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Kim Harrington #fundie masterbuilder.org

We have learned in our experience with demons over the years that they are legalists--they cling to the letter of the law, not the intent of a sincere person's heart. For example, we once cast a spirit of nicotine out of a man who hadn't smoked in years. He had changed his lifestyle in obedience to God, but because he had not specifically repented, renounced the demon and cast it out, it remained, hoping to trip him up again in the future.

Repentance is a necessary part of deliverance. Where there is no repentance there is no deliverance. As out text says, godly sorrow leads to repentance and repentance leads to deliverance (the word "salvation" in the original Greek covers the whole arena of healing, deliverance, and freedom available to us in Christ, and is just as properly--perhaps more accurately--rendered "deliverance"). If a person has not repented, then he is still working on the demon's side in that particular area; though he may be remorseful of certain aspects of the bondage, he is still not forsaking the sinful behavior that brought it on. In order to get deliverance from demonic affliction, the individual has to repent, out loud, to the Lord, and ask forgiveness. Even if it's assumed that repentance has taken place, for the sake of the legalistic demons, make it just as clear as possible by going through a prayer of repentance.

Kim Harrington #fundie masterbuilder.org

Why Some Demons Are Harder to Expel

It would appear that some demons are more powerful than others, or for various reasons have a more powerful hold on the person's life. In that case, more prayer is needed: that means more prayer during the deliverance session, and more time spent in personal prayer and fasting as a general rule. Some of the reasons that certain "kinds" of spirits are more powerful may be...

There is a Curse or a Cross-Generational Bondage. This sounds even more implausible to the modern mind than the rest of the business of casting out demons, but it's given a lot of credibility in the pages of Scripture. In fact, the Bible mentions cursing 181 times, and that doesn't count all the references where the word "curse" is not actually used, but a curse is nevertheless placed upon someone.

Take a quick look at the Scriptures. God cursed Adam, Eve, and the serpent. He also cursed whole peoples, such as Amalek. Deuteronomy chapter 27 is all about various curses. Paul cursed a sorcerer in the New Testament, striking him blind. Jesus cursed a fig tree in Mark 11, as well as the Pharisees who resisted his ministry in Matthew 23.

Very often, curses are brought on by the sins of the parents. Numbers 14:18 says, "The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation." It's no accident that children who were abused grow up to abuse their own children. It's sowing and reaping--not just in the realm of learned behavior, but in the realm of the spirit. The Bible suggests a cross-generational curse, familial demons passed on from father to son, and oftentimes deliverance is next to impossible until you uncover and break those curses. Sometimes parents curse their children with their mouths. "You're stupid and you'll always be stupid," can be a curse that stays with a child for an entire lifetime. An individual must often renounce that curse in order to get completely free.

Although "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us..." (Gal 3:13) that redemption is not automatic, but like any other aspect of our salvation it has to be appropriated and received by faith. You can break a curse by simply identifying it, having the person repent and renounce it, and then declaring it to be null and void in the name of Jesus. Any stubborn demons related to the curse will come out relatively easily after that. (see also Spiritual Warfare, Part III on Curses)

Sometimes a demon may be aided by other stronger spirits, either inside or outside of the person you're praying with. If you suspect this is the case, just verbally cut off the demon in question from any other demons, forbidding them to assist him, and breaking any assignments he might have on the person's life. Sometimes demons jump from sibling to sibling, or husband to wife, and two people need to be dealt with at once--there is a demonic spiritual bond that needs to be broken between them.

Finally, the person may not be truly repentant. This gives the demon an almost unbreakable hold--remember, there is no deliverance without repentance. Then it's back to counseling and "garbage removal," getting rid of that which attracted the demons in the first place.

Spiritual warfare--the hand to hand variety of casting out demons--is a very real part of the Christian life. Examine your own heart and life--you may need deliverance. Then go out and minister to others. We could use a few more well-equipped Holy Ghost commandos out on the battlefield.

Kim Harrington #fundie masterbuilder.org

It's important to determine the source of demonic affliction so the person can repent and avoid that sort of behavior in the future. You might ask: how long have you felt this way? when did this first start happening? have you ever been involved in the occult? how about a seance or a game of Ouija? Chances are the individual will suddenly recall some event that happened years ago--this is very likely an insight from the Holy Spirit.

Often the person has been subjected to some kind of abuse. In this case, the next step is to forgive those who hurt them. Perhaps the most common demonic stronghold in a believer's life is unforgiveness, bitterness against a parent, sibling, ex-spouse, etc. that they are unable to let go of. Very little deliverance is possible without forgiving those people. By forgiving, we are not implying that the behavior was acceptable. It wasn't, and the proof is that it's led to a long-standing bondage in the victim's life. But it helps the victim to realize that his or her abuser was probably abused, too, and very likely was controlled by the same demon that he or she now wrestles with. In any case, you cannot be freed yourself until you declare an unconditional amnesty on those who have sinned against you. Forgiveness is essential.