We’ve gone extreme in deliverance with people believing there is a demon around every bush. The demonic realm is real, but we can’t blame everything on a demon.
We too must take responsibility for our actions and problems. If we want people and the church as a whole to embrace the ministry of deliverance, we need to bring forth balance in the ministry of deliverance.
There seems to be two sides to the spectrum—people either believe everything is demonic, or nothing is demonic. This division has separated believers, closed pastors off to deliverance ministry and left people in demonic bondage. We shouldn’t continue to argue about our stances but embrace the very ministry Jesus came to model for us.
We live in a world where spiritual warfare does exist. I think we could all say we’ve had some unexplainable struggles. However, we are also responsible for some of the negative things that have happened to us as a result of wrong choices or bad decisions.
It is unwise to blame everything on a demon or a spiritual attack. We must take responsibility for our own actions, but even more so, when we are demonically focused we are living an unbalanced spiritual life. One that can pull and draw us down a dark road. When we are always focused on the dark side we can feel victimized and defeated.
My goal is to bring balance back into the ministry of deliverance, while at the same time exposing the enemy. Jesus came to expose the powers of darkness, and if we don’t continue to do the work He did by revealing the enemy, how can we go forth and cast out demons as His Word says?
I’ve been accused several times of being too demonically focused. What accusers don’t see is how much I release the ministry of love. Jesus was all about the ministry of deliverance, and He was also about love.
The challenge is that the naysayers to the ministry of deliverance don’t see that the deliverance ministers love people so much that they want to see the captives set free, and part of that is exposing the powers of darkness. Casting out a demon doesn’t have to be ugly and a big show and production. Jesus’ love is the very essence of deliverance, and as we release His love, we are ministering deliverance. When we are holding someone and making them feel safe because they’ve been so tormented by the enemy, that is the ministry of love and deliverance.
The church has shunned the ministry of deliverance. Believers have gone overboard, thinking there is a demon around every bush and others don’t believe a demon can infiltrate our souls.
Theological debates aren’t going to set anyone free and certainly don’t exude Jesus’ love. Therefore, how do we bring a balance to the ministry of deliverance?
—Our main focus should be Jesus Christ and exuding His love.
—Educating ourselves on the ministry of deliverance by reading the Gospels.
—Seeking our own healing and deliverance.
—Not judging other people in their interpretation of the Bible.
—Being peacemakers rather than critical.
—Realizing it’s not our job to correct and convict; that belongs to the Holy Spirit.
—Extending grace to people in bondage and those who minister to them.
—Accepting there may be a different belief system from what you have.
—Praying and asking the Holy Spirit to expose and correct all of us.
I believe, just like there needs to be balance in the prophetic, we need to bring balance back into the ministry of deliverance. Not everything is a demon, but there are also demons. Ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and reveal the truth of God’s Word to you. {eoa}
Kathy DeGraw is a prophetic deliverance minister releasing the love and power of God to ignite and activate people, release prophetic destinies and deliver people from the bondage of the enemy. She is the founder of Kathy DeGraw Ministries and Be Love Outreach. She is the host of the “Prophetic Spiritual Warfare” podcast. She is the author of several books, including Speak Out, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, Unshackled and Warfare Declarations. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook at facebook.com/kathydegraw/ or visit kathydegrawministries.org.
