Many people have questions and concerns and FEARS when they hear the words:

                          DEMONS or DELIVERANCE.

Here, we hope to dispel some of the myths and fears that have been instilled in people and educate you on the actual influence of demons & the necessity of the Ministry of Deliverance. If you happen to encounter a question that you don't see the answer to here, please select the button below and we will be happy to address (and research if necessary) your concern.

• DEMONS
1. What are demons? Demons are evil spirits. They are fallen angels who fell with their insurgent leader, Satan (formerly named, Lucifer), into apostasy or perdition. Though we are not told in Scripture what their precise number is, we do know that their number is 1/3 of all the original company of angels. They are spirit beings filled with unrighteousness and rebellion against God. They seek to influence human behavior in order to carry out their diabolical plans and desires.

2. Can a Christian be possessed (as in “owned”) by a demon? This is probably THE most frequently asked question we get concerning our ministry!! The answer is “NO”, in Ezekiel 18:4, God says clearly, “Behold, all souls are mine…”, so therefore no demon can inhabit (own) the SPIRIT of a Christian, however, it can be in the SOUL and be in the BODY. See while we receive a new Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, when we are born again, our soul and bodies remain the same. Our memories, pains of the past, current afflictions, and infirmities normally remain because they exist in our soul (our mind, will, and emotions) and body. Therefore the demons torment the soul through soul wounds and soul ties and they torment the body with infirmity and physical affliction. So a Christian isn’t possessed, they simply have a demon.

3. How can a demon dwell within a believer that has the Holy Spirit? Many believe that anybody who has the Holy Spirit is immune from demonic bondage. This theology usually stems from a faulty belief that the soul (mind) and the spirit are the same things. The moment we are born again, our spirits are reborn and the Holy Spirit is united with our spirit. The soul (mind, will, and emotions) of a man is not instantly reborn as the spirit is, but rather we are told to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, which doesn’t happen instantly. Our soul is where the dirt lies, and where the demons dwell, not our spirits. Therefore, there is no reason left to believe that a Christian is immune from demonic bondage because their souls are usually on the dirty side until they are renewed over time. If the soul and the spirit were the same things, you would instantly be a perfect person, never to sin again, once you are born again. There would be no ‘evil’ left in you, no desires to do wrong, and you would hate it bitterly because you would be perfect in your mind/soul and united with God, therefore there would be no room to sin. In John 8: 31-34, Jesus tells us that even though they were believers; they were held slaves to sin because they were ignorant of the truth: this proves that Christians can be in bondage to darkness. If a demon can affect our minds, will, and emotions (souls), they can do an awful lot of damage. Look at what mental illness can do to people by affecting the mind! They can cause the person to have unspeakable desires, thoughts, and emotions and do unthinkable things!!

4. How can you “get” a demon? The most common ways are through open doors (legal grounds), traumatic experiences, rejection, abuse, or generational (passed down). Open doors consist of things such as repeated sins, ungodly vows, curses or oaths (self-imposed or generational, etc.), occult dabbling, ungodly soul ties, unforgiveness, sexual encounters, etc. Additionally, the iniquity or curse in a parent or grandparent could be handed down, which automatically gives the demons the legal rights to inhabit the child or future generation, but the demons themselves are not omnipresent and therefore cannot dwell within two people at the same time. Similar demons of the same kind (infirmity, rejection, fear, etc.) are usually what take advantage of a generational curse or iniquity. So basically it is all based on sin: Generational sin, Voluntary sin, or sin that has been perpetrated against you.

5. Don’t demons automatically leave when a person gets saved (Born Again)? No, this is an unbiblical assumption that nobody can back up with scripture (unless they twist it). Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we will automatically shed all our bondages at the time of salvation. Many demons cause health problems, and roughly half of the healings Jesus did in Matthew were actually deliverances from such evil spirits, therefore, if people automatically shed their bondages at the time of salvation, I would expect many, many healings to automatically take place the moment they believe upon Jesus. Personally, I don’t know of one of those cases. Cancer is known to be demonic in almost every situation, therefore, I would expect cancer to leave automatically at the time a person accepts Jesus if we automatically shed all our demons when we are born again. The problem is, this is a faulty theology that keeps people from seeking the help they need, because it makes them believe that they can’t have demons, therefore denying the problem. This belief that demons automatically leave at the time of salvation is what they are talking about in 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” The belief is unbiblical and based on assumptions, and furthermore, experience tells me different.

6. Are there different strengths of demons? And aren’t all demons the same? The Bible speaks of different ranks of demons in Ephesians 6:12, and Jesus taught His disciples that some demons were so strong that they required a level of faith to cast them out that was only obtainable through fasting and prayer (Mark 9:29). Demons are NOT all the same. They all have their own personalities, just like people do. There are different demons that serve different functions, such as some people are doctors while others are lawyers, etc. Some demons cause loss of hearing and loss of eyesight (Mark 9:25), while others cause infirmities, and others cause fear and depression (1 Samuel 16:14). Additionally, just like God’s holy angels have names (Luke 1:19, Judges 1:9), demons have unique names too! Often, the name of a demon will give you a clue as to what it does, the function it performs, or the role it plays. Some of the demons in the Bible are known as deaf, dumb, infirmity, Behemoth & Leviathan, etc. (Mark 9:24, Luke 13:11, Job 41, Isaiah 27:1)

7. Are there different degrees of demonic influences? Yes. There is only one word used in the original language of the New Testament (Greek) to describe demonic influence and habitation – “daimonizomai,” which simply means “demonized”. In terms of casting out devils, it serves no purpose to “sugarcoat” or get “hung up” over semantics. If a person is being influenced by a demon, he needs to be set free from that influence and the demon needs to be cast out, regardless of what part of his being it is affecting or inhabiting. However, for the sake of identification, demonization is commonly classified into 2 categories: oppression and obsession. Oppression is solely EXTERNAL influence by demons affecting or seeking to affect either a person’s body or his mind and emotions but without commandeering his will. Obsession is a more advanced stage of demonic attack of the human soul or body than oppression, distinguished primarily by the fact that with obsession the demonized person has gradually given more and more place to the evil spirits, resulting in the progressive seizure of the demonized person’s will and progressively reducing their self-control

8. What is the difference between a demon and a stronghold? A stronghold is basically an incorrect thinking pattern that has been burned into the person’s mind. The enemy often works to build these in our minds through continually injecting thoughts into our minds which are not in sync with God’s Word, and therefore get us to habitually think along those lines. Other strongholds are often formed in our minds as we are raised up in a certain environment, like a child who feels that all fathers are mean because he was raised by a cruel and cold father. Strongholds, regardless if they are demonically inspired or naturally learned, must be torn down through the renewing of our minds according to the Word of God. See, according to Webster’s Dictionary, a Stronghold is a “Strongly fortified place or a place of security”. This is why Strongholds are able to play such a vital role in so many different bondages. Tearing them down is essential as the demons rely on them to strengthen and give them power in that person’s mind. The strongholds are usually found alongside demonic bondages. What happens is that the person has an unclean spirit which is actively whispering in their thought life (injecting the thoughts into their mind – fortifying the “place”), and eventually, the person begins to believe what the enemy is telling them. Once a person begins to believe what the enemy is telling them, they begin to imagine it in their mind (vain imagination) and a stronghold is formed. Final thought: You can NEVER cast out strongholds, they must be torn down!!

9. Can demons return to the person whom the left? Yes, BUT this is mostly a concern for non-believers who have undergone a deliverance, and haven’t accepted Jesus yet. Jesus warns the ‘wicked generation’ (sinners) that the demon can return with 7 even worse demons. If you are a believer though, and your deliverance has been complete (ALL the demons kicked out and legal rights have been broken), then this isn’t a concern to you. However, if you go back and re-open the door(s) that let the demon in, you are welcoming them back in. But if we don’t go back and re-punch that hole in our hedge again, we don’t have to go around worrying about them returning.

10. Is it possible to have just ONE demon? In most cases of deliverance, there is usually more than one spirit that must be addressed. Usually, because demons often operate in groupings. For example, a person may have a spirit of anger, but also spirits of hate and rage that are also in that person. The person facilitating the deliverance but be on guard for the doorkeeper, or the spirit that may have let the other ones in. For example, a person may have been angered one time, which opened them up to a spirit of anger, then that spirit worked the person up to hate somebody (which welcomed a spirit of hate), then the person began to think of how they can get revenge on that person (thus welcoming spirits of vengeance and rage). It is important to be on guard for related spirits when doing deliverance. For example, if I found a spirit of murder, I would also keep an eye out for spirits of anger, hate, and rage.

11. So, is casting them out (deliverance) the only way to get rid of them? Won’t they automatically leave if I just grow in the Lord and take back the legal rights? It’s vital to understand the importance of casting out demons. Some believers assume that the demons will automatically leave on their own accord once the legal rights are removed, and they grow closer to the Lord, but that simply is not true. We may be cleansed from legal rights in our lives, but unwelcome guests (evil spirits) may still need to be told to leave. Let’s say that you lived in an apartment and had a roommate, but one day you chose to have the place to yourself, so you started paying the full rent (so you have full legal rights to live there alone), but where your problem lies is that your stubborn roommate (who no longer has a legal right to live there) refuses to leave. The same principle applies in the spiritual realm when dealing with demons. This is why Jesus gave us authority over demon spirits to cast them out. If demons left on their own accord once their legal rights were broken, there would be no need to cast them out! But Jesus made it clear that them who believe will be casting out demons (Mark 16:17}

12. How do demons manifest when they are driven out? Since demons are spirits, they are air. Therefore, any way that your body dispels air, can be a manifestation. Excuse me for being crude but, they can come out by belching, farting, itching/scratching, tingling, yawning, coughing, tearing, ears popping, eyes blinking, and body discharge (usually for sexual demons). Sometimes but NOT ALWAYS, there may be purging, foaming at the mouth, body parts stiffening, or loud yelling. Demons have been known to swear at the facilitator in an attempt to stay in place or distract them from the deliverance.

• DELIVERANCE
1. What is deliverance and is it biblical? Deliverance is a term commonly used to refer to the Biblical act of casting out demons. Some traditional church sects refer to deliverance as “exorcism”. The person who has had demons cast out is said to be “set free” or “delivered”. The end result is that the demons are evicted from their place of residence in or around the person being delivered, and the person is freed from the influence of the demons. While back in the Old Testament, deliverance was not available, the casting out of demons only came on the scene when Jesus arrived on the earth and had the authority to cast them out. In Mark 1:27, we find that the people around Jesus were shocked when they saw Him exercise His authority over evil spirits. There are many additional references in the Bible to the casting out of demons. Jesus relegated the authority to the apostles of the Early Church to cast out demons, and sent them forth to do so (Mark 16:17 and Luke 4:18). The list of those who cast out demons in the Early Church, according to the Bible, include: the 12 Apostles, Phillip the Evangelist, and the Apostle Paul. In Mark 13:34, it is clearly stated that we all have been given authority, therefore, every believer should know that they CAN cast out a demon, if necessary.

2. What is the difference between Deliverance and Exorcism? Exorcism involves rituals, rites and invocation of angels, archangels and ascended saints – all of which are unbiblical. Deliverance exerts our God given authority over the demons in the name of Jesus Christ.

3. Who is deliverance for? Although it is possible and sometimes beneficial to cast demons out of unbelievers, the deliverance ministry is primarily geared towards believers for a number of reasons. For one, it’s part of the new covenant, which does not apply to unbelievers. Second, without Christ, you cannot remove the legal rights the demon has in a person, therefore the problem hasn’t been solved, it only been stirred up. Third, Jesus warned that if you cast demons out of an unbeliever (sinner, wicked generation), it will come back with 7 more even worse demons and the person will be far worse than before (Matthew 12:43-45). I believe there are times when it is helpful to cast demons out of unbelievers, but that’s not the focus of THIS ministry. Jesus said that this is the children’s bread (Matthew 15:26) and it is geared towards setting the believers free from demonic bondage.

4. Do we actually take authority over evil spirits in deliverance? The concept of “taking authority” must be carefully understood. You and I don’t have any authority over evil spirits. To have authority means to have the ability to force another person (or spirit) to subject itself to you and obey you. Our authority is accessed by faith, as Jesus gave His disciples the authority to cast out demons. (Luke 9:1, Luke 10:17), but in Matthew 17: 14-21, they were unable to cast out a particular kind of demon that was apparently much stronger then usual, simply because they lacked faith (versed 19-20). They didn’t lack authority; they lacked the faith that was necessary to exercise their authority. Authority doesn't beg; authority doesn't ask; authority commands! We are not told to ask God to cast out demons, we are told to do it ourselves through Him! We are not told to beg demons to come out, we are told to CAST them out! Notice that we are never told to beg or coax the demons to come out, neither are we told to pray and ask God to remove them, but we ARE told to cast them out! Matthew 10:8 clearly commands us to, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." And also look at Mark 16:17, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils." Luke 10:17, "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." Only Christ has the true authority over evil spirits and all such matters. It is only through our union with Him that we share in His work of deliverance. In deliverance, we only join Him as He takes the authority over evil spirits. Authority is exercised through our spoken word. The power of life and death are in the spoken word: Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

5. What is the individual deliverance process that we do & how does it work? The individual deliverance sessions that TFC offers are conducted in a very calm, soothing environment. Usually it is 2 Ministers with the individual. The process starts with what we call "discovery": which is basically a series of questions being asked including familial & medical history. This enables the primary minister (facilitator) to evaluate where the open doors & entry points occurred. After the discovery time, the next step is educating the individual on the open doors and how to keep them closed once freedom has been obtained. Then the individual is led through a series of prayers that include breaking ungodly soul ties and stripping the demonic influences of their legal rights. Once the prayers are completed, the primary minister just simply begins to call the demons out calmly, maintaining constant eye contact with the individual while the other minister basically just stays in prayer mode. Upon completion of the session, the minister reiterates to the individual techniques and instructions on how to maintain their freedoms, shares what demonic influences were removed and called out, they all pray and then dismiss (scheduling another session when necessary)!!

6. Does your ministry charge a fee for individual deliverance sessions? While one cannot put a price on someone's freedom, 1 Timothy 5:18 "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his hire." Deliverance sessions are HARD work for the facilitator. This ministry does NOT charge a set fee, but we do ask for a "love offering" at the end of each session. Especially where in most cases, a minimum of 2 sessions is necessary and they have been known to last up to as long as 3 1/2 hours.