Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. Hebrews 2:14-15

The writer of Hebrews declared that Jesus, through his death, has rendered the devil powerless. The word that is translated powerless, means to make insignificant or ineffective. Too often, those who are involved in spiritual warfare give the devil too much credit and, in their minds, give him too much power. Paul wrote, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions of the earth?  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things’” (Eph. 4:7-10).

Not only did Jesus render the devil powerless but he also descended into hell and either set those who had previously been held captive by the enemy free or brought enemy captives with him as trophies. Either understanding is possible. The probable picture Paul is painting is that of a Roman general coming home from war after securing a victory. Victorious generals were given a “triumph” by the Senate, which was essentially a tickertape parade through the streets of Rome. As he entered Rome, he would be riding in a chariot pulled by four horses. His chariot would be followed by prisoners that he had taken captive as a display of his power and his authority. After the prisoners, came all the spoils that had been taken from the enemy. Then the general’s soldiers and other dignitaries would come behind. After the parade, which sometimes took more than a day, the general would often throw a huge banquet, giving away gifts and providing food paid for by his part of the spoils of war.

This picture of Jesus confirms that by his sinless life, his willing death, and his resurrection he was completely victorious over the enemy. He rendered Satan ineffective and irrelevant for those who are in Christ. After the cross, the only power that Satan has over God’s people is the power we give him through sin, unbelief, fear, and by believing his lies. Ultimately, we are in the same condition Adam and Eve were in while living in the Garden. In the Garden, Satan could not assault them, kidnap then, take their lives, or even harass them until after they believed his lies and surrendered their authority to him.

Today, as believers, we give him the authority to harass us and afflict us by coming into agreement with him. Apparently, Satan has the ongoing right to tempt us and cause others to persecute us because we are told to beware of his schemes and that persecution will come to the righteous. But, he does not have the legal right to afflict us, take our lives, or harass us year after year unless something in our lives or the lives of those we are attached to has given him power. When those things are taken care of by the blood of Christ, his authority is revoked again.

I like what Jonathan Welton says about this. “ I do believe demonic forces are at work in the world, but not in the way many think. Most true spiritual warfare takes place in the arena of truth versus lies. The devil is a liar, and he uses his craftiness to get us to lay aside our identity and authority. Our battle must be understood as a battle to maintain our identity, because the authority we have been given as believers is contained in our identity.

Many Christians have reached a point emotionally where they feel as though they have been stripped of their armor. They have been beaten to a pulp. They have been chained and are being dragged behind the devil’s chariot as his spoils of war…The truth regarding our identity is that we have been put into Christ. ‘In him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28). We abide in Him and he in us (Jn.15:4). We have been seated with him in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6)…If we understand that we abide in Him (which also means that we abide in his authority), then our spiritual warfare is very different: we are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from victory” (Jonahtan Welton, The School of the Seers, DestinyImage Publishing, p.155).

In our own lives, when Satan shows up and seemingly rents a room in our house, we need to remember who Christ is and who we are in Him. We need to take a personal inventory and inquire of the Spirit to see if anything or anyone is giving the devil a key to our front door. If we find something, then we should immediately deal with it through faith and the blood of Christ. Having done that, we should reassert our authority as those who speak for Christ and represent him on this planet. When we command the enemy, we should do so with full confidence that we have the authority to do so and that he must comply because he that is in us is greater than he that is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4).

We already have the victory over Satan because Christ already has the victory. We should have no fear of this enemy who has been rendered powerless, but rather he should fear us for we sit in judgment on him. If we want to be effective in spiritual warfare we must maintain that mindset. When we go onto the field to face the enemy we should walk on with the swagger of those who already know that the game and the victory is theirs. It is that swagger in Christ, the certainty of who we are, and the total confidence that victory is already ours that intimidates demons and causes the devil to flee.

If we walk onto the field fearing defeat, being unsure of our Captain, and thinking that the enemy looks bigger, stronger and faster than we thought, we will be ineffective. We will empower and embolden the enemy by forgetting who our Captain is and who we are in him and we will not win the lopsided victory that was ours. I remember a scene from a cheesy vampire movie from my youth. It was the classic scene where a priest was facing the vampire, pulled out his silver cross, and shoved it in the face of the dark one. Instead of wilting, the vampire laughed and told him that the silver cross had no power in that moment because the priest had no faith. It didn’t turn out well for the priest. There is some truth in that for us as we face the enemy. Know who Christ is, who you are in him, and that Satan has been rendered powerless, in your case, by the resurrection of Jesus. Then exercise the authority of one who is already seated in heavenly places next to the King of Kings.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. Philippians 2:14-16

I visited with a sweet lady last night who grew up in church, loves the Lord, hosts a house church in her home, but was still struggling with overwhelming feelings of fear and condemnation as she tries to serve the Lord. She lamented that the churches in her area were “powerless to help people like her.” In many ways she had no more freedom in her life than the unsaved men and women in her community.

If we are honest, many believers today are saved but remain in bondage to sin, addiction, shame, fear, and a host of other hindrances to their walk. The truth is that other than church attendance, a large percentage of believers look just like the people they work with or go to school with who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them. Divorce rates in the church rival divorce rates in the culture at large. Christian teens seem to have little power over the cultural pressure to drink, experiment with drugs, or to be sexually active. A significant number of believers live on antidepressants, tolerate marriages dominated by anger and rage, live with bitterness toward the past, and are crippled by an overpowering sense of unworthiness and rejection.

I’m not scolding these brothers and sisters for not being “the Christians they should be” because I have struggled with many of those issues as well. These believers are desperately looking for freedom, but in many cases have not been shown by their churches how to access the freedom that Jesus promises.

A gospel that only gets us to a place of forgiveness but that does not radically free us and change us so that we stand out in contrast to our culture is not the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached. Paul pointed to this truth in the text from Philippians quoted above. Stars stand out in stark contrast to the darkness. Jesus himself declared that his followers were to be the light of the world. Those who wear the name of Christ should stand out in the crowd by their sheer “differentness.”

Jesus spoke of being “born again” not as figurative language for trying harder or simply starting over with a clean sheet, but as a reality where something real and essential has been altered in everyone who comes to him. Scripture tells us that before Jesus came into our lives we were dead in our trespasses and sins and living under the dominion of darkness. We were in bondage to sin whether we knew it or not. Satan literally owned us. But in Christ, all things become new.

When the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, an incredible potential for radical change is released. The door to our prison cell is unlocked and opened wide. The question is whether we will walk through that door into a radically new life or voluntarily stay in our familiar environment. Many Christians stay because they are unaware of the destiny and power Christ offers to them to set them free and transform their lives.

One of Satan’s favorite strategies is to convince a believer that he or she is the same person they always were and will always be even after coming to Christ. If he can’t keep us from accepting Jesus then the next best thing is to convince us that we will only experience the power and blessings of heaven after our funeral. Until then, we will simply struggle and do the best we can while out life plays out like a sad country song. That is not what Jesus had in mind on the cross.

After coming to Christ, the essential difference between those with the Spirit of Christ living in them and those without the Spirit should soon become apparent, not as a reflection of our efforts but as a reflection of the power of God working in us. The fact that so many believers blend in perfectly with the world around them reveals that something is amiss. Speaking of Jesus, John tells us, “In him was life and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). There was a measure and quality of life in Jesus that was unmistakable. It stood out and drew men to him. With Christ in us, we should exude the same life. That life comes through the power that heals and sets men free (Isa.61:1-4) and the power than transforms us into the image of Christ. A powerless gospel will not take us there.

Last night we ministered the baptism of the Spirit to the lady I had visited with. We cast out spirits of fear and condemnation in the name of Jesus. For the first time in a very long time she felt totally at peace and the thoughts of condemnation were silent. I am confident that radical transformation for her is in her near future.

Whenever Jesus and his followers preached the gospel, they immediately healed the sick, cast our demons, cleansed the lepers, and so forth. That power was not just a demonstration that they were speaking for God, but it was also necessary for those accepting Christ to be released to meet their full potential in Him. Much of the church is reclaiming the power of the Holy Spirit but that realization has not made it to every church or every believer. My hope is that a time will come soon in which no one will have to say that the churches in his or her town seem powerless to help, “for the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20).

This is the final installment of an article I wrote on cleansing houses from demonic spirits. It is a bit long but I wanted to finish this series and get on to other things.  The length is due to sample declarations that a person might make over a house in which unclean spirits are manifesting.  In Part 3, I talked about open doors for spirits to be present in a location and harass those living there. I also talked about aligning ourselves with Christ before exercising authority over any spirits present.  In this installment, we will look at actually exercising our authority as followers of Christ.

Exercising Authority:

All those who believe in Jesus and have his Spirit within them have been given authority to deal with the demonic. Because of that, we then lead the owner(s) of the house or those who have authority in the house to command all unclean spirits to leave the house and property and to never return. Of course, all this is done in the name and authority of Jesus. If the people in the house have experienced fear, anger, sexual issues, or have seen or felt spirits, we name or describe those spirits specifically as well as commanding all unclean spirits, in general, to leave.  If they are aware of past events in the house that may have invited these spirits in, we command specific spirits that are suggested by those events.

Note: If married, it is obviously best if both spouses are present and involved, but at times that is not possible or one spouse may not be a believer or may not believe in spiritual warfare. Whoever is a believer should go ahead with the process knowing that an unbelieving spouse or a spouse that is mired in sin may be an open door to the enemy which may inhibit the cleansing or make it necessary to do it again or on a regular basis.

You may command something like:

In the name of Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, I command you, spirit of fear (or any other spirit you know by the fruit it has born in your house or simply by calling them uncleans spirits) to leave this house and this property immediately and go to the feet of Jesus. You have no right here and no place here. You are trespassing on property that has been dedicated and consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ. In his name I command you to leave immediately and never return and I command you to do so without hurting or harassing anyone in this house.

Once those with authority have made their declarations and have commanded the spirits to leave, we agree with them. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Mt.18:19-20). We agree by moving throughout the house commanding spirits in each room, garage, property, and outbuildings to leave and never return while always being sensitive to the Holy Spirit for direction in what we are doing or declaring.

When objects are encountered that may be giving the enemy a legal right to “set up shop,” those items should be taken from the house and destroyed or at least dumpsterized. When Joshua led Israel into the land God had promised them, they were to destroy any idols, altars, or high places related to false worship. Wherever the enemy or his ways are honored, he has a place. Objects, such as a bed where sin or violence may have taken place should be prayed over, anointed, and consecrated to holiness and the purposes of God.

As we move through the house, we smear a drop of anointing oil (olive oil) above each door and window (like blood over the Hebrew doors on the first Passover) as a way of consecrating that space to the Lord or marking that house as belonging to God. We often do that around the perimeter of the property (fence lines, etc.) and on outbuildings as well.   In the same way, oil was poured on priests to dedicate and consecrate them and their service to the Lord. Those needing healing and deliverance were anointed also with oil in the New Testament. There is nothing magical about the oil, but I believe it symbolizes the Spirit and as the Spirit marks us as those belonging to Christ, the oil also marks homes and items in the homes as those dedicated to and belonging to the Lord.

Having anointed the house and having commanded all unclean spirits to leave and never return, we ask the Lord to place angels around the house to prevent the enemy from returning. We bless the family living in the house, encourage them once again to get rid of any objects that may be giving the enemy access to their house and we leave. We have rarely had to return except where individuals held on to objects that should have been taken out or destroyed. On occasion, when an object is questionable but not clearly highlighted by the Spirit such as keepsakes or furniture, we specifically anoint that object and verbally consecrate it to the Lord for his purposes.

Let me add one more thought to this process. Consecrating the house to the Lord along with repentance and renouncement of the works of Satan should come from the heart of those who have authority in the house. Just saying the words without conviction communicates a heart without conviction or real intent. God measures the heart. I believe demons do as well.

The same is true when commanding spirits to leave. Command with the authority that flows from faith in the authority of Jesus and faith in the Word of God. That word declares that he that is in us is greater than he (satan) that is in the world (1 Jn.4:4). If we command half-heartedly or with no confidence then our commands carry very little weight. Commanding demons is not about our ability, our authority, or even our spirituality as much as it is about who Christ is and knowing that we are in Christ and that we represent him. When you command – mean it and have confidence in the one whose name you wear. Do not ask spirits to leave, do not beg them to leave, but command them to leave. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said to his followers, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk.10:19-20).

The most common spirits we run into in house cleansings come from trauma, violence, sexual sin, and forms of witchcraft or other  occult practices. These will be spirits of fear, jealousy, anger, death, witchcraft, rebellion, and sexual immorality or adultery. Of course, there are many others but be sensitive to the ones just listed.

There is also one more thing to consider. Where witchcraft or satanic rituals have been practiced, homes and families are sometimes dedicated to Satan. According to Francis MacNutt in his book, Deliverance from Evil Spirits, when individuals or families are dedicated to satan, a kind of spiritual seal is often placed over a spirit that protects that spirit from ordinary approaches to spiritual warfare. I believe this could apply to homes as well.

He recommends making something like the following declaration to remove that seal:

In the name of Jesus, I renounce Satan and every work of Satan. I renounce the evil powers of this world that corrupt and destroy the creation of God. I renounce all sinful desires that draw us away from God. I repent of any involvement I have ever had in the works of Satan. I declare that Jesus is Lord over my life, my family, this house and all my possessions and I place all of these things under his Lordship. In the name of Jesus and by the sword of the Spirit I now break and nullify every seal of Satan assigned to this house or this family.

After that declaration, go on and command all spirits of witchcraft and false religion to leave. If there has been an accomplished practitioner of Satanic rituals involved, you may need to make the declaration three times.  We have found that “removing satanic seals” can be helpful when our usual approach has not been effective in delivering individuals and may be helpful in cleansing homes on occasion.

Final Note:

After cleansing the house, do not invite the enemy to come back by returning to sin, unforgiveness, etc. Walk in repentance. Fill the house with worship music and the word of God and make daily rounds commanding any lingering spirits to leave in the name of Jesus while declaring that as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord. If someone comes to your house that you know is involved in occult practices or gross sin or that you feel uncomfortable with, you may want to do a quick cleansing as soon as he or she leaves. I hope this has been helpful.  A list of suggested declarations for this process is listed below.

Suggested Declarations:

These are suggested declarations for the process of cleansing your house. Some have been suggested in the article above and may be similar. These are not formulas or incantations, they are simply samples of ways you may pray and command.

Alignment (Declare something like the following when you begin):

Heavenly Father, I declare openly and willingly my faith in Jesus Christ – that he is the risen Son of God sitting at your right hand as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with all authority in heaven and on earth. I declare my allegiance to him and willingly submit all that I am and all that I have to his Lordship. I dedicate and consecrate this house (apartment, business, etc.) to his purposes and place it and everything in it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus, I renounce Satan and all the works of Satan. I specifically renounce fear, anger, sexual immorality, false religion, witchcraft, abuse and violence (name whatever has been sensed operating in the home or that has been identified in the history of the family or home). I also repent of all sin in my own life and personally confess anger, bitterness, unforgiveness and pornography (whatever personal sins have not been confessed and repented of by those in authority in the home or apartment).

In addition, I also forgive (whoever has wronged you) for (whatever he/she did to you) and no longer require payment from him for the wrongs done to me. I release him to your perfect judgment and ask you to bless him as you see fit. (Name all those who have wronged you and toward whom you have held bitterness. Forgive then verbally and release judgment to the Lord asking him to bless them as he sees fit).

Nullifying Curses (Declare something like the following):

The word of God declares that Jesus became a curse for me that I might receive the blessings of God. In the name of Jesus, I sever and nullify any curse that has ever been spoken against this house or this family. By the authority of Jesus, I declare those curses null and void and of no effect and by the authority of Jesus, I cancel any demonic assignments based on those curses.

Exercising Authority:

[Those in authority should declare something like the following statement as they anoint their home or if others are helping they should declare something like this as they move through the house anointing doors, windows, furniture, or property outside. We declare it in every room.]

Now, in the name of Jesus and by his authority I command any and every unclean spirit in this house or on this property to leave immediately and never return. You will harm or harass no one as you go and you will go now. I command the spirits of fear, abuse, sexual sin, witchcraft, death, and violence to leave now and never return (Declare by name spirits that have most likely been operating in the house. You will know them by the emotions they have stirred or the actions they have prompted). I declare this house, this property and all of its contents to be under the blood and the Lordship of Jesus. All legal rights for you to be here have been removed by the authority of Jesus and you must leave now.

Final Prayer and Declaration: When you have cleansed the house, property, and outbuildings, finish with something like the following declaration.

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the risen Lord exercising all authority in heaven and on earth on behalf of those who love you and call on your name. Lord we ask that you establish everything we have declared here today and place your angels around the perimeter of this house (apartment, business, etc.) to prevent the enemy from returning. We ask your blessing and your peace on this house and that you will exercise your Lordship here and in our hearts. Thank you for all you do and for your great gifts to us. We ask and declare all of this in Jesus’ name.

[This is the 3rd installment of an article I wrote on cleansing locations, especially houses, from the demonic spirits that have established some kind of permanent presence there. In Part 2, I began to discuss “open doors” that allow these unclean spirits to gain access to a home.  We begin this blog with the 3rd open door.]

A third source of demonic presence in homes is the presence of those who serve demonic spirits knowingly or unknowingly.  I am certain that our friend from India had no malice towards Susan and I. He most likely prayed to his “gods” on our behalf or simply prayed to them in our house and that prayer opened the door for their presence in our home as he honored them. We have discovered demonic spirits in new homes without a history, but sensed that some workman who built the house left something of himself there after he moved on. There are also individuals who willingly and formally serve Satan (cult members, etc.) who will dedicate their work to the enemy.

It is also possible that the home was built on property to which some spirit had laid claim. We have discovered that some spirits affect a house because of the property it sits on rather than something in the house – perhaps a location where violence occurred or over a place of worship where false gods were honored or their names invoked. We have also cleansed houses where satanic rituals, witchcraft, séances, etc. took place in the past. These homes can have intense manifestations, especially if the house or property was dedicated to Satan.   A dedication is like handing a deed over to the enemy. That deed has to be nullified by someone with greater authority. In the case of believers, Jesus is the one with more authority.

A fourth source of demonic presence in a home are curses that have been spoken over a family, a home, or property. A curse is an appeal to the demonic realm to visit failure, death, disease, poverty, divorce, etc. on a person, family, tribe, nation or location (See Numbers 22 – the account of Balaam). A curse may come as a result of prolonged, unrepented sin or as a result of words spoken deliberately or sometimes in anger or haste. Demons may be assigned to enforce the curse. Sometimes, it is difficult to define the source of a curse because it may have been assigned to a location or a family in previous generations. Exodus 20 tells us that the sins of the fathers will be passed down to the children to the third and fourth generations. It may be a good practice to make a declaration renouncing and repenting of any sins of your Fathers and asking Jesus to break and nullify any curses that have been operating in your house or family. A sample declaration is provided in the Suggested Declarations at the end of this article.

Solutions:

If any of this resonates with you, then your next question is probably, “What do I do if I think demonic spirits are operating in my house, my business, etc.?” Great question!

Let me take you through a simple process that has always been effective for us. This process is essentially the same as deliverance for individuals and involves aligning ourselves with Christ, renouncing the enemy and his works, declaring authority over the enemy and exercising that authority.

Alignment:

If you are not a believer, the devil has access to you at all times because you have not yet been delivered from the dominion (authority) of darkness (see Col.1:13). Your only way out is to sincerely make Jesus your Lord and Savior. If you are a believer, Jesus has taken away Satan’s legal right to oppress you or afflict you. However, you or those you are connected to may give him back that right. Satan may gain access to you or your home through areas of your life that are not aligned with Christ. He may also have access through the actions or words of others who have touched your life or home in significant ways after they had given Satan a foothold or a stronghold in their own lives.

Jesus taught us to pray “and deliver us from the evil one” (Mt.6:13). It’s always good to begin with a prayer of protection from the schemes, the influence, and the attack of the enemy when you are confronting darkness. After that, in house cleansings, the first step of alignment is to have the one(s) with authority in the home make a verbal declaration of his or her faith in Jesus as the Son of God and his or her allegiance to Jesus as Lord and Savior followed by a verbal renunciation of Satan and all of his works.

You might begin by making a verbal declaration like this:

Heavenly Father, I declare my faith in and allegiance to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and willing place everything I am and everything I have under his authority and lordship. In the name of Jesus I renounce Satan and all the works of Satan and repent of any and all sin in my own life.

If the owner or head of the home has areas of unrepented sin in his or her life or if someone who lives in the home has areas of unrepented sin, that sin may be an open door to the enemy. Sincere confession and repentance followed by renouncing the sin disarms the enemy in that area of an individual’s life and removes Satan’s authority to harass that individual and his or her family. Scripture tells us, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Prov. 28:13, emphasis added).  “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices” (Ezek.14:6, emphasis added)!

In addition to personal repentance, we ask the owner, renter, or head of the household (both husband and wife should do this together) to verbally place the house, contents of the house, and the property under the Lordship of Jesus and to dedicate all of that to his purposes. In doing so you transfer dominion of the house and any part of the house from the enemy to Jesus. Joshua declared, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).

You should verbally declare something like…

In the name of Jesus, we dedicate and consecrate this home, it’s contents, this property and our family to the service and Lordship of Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on earth. And in the name of Jesus we renounce and nullify any claim that the enemy has had on this house, this family, any contents in this house, or on this property. In doing so, we declare that Satan has no right and no place in this home, in this family, or on this property and is declared a trespasser.

Lastly, we look through the home to identify any objects that may be giving the enemy a place in the home such as the ones listed above – souvenirs, books, dvd’s, music that glorifies sin or violence or death, occult items, pornography, jewelry, etc. that, by their presence, provide an open window for Satan rather than honoring God. We also ask the Holy Spirit to highlight any other objects or areas that need to be removed or given special attention in the house such as places where sin has occurred – beds where adultery was practiced, tables on which occult activities took place, etc. We then ask those in authority to verbally renounce any sins that those objects clearly represent – pornography, idolatry, magic, false religions, fortune telling, adultery, sexual abuse, etc.

Say something like:

In the name of Jesus we renounce and repent of (name the sin) and ask forgiveness for its presence in this house and for our involvement in (name the sin).

Where unforgiveness is involved you may pray something like:

In the name of Jesus, I forgive (name the person) for the wrongs I have received at the hands of (name the person(s)). Because Jesus has forgiven me for the wrongs I have committed, I forgive (name the person(s) and no longer require payment for the wrongs done to me. I release (him, her, them) from the debt they owe and release all judgment to the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, Jesus I ask you to bless them as you see fit and to work on their behalf for their salvation.

When that has been done, then the owners of the house and the house itself have been aligned with Christ.

IN my next blog, I will finish this article with the process for cleansing and a summary of the declaration a person might make over a house or other location where unclean spirits are present.

[This is the second part of an article on cleansing houses from demonic spirits.  In part one, I established the biblical context for demonic spirits being given assignments over territories and locations such as houses. I’ll continue now with part two, beginning with some examples we have dealt with.]

Now let me share a few representative experiences we have had in conservative West Texas as we have prayed over numerous homes and apartments in our area over the past ten years. We typically call these “house cleansings.” I will not use the actual names of people we met in these accounts.

One afternoon, I received a call from Jenny, one of our Freedom Ministry team members. She worked with Marie, a faithful member of a local Baptist church. Her life was falling apart. She had a teenage son and had remarried after a destructive divorce. When Marie had first remarried, her son and her new husband got along well. They had the typical “blended family” stress but nothing out of the ordinary. A few months before we met Marie, she and her family had moved into a comfortable red brick home in the older part of Midland. Soon after the move, her son and husband began to have verbal fights that appeared to be seriously escalating and becoming physical. She and her son also began to fight. Her son would go into such rages that she slept with her bedroom door locked and was actually terrified that her son would break in some night and kill her. She felt especially vulnerable because her husband’s business took him out of town on a regular basis. The “odd thing” was that when they would go on trips as a family, they got along well until returning to the house where all the anger and hostility resurfaced. Marie said you could feel the tension in their car increase as they neared the home and pulled into the driveway.

Jenny suggested to her friend that something spiritual might be at work. Although that was a foreign concept to Marie, she was desperate enough to try anything. So…on a weekday evening, while her son was with friends and her husband was out of town, we met at the home and prayed over it for about forty-five minutes (details later). We specifically commanded spirits of anger, rage, abuse and murder to leave the house. We left and Marie reported that almost immediately all the anger, hostility and rage subsided and the family was at peace again. I don’t think she ever told her son or husband what we had done.

On another occasion, a family called us who were members of our church. They had moved into an older house on the west side of Midland where they had lived for about six months. Bob and LeeAnn had three small children and for the past few months had been regularly experiencing disruptions in the middle of the night. Their television would come on full blast, cabinet doors would open and slam shut, and they would hear footsteps in the hallway outside of their bedroom. When they would look no one was present. However, the children reported seeing “an old man” walking up and down the hallway at night. When we arrived at the house we noticed that their neighbor had a sign on the front of her home advertising that she was a practicing witch…even in West Texas. We prayed over the house and the property as well as praying against the activities next door and all manifestations ceased immediately and did not recur.

About three years ago, my wife Susan and I were visited by a newly married couple. Sophia had been a foreign exchange student from Russia hosted by my wife years ago. She had since married a nice young man from India who was a devout Sikh. We thoroughly enjoyed their visit and hoped to share Jesus with Sophia’s husband once we built a relationship. Each morning we would visit with the Sophia over breakfast while her husband spent time in our guest room reading and praying. After a three-day visit they left with a promise of coming to see us again.

The day after our friends left, my wife Susan and I were sitting in our living room talking about Sophia’s and her husband’s visit. Suddenly a large picture with scripture on it, mounted in our entry way, fell from the wall, shattering the glass and breaking the frame. The wall anchor seemed secure but it was in a location subject to wind when the front door was open and the vibration of a door being opened and closed multiple times each day. It was odd enough that a thought crossed my mind, wondering if Sophia’s husband had left something spiritual in our house, but I didn’t pursue the thought. The next day, Susan and I came home from running some errands and found a shelf that had rested above the guest bathroom window on the floor with the pictures and clock that were on the shelf broken and scattered all over the floor. The anchors, on which the shelf hung, were still solidly in the wall. After some serious praying over the house and anointing windows and doors with oil there have been no more “accidents.”

We have had numerous, similar experiences over the past five years. Noises, smells, voices, feelings of terror, experiences of being pinned down on a bed in the middle of the night, and children seeing “scary old men” and “witchy” looking women in their rooms have all been dealt with. Each time we have prayed in the name of Jesus and these manifestations have ceased.  We don’t try to differentiate between demons and “ghosts” since scripture gives us very little insight into “ghosts.” We simply treat them as spirits that should not be in the house (primarily demonic spirits posing as whatever) and command them to leave.

Anytime you know that trauma, occult activities, or sinful lifestyles have occurred  in a house in which you are living,  a cleansing is in order. Everyone should do it when they first move into a house or apartment or even before spending the night in a hotel room. Even if the home is new construction, it is a good idea. In addition, weird noises or smells in the house that persist, doors opening and slamming by themselves, runaway fear, lust, or anger in the house that subsides when you are away, voices, the appearance of demons, demonic dreams that persist, unexplained shadows, etc. are all indicators that a home or location should be cleansed.

Open Doors:

I believe there are several open doors for demonic spirits that draw spirits to a location or give spirits a legal right to be assigned to homes or property to afflict the residents.   The first open door is persistent sin that has taken place in that home in the past or that is currently taking place. Abuse, adultery, violence, tragedy, untimely death. occult activities, and so forth beckon spirits and give them legal access to the location of those events. They may attach themselves to the parties who are involved or to the residence and remain there to afflict individuals or families who move in next.

Unforgiveness is one of the most common doorways open to the enemy. Jesus clearly says that our forgiveness toward those who have sinned against us is a condition for the Father’s forgiveness to be released in our lives. A verbal declaration of forgiveness is always in order where that has been hurt or betrayal in the past. I’ll give an example later in the “suggested declarations” section. Remember that we forgive those who have wronged us not because we deserve it, but because Jesus deserves it. We are not required to let hurtful people back into our lives and forgiving them does not take them “off the hook” with God. Forgiveness simply releases the judgment of those individuals to the one who judges perfectly and takes us “off the hook” with God.

Forgiveness in scripture is most often pictured as a debt that has been forgiven so that payment of the debt is no longer required. When we forgive, we simply determine to no longer act in ways that make someone who has wronged us pay for what he or she did. We should also ask the Lord to bless them as he sees fit because we are commanded to bless even those who curse us. Forgiveness is for your benefit much more than for the benefit of those who wronged you. In fact, it may not benefit him or her at all but it will keep bitterness and resentment from crowding out love, trust, and thankfulness in your own heart. It will keep your resentment and bitterness from opening a door to the enemy.

Ephesians 4:27 may give us some insight into the dynamic of unrepented sin giving demonic spirits access to us our homes. Paul says, “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.” The idea of this next is to deal with offense quickly so that anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness does not invited Satan in our lives or our families. The word translated “foothold” is “topos.” It means a designated place and can refer to pagan shrines and high places where demons were worshipped. When we come into agreement with Satan through unrepented sins and lifestyles, we create a place for him…a sanctuary where he is honored in our lives because we are choosing his will and ways over Jesus. Homes, rooms, or properties that have hosted the works of Satan may create a kind of sanctuary that Satan claims to establish his presence.

A second source of demonic presence in a home may be objects in the home that have demonic spirits attached to them or that honor pagan gods which scripture says are demons. It is amazing how many Christians go overseas and bring back carved idols and other religious artifacts as souvenirs with no thought about their purpose or history. Idols open the door for demons to harass and afflict those who possess the idol and give them a place in a home. Speaking of Israel’s idolatry, scripture tells us, “They made Him jealous with strange gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God” (Dt. 32:16-17). The psalmist declares, “They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons” (Ps.106:36-37).

Devil dogs from China, figurines of Buddha, dragon carvings, fertility gods from Africa, American Indian artifacts, dream catchers, tribal masks from the South Pacific, totems from the Pacific Northwest, Samurai swords – all of these could have been carved or decorated in honor of a pagan god (demonic spirit) and dedicated to that god. When something or someone is dedicated to Satan, a demonic spirit is often attached to that person or place. Having it in your home is a welcome mat to that spirit or his cousin.

Other occult items and experiences can also open the door – books about the occult, jewelry that represents occult organizations, Ouija Boards kept as a curiosity, Tarot cards, or books promoting false religions along with books on astrology or witchcraft can all give access to unclean spirits because in some way they summon or honor the spirits behind them. Some artwork, music, and movies about the occult or the supernatural can also open the doors. Seances, horoscopes, or psychic readings can also open the door for demonic involvement as those activities are seeking connection with the demonic…even if the participants are just doing so for fun. Objects that represent and promote sin, such as pornography, can also open the door. I don’t want you to burn down your house but to be aware that certain objects have the potential to give the enemy access to your home as well as past or present sinful or tragic events in the home.

Again, our cultural worldview rejects such notions. However, the book of Acts confirms that spiritual properties can be attached to objects. “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them” (Acts 19:11-12). A woman simply touched the hem of the robe Jesus was wearing and was healed. The spiritual realm has substance and sometimes that substance is attached to objects. That is not only true for the Holy Spirit but for demonic spirits as well.

More Open Doors in Part 3,

In the past few weeks, we have had several requests for “house cleansing” or driving demons from homes. I have written about this from time to time time in the past but feel that it might be helpful to do so again.  I have a lengthy article on this topic that is a practical guide to “house cleansing”  that I am going to offer here in several parts.  I hope it is helpful.

Taking Out the Trash

A Practical Guide to Cleansing a House from Evil Spirits

For many believers, the idea of demons lurking in a home would seem far-fetched and hyper-charismatic. Many believers don’t acknowledge that demons target people, attach themselves to some, and inhabit others much less believe that demons may be assigned to homes or other locations to afflict and harass whomever is within their reach.

However, Paul counsels us, “And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” ( 2 Cor. 2:11, NRSV). Most translations read schemes rather than designs. Paul also tells us, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph.6:11). The truth is that Satan uses intelligent designs or schemes to entrap and sidetrack God’s people. If we give him no thought or assume he has no interest in us or our children we will certainly step into his trap. As believers, we have no need to fear this enemy because He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world, but we are instructed multiple times to be alert, to be aware, and to keep watch so that the devil does not gain access to us or our family. Remember, in describing Satan, Jesus said that he is a thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy (Jn.10:10). He doesn’t wait for us to search for him. He comes. Unclean spirits assigned to locations attempt to do the same through influence. They especially want to steal your peace, your faith, your love and destroy your family in order to draw you away from the Father. They want to impart fear, sorrow, anger, lust, and conflict which then undermines your peace, faith and love.

With that in mind, let me make a case for demonic spirits being assigned to locations (homes, businesses, geographical areas) so that they can influence or harass those who come into their arena. To begin with, let’s consider Pergamum. Jesus spoke to his church there and said, “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives” (Rev.2:13). In one sense, Satan’s influence and his demonic servants can be found in every city, but a throne represents exceptionally strong rule and dominion. Over the centuries, Satan had established a stronghold of influence in Pergamum. Pagan worship invited and fueled the presence and influence of demons. Satan desires to be worshipped as well as those who reflect his nature. Satanic or pagan worship draws unclean spirits. So great was the influence in Pergamum that Satan had stirred up persecution against those who followed Jesus to such an extent that Antipas had been put to death.

We see the same demonic influence in Ephesus where the temple of Artemis (Diana, Moon Goddess) stood as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. As the apostles preached Jesus in that city (Acts 19-20), many sorcerers saw the power of Christ, repented, and burned their books and scrolls full of incantations. Soon, however, Satan stirred up other men who then stirred up strong opposition in the city in opposition to the church. These cities represented strongholds of the enemy where there was an exceptional concentration of demonic influence and power.

If you have traveled much and have any spiritual sensitivity you have experienced this spiritual reality that can be felt in the natural realm. Believers who visit certain sections of New Orleans, Salvador (the spiritist center of Brazil), Las Vegas, Haiti, pagan temples in Asia, etc. will tell you that they feel something in the city and even sense a dimming of the atmosphere on cloudless days. These cities, nations, and locations are thrones or places where Satan has an elevated level of authority because sin has been promoted and encouraged and because demons have been honored and worshipped.

In Peru, the ancient gods of the Inca’s are still worshiped. Their influence is so great that some have been incorporated into Catholic worship. One of those ancient demons is Pachamama, the earth goddess. In some Catholic churches in that nation you will find statues of Mary, Jesus, and Pachamama. Missionaries have had encounters with this spirit while working in Peru. A few years ago a demonic spirit appeared in the hotel room of two missionaries who were holding meetings in the area, identified itself as Pachamama, declared its rule over the valley, and threatened to kill them if they didn’t leave. They didn’t leave but went on about their business. This is an example of territorial spirits who have been given dominion over geographical areas by Satan and by those who surrender to their influence.

Paul is clear about such spirits when he says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph.6:12). Realities of the spiritual realm are reflected in the natural realm. There are rulers in the spiritual realm and rulers in the natural. There are armies in both, battles in both, and assignments and strategies in both realms.

Authorities in the natural realm rule over nations, territories, cities, organizations, groups and individuals. It is so in the spiritual realm as well. In the book of Revelation, the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Chapters 1-3 are each addressed to the “angel of the church in….” This could just be a literary construction or angel could be translated “messenger,” but would we really reject the idea that God would assign an angel to watch over and minister to a group of believers that we call a church? After all, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Heb.1:14)? In the book of Daniel, a demonic prince fought against an angel that God had sent to Daniel. That spirit is identified as the prince of the Persian kingdom (Dan.10:13). That was a demonic principality that had been given authority over a nation and assigned to influence its people and events for the dominion of darkness. We are told in several texts that pagans who sacrificed to idols were sacrificing to demons. It is not unreasonable to assume that the “high places” or geographic locations where demons were worshipped would be infested with demonic spirits waiting to affect those who came to the altar or go home with worshippers.

If demons are assigned to establish dominion over nations, territories, cities, people groups, probably churches, and organizations why not to lesser locations as well – homes, businesses, areas of a town, etc.? It is not unreasonable to assume that they gather in places where they are worshipped or where sin is promoted or where occult practices take place. All of these things occur in homes as well as in pagan temples and cities known for their immorality.  Wouldn’t demons be attracted to these places no matter whether they are in Haiti or West Texas?  As in the natural realm, those who are assigned to larger areas typically have more authority while those who are assigned to lesser locations typically have less authority. I say “typically” because some smaller locations and individuals are very strategic and may be assigned to a spirit with greater authority.  Many houses have more than one spirit operating in them and some can be more powerful than others.

Part 2 in my next blog.

After making a case in my last blog for God’s healing today and a case that it is always God’s heart to heal, the question has to be addressed, “Then, why isn’t everyone healed in response to our prayers?”

Let’s begin by saying that because of our free will, God’s will is not always done on earth. If God’s will were always done, there would be no need to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” For instance, we are told in Paul’s first letter to Timothy that, “God desires that all men should be saved” (1 Tim.2:4), but we know that all men will not be saved. Even though the heart of the Father is salvation for all, he allows us to choose whether we will meet the condition of that salvation – faith in Jesus Christ. Some will choose not to believe and will not be saved. Some will not meet God’s conditions for healing and will not be healed although that is his desire for them.

Secondly, healing is not experienced when a person does not want to be healed. God honors our desires. Our first impulse is to believe that anyone who could be healed would want to be healed. However, that is not always the case. John tells us about a lame man who was brought to the pool of Bethesda each day. “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” (Jn.5:6). There are many whose identity is so tied up in their condition or their illness that to be healed or set free is frightening. Who would they be without the illness, the condition, or the brokenness that has defined their life for years? The care and sympathy they have received from others because of their condition has become their source of comfort and affirmation and their condition gives them a pass on being responsible, productive, or mature. Not every sick person wants to be healed.

A third possible reason for a person not being healed is that he or she has no faith for it when by reason of time and opportunity, he or she should have sufficient faith to be healed. Many believers declare that they believe God heals, but the truth is that those believers simply believe that he can heal…not that he will. A mental conviction that God could heal if he chose to is not at all the same as a firm expectation in a person’s heart that God will heal. It is true that Jesus healed some who had no faith. He healed them on the basis of his faith because they had not had the opportunity to develop their own faith. To others he said, “May it be done to you according to your faith” and in Nazareth Jesus was able to heal only a few because of their unbelief. There comes a time when we should have sufficient faith for healing – not perfect faith, just sufficient faith. If we have no faith, then healing may not come our way.

Fourthly, all the way through scripture, sin is presented as a gateway for illness. A great number of illnesses, physical conditions, and emotional conditions are caused by spirits of infirmity. In the gospels we see demonic spirits as the cause of blindness, deafness, muteness, back trouble, seizures, depression, etc. Unless the demon was cast out, the symptoms remained. If we pray for healing for a person whose illness is caused by a spirit of infirmity, but do not cast out the demon, the symptoms will remain and no healing will occur. The majority of churches who pray for healing for their members every Sunday have no concept of demonic oppression and little expectation for supernatural healing. In that environment, only a few will be healed.

In addition, even if a person is aware of the possibility of a demon as the root cause of an illness and is commanding a spirit to leave, that spirit will not leave if he has a legal right to afflict the person because of unrepented sin or a curse operating in the life of that individual. Before ministering healing to a sick or disabled person, it is best to spend some time in conversation, diagnosing any unrepented sin, including unforgiveness, or a family history suggesting generational curses before praying. If there are any curses to be broken or sins to be repented of, that must happen before he demon is cast our and much healing will occur.

Another possible reason for a person not being healed is that he or she has slipped back under the bondage of law believing that he or she must earn God’s approval in order to be healed rather than totally trusting in his love and grace. When we are depending on ourselves, our efforts, our goodness, or our “meritorious works,” we will not receive healing because we are saved and healed by grace, not by works. If we find ourselves trying to convince God of our worthiness for healing because we have done so much or given so much, then we are trusting in ourselves and not in him. We are also maintaining a view that God is not willing to heal but must be convinced. That mindset will certainly hinder healing.

I also have to remind myself, at times, that healing is not always instantaneous. It often is a process that takes hours, days, or even weeks. Instantaneous healing really falls under the category of miracles, so if we do not see healing immediately it does not mean that God is not healing a person or ourselves in response to our prayers or declarations.

Having said all these things, it may seem that there are so many conditions for healing that no one can be healed. But actually, the conditions for healing are basic and the same as those for salvation – believe, repent, trust in the grace of God that comes to us through Jesus, and ask. When a demon is involved, send him packing. If healing has not come, ask the Father to show you what is in the way of that healing and then deal with it through Jesus – always remembering that it is the heart of God to heal. May you be richly blessed in Jesus today.

For those of us who desire divine healing or who are pursuing a spiritual gift of healing for the sake of others, it is important that we are convinced of God’s constant goodness and his constant willingness to heal. Anything less, produces doubt in our prayers for healing.

Whenever a discussion immerges regarding divine healing, four questions always seem to arise: (1) Does God still heal today? (2) Why does he heal? (3) Is God always willing to heal or just on rare occasions? (4) If God heals today and is always willing, then why are many not healed? Let me share some thoughts on the first three questions and them some thoughts on number four in my next blog.

In Psalm 103, David declared, “Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love an compassion” (Ps.103:2-4). Throughout the Bible, the forgiveness of sins and the healing of disease are linked together and tied to God’s love and compassion. Let me make an extreme statement based David’s inspired declaration. If God does not heal all of our diseases then he does not forgive all of our sins because they are both promised here and are linked together. If healing is for only a few then forgiveness is for only a few but God desires that all men should be saved.

That statement does not mean that if you have asked for healing and have not received it that your sins are not forgiven. What it does mean is that as much as God is willing to forgive our sins, he is also willing to heal our diseases. It also means that if our sin problem has been removed or dealt with, then we should have open access to the healing power of heaven. One of the critical steps in receiving healing or ministering healing is the recognition that God is not only able to heal those who ask, but is always very willing. Remember, one of the names of God is Jehovah Rophi, the God who heals his people. His names reflect his nature and his nature reveals his heart. It is his nature to heal because life flows out of God and life heals. In the sane way that God cannot deny his holiness or his goodness, because that is his very nature, he cannot turn off his willingness to heal because that is his very nature.

In the gospel of Luke, we see Jesus healing a crippled woman on the Sabbath. Of course, the Jewish rulers rebuked Jesus for healing on the Sabbath since, in their minds, healing constituted work and no work was to be done on the seventh day. In reply to the rebuke, Jesus answered, “Should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her” (Lk.13:16)? Notice that Jesus considered her condition a work of Satan and John tells us that the very reason Jesus came into the world was to destroy the works of Satan (1 Jn.3:8).

Jesus also used the word “should” which carries with it the implication that her healing was a moral imperative or an obligation. It was the right thing to do. It was, in fact, part of God’s covenant with Israel (Ex.15:26). In Isaiah 61:1-3, we are told that Jesus came to set captives free and, in this verse, he likened her illness or her condition to bondage. Healing her set her free.

Jesus also felt compelled to heal this woman because of his love and compassion for her. She was a child of God and a daughter of Abraham living under the Old Covenant. The fact that Jesus never turned anyone down who came to him for healing suggests the he felt just as compelled to heal others as he did that woman. Jesus always did the Father’s will and always represented his Father perfectly. When we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father. It is the nature of God to heal; he is compelled to do so out of his goodness, love and compassion; he is also compelled when covenant promises are involved; and his mission through Jesus is to destroy the works of the devil including illness and bondage.

Okay, Jesus healed then, but does he heal now? Of course he does because it is still his nature, it is still the right or moral thing to do, and he still has the unchanging love and compassion for us that he did for her. We too are children of Abraham if we have the faith of Abraham (Gal.3:7) and on top of that, we too are covenant children living under an even better covenant than that woman did.

David’s words out of Psalm 103 really come to mind in the gospel of Matthew. In this account, as a prelude to healing, he declared the man’s sins to be forgiven. The religious leaders around Jesus, thought such words were blasphemy and so Jesus responded, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”      And the man got up and went home^” (Mt.9:5-7).  That moment brought David’s words to life. Disease has come into the world because of sin. When sin is forgiven or dealt with, disease no longer has a legal claim on us. Healing then becomes our inheritance in Jesus.

The Lord’s Supper represents our covenant with the Father through Jesus and has two elements – the bread and the cup. The cup, of course, represents the blood of Christ that was shed for us. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Lk.22:20). Hebrews tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb.9:22). So the forgiveness of our sins is in the blood and is represented by the cup. But what about the bread? Jesus said that the bread was his body broken for us. Peter echoed that same truth when he said, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (2 Pt.2:24). The wounds are the wounds of his broken body. Those wounds purchased healing for us. Even the Lord’s supper, through the cup and the bread, declares that he forgives all of our sins and heals all of our diseases.

Just as preaching the gospel and forgiving sins marked the ministry of Jesus, so did healing. When Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy-two to preach the gospel, he also commanded them to heal. In addition, he has commanded us to do what he did and has given the church gifts of healing. Healing is a confirmation that Jesus has taken away our sins – he forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases. Because Jesus died for the sins of the world, healing in his name can even come to unbelievers.

As we pursue healing or a gift of healing, we need to have every confidence that our prayers for healing are pleasing to the Father and that he is willing to answer our prayers. I believe that any serious study of healing in the Bible will lead you to the conclusion that God is willing to heal his people and even desires to do so. Because of that, we can pray for healing with the prayer of faith and have confidence and God will raise up the sick person (Ja.5:15). Healing is part of our inheritance in Jesus!

The next question, then, is always, “So why isn’t everyone healed?” I will share some thoughts on that in my next blog. Blessings today and health in the Lord.

Healing continues to be a controversial subject in the church world. Many churches believe that healing gifts ceased to operate around the end of the first century while others believe that the Holy Spirit is in full operation today, depositing healing gifts in those who have faith for it. My church believes that God still heals through both prayers of faith and through gifts of healing as well. However, even in the most effective healing ministries around the world, some are healed while others are not. The question of “Why?” always surfaces in the face of that reality. Is it them or is it us or is it something else? Of course, we recognize that faith has a great part in healing prayer…sometimes it is the faith of those for whom we pray and sometimes it is our own faith as we pray. But then the question becomes, “How much faith is required for God to move?”

A look at the gospels gives no hard and fast formula for prayers that heal and prayers that don’t. We know that Jesus could not heal many in Nazareth because there was such little faith in the people for healing. “Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith” (Lk.6:4-6).

And yet, at other times he healed those who had very little idea, if any, of who he was. The lame man at the pool of Bethesda seemed to have no idea about the healing that was coming his way and yet he stood and walked after being an invalid for thirty-eight years (Jn.5). The man born blind, who was given sight in John 9, seems also to have had very little information about the man called Jesus. At times, Jesus responded to faith with a miracle and at other times he imparted faith through a miracle.

As we pray for people to be healed we notice that some who are healed have little understanding of healing and a minimal relationship with Jesus while other spiritually mature individuals who love Jesus and believe in his power to heal are not healed. There is still a great deal of mystery regarding healing and those who pray for it must be willing to live with that mystery. Many believers who want to see people healed,  hold back from praying because they fear their prayer will not bring healing and that the one they pray for will be damaged or offended when healing does not come. When we think that way, we are ultimately believing that our prayer is the determining factor in healing – was it bathed in enough faith, energized by enough fervency, constructed with all the “right” elements? When we reflect on the reality of healing we know it is the Holy Spirit’s decision, not ours, whether healing will flow through us to another and prayer formula’s or volume have little to do with that release. The standard biblical prayer seemed be, “Be healed in the name of Jesus.” So much for long and eloquent prayers attempting to call down God’s favor for healing.

There is one element in healing prayer, however, that deserves our consideration. That is the element of compassion for the one who is receiving prayer. Both the Old and New Testaments reveal God as a God of compassion (mercy, pity). If you chase the word “compassion” through a concordance, the O.T. references to compassion as a quality of God far outweigh the references to compassion as a quality of men. It’s almost as if that quality is such a godly quality that it is rare to find among men.As you track the references about compassion into the New Testament, we often find it attached to Jesus.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Mt.9:35-36)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Mt.14:14).

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” (Mt.15:32)

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Mt.20:34)

Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean.” (Mk.1:41).

There are more references, but you get the point. God – whether Father, Son or Spirit – is often moved to act on behalf of men by the quality of compassion. The word is also translated as mercy, pity, his heart went out to someone, etc. Suffering is not an academic subject to God. His heart is truly moved when he sees the suffering of his people. On numerous occasions those who were suffering asked for mercy or pity from Jesus for healing and deliverance and he healed and delivered.

What about our prayers for suffering people who need healing, deliverance, salvation, provision, and so forth? How often do we actually pray out of duty or approach people as if they were a spiritual project? At times, in an effort to grow in the grace of healing, some of us will pray to receive a word of knowledge from God about someone he wants to heal and when we get a leading we go into the community to find the person God has directed us to and we pray for their healing – usually at places like Lowes, Wal-Mart, or Starbucks (my preferred word of knowledge). But, if I’m honest, at times I have been more concerned about my prayer, me feelings, and seeing the healing than I am the actual suffering of the person.

I have talked a lot in this blog about power flowing through us as we align ourselves with God. I am convinced that before we pray, we need to spend a minute or two aligning our hearts with the heart of God for that person. If we believe that God prompts us to pray or puts people on our hearts for prayer, then it stands to reason that as we pray he wants our hearts to match his. We need to ask the Spirit to give us the compassion of Christ for the individual for whom we are about to pray. If fervency is a quality for answered prayer, then feeling God’s concern will generate that passion for the hurting person in our hearts.

Many of us who pray for a lot of people, including strangers, can pray simply as an expression of obedience or for the Father’s approval or to grow in our willingness to take risks. None of those motives are bad in themselves but the far greater motive is love and out of love flows compassion. I’m certain that matching the Father’s heart is a great key to seeing heaven move in response to our prayers or our commands. In the midst of Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts, including healings and miracles, he drops in a whole chapter about motivations for exercising those gifts. Of course, the motivation he called for was love (1 Cor.13). Before I pray, I need to check my heart to discern my motivation for praying. If it is not love or compassion for the hurting person standing before me, I’m sure I need to realign my heart with the Father’s.

My prayer for today is, “Father give me the eyes of Jesus to see people as you see them and the heart of Jesus to feel what you feel for them. Match my heart to yours and then give me the wisdom of heaven to know how to pray for the people you love so desperately.”

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. (1 Cor.1:4-7)

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul finds himself writing to a rapidly growing church, but one that is lacking in spiritual maturity. In the beginning paragraphs of his letter, he reminds them of his time with them and how they came to know Jesus. As he does so, he also affirms the work and presence of God in the church at Corinth. In the text quoted above, Paul declared that his testimony about Christ had been confirmed in the believers there. Our testimony about Christ includes who he is, what he did, and what he will do in us and through us. Remember the words of Jesus himself that those who believe on him will do even greater things than he did.

The most vulnerable Christian is the one who has an intellectual knowledge of the truths about Jesus but no personal experience with him. Paul’s testimony about Jesus was undoubtedly confirmed by the presence of faith in the church and, most likely, through life change that these believers had seen in one another. However, the confirmation that Paul points to in this context is the experience of spiritual gifts. The reality of Jesus and his Spirit living in us is often confirmed by the power of his Spirit working though us.

In several accounts of men and women coming to faith in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit “fell on” or “filled” new believers. The normative experience of many of them was the spontaneous experience of speaking in tongues or prophesying. For others it was an uncharacteristic boldness in proclaiming the gospel, the spontaneous healing of someone they just prayed for, or the experience of driving a demon out of someone who has been afflicted. All of these are manifestations of spiritual gifts. The response of the seventy-two that Jesus sent out to preach was similar. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk.10:17-20).

Jesus had preached many sermons about the kingdom of heaven and the power of that kingdom. He had demonstrated that power through miracles on numerous occasions. He had appointed twelve to be apostles but then chose seventy-two “ordinary” followers and sent them out to do what he had been doing. Imagine being one of those seventy-two who suddenly was given a directive by the Lord to go preach and to do what he had been doing – all by yourself. It would be one thing to believe that Jesus was uniquely anointed by the Father for such things; it would be quite another thing to believe that you, an ordinary follower full of questions and imperfections, could ever do the same. And yet, Jesus’ own testimony about himself was that the Father had given him authority to both exercise personally and delegate to others. I have no doubt that when those seventy-two walked away from Jesus, many carried doubt that what he had commanded them to do could be done.

And yet, they still went out with imperfect faith and risked doing what they had seen him do. I’m sure they tried to recall his words as some formula for healing or casting out a demon. I’m sure that was their initial approach because we all do the same thing as we make our first attempts at healing, deliverance, prophecy, or even evangelism. And let’s face it, we say the words more with a sense of hope than any firm expectation. And yet, Jesus came through for them. They came back rejoicing and full of faith.

In the same way, when the person standing before us is healed or set free from some spirit, something very significant happens within. Suddenly, we believe more that ever that Jesus is who he says he is, that he actually does have power and authority over the enemy, and that he is truly willing to do his supernatural work through us. At that moment, a bit of hope begins to turn into a firm expectation because the testimony we had heard many times about Jesus is suddenly confirmed through a personal experience not just an intellectual position.

In Acts 17, Paul tried the intellectual approach in Athens. He stood on Mars Hill and offered his best intellectual explanations of the gospel and the resurrection of Jesus. At the end of the day, we are told that a few men believed. His next evangelistic effort was at Corinth. Between Athens and Corinth he decided on a very different approach to evangelism. He decided that he would dispense with great intellectual arguments and oratory. He would simply preach the gospel and then demonstrate it.

After preaching, he apparently did what Jesus had always done. He talked about God’s love in Christ and the power of the cross and then confirmed his sermon by healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, and casting out unclean spirits. He wasn’t just showing off or validating his apostleship, he was touching hurting people with God’s love and power. Many who had been touched by a spiritual gift received their own and through their gifts they confirmed who Jesus was for others and continued to confirm who he was for themselves. Experience is a powerful teacher.

I used to get in a hurry when I was attempting some do-it-yourself projects around the house. One night, I hurriedly and carelessly pulled a power miter saw down on my thumb. Now, if I ever get in a hurry or begin to act carelessly around a power tool that experience comes to mind and I quickly repent. I knew all the intellectual arguments for taking my time and making safety a priority. I had read the manuals and watched the DIY programs on television religiously. However, I still ignored those commandments. On the other hand, one brief, personal experience made me a lifetime believer who now rarely wanders from the truth about power miter saws. Experiences with Jesus, through the exercise of spiritual gifts, can have the same powerful effect on our belief.

In churches, where spiritual gifts are denied or minimized, faith tends to be an intellectual exercise. The testimony about Jesus will stand until a more persuasive argument against Jesus is offered or until something happens that doesn’t fit into the “crafted” understanding a person has of Jesus. I think that crisis of faith occurs for many young believers who lose their faith in college. What they were taught at home seems to be trumped by more persuasive arguments offered by impressive, unbelieving professors at the university. One intellectual argument falls to another.

However, if that same student was ever miraculously healed by Jesus, saw his mother’s cancer disappear at a prayer meeting, or his father’s drunken rage turn to love and gentleness, an intellectual argument may challenge him but will not destroy his faith because he has experienced the reality of Jesus, not just heard about it. I’m certain that no intellectual argument about the scriptures would have ever swayed Saul of Tarsus, but a supernatural experience with Jesus changed everything in a matter of minutes.

In spite of the biblical model, many churches still push back against teachings that the Holy Spirit still gives supernatural gifts that often are expressions of power – healing, deliverance, prophetic words, words of knowledge, wisdom, tongues, and so forth. When questioned, they will quickly point to the abuse of such gifts or the potential of deception in the exercise of those gifts. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul acknowledged that some abuse and deception was being practiced in the church there. However, rather than shutting down the exercise of such gifts or denying their validity, he taught them the mature exercise of such gifts and instructed them to pray for even more.

The very nature of Christ is expressed through spiritual gifts so that who he is and what he promises is confirmed through those gifts. To deny them or minimize them robs the church of that confirmation through personal, life-changing experiences with Jesus. It prevents unbelievers from having those personal encounters as well. In I Corinthians 12-14, Paul tells the church three times to eagerly or earnestly desire spiritual gifts. It seems that we should also eagerly desire the gifts since they build up the church and strengthen our faith and relationship with Jesus as well. If you hunger for a spiritual gift – go for it. Ask the Father for it. He loves to give good gifts to his children!