Deliverance ministry is surging back into the spotlight — filling churches, dominating social media feeds and igniting fierce theological debates. But as more believers step into casting out demons and confronting spiritual darkness, a sobering question emerges: Are we doing it the right way?
In a recent “Demon Slayers” podcast, Isaiah Saldivar, Vlad Savchuk, Mike Signorelli and Alexander Pagani discussed five critical mistakes that can sabotage breakthrough, undermine authority and ultimately hurt the very people seeking freedom through deliverance.
1. Treating Deliverance as a Shortcut to Discipleship
Saldivar called this a “major mistake,” saying, “Casting out demons is not a substitute for discipleship.”
Savchuk took it further, explaining that true discipleship must include deliverance, but cannot be replaced by it. “Any discipleship that subtracts deliverance… is missing the whole discipleship point,” he said. “Jesus didn’t disciple people to a classroom. He discipled them, taught them and then gave them authority… to cast out demons and heal the sick.”
The hosts agreed that deliverance without spiritual formation leads to instability, while discipleship without empowerment leads to stagnation.
2. Turning Deliverance Into a Show
One of the most candid moments of the episode came as the group discussed the danger of sensationalizing manifestations for content.
Savchuk openly reflected on viral deliverance clips from earlier years. “I think [we] exploited manifestations by using the algorithm to put stuff together,” he admitted. “Was the motive to show deliverance, or was the motive to also capitalize on the fact that this was [a] manifestation?”
Saldivar echoed the concern, saying he had to check his own heart when clips began going viral. “I didn’t want to be praying for someone and this to cross my mind: ‘Oh, this is going to make a really good clip.’”
The consensus: deliverance should be motivated by compassion, not content.
3. Casting Out What Needs to Be Crucified
Another pitfall they addressed was confusing flesh issues with demonic bondage.
Saldivar warned, “Don’t cast out what needs to be crucified.” He described people who repeatedly seek deliverance while neglecting prayer, Scripture and church accountability. “Prayer crucifies your flesh. Reading the Bible crucifies your flesh… being submitted to a pastor crucifies your flesh.”
Savchuk added clarity: “If we continuously yield to the flesh… the flesh is the traitor on the inside that opens the door to the demons on the outside.”
The point wasn’t to deny demonic influence — but to emphasize that personal discipline and repentance matter.
4. Skipping Forgiveness and Repentance
The group cautioned against rushing straight to shouting commands at demons without addressing spiritual blockers.
Signorelli emphasized that words alone are not enough. “‘Renounce’ means to utterly detest and to hate,” he said. “You can’t just say, ‘I renounce pornography,’ when you love it… It’s not just a word. It now is an action.”
Without genuine repentance and forgiveness, deliverance can stall. The hosts agreed that addressing open doors often brings a breakthrough faster than hours of repeated commands.
5. Doing Deliverance While Spiritually Sloppy
Perhaps the strongest warnings came from Saldivar, who cautioned ministers against operating in compromise.
“How could you cast something out that’s entertaining you?” he asked. “If you really want authority… live a pure and clean life.”
Signorelli reinforced the principle: “We receive power to be witnesses.” Authority flows from intimacy and obedience, not hype.
In the end, the message was clear: deliverance isn’t fading — it’s maturing. But if it’s going to remain healthy, these pitfalls must be avoided.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
