being delivered, and what are some keys for walking in the newfound freedom?

Jesus indicated that evil spirits may seek to return to the very people that they were cast out of (See Matthew 12:43-45). He did not tell us this so that we will be afraid, but so that we will be prepared for any way they may seek to attack or reenter. We must not in any way have a posture of fear or paranoia about this; however, we should be aware and ready.

James 4:7-8 gives us some great instructions that will help us walk out our freedom: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Following these keys, we will maintain our freedom and grow in our walk with the Lord:

1. Submit to God: We must remain submitted to God and under the lordship of Jesus. This happens as we maintain a heart posture of being surrendered to God, and as we yield to Him as He puts His finger on areas He is wanting to refine. It is important to continue to keep “the doors closed” on the enemy by walking in a lifestyle of repentance and being quick to repent if we stumble into sin.

2. Resist the Devil: We must be on guard against how the enemy may seek to tempt or attack. We are called to take an active stand against the devil, not a passive one. We should not be caught off guard if he tries to come our way, but should be clothed in the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-19) and ready to resist him. If you sense that the enemy is seeking to attack, verbally resist him as Jesus did when He was tempted in the wilderness. Just like Jesus quoted Scripture, declare a truth from God’s Word that rebukes the devil. Remember that in Christ, we have total authority over every evil spirit!

3. Draw Near to God: We should not just want to be emptied of evil spirits, we should be filled with God’s Spirit. As we spend time with the Lord, being filled with the Word and with the Holy Spirit, there will not be a place for the enemy to have a foothold in our lives. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

Although deliverance can happen instantaneously, there is a process of walking in our new freedom and renewing our minds. Be especially on guard in your thoughts. Replace lies with truth and don’t allow your thoughts to get out of control. You don’t have to allow old thought patterns to continue, but instead can take your thoughts captive! (See 2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

It is helpful to have other people that you are walking with to help you in the journey. Get plugged into a Life Group or seek the help of a mentor or friend. You don’t need to walk through this alone! (If this is an area that you need further guidance in, contact the church).

Don’t focus all of your attention on the devil; focus on Jesus. But at the same time, be equipped to recognize the enemy and stand against his attempts to attack you. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you some specific keys for walking in the freedom God has given you. And stand on God’s promise: “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

God is truly anointing us with a grace for deliverance. Let’s keep growing in the keys for finding freedom and setting others free!

 

 

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Threshold Church exists to love and worship God and to advance His Kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come Join us on Sundays at 5 PM