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)
If you engage in the ministry of healing in a serious way for any length of time, you most certainly will find yourself in deliverance situations.
What Is Deliverance?
Deliverance is the process of being set free.
Jesus came to set people free, ie: Deliverance.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
So many people are bound up and made captive by sickness or infirmity. Setting someone free of the oppression of sickness and infirmity is deliverance.
For our purposes we will look at deliverance in three areas:
- 1 Sickness
- 2 Infirmity
- 3 Demonic Forces
Is sickness and infirmity the same or are they different? Write the answer in your notebook.
Sickness includes infirmity, but infirmity may or may not include sickness.
It is common for a person to have an infirmity but not have any sickness. For example: Deafness, blindness, arthritis, muscular or skeletal problems, epilepsy, deformities, burns, and so on are all infirmities but not necessarily linked in any way to sickness. However, all sickness would be considered an infirmity. This is a very small distinction but can be important sometimes when praying for the sick and infirm.
Are sickness and infirmity related to demonic forces? Why or why not? Write the answer in your notebook.
Spiritual Biology
T.L. Osborn, a great healing evangelist and missionary to India and Africa, stated that his life and ministry radically changed when he realized that most sickness, disease, and infirmity were a direct cause of demonic forces at work.
Pathogens cause sickness. A pathogen is defined as any disease producing agent, especially a bacteria, virus, or other microorganism. God does not cause sickness so therefore pathogens are not sent to people by God to make them sick. If these are looked at as evil life forms sent by evil spirits to live in a body and destroy it, then we know they can be cast out. Jesus said, “In My name they shall cast out devils.”
Sickness and infirmity are impairments to life. These are things which, if allowed to go unabated, destroy life. If there is any sickness or infirmity in a body, life is being siphoned away. Sickness or infirmity certainly is not abundant life which, according to John 10:10, Jesus came to give.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
What does sickness and infirmity do? Write the answer in your notebook.
Using your authority in Messiah, command the virus, bacteria, or infirmity to come out of the person. For example: “In the Name of Jesus, asthma come out,” or, “In the name of Jesus, fever come out.” WORD OF WARNING: Be careful about calling sickness a spirit or demon. Our goal is to minister, not make someone think they are full of demons which can have very negative consequences.
Notice what Jesus did:
Mark 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
The only people it says were brought to Jesus in this passage were the demon possessed. After He cast out the spirit, the people were healed. The verse leads one to believe that these sicknesses and infirmities Jesus healed were caused by spirits.
Luke 13:11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.
12 When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”
13 Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Jesus only said for her to be free. Keep it simple. Don’t complicate things.
Luke 4:38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.
39 So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
Other scripture stories of healing paired with deliverance of evil spirits.
| Matt 12:22 | Jesus heals a man by casting out a blind and mute spirit |
| Matt 9:32-33 | Jesus heals a man with a mute spirit |
| Mark 9:25 | Jesus heals a boy with a deaf and mute spirit |
| Mark 1:23-25 | Jesus casts out an unclean spirit |
| strong>Mark 17:15-18 | Jesus heals a boy of epileptic seizures by casting out a demon |
| Luke 11:14 | Jesus heals a man with a mute spirit |
Do you see any connection between sickness/infirmity and demonic forces? Write the answer in your notebook.
Sickness And Infirmity
There is a definite spiritual connection too much, but not all, sickness and infirmity. Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, resentment, and other types of sin can allow the spiritual dimension of sickness to take hold. If you discover this is the case, lead the person in a prayer of forgiveness or repentance, or whatever is appropriate for the situation.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
In studying the stories of Jesus we find that people were often healed by casting out a spirit of infirmity. Many healings happen today by just saying, “Spirit of infirmity, come out in the name of Jesus.” Use your authority in Messiah to cast out the infirmity. This is so very important. Many people don’t know how to use their authority. Authority commands, it does not ask or suggest. Think of the military officer and how they would give a command. Some people think they need to yell. Real authority does not need to yell.
It is an important point to realize that just because a person is sick does not mean they are full of sin or evil spirits. They may not have a spirit of infirmity, or any other kind of evil spirit. Remember, sometimes sickness and infirmity just happen. More harm than good can result by casting out demons that aren’t there or, in the event that the person isn’t healed right away, leading them to think they weren’t healed right away because they are full of sin or they are a bad person.
DO NOT tell a person whose healing has not manifested that they weren’t healed because they didn’t have enough faith. That is a faith killer. Many people have been healed who have no faith or absolutely don’t believe.
What is the difference between a miracle and healing? Write the answer in your notebook.
Healing is the process of the body repairing itself which takes time. Miracles happen quickly. This subject will be covered in more depth in Lesson Eight: Hindrances to Healing.
Jesus Conquered Sickness And Infirmity
Is 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His wounds we are healed (rapha).
Rapha: to mend (by stitching), i.e. (fig.) to cure:–cure, (cause to) heal, repair, make whole.
1 Pet 2:24 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.
When Jesus suffered and died on the cross, He conquered sickness and infirmity. “By His wounds we have been healed!”
Why are there so many who are believers in Jesus, sick and infirm? Write the answer in your notebook.
Satan Is A Terrorist
There is a story about a Japanese prison camp in China during World War II. Held captive in the camp were British prisoners of war. The war ended but it took a few weeks for word to reach the British prisoners. Upon discovering that the Japanese had been defeated, the highest ranking British officer went to the Japanese commander of the camp, demanded his surrender, and the release of the prisoners, which happened. As long as the British troops in the prison camp remained ignorant of the situation, they remained captive. Upon learning that Japan had been defeated, the British were able to take legal authority. This same scenario happens over and over again in the spiritual world. As long as God’s people are ignorant they remain in spiritual captivity.
Satan is a terrorist and wages an illegal war. He attacks in areas where people are ignorant or unbelieving. He doesn’t fight fair. Through ignorance, people allow him to hold territory illegally. Most people don’t realize what they are up against.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Eph 6:12 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.
Considering what you are learning, what does Hosea 4:6 and Ephesians 6:12 mean to you? Write the answer in your notebook.
Our teaching has often been wrong and/or inadequate. We are ignorant, not knowing what our weapons are.
2 Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Eph 6:11-17 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Whose armor is it? What does that mean? Write the answer in your notebook.
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Jude 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Those who believe have a Covenant relationship with God and have been given the authority to cast out demons and heal the sick.
Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; …
18 they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Unless you are into actual demonic deliverance as described in the next lesson, don’t start commanding demons to come out. Just call the infirmity by name – arthritis, asthma – come out. It is possible to do more harm than good if the person you are praying for suddenly thinks they are full of demons. Remember that sickness and infirmity can just happen. While pathogens are evil life sucking life forms, they are not necessarily caused by demons or sin.
Describe how you would pray for someone who has an infection of some kind. For example: What would you specifically do and say when praying for someone with a kidney infection? What would you specifically do and say for someone who has a cut that has become infected? How about an eye infection? Write the answer in your notebook.
