Demonology

What’s the Truth about Demons? And how do we get rid of them

Recently, at our 1st Wednesday service (Sept 2023), I gave a message called “Demonology 101” – I basically taught the Old Testament’s concept of who is Satan? What are demons? And how do they related to the “Principalities and powers” mentioned in Ephesians 6:11-12?

In PART ONE: I talk about when exactly did Satan sin?Is Satan an angel, cherubim or seraphim? Some say that demons are the departed spirits of the Nephilim. But is that true? And of course, I can’t definitively answer any of these questions; But, I did share a few of my humble opinions (and some various scholars to explore).

Now, if you’re interested in reading up on this topic, there are a lot of strange books (some that I wouldn’t recommend reading haha). At the bottom of this page, I list a few of my current favorites.

But, a lot of people have been asking me? What if someone thinks they have a demon? How can we help them? Well, coming up at our Oct and November 1st Wednesdays, I plan on going into much greater detail. But, if you’re desperate for the info now, here’s some advice: Find righteous people who already know how to do this stuff!

But you might say: “Well, I’m a righteous person. And I want to grow here.

 

What are some tips on how to do a deliverance?”

BEFOREHAND:

Realize, you may not always get a “before.” I’ve had demons manifest in strange places. But, if it’s a planned thing,

  •  Get a team of prayer people (2-3) Tag-team
  •  If you can, do it in a safe, quiet, private place.
  • Prep them: It’s not always accompanied by a feeling: This might be a short quiet prayer meeting!
  • Remember it’s not a moment but a process…“This kind comes out with prayer and fasting” – process that might take time.
    Also, “it’s not about ‘deliverance’ but lasting freedom — which requires insights about how it got in there in the first place!!” Thus there’s a lot of emotional work.  Start by having them confess any sins / any connections with the occult / any overt reasons that they might struggle. And be sure that they take time to forgive anyone in their life. After all, if we don’t do these things, not only is deliverance unlikely; but, even if it worked, that person is bound to get all of those demons back, and more!

DURING:

If someone is manifesting the demonic (which happens in various ways),

  • Speak out loud – contrary to movies, demons aren’t able to read minds.
  • Every demon is different; Always ask God for customized wisdom! Some demons come out with peace-filled worship and prayerful side hugs – not violent shouting.
  • Demons generally only talk to distract & intimidate…pretending to be indifferent & unafraid of the attempt to evict.
    They rarely like to reveal themselves or names as it makes it easier to deal with them.
    – Generally, the only information that matters to us: Name(s), How many, How did they enter.
    – & Generally, revealing these things is defeat; and only happens after being goaded or compelled.
  • Have the afflicted say: “I renounce the authority of this demon.”
    If they cannot pray out loud, YOU pray out loud so the demon can hear you (neither demons nor people can read minds) and have them nod in agreement.
  • Some people have them “Expel” their breath as an act of faith (spirit also means breath).
    Ask the person to evaluate the different “rooms” of their soul: “Are there any Father/Mother/Spouse/Child wounds?” Have them confess any emotions/triggers that come to mind. Have them speak God’s promises over these areas.
    Have them Read Psm 91 & James 4:7 out loud
    NOTE: Not all demons come out in one session! Some people need dozens of appointments – it’s like counselling, a person needs to understand how they agreed with it in the first place – or why they depend upon it. Demons work a lot like physical healing and addiction recovery: Sometimes, it’s a singular instant moment; other times, it’s a process.
    The Goal: They may not get free of everything. But they will get free of something!

Have them Read the Following Prayer (out of Alexander Pagani’s book, “The Secrets to Deliverance”

“Satan and every demon hiding in the rooms of my heart, I renounce you. I disown you, and I cease to acknowledge your works. I command you demon of __________ [name any possible demons that the Holy Spirit brings to mind] to start preparing to leave my body in the name of Jesus. I no longer tolerate you or your works in my life. I repent and sever any legal contract that granted you authority to enter the room. By my authority in Christ, I remove all authority from every demon inside of me and declare them unauthorized. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

AFTER:

The goal is to “close the door and lock it” so these demons never come back: So, the best remedy:

  • Get counsel about how they allowed the demon in the first place:  If you don’t have a full understanding about how/why you relied upon this stronghold, you will only repeat it. People tend to turn to both sin and strongholds for a reason – (Eg. Protection; or self-medicating;) And it’s like any other addiction in that, it can take time to renew our minds.
  • Get a small group & Confess your sins regularly (James 5:16). A Catholic Exorcist named Gabriele Amorth says: “Satan is much more enraged when we take souls away from him through confession than when we take away bodies through exorcism.” (Of course, he’s talking about Catholic confession to a priest; but, when the Bible talks about confession… it’s to ANY righteous person.) But the idea is still the same:  You need good Christian friends. Which leads to the next suggestion:
  • Get on ministry teams at your church:  I tell people all the time as their pastor: “YOU need ministry more than we NEED YOU in ministry.” Ministry not only liberates us from the tyranny of our comfort zones, but it connects us to people we would never normally talk to. God is always setting up new divine relationships for new problems. But these things don’t happen as often when we remain spectators in a church service. So, don’t wait until you “feel” bored. People who serve in a local church on a weekly basis rate themselves 7x’s happier than Christians who don’t! So, find a ministry that keeps you surrounded by Christian fellowship.

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Keep in mind, in every single book below, there are things I disagree with. So don’t see this list as a holistic endorsement of every idea written in them haha. (I realize that’s kind of obvious; yet, I still think it’s worth stating). I remember my very first book on demonic deliverance was called, “Pigs in the Parlor” – from the 1970’s. It’s been one of the top sellers for almost  50 years; yet, it’s also extremely outdated – filled with a lot of legalistic stuff. Thankfully, there are a lot of better books on the subject that are more grounded in theology. So, here are few of my favorites:

“They Shall Expel Demons” by Dereck Prince – this is one of the few classics that balance theology and practicality. Theologians have done better exegesis in recent decades (see Heiser, below). But, it’s one of the few classics from the last 40 years that has “weathered well.”

“The Secrets to Deliverance” by Alexander Pagani – this newer book has a lot of fascinating takes on how to help people explore the “rooms of their soul” to find those hidden demons that afflict them. It’s perfect for people who actually want to get their hands dirty and actually do deliverance sessions.

“The Veil” by Blake K.Healy was a fascinating book about the gift of discerning of Spirits – a great reminder of how demons affect us on a day to day basis. It’s more of a narrative autobiography. (My teenaged son even loved it). It has a good spirit to it. And gave me a lot of motivation to pray!

“Demons” by Micheal Heiser – By far, this is my favorite academic book on demonology. As a Hebrew Scholar, he does a great job breaking down all of the Jewish concept of demons going into the New Testament. It’s important for people to understand that, the New Testament words, “Angels, Demons and Satan” mean completely different things than they did in the Old Testament. Once you understand this, you will never see the Biblical passages on this the same!

The best way to start reading Heiser (who recently passed away) is by reading his book: “Supernatural.” I would also recommend his books “Angels” as well as “The Unseen Realm.” I’ve read these books cover to cover multiple times. And they have forever changed my view of “principalities and powers.” But, remember, they are a bit more academic.

“How to Cast Out Demon” by Doris Wagner – The wife of C. Peter Wagner gives us practical guide to deliverance. This isn’t the book for theology as much as practicality…like questionaires (to have people answer) that can help ministers to “dig out the demons” better.

“Judgement of the Nephililm” by Ryan Pitterson was one of the more interesting books I read last year. Similar to Heiser’s “Unseen Realms,” he gives a systematic theological view of the Old Testament through the lens of the Nephilim (who Jews believed became demons). The book is irritating in that he quotes King James a lot haha. And I don’t agree with his take on “Hades or the Gap Theory.” But, it’s nonetheless brilliant. But it gave me a greater appreciation for Michael Heiser’s exposition of angels and demons in that it helps a Christian understand the supernatural worldview of Angels and demons in the Old Testament.