PART II

“LET ME IN!”
DEMONIC
ENTRYWAYS
 CHAPTER 4

PERMISSION GRANTED
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee [run in terror] from you.
—JAMES 4:7

Incorporeal spirits or demons require our permission to dwell in us. They

receive this authorization through omission or commission. Omission is
defined as “someone or something that has been left out or excluded.”1
Commission is “an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or
group of people.”2
Evil spirits gain access to people’s lives through ancestry, accident, or
acceptance. They can enter by the directive or command of the individual
(commission). It’s the willful act of inviting demons into a person’s body.
Witches, warlocks, and other followers of Satan do this. Instead of a duty
being given to people, as the definition implies, authorization or access is
being allotted to devils. Willful sin can also be a door of invitation to
demons. This provides the enemy an occasion or chance to enter you.

Don’t give the Devil a chance (Ephesians 4:27, GNT).

When referring to omission, the demon can be allowed entry through

tragic events of which the individual had no control, such as rape,
molestation, child abuse, sexual assault, and similar kinds of trauma. I cited
the previous examples because I’ve witnessed the victims requiring
deliverance from spirits that gained admission as a result of these abuses
inflicted upon them. The sufferer has no culpability in these situations, but
the acts themselves have the potential to cause demonic impregnation. In
the case of molestation, it’s often said that victims of abuse have a
proclivity to abuse others. This could be the result of demonic influence or
inhabitation.
Demons can also enter through someone in the person’s lineage who
dedicated their future offspring to Satan. In other words, devils can be
inherited. An example of this is cancer, which I believe is an evil spirit that
originates from the satanic realm. This demon kills thousands of lives
annually. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2018, an estimated
1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and
609,640 people will die from the disease.3 This insidious evil seems to
manifest itself in and through families. You’ll see it passed down from
father to son and mother to daughter, in many cases regrettably. But the
good news is that cancer, as a spirit, can be cast out. Hallelujah!
It also appears that devils are not only familiar but also familial,
meaning that they are assigned to families. When a demonized relative dies,
that same demon or demons will seek refuge in another “open” person
within the same family. By open, I’m implying that the family member is
receptive or accessible through a sinful or unsaved lifestyle. This leaves
them vulnerable to demonic occupation. In this case, the infected person
had nothing to do with the familial or familiar infection. As I previously
addressed, someone in their lineage dedicated or offered them up to the
devil. The only thing that can save them is a true relationship with Jesus
Christ, accepting Him as their Lord and Savior. This is the only way they
can begin the process of being supernaturally delivered.
The following bears repeating—sin opens the door to demonic
infiltration. Satan just waits by the door until you give him an invitation to
come inside. Like a mythical vampire that frequents horror movies, he’s not
allowed in until you let him in. This invite is sent out when we involve
ourselves in activities that are outside the will of the Lord. When in the
enemy’s territory or his will, we are subject to invasion. The Lord will often
warn us when we’re venturing out of His jurisdiction.
 There were two incidents that led me to believe that demons need
permission to invade a person’s life. The first occurred when I was a
teenager. I was lying in my bed, and the room was empty. Just before falling
asleep, I felt as if something else was in there with me. I began to feel this
thing floating above me, attempting to pull my soul out of my body! It felt
as if I had a choice to either give in to it or fight. I chose the latter. It’s
difficult to accurately describe how I knew at the time; I just did. Today, I
would say it was divine discernment.
The second incident transpired when I was much older and living in my
current home with my wife. Again, I was in bed, experiencing a twilight
moment—the sensation of being awake and falling asleep at the same time.
Within this moment, I heard a seductively wicked voice speaking to my
spirit. I knew it wasn’t the Lord. It asked me, “Will you let me into your
body?”
“No!” I said repeatedly, adding the demon-busting name of Jesus Christ,
until it was gone.

SUBMIT TO GOD AND RESIST THE DEVIL

It’s my belief that if I had answered in the affirmative, I would’ve given the
demon a right of entry. If you submit to the devil, you empower him to
invade you and, consequently, wreak havoc in your life.
When it comes to revoking Satan’s right of entry, your response to him
must be resistance at all cost. If you resist him, then he will flee, which, as
used in James 4:7, means “to flee, escape, shun, to run away; by
implication, to shun; by analogy, to vanish.”4 A former pastor of mine used
to say that flee used here meant to run in terror. I’ve always loved that and
clung to his definition. There’s nothing like experiencing the enemy of our
souls running away in a panic! Many quote the second part of James 4:7 but
neglect the first part: “submit yourselves therefore to God.” This is the most
important part of the verse. We must first submit to the Lord before we can
properly resist the devil. Without submission, there can be no divine
resistance; at least this is so within the kingdom when dealing with the
adversaries of the cross.
 When you live a life of submission to the Most High, you perpetually
walk in His authority. The more submitted to His will you are, the more
terrified the devil becomes of you. Why? Because His will becomes your
will. There is no place safer than being in the perfect will of the Lord. Satan
somehow knows who belongs to the Lord and who doesn’t. There is no fear
factor involved when he attacks those who don’t know the Lord.

CAST HIM OUT WHERE?

When you resist a devil, personally, or cast a devil out of someone else,
where do they go? They go where you command them to go. Remember
when Jesus cast out the multitude of devils in Mark 5:9? The demons
implored Him to send them into a herd of pigs, and He did.
When deliverance is taking place, the demonic forces must be sent
somewhere specifically. I was always taught by my spiritual mother, Ruth
Brown, to send them to the pit. The verse below states where they go when
they leave an individual.

When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert,

seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, “I will return to
the person I came from.” So it returns and finds its former
home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven
other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the
person and live there. And so that person is worse off than
before. That will be the experience of this evil generation
(Matthew 12:43-45, NLT).

OUT WITH THE EVIL, IN WITH THE HOLY

What’s interesting about the Scripture above is that it begins with “When an
evil spirit leaves a person.” It’s my estimation that there are times when
some demons just leave without going through a deliverance session. This
can happen when an infected person gets saved (Jesus becomes their Lord
and Savior). For example, before salvation an individual may have smoked
cigarettes. The desire for nicotine miraculously vanishes immediately after
a true conversion! The spirit behind the addiction left due to the Holy Spirit
coming in.

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good
News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ,
he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,
whom he promised long ago (Ephesians 1:13, NLT).

Once we believe, we’re given the Holy Spirit. Now there is a difference
between receiving the Holy Ghost and the manifestation of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. The gifts come to the surface after being filled with the Holy
Spirit.

STARVE THEM OUT

There are times when demons just leave when God comes in. They may
also exit due to starvation. Demons fulfill their illicit desires through human
beings. They are incorporate beings who require a body to express their
perverseness. If a person overcomes alcoholism and totally abstains from
drinking, then the demon behind it might automatically leave. Why?
Because the person is no longer “feeding” it.
By feeding them, I’m referring to a person doing the act(s) that the
demon(s) desire. Not providing nourishment to devils is similar to going on
a God-directed fast (not eating). Jesus said in Mark 9:29, “This kind can
come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” The latter gives evidence
to the starvation of an evil spirit. Demons will leave when they can no
longer express themselves, eat, or quench their thirst.
The desert mentioned in Matthew 12:43 refers to an area of isolation
and exhaustion. Rest is foreign or unobtainable here for demonic entities.
The demon goes here to strategize, awaiting an opportunity to return.
My former pastor, Randy Horn, used to always say that the devil
doesn’t have any new tricks. He usually comes to you with what he had you
bound with in the past. For instance, if alcohol was your vice, he’s not
going to come at you with women. The enemy will approach you by
appealing to what you are craving the most.
 We’ve looked at how the enemy gains entrance into our lives and briefly
touched on how we can be proactive in denying him that access. In the next
two chapters, we’re going to look at some specific entryways he uses to get
in.
 CHAPTER 5

HERE TO DESTROY
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill
and destroy. My purpose is to give
them a rich and satisfying life.
—JOHN 10:10, NLT

My grandfather, Dr. S.W. Shockley, used to be a preacher. He didn’t stay

one due to personal reasons. Dr. Shockley was an officer in the United
States Army, a college graduate, a retired dentist, and is currently listed in
the Who’s Who Among Black Americans. I only list his credentials to further
validate what I’m about to tell you. Dr. Shockley led an extraordinary life
that was full of unexplained, supernatural events.
My grandfather became very ill in his early seventies. In this particular
instance, he’d lost an enormous amount of blood. He was taken to the
hospital where he lay in bed, physically and spiritually fighting for his life.
At his weakest point, according to him, an unseen force entered the room.
He couldn’t see it, but he could sense and hear it. Abruptly, the entity began
to speak. It said, “I’m not here to help you. I’m here to destroy you!”
After uttering these foreboding words, the presence was gone, leaving
him in a state of fear and bewilderment.
This incident is typical of demonic assault. These spirits often come
when they think you’re at your weakest. Satan, being the namby-pamby
(spineless) spirit that he is, will launch his minions against you, believing
that you’re too infirmed to fight back. His goal is your total destruction.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Satan is the thief referred to in this verse. In the natural, there are
thieves who steal, kill, and destroy. This is the enemy of our soul’s
aspiration. He exercises such deviant pleasures through people who expose
themselves to his demonic realm. In the past, I’ve seen murderers on
television who committed horrific and unspeakable crimes asked why they
did it. Most responded with “I don’t know” or “I can’t recall.”
I have confidence in the fact that, in certain cases, Lucifer blinded their
minds before and during the act. His forces, stationed within the individual,
took over or possessed them totally for that moment, committing the
heinous crimes through them. He deliberately waited for an opportune
moment. The devil strategized for years, then manifested his plan when
wrath took over.
Anger is an entry point for the enemy, as well as jealousy, evil thoughts,
going our own way, and pride. Let’s look now at how the enemy uses these
thoughts and emotions to try to steal, kill, and destroy the abundant life God
has for us.

ANGER
Rage is a potential doorway for devils because it usually leads to sin. The
enemy realizes this and uses it to his advantage in the ongoing war against
the saints. This is why the Bible cautions us not to allow anger to cause us
to sin in the sight of the Lord.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your
wrath (Ephesians 4:26).

In most cases, wherever there is anger, sin is not far behind. It positions
itself at the door to the Lord’s temple (your body), waiting for you to open
it. This was clearly a factor in the first murder in biblical history, as
recorded in the Scripture below.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of

the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel,
he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat
thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his
offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not
respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth [angry]?
and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt
thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at
the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt
rule over him (Genesis 4:3-7, emphasis added).

In a moment of intense irritation, Cain killed his brother, Abel. I

subscribe to the theory that it wouldn’t have transpired if Cain didn’t
already have built-up resentment toward him.

JEALOUSY
Another aspect of Cain’s story is how he was given over to demonic forces
by way of the spirit of jealousy.

If thou [Cain] doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if

thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall
be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Genesis 4:7).

In Genesis 4, Cain slew Abel out of a jealousy derived from his more
excellent sacrifice (gift) to the Most High. Wherever there is envy or
covetousness, Satan is present. The devil was indirectly involved in the
murder of Abel, the first prophet during biblical times, according to Luke
11:50-51.
Jealousy is sin, and when sin is allowed to make its home within you,
demons can become occupants as well. This is especially true when this
spirit is allowed to live in you for a lengthier duration of time. The longer
jealousy stays, the more likely further demonic intrusion.

Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and

every kind of evil (James 3:16, GW).

From reading the verse above, we can infer that all kinds of evil are
attached to the spirit of jealousy. Again, this caused Cain to commit the first
murder recorded in Scripture. My point is that sin, or demons, lie in wait by
the door, encouraging us to do that which is unseemly in order to gain
entrance into us. It’s my stance that the phrase “sin lieth at the door”
referenced in Genesis 4:7, describes how it’s always waiting for the chance
to rule over us. We must be ever ready and diligent to make sure this
doesn’t happen.

EVIL THOUGHTS
Though Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and raised their
family outside its boundaries, the snake didn’t stop speaking to the “first
family” after being revealed. The devil continued to talk and play upon their
thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. He especially wreaked havoc with Cain’s
embittered feelings toward Abel, cultivating them like seeds and watering
them with his words. Like speaking to plants provides them with much
needed carbon dioxide, Satan’s falsehoods nourished the negativity that was
already lodged in Cain’s heart.
The enemy planted the seeds, then patiently waited for them to sprout.
Cain’s murderous act was more than likely played out in his mind countless
times before he ever committed it. I’m sure that even you have entertained
actions, conceptually, that you’ve never actually carried out.
Evil thoughts don’t always originate with you. They are often given to
you—an unwanted gift from the kingdom of darkness. Instead of speaking
such things into your mind, Lucifer has an intense conversation with your
heart. Your heart, in response, relays that dialogue to your mind. The brain
then transports those evil thoughts to your mouth. Your mouth, in turn,
translates them into words and they begin to pour out. Once spoken,
consistently, there is great potential for the wicked consideration or thought
to be acted upon.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,

adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
(Matthew 15:19).

In the case of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ, the devil influenced
him for some time. He didn’t take full control of him until Jesus revealed in
John 13 that there was a traitor amongst the twelve disciples. Once fully
inside, he dictated Judas’s actions through a domination of his soul, mind,
and body. When Jesus told him to do what he was going to do quickly, He
was actually speaking to Satan himself, not Judas.

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus
unto him, That thou doest, do quickly (John 13:27).

GOING OUR OWN WAY

When Judas was exposed and made up his mind to betray Jesus, Satan
entered him.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of

the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and
communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might
betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted
to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity
to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude
(Luke 22:3-6).

Notice that the above scripture says, “He went his way.” The act of
going our own way instead of God’s takes us out of His will, placing us in
the will of the evil one. Once in the territory of Lucifer, he gains access to
our temples (bodies). In order to prevent this, we must ever be mindful to
stay within the will of the Father and go the way that He directs us.

PRIDE AND THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRITY

 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to
think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to
think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each
of you a measure of faith (Romans 12:3, NET).

The celebrity spirit I see within the body of Christ these days is
disheartening. Men and woman are beginning to worship Christian leaders
more than God. What’s even more alarming is some leaders are allowing
them to do so! This is dangerous within itself. God will have no other gods
exalted above Himself (see Exod. 20:3). He will not give His glory to
another (see Isa. 42:8).
Today, we have too many little gods acting as God. They prefer to be
the receivers of the glory rather than reflectors of the glory, refusing to give
God all the glory. Instead of serving, they demand to be served.
Pride is a result of believing all the hype that goes along with celebrity.
In other words, you begin to believe your own press.
As God elevates an individual, his or her true nature is slowly revealed.
If they’re arrogant inside, it becomes apparent on the outside. Conceit and
the pulpit should repel each other, not attract each other.
How can one be a man or woman of God and think like a celebrity? The
celebrity mindset, in a worldly sense, is one of excess, selfishness,
narcissism, and vain ambition. Its goal is self-elevation and prosperity.
Essentially, it becomes all about the person, not the people they’re supposed
to serve. Jesus Christ never walked in such a manner or spirit!
This mindset will eventually cause one to fall from grace. The Lord will
send warning before taking from them their kingdom—notoriety, platform,
and money garnered through ungodly celebrity.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before

a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

There is always a downside to walking in pride. Pride is a spirit that

needs to be rebuked whenever it rears its ugly head. This spirit targets the
heart and seeks entry into the spiritual chambers of it. We give pride
accessibility when our exploits start to become more about us and less
about Him.
To keep the spirit of pride at bay, always give God the praise for
anything you do in regard to the kingdom. For example, when
complemented for doing kingdom work, rather than replying, “Thank you,”
saying, “Praise God, thank you,” instead. Always give Him the glory first!
Pride has caused the downfall of many a great leader. Don’t let the same
thing happen to you! Remember, pride caused the fall of Lucifer, who later
became known as the devil.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the

morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst
weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit
(Isaiah 14:12-15).

No matter how high the Lord takes you, stay humble. You’ll be
challenged not to be and sometimes you may slip, but continued practice
will cause humility to cement within your spiritual DNA. As soon as you
recognize pride swelling up in you, rebuke it, repent for it, and allow the
Lord to reset you. If you do this, the swelling will go down. We all can get
caught up in this spirit; no one is exempt.
According to First Samuel 15:17, Saul was little in his own eyes
(humble). This, according to the prophet Samuel, caused the Lord to anoint
him as the king over Israel. After he became king, humility was evicted by
pride from his temple (his body). Mind you, it wasn’t an immediate
eviction, but the belongings of humility were moved out over a period of
time. I’ve seen this happen in numerous peoples’ lives. They start off right,
but end up wrong, due to arrogance moving in and kicking out humility!
 In order to be supernaturally delivered from the celebrity spirit, you
have to consistently walk in humility. Make it a lifestyle. Practice makes
perfect!

KEYS TO STAYING HUMBLE

1. Remember who you were before God delivered you.
2. Maintain a consistent prayer life.
3. Always defer or deflect the praises of people to God.
4. Don’t believe the hype!
5. Recognize when you act arrogantly.
6. Participate in self-deliverance as needed.
7. Don’t ever think you’re incapable of falling.
8. Remember, the greatest chance of falling is right after a
major victory.
9. Be quick to apologize, even when you’re not wrong.
10. Bless the Sauls (persons who misuse their authority over you
or are jealous of you) in your life.
11. Submit to godly authority.
12. Let go or get delivered from the spirits of rejection and
bitterness.
13. Make up your mind to be an enthusiastic worshiper of the
Lord!
14. Don’t let the enemy consistently whisper in your ear.

DON’T LET HIM DRIVE

If you allow the devil to ride, he’s eventually going to want to drive. Like
he did with Judas, Cain, and King Saul, the enemy will spend years
working on an individual. By the time they realize it, he’s already taken
over a great portion of their will. This is the primary reason why some
people can’t give up habitual sin (i.e. masturbation, pornography,
fornication, homosexuality, etc.). If the devil inside wants whatever it is, it
will use the human body to quench its demonic lusts. That’s why a lot of
Christians struggle with sins that they hate. It tends to cause shame,
embarrassment, and anger. This is all an elaborate plan by the prince of
darkness to cause your destruction. Don’t ever allow a struggle to become a
habit! A struggle is when you fight against sinning, but are often
unsuccessful. A habit is when you willfully sin, without any thought or
conviction about how it hurts God.
Everything the devil gives you comes along with a demonic disclaimer.
A disclaimer is defined as “a statement that denies something, especially
responsibility.”1 Lucifer will get a person to commit a crime, then abdicate
his responsibility for it. He’ll abandon the individual in the midst of the
consequences of the act. Basically, they’re left to take the rap for what
Satan did through them. This is the epitome of his cowardice; however, this
is his nature. He throws rocks, then hides his hands.
Be careful not to entertain a voice that seeks your elimination, not your
elevation. Just like we must know the voice of the Great Shepherd (God),
we must also know the voice of the stranger (Satan). By recognizing both
voices, we’re better able to discriminate between the two. One’s aspiration
is to assist you, while the other’s aim is to harm you. When you are able to
differentiate between the two, you’re more likely to maintain your
supernatural deliverance.
 CHAPTER 6

UNCLEAN SPIRITS AND

CURSED OBJECTS:
BOOKS
After throwing him into convulsions,
the unclean spirit cried out with a
loud voice and came out of him.
—MARK 1:26, NET, emphasis added

Did you know that demons have a stench to them? Their vomit-inducing
odor can sometimes be perceived in the spirit, but there can also be a
manifestation of it in the natural. Throughout the Bible, evil spirits that
possessed men were referred to as “unclean spirits” as evidenced in the
following verses:

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean

spirit; and he cried out (Mark 1:23).
And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there
met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit (Mark
5:2).
And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and
tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed
the child, and delivered him again to his father (Luke 9:42).
 Unclean, as defined by the KJV Bible Dictionary, means “not clean;
foul; dirty; filthy.”1 Foul is defined as “offensive to the senses, especially
through having a disgusting smell or taste or being unpleasantly soiled” (“a
foul odor”).2 There are countless reports of fetid smells accompanying
demonic activity. I can attest to this fact, because I experienced their odor
firsthand. It’s like no other putrid smell that you’ve been subjected to on
earth!
My experience occurred when I was a rebellious teenager with a gift I
didn’t fully comprehend (to hear more about my “gift” get my book,
Supernaturally Prophetic: A Guide for Prophets and Prophetic People,
available at bookstores nationwide). At the time, I lived with my mother,
father, little brother, and our dog in a modest, middle-class home on the
south side of Chicago.
Because I couldn’t explain my supernatural abilities—or myself—I
started exploring books on the occult not realizing the peril of my actions. I
devoured books on subjects that dealt with ESP (extra-sensory perception),
clairvoyance, psychic readings, horoscopes, and the like. I actually stole
these books from my school library. Keep in mind I was sixteen years of
age, undelivered and unsaved.
I don’t recall the titles of all the material I read, but suffice it to say, they
were writings that opened up doors that should have remained closed.
These books included the names of demons and various incantations
(spells). Ignorantly, I brought these books home and stored them in the
closet of my bedroom. Little did I know that, by doing this, I inadvertently
brought “monsters” into our house and strange things began to occur almost
immediately. The events that took place still bring a chill to my spine
almost every time I recall them.

CLOSE THE BOOK, CLOSE THE DOOR

The first thing I noticed was my closet, where I kept the books, was always
cold. My bedroom would consistently be toasty warm in the winter, yet
where I hung my clothes would be freezing! I realized, later in life, that
coldness within a space that has no natural origin can emanate from an evil
source. There was also a very demonic feel to my sleeping area. I would
attempt to get the family pet to stay in my room, but he would circle, whine,
and scratch my closed door, eager to get out! To the best of my recollection,
I don’t think my dog ever voluntarily came into my room. Animals have a
tendency to see, hear, and sense things in the spirit realm that we sometimes
cannot.
When you have a call upon your life, the devil wastes no time leading
you in the wrong direction when you’re not purposely submitted to God.
My rebellion and curiosity caused me to inadvertently venture into territory
that belonged to Satan. When I look back, I can see that the spirit of anger
weighed heavily upon me. It had even taken up residence within my
parents’ home, mainly in my room.
Years later, a minister and friend of mine at college gave me a word of
knowledge (prophetic words that relate to your past or present) about books
being in my closet that were portals for devils. He’d seen it in a vision and
warned me to get rid of the books as soon as possible. I followed his
instructions and did just that when I returned home for break. When it was
done, things got a bit better. I realize now that the iciness in my closet was
caused partially by doors that were opened when I brought these occultic
books home. In getting rid of them, I closed the book on that chapter of my
life. I also shut one of the gates that gave the enemy admission into my life.

EACH BOOK HAS ITS OWN SPIRIT

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God, for many false prophets have
gone out into the world (1 John 4:1, ESV).

Throughout my experiences, like the one shared above, I have

discovered that books and other objects that we innocently bring into our
homes can have spirits attached to them. If these spirits are evil, they can
bring on satanic attack. Books were the main type of cursed object I
personally held on to. You may have other items you’ve collected that need
to be removed from your home and destroyed. There shouldn’t be anything
that separates us from experiencing the full blessing of liberty in Christ. He
paid too high a price for our freedom for us to hold on to things that enslave
us. This is especially true when we have rights through the blood of Jesus,
to rule and reign in the kingdom of light.
Some have a tendency to believe that books are harmless. As a result of
my experience, I want to share what the Lord has taught me in this area.

A Demon-Impregnated Paperback
During a conversation with my late spiritual mother, the awesomely
anointed author, prophet, and prayer warrior, Ruth Brown, I told her of a
strange occurrence involving a paperback that I was currently reading. It
was about someone alleging that they had met Jesus Christ in person. In the
book, the author claimed that Jesus actually materialized in front of him on
an almost daily basis. Spiritually, I was greatly disturbed. As I read it, I
sensed that the author had falsified many of the accounts. I also sensed an
agenda that was not God-ordained. The emphasis was on him, not the Lord
whom he claimed visited him often. I relayed this to Mother Brown. She
advised me to stop reading it. Her reason: evil spirits can attach themselves
to books.
I found out later that the writer of this particular book had sexual
encounters with various women, some of whom I know personally. Pictures
and screenshots of sexually explicit text messages were sent to me by them.
There were other allegations that I won’t reveal here. I became aware, by
means of discernment, that this individual was involved in sexual sin while
writing his book. That spirit had impregnated the book, permitting demons
to be birthed out of the pages and manifest in the lives of the readers.

A Deliverance Book Full of Demons

On another occasion—a relatively calm summer evening—I was lying
in bed reading a book on deliverance. When I finished it, something
peculiar and frightening happened. As I found myself between wakefulness
and slumber, I felt something on top of me! I couldn’t see it, but I could feel
its weight. It had a presence, but no physical body. I immediately called
upon the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and felt this thing start
to slide down my body. I was relieved because I thought my ordeal was
over, but to my dismay, it wasn’t! This monster jumped back on my chest! I
was being spiritually crushed under the pressure of an invisible force!
 I called on my Lord a second time, but this time, I spoke with the
authority of a believer, “In the name of Jesus,” I declared, “get off me!”
Not surprisingly, it made a hasty exit.
Afterward, I was perplexed. What had just happened? One thing I knew
was that it was a demon, but I couldn’t figure out what caused it to attack
me. Subsequently, I asked my wife to read the same book. Don’t judge me,
people! I wasn’t sure that the book was the cause of the attack. I thought
that it might have been all in my head.
The next night, my wife, Elisa, positioned herself on the couch in our
living room, reading the same book I’d read the previous evening. Later,
after finishing a majority of the text, she fell asleep. That morning she
reported that something invisible sat on her during the night and wouldn’t
allow her to move. She rebuked it in Jesus’s name, and it was gone.
In response to this revelation, I grabbed the book while my wife was
away, threw it in our bathroom tub and set it on fire. Upon her return, her
reaction was not pleasant because I damaged the tub. In my zeal to rid our
home of this book that I understood to be occupied by devils, I didn’t think
about the potential damage. But it worked! We didn’t experience that type
of attack again.

Test Every Book’s Spirit

To this day, I’m extremely guarded concerning the type of reading
material I allow in my house. They have to go through rigorous spiritual
scrutiny before I allow the text to permeate my eye gates, and you should
do likewise.
We must test every spirit to see whether it be from the Lord, even when
choosing the literature we read. Books that originate from Satan are loaded
with demons with orders to infiltrate our minds and bodies. When you read
a book, you’re opening your spirit up to the contents written within. Spirits
can and will enter you the longer you regale or entertain them.

WHY THE DEVIL ATTACKS

THROUGH CERTAIN BOOKS
I’ve never seen deliverance services where they cast out demons that come
from books. Have you ever had an ominous feeling during or after reading
certain books? I believe this occurs for two reasons:

1. The book may be of the Lord and the devil attacks you
because he doesn’t want you to find out information and
revelation contained within that could do damage to his
kingdom.
2. The book is of a satanic origin and was written expressly
with an evil agenda in mind.

1. The book is of the Lord.

It was around 4:30 p.m. when I suddenly got the urge to go to a local
Christian bookstore. In my spirit, I heard the Lord tell me that He had
something there for me. As I endeavored to go, the phone kept ringing amid
other distractions. Fifteen minutes had passed. It was now 4:45 p.m. and the
bookstore closes at 5:00 p.m. The continued attempts to keep me from
going only strengthened my resolve to go. My thought process was, “If the
devil is fighting this hard to keep me here, then there must be something he
doesn’t want me to have there.” Somehow, I managed to run out the door
and made it to the store at exactly 4:55 p.m. with only five minutes to spare!
I hurriedly examined the books on the shelves and came across one that
immediately grabbed my attention. It was titled 101 Questions and Answers
on Demon Powers by Lester Frank Sumrall.3 I hurried home, anticipating
how this book would bless me.
The next morning, I recounted the story to Elisa. She asked to see the
book. I gave it to her and she opened it up randomly. It landed on a page
that dealt with commonly used playing cards, triggering a memory for her.
My wife ran to our closet and pulled out a deck of tarot cards! Tarot cards
are used to foresee future events, answer specific questions, and for fortune-
telling and astrology. They are of satanic origin and utilized by practitioners
in the dark arts. These demonic cards should not be in your home. A tarot
deck is usually made up of seventy-eight cards, each with a unique image
and meaning. Had I not gone out to get that book the previous night, we
may never have realized that they were there. The cards were destroyed and
discarded straightaway.
Before she made Jesus Christ the Lord of her life, my wife hung with
coworkers who were deeply involved in occult practices. Based on my prior
knowledge and experience with tarot cards (see my book, Supernaturally
Prophetic), I warned her of the consequences of participating in such
activities with her colleagues. Once we were in relationship with the Lord,
she stopped associating with them and renounced all ungodly activity. If
you’ve had the same or similar experiences, it’s imperative that you repent
and abandon any occultic involvement in Jesus’s name. The Lord will
forgive and cleanse you.
This whole story taught me a couple of lessons:

1. Every blessing may not be directly for you, but it can bless
you indirectly.
2. The Lord can use a book to undo demonic strongholds and
close portals.

Playing with tarot cards is an entry point for demons. Once we

destroyed the cards, that door was shut. Let’s move on to my next point
about why you may get a bad feeling during or after reading certain books.

2. The book is of satanic origin.

As a teenager, not only was I attracted to spiritual and paranormal
books, but I also enjoyed real-life crime stories that included graphic details
of murders, assaults, and other types of criminal actions. These books and
others like them have obvious roots in the works of the flesh described in
Galatians 5.
My late father, Dr. Andre Dunigan, used to warn me against reading
such books, stating that the content could get into my spirit. He warned of
possibly duplicating the atrocious acts within the novels. When I started
getting revelation concerning the things of the spirit, I realized that he was
correct. Much of the anger and rebellion that lived inside me and in my
childhood home had a direct connection to the books I read. As I read them,
I opened the door for the enemy to torment my life.
 Books that originate in darkness are cursed and should have no place in
a believer’s life. You can’t expect to be blessed living with cursed things.
They will keep you from winning battles that could have been easily won.

HOW TO TEST THE SPIRITS OF

THE BOOKS YOU READ

I wanted to explain this to you so you won’t burn up every book you read
based on a feeling. Some books may be godly, while others are not. You
must be able to discern (perceive) the difference. In fact, the gift of
discernment will be one of your greatest weapons in preventing these spirits
from becoming an issue.
If you listen to the Holy Spirit, He will guide and direct in terms of what
you should or shouldn’t read. Listen to His instructions and obey Him when
deciding what reading material to select.
The first thing you should do to test the spirit of the book is research the
author. Whatever spirit(s) is in him or her will more than likely be present
within their writings. You can do this via the World Wide Web, making
inquiries of those who know the author personally or by asking the Lord
directly. To do the latter, you must be familiar with God’s voice. When you
know His voice, you’ll be able to hear and distinguish it when choosing
books.
Whatever you read has the potential to affect and infect you, for either
good or evil. Be very careful about what you allow your eyes to entertain.
Every book has a spirit that you must discern.
 CHAPTER 7

UNCLEAN SPIRITS AND CURSED

OBJECTS:
SIN IN THE CAMP

Let’s turn now to the Word and examine the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. His
story is a prime example of how serious God is about us keeping our
homes, our lives, and objects we possess free from unclean spirits.

ACHAN: THE ONE WHO TROUBLES

The name Achan means “one who troubles” and “to besmirch (to stain or
sully): change in a negative manner or he that troubleth.”1 The son of
Carmi, he was known as the one “who brought disaster on Israel by taking
plunder that had been set apart for the Lord” (1 Chron. 2:7, NLT).2
In Joshua chapters 7 and 8, the people of Israel engaged in two battles in
an attempt to conquer the Canaanite city, Ai. In the first attempt (see Josh.
7), they lost the battle partly because they were arrogant. Their conceit was
evidenced by their choice to not thoroughly consult God before facing Ai,
as they did in the battle of Jericho prior. If they had, I’m sure the Lord
would have let them know that it was a battle that they wouldn’t win. The
fault lay in underestimating their enemy. Israel was looking at the smallness
of Ai, only bringing two to three thousand men to war at the behest of the
spies sent to Ai (see Josh. 7:2). They told Joshua not to take the whole army
because the people of Ai were few (see Josh. 7:3). We’re told in Second
Corinthians 5:7 to walk by faith and not by sight, but in this case, the
Israelites did the opposite.
Joshua and the children of Israel lost to Ai (see Josh. 7:4), an
exceptionally small army they should have easily defeated, especially since
the Lord of hosts was on their side.
In the scriptures that follow, Joshua tries to make sense of this
devastating loss by inquiring of the Lord. This was His response:

Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my

covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken
of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled
also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies,
because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any
more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you
(Joshua 7:11-12).

After drawing lots and determining that Achan was the accursed within
their camp, he, his family, and the stolen goods were all destroyed. This had
to be done in order to assure victory in their next engagement against Ai in
Joshua 8.
When you bring something into your house that the Lord doesn’t
approve of, demons may acquire entrance. As previously mentioned, after
I’d received the revelation about the nature of what I had brought into our
home, I got rid of the books! As we’ve learned from Achan, disobedience
can bring on a curse. I highly recommend that when you discover cursed
merchandise in your home, get it out right away. You must get rid of your
Achans, which is anything or anyone who curses your life. Let’s look at
some of the traits of an Achan.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ACHANS
In order to see the victory of God reactivated in your life—do an Achan
check! You must in order to get the Achans out of your life, so that you
won’t experience demonic weight that will hinder successful living in Him
(“Lay aside every weight and sin” [Heb. 12:1]).
Here are some characteristics of Achans that will help you spot them
easier. Achans will:

■ Steal from your life (time, talent, treasure)

■ Hide what was stolen
■ Only confess their sin when confronted
■ Use you to get into places to steal
■ Hold things back from you
■ Curse your life until you remove them
■ Impede your progress

I am not advocating that you burn up and destroy the people in your life
whom you feel are cursing it, just the inanimate objects. When you steal
items and place them among your personal possessions, the cursed or stolen
objects have the potential to contaminate the blessed ones due to their
proximity. The cursed books that I stole as a teenager literally and
spiritually infected everything in our living space that was not committed to
the Lord, very similar to a human virus. If I only knew then what I know
now, those instruments of Lucifer would not have gained entry into our
home.

THE DEVIL’S TROJAN HORSE

The devil will use a Trojan horse of sorts to get into your camp. Do you
remember the story of the Trojan horse? According to Webopedia.com,
“The term comes from the story of the Trojan War, in which the Greeks
give a giant wooden horse to their foes, the Trojans, ostensibly as a peace
offering. But after the Trojans drag the horse inside their city walls, Greek
soldiers sneak out of the horse’s hollow belly and open the city gates,
allowing their compatriots to pour in and capture Troy.”3
 This is a precise description of demonic infiltration! They come
appearing as something else in order to get you to drop your guard and let
them in. Once in, they leave the vehicle they hid in and make residence in
your house or even in you!
The Trojans probably looked upon this giant, wooden horse as a
blessing and eagerly pulled it into their gates. They unwittingly gave their
enemies, the Greeks, authorization to invade by permitting the horse (the
gift) to be ushered in their gates.
Remember, demons need permission to enter your body. This can
happen through an active will or inactive will. Simply, this means that some
people invite devils in, while others allow them in through spiritual
misadventure. The latter gives satanic emissaries access by doing exactly
what I did—bringing something that’s cursed by God into their home due to
spiritual blindness or ignorance.
To rid your house of potential incoming spirits, you have to remove the
cursed items from your place and destroy them. Not doing so results in
most battles in the spirit and the natural to be lost. Some don’t realize that a
Trojan horse is in their midst. This is due to the idolization of satanic gifts
(objects) without realizing it.
In my view, the horse was looked upon not just as a potential gift, but
also as an idol to be worshiped. It was presumably large and had a
commanding presence, just the type of hulk to be revered by the people.
Please understand that anything you idolize above God contains a demonic
component. Remember also that behind every idol there is a demon.

They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with

abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed
unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new
gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not
(Deuteronomy 32:16-17).

In the New Testament, we are admonished to stay away from idols.

Biblically, this applies to all idols.

Little children, keep [guard] yourselves from idols. Amen (1

John 5:21).
 DESTROY THE ACCURSED THINGS
In order for Joshua and the children of Israel to win any other battles, the
accursed things, including the accursed people, had to be destroyed. Once
you have a cursed object in your possession, you and yours can become
cursed as well; at least this was the case in Old Testament times. It may be
so in current times as well if you’re not properly covered by the precious
blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
When confronted, Achan confessed his sin. He was summarily taken,
along with his loved ones, livestock, home, and the cursed merchandise.
Achan and his family were stoned to death by all of Israel and set on fire.
Did the others in the camp want to do this? Probably not, but the Most High
told them to. Then and only then, after Achan, his family, and all that he
possessed were eliminated, was the wrath of the Lord satiated.

Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of

Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and
daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that
he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, “Why have you
brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on
you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the
rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large
pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord
turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been
called the Valley of Achor ever since (Joshua 7:24-26, NIV).

THE ACCURSED HAS AN ODOR

As I related to you earlier, when I brought the Trojan horse (accursed
things) into my house, very peculiar things begin to happen that horrified
my family and myself. The first incident happened while I was in the
kitchen sitting at our table, eating, and my mom was standing, washing the
dishes. All of a sudden, an unearthly smell permeated the room. Before I
could allow any words to pass from my lips concerning this foul odor, my
flabbergasted mother yelled out, “What is that smell?”
 Comforted in the fact that I hadn’t lost my mind since she had detected
it too, I hastily replied, “I don’t know!”
To describe the smell as ghastly is a huge understatement. This reeking
odor was likened to decaying flesh, feces, vomit, urine, and every other
malodorous (smelly) thing that you can think of magnified a hundred times!
As I mentioned before, whatever or wherever this originated from was not
of this world. The stench literally had a presence! Just by the odor, I could
tell its location. It seemed to come up from our basement, go through the
kitchen, between my mother and me, and out the back door.
Have you ever had someone walk by you with cologne or perfume on?
You only catch a whiff of it, and then it’s gone. We smelled it only for only
a moment and then the evil presence was gone. My mom and I stared at
each other in disbelief. What was that?
John 11:39 gives us a clue. Anything that’s dead stinks: “he [Lazarus]
stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.” Demons are spiritually dead in
terms of being alive to the Lord, so they have a smell that can be
experienced in the spirit and sometimes in the natural.
It’s my sincere assessment that the entity that walked through our
kitchen was a demon allowed in through the books I brought into our home.
These writings invited devils into our dwelling.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU BRING HOME

We all must be incredibly careful in what we permit in our homes. The
following bears repeating—discerning of spirits, one of the nine gifts of the
Spirit, is very useful in determining what to bring in and what to keep out.
There are some of you who are reading this book right now who naïvely
brought idols into your households.

What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything,

or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans
sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want
you to be participants with demons (1 Corinthians 10:19-20,
ESV).
 Idol is “a representation or symbol of an object of worship; broadly: a
false god.” It is “a likeness of something; a “pretender, impostor.”4
Anything we idolize or place above God can and will be taken away
from us. Idols can become gods in our lives. First Corinthians 10:19-20,
referenced above, provides evidence that supports my previous statement
that behind every idol is a demon. So, when we worship idols, we’re really
worshiping the evil spirit behind it. The Lord will not tolerate this,
especially from His people. He says, in Deuteronomy 5:7, “Thou shalt have
none other gods before me.”
We can unintentionally place other gods before God. Believe it or not,
these false gods can include television, food, ministry, celebrities, and even
our children. Yes, we can idolize our kids by loving them more than we
love the Lord. Whether we realize it or not, Christian ministry can
sometimes be placed above the Lord of our lives. If it replaces the time
spent with God and family, ministry can become an idol. I’ve seen
marriages wrecked because a husband made ministry his mistress. He spent
more time with his ministers than his wife and children. This is definitely
not the will of God. A recommended order of priorities in life should be the
Lord first, family second, and ministry third. Any deviation of this order
can cause an imbalance.
In conclusion, don’t allow an idol to rule your life. Numerous people
embrace idols without realizing that they’re holding on to the demons
behind and in them. This provides evil spirits admittance into your home.
The goal of the entities is to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy your life. Don’t
let them! Identify the accursed thing, cast it out, and destroy it.
 PART III

GETTING FREE
 CHAPTER 8

THE AUTHORITY
OF A BELIEVER
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
—LUKE 10:19

By 1998, I was married. My wife, Elisa, and I lived in a petite, single-

bedroom attic that had been converted into an apartment—still on the South
Side of Chicago. Just slightly bigger than a studio apartment, our place was
so tiny that if you tripped in the bedroom, you ended up in the living room.
If you stumbled in the living room, you wound up in the kitchen. But the
rent was cheap, and we were (and still are) deeply in love.
Thirteen years before this, in 1985, I had accepted Jesus Christ as my
Lord and Savior, but found myself in a backslidden position soon afterward.
For those thirteen years, I had a form of godliness and denied God’s power.
But now (1985), an unquenchable fire began to burn in my heart for the
power of God to become active in my life. I went after it with everything I
had.
I was also working on a master’s degree in special education at the time,
which required quite a bit of late-night study. One evening, I was in the
living room, preparing for an exam the next day. My wife was fast asleep in
our bedroom with the door closed. All of a sudden, I felt this strong urge to
check on her. I got up from my studies and went to our room. As I went in, I
noticed that it was unnaturally dark and had a foreboding feel to it. I looked
toward my spouse, sleeping peacefully in our bed, and noticed a figure in
the room. Now this “thing” appeared to be about three feet tall and black in
color. Its outline was visible because of a combination of the street lights
and moonlight that entered in through the bedroom window. The trespasser
had no noticeable hair, a slender build, and blurred facial features. It was
standing, but slightly bent over, near my wife’s head, speaking to her. I
couldn’t make out what it was saying, yet I knew it was talking to my wife
as she slept. The conversation was definitely one-sided!
When I came into the room, it seemed startled. It appeared to leer at me,
then quickly disappeared. I searched the room thoroughly, but found no
one. My wife slept through the whole thing. I noticed that before I had an
opportunity to rebuke it in Jesus’s name it left. It’s my belief that as
believers, we carry the authority of Jesus even before we use His name. The
name above all names is branded upon us, spiritually, the moment we
accept Christ as Lord. In Scripture, when individuals were brought to Peter,
some believed that even his shadow could actually heal them! This
happened even before Peter had the chance to speak the wonderful name of
the Lord.

Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets,
and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the
shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them
(Acts 5:15).

Don’t misunderstand me—there is sufficient power in the name of

Jesus, but sometimes devils will flee because they see Christ in you, the
hope of glory!
When that devil saw me, he wasn’t afraid of me per se, but he was
terrified of the Lord within me! Instead of seeing only me, it saw the Holy
Spirit in me because of my submission to God. This submission, along with
resistance, equals a demonic exodus (exit)!
During this same time, I can remember feeling something sitting on me
at night too. I would often feel it to the point of immobilization. Whenever I
called on the name of Jesus, it left. This happened numerous times. As
mentioned in Chapter 6, a demon pounced on my chest while I lay in bed. I
rebuked it in Jesus’s name and felt it slide down my body, then abruptly
jump on my chest again! I pleaded the blood against it, but this time with
the authority of a believer, and it finally left.

NEW BELIEVER, FRESH MEAT

Attacks such as these are not uncommon to true believers, especially when
they initially and sincerely accept Jesus Christ into their lives. This is when
the enemy launches a full-fledged assault against new Christians in an
attempt to scare them back into a life of sin. I compare this attack to a
bigger country going to war with a smaller country that it sees as a potential
threat. The goal is to dominate the smaller country before it can become a
legitimate superpower.
That’s how the devil views a novice Christian. It’s the reason why the
intimidation efforts are so robust (strong) at the beginning. Most of my
supernatural occurrences took place when I first got saved, and they did not
happen by chance or coincidence. The hordes of hell strategically planned
each assault in their futile effort to get me to stop running for Jesus.
They will usually leave you alone when you’re not serious and totally
sold out to a life lived in total surrender to the King. The devil won’t waste
energy bothering people he thinks he already has. Demons watch you and
can somehow perceive when you really mean business with God. If you are
not playing when it comes to your walk with Him, don’t be alarmed when
demonic attacks become more severe. Truth be told, it’s a backward
compliment from the enemy. If you weren’t a threat to the kingdom of
darkness, then he wouldn’t be messing with you!

RUN TOWARD THE BATTLE

Satan is a coward who will assail you at the point he feels you’re most
vulnerable. This could happen during the death of a cherished loved one,
sickness, or in the midst of a financial crisis. He’s so low down that even
your children are not off-limits. If he can’t get through the hedge of
protection given to you by the Lord, Lucifer will come against those you
love most. In these times, you must remember that the devil fights hard, but
he doesn’t fight long.
I have been harassed by demons multiple times over the years, but God
has supernaturally delivered me from the spirit of fear whenever Satan
attacks me now. The closer I am to Him, the less distress I have in dealing
with the devil’s assaults. The more he confronts me, the more I confront
him. Satan’s aggression toward me is an indicator that I’m on the right
track. The more he attempts to stop my progress, the more I press into my
God-given assignment.
Just like when David confronted Goliath in Scripture, you must run
toward the enemy, not away from him. (See First Samuel 17:48.) Young
David ran toward the giant to engage him in a battle that looked awfully
one-sided in favor of Goliath. It wasn’t that David thought he could beat
Goliath by himself. He had confidence in the One who sent him into war.
The future king and prophet placed all his confidence in the Lord and knew
the outcome before the battle. Though many doubted his victory, he never
did. David possessed the God-kind of confidence and so should we when
facing Satan. It exists when you allow His confidence in you to overcome
your confidence in yourself.
Satan is a defeated foe because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on
the cross at Calvary. There is no need for any type of phobia on your part
when facing him or his minions. According to Luke 10:19, Jesus gave you
dominion over the evil one and his soldiers.
Nothing, not one single thing can hurt you because you, as a Christian,
have been empowered by Christ! Remember this when facing powers that
want to keep you bound to the will of devils. According to the verse at the
beginning of this chapter, the devil (serpent) and his demons (scorpions) are
under your feet! The Most High has given you power over them, so why be
afraid of the demonic forces that come against you? You don’t have to be.
Through faith and the use of His name, you too can be supernaturally
delivered.
 CHAPTER 9

SELF-DELIVERANCE
And when he had called unto him his twelve
disciples, he gave them power against unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner
of sickness and all manner of disease.
—MATTHEW 10:1

Self-deliverance means exactly what the name suggests—delivering

yourself by the power, authority, and name of Jesus Christ. It can be done
through prayer, worship, or just calling out any foreign spiritual bodies you
feel have taken up residence within you. Now this may not work in every
situation involving casting devils out of yourself. It really depends on the
level of infestation and the strength of the demons. If you find that some
spirits are not loosening their grip as you pray and renounce their authority
over your life, it’s good practice to seek out a seasoned, anointed, and
proven minster of deliverance.
In one of the best books that I’ve ever read on the subject, Pigs in the
Parlor: A Practical Guide to Deliverance, authors Frank and Ida Mae
Hammond wrote, “After a person has experienced an initial deliverance at
the hands of an experienced minister, he can begin to practice self-
deliverance.”1
Before you can self-deliver, you must get delivered! Satan can’t cast out
Satan. I have heard so many tragic stories of people with devils attempting
to administer deliverance to infected individuals. In other words, the
deliverance ministers actually needed deliverance before they could be
effective in delivering others! Acts 19:13-16 tells the cautionary and true
tale of the seven sons of Sceva who attempted and failed horribly at casting
devils out of a demonized man. They tried to evict the demons by using the
name of Jesus whom Paul preached, but they had no personal relationship
with Christ. Somehow, they thought they could use His name without
knowing Him. What they failed to realize is that when you don’t have an
intimate affiliation with Jesus Christ, you are prohibited access to His
influence, power, and clout that make their home in His prodigious name.
In verse 15, the evil spirit questioned the influence, lineage (in relation
to the Lord), and pedagogy (training) of these vagabond, Jewish exorcists,
saying, “Jesus, I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” The next verse
states that the possessed individual leapt on them, overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house, naked and
wounded.
Can you imagine being pummeled (beaten) so severely that you lose
your clothes? Well, this is what happens to many people who toy with
deliverance or are insecure in their own position and authority in Christ.
What happened to the seven sons of Sceva teaches us that we cannot
rely on others’ involvement or relationship with Jesus. We must diligently
cultivate our own familiarity in order to walk in the power of His might
when facing the adversary.
My own foray into self-deliverance was clumsy and embarrassing at
some points and downright dreadful in others. Yet, the Lord brought me
through those experiences to strengthen me for battle and to increase my
ability to discern the enemy long before he made his move. I see every
experience as a stepping stone to the supernatural deliverance and anointing
that I walk in today.

NOT LIKE THE EXORCIST

As stated earlier, I had an interest in deliverance ministry since I first
received Jesus Christ as Lord in 1985. Ever since I was a child, I had a
proclivity toward anything supernatural. I’d feel a sense of wonder when
anyone brought the topic up. I truly became serious about my walk with
God in 1998 and devoured every book I could get my hands on in reference
to casting out devils. Books by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, Win Worley,
Ruth Brown, and John Eckhardt were plenteous in my library. I just knew
this was my calling and needed as much information and revelation as
possible to prepare me for it.
I had seen movies like The Exorcist and supposed that was what
deliverance ministry looked like—the demonized person spitting up green
pea soup, head spinning around, and so on. Hollywood really
overexaggerated the entire methodology and manifestations of the ministry.
Still, I sought to understand what casting out devils actually entailed.

ASK THEM WHAT?

One day I came across a book in which a woman of God spoke about
having a multitude of demons cast out of her. I was so enthralled by it that I
ordered two cassette tapes (that’s how long ago it was!)—a self-deliverance
recording and the actual deliverance session the author was involved in
before writing her book. I listened to the latter first. This cassette featured a
room full of people getting delivered from an abundance of foul entities.
The language that emitted from them sounded like literal hell on earth! I
had never heard anything human make noises like that. As I continued to
listen, chills ran up and down my spine, and fear made a sincere attempt to
claim me.
On the tape, the facilitating pastor asked the demons that inhabited the
author a series of questions, allowing them to answer. There were way too
many inquiries made of the devils for my taste. I was always taught that you
should not ask demons an assortment of questions. I was so grieved by what
I heard that I called the author (her number was in the book) and asked her,
“Should you be asking demons questions?”
She replied, “Why, yes! That’s how you get information out of them.”
I was shocked! Ask devils—master manipulators, tricksters, and liars—
a lot of questions to get the truth out of them? Well, “Jesus didn’t do it, so
I’m not either!” was the attitude I adopted after our conversation. I will
elaborate more on this topic in Chapter 10.
 JUST GET THEM OUT!
When dealing with devils, statements should override or outnumber
inquiries, because the more you interrogate them, the longer they’ll stay in
the person’s body. For example, if your boss at work called you into his
office to talk, you’d likely stay until he finished his queries, right? If you
were headed toward the exit to leave his or her office and they asked a
question, you would stop to answer it, correct? I hope you’re able to see
where I’m going with this.
As a deliverance minister or believer, you have authority over demons
in the name of Jesus Christ. While trying to cast out a devil, as long as
you’re asking it to divulge more information, it won’t go. When ministering
deliverance to anyone, make more statements than questions. The
questions, if any, that you ask should always be Holy Spirit-led. I didn’t
heed the author’s advice, though I do value her testimony and ministry.

WE STARTED WITH US
Another series of cassette tapes that I was immensely excited to utilize were
directly related to self-deliverance. I convinced my wife to join me on this
excursion into unknown territory. She reluctantly agreed. So, we retrieved
the instructions that came with the tapes, and we both got in the bed, ready
to cast out some devils! I read the instructions aloud so that she could hear.
They clearly indicated that we needed to be vigilant of any violent
manifestations that could occur during the process. Basically, they were
instructing us not to be surprised if we start growling, screaming, behaving
unusually, or had voices come out of us that sounded nothing like our own.
My thoughts went along these lines: “I don’t have any devils! My wife
may have some, but not me!” I was far too anointed to have a demon, right?
Besides, I was a super Christian, with a big C on my chest in the spirit! My
wife had only just recently accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. She
must have something.
These are terrible thoughts, right? In my defense, I was a newly
recommitted Christian, full of fire, zeal, and unfortunately, religion. By this,
I mean that I had caught a religious spirit that was a little like the Pharisees
of the New Testament.
With my religious thoughts in tow, I put the cassette in a small portable
player. My wife and I shared one set of earphones, one in her ear and the
other in my own. Note: we were pretty poor at the time. The tape began to
play, and the gravelly voice of a seasoned man of God came on. He
repeated the instructions we had previously read and began the session by
calling out numerous names of demonic spirits such as anger, fear, lust,
pride, gluttony, and others.
About twenty minutes into the audio, I began to feel strange. My heart
started to race, and anxiety gripped my very being! I alerted my wife to my
unexpected condition, and she slowly, but deliberately, eased her way off
the bed and away from me. Thanks, honey! To my surprise and alarm, a
demon that was in me was manifesting! With great trepidation, I continued
to listen to the tape (alone at this point) all the way to its conclusion.
Guess what? I got delivered from something. Though I am still not
exactly sure what it was, by the end of the night I felt completely free. I
wept and gave God the glory for it!

ANYONE CAN HAVE A DEMON

This encounter taught me that anyone could have a demon, even a
Christian. I was a sold-out, born-again believer in Jesus Christ, yet I
apparently had a devil or devils. How did it or they get in? What did I do to
cause this? Was I really saved? These questions and others danced around
in my head for quite some time afterward. Later, I learned that evil spirits
gain entry to believers through their flesh, either by ancestry, accident, or
acceptance. This simply means that some devils are inherited through
generational curses, tragic mistakes, or openings caused by willful,
consistent, and sinful behavior on our part. I’m not saying that these are the
only avenues by which they enter. There are others. I relegate the previous
three options to my own personal knowledge and understanding.
Though demons can get in the body of a believer, they cannot possess a
Christian; possession denotes ownership. If you are Holy Ghost-filled, then
you belong to the Lord. Once you belong to God, Satan cannot own you.
Demons can oppress you, but they can never possess you!

Sickness and Demonic Oppression

Sickness can have its origins in the demonic. In the following Scripture,
notice that Jesus cast the evil spirits out of people before He healed them!

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that
were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with
his word, and healed all that were sick (Matthew 8:16).

I truly believe demons are responsible for most illnesses, either directly
or indirectly. They can influence you into consuming foods on a consistent
basis that cause bad health (that is, fast food, processed foods, and the like).
Demons that come in through rejection, trauma, and abuse can inspire a
person to emotionally eat. This may cause them to consume far too many
unhealthy foods in search of comfort and joy. Essentially, these people feed
the shame that they are hoping to escape. On the other end of this, demons
that encourage overeating can also be connected to demons of suicide, as
the person slowly eats his or her self into an early grave. This is also where
devils can implant themselves in individuals’ bodies disguised as cancer,
diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and more.
Deliverance from these demons results in healing sometimes without
addressing the specific illness. Some people are instantaneously healed after
a self-deliverance session, while others require an experienced minister to
do it. This is needed when the devils are stubborn and securely dug into the
host, refusing to come out. What Jesus did in Matthew 8:16 bears revisiting
here: He cast out the devils first, then healed everyone who was infirmed.
In John 5, Jesus healed a man who had an infirmity for thirty-eight
years. This man stayed in his condition because he didn’t have anyone to
place him in the Pool of Bethesda (place of healing), which the angels
troubled (stirred) at various times. Now and then, depending on others can
hinder the expediency of your healing or deliverance. As we see within the
verses below, you can’t rely upon someone else throwing you into the pool!
 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool,
and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the
troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of
whatsoever disease he had.
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty
and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he
had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him,
Wilt thou be made whole?
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when
the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am
coming, another steppeth down before me.
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk (John
5:4-8).

Self-deliverance can be a valid alternative for those who can’t find

anyone to throw them into the pool. An apostle whom I have great respect
for, once told me that if that same sick individual had just rolled himself
over twice a year in the direction of the healing waters, he would have been
able to reach the Pool of Bethesda and throw himself in! In other words,
don’t wait on people when you need devils cast out of you. Your total
dependence must be placed upon the Lord. He will show you what vehicle
(self-deliverance or a deliverance minister) to use to get free.

MAINTAIN SPIRITUAL HEALTH THROUGH

REGULAR SELF-DELIVERANCE
My late spiritual mother, Ruth Brown, the author of Destroying the Works
of Witchcraft through Fasting and Prayer, always did deliverance on
herself.2 In fact, she did so on a weekly basis. She was the most anointed
woman of God I’ve ever known. Mother Ruthie, as she was affectionately
called by friends and family, constantly wanted to get rid of anything that
was in her that was not of the Lord. She habitually performed a spiritual
inventory on herself, with added housecleaning. This is something we all
should do unswervingly to maintain the spiritual health of our “homes.”
The homes, being our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit (see
1 Cor. 6:19).
When Jesus healed this impotent man, he stated in John 5:14, “Behold,
thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” In
this verse, Jesus infers that sin caused the man’s impotency for the past
thirty-eight years. So that means that sin brought on illness in this instance.
We must also grasp that sickness is a spirit that can be rebuked or cast out.
I’ll expound on an example of this in reference to Simon’s mother in
Chapter 10.
There is a demon called sickness that you can get delivered from. Your
freedom can come through self-deliverance. I’ve witnessed this myself.
There have been people who cast out spirits of infirmity lodged in their
bodies using the name of Jesus. They were supernaturally delivered from
sickness!
 PART IV

CALLED TO
DELIVER
 CHAPTER 10

DELIVERANCE 101:
THE BASICS
And these signs shall follow them that believe;
in my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues; they shall take
up serpents; and if they drink any deadly
thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
—MARK 16:17-18

Deliverance in Hebrew is peleytah or peletah, which means “escape” or

“who have escaped.”1 The English word deliver is defined as the following:

1. To set free
2. To assist in giving birth
3. To give birth to
4. To come through2

The goal of deliverance can be summed up in the following verse:

But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong

to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But
 the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil (1
John 3:8, NLT).

While in the flesh, Jesus came to earth to destroy the vocations of the
devil! He did this through personally ministering deliverance and teaching
His disciples to do the same. The goal of every deliverance worker should
be to pass on their knowledge of casting out demons to the next generation.
The enemy hates the perpetuation of deliverance ministry and will always
try to stop such dissemination.
Throughout the New Testament, hell was referred to more than heaven.
When Jesus gave the signs that would follow believers, casting out demons
was at the top of the list. This gives even more credibility to the importance
of deliverance ministry.

SPIRITS OF INFIRMITY CAN BE CAST OUT

As discussed earlier, in order to eradicate some sicknesses, demons must be
cast out before healing can take place. All sickness is not caused by
demons. Though I attribute Satan as the author of illness, some are brought
on through our own doing. In Galatians 6:7, we are told that we will reap
what we sow. For example, if we continue in maintaining an unhealthy diet,
then infirmity would likely be the outcome. The phrase “you are what you
eat” is justifiable here. When an ailment’s origin is found within the
spiritual realm, then it can be cast out in the natural, as evidenced in the
following Scripture.

And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s

house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great
fever; and they besought him for her. And he [Jesus] stood
over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and
immediately she arose and ministered unto them (Luke 4:38-
39).

How could Jesus rebuke the fever? He was able to do so because it was
a spirit of infirmity. As a spirit, it can be driven out. We have that same
power. Spirits can and will be driven out when rebuked in faith, in His
name. He did the same thing in Luke 13 with the woman with a spirit of
infirmity. First, Jesus loosed the woman from the spirit, and then He laid
hands on her for healing. The following verses demonstrate the emphasis
the Lord places on healing and deliverance. The two go hand in hand. I’ll
elaborate on this more in Chapter 12.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at

hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast
out devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew
10:7-8).
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things
which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which
he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of
many that were possessed with them: and many taken with
palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was
great joy in that city (Acts 8:6-8).

YOU DON’T HAVE TO YELL

When casting out demons, please speak calmly, yet sternly. You don’t have
to yell and scream at demons to get them to leave a person. You’ll end up
leaving the victimized individual with deafness instead of deliverance! It’s
not about your volume, but it’s about the power and authority only found in
the name of Jesus! Rest assured, demons can hear you, even if you whisper.
I heard a story about one apostolic general who likened casting out
demons to a dog and his master. He said that if your family dog follows you
and you don’t want him to, saying very passively to your pet, “Go home,”
probably won’t work very well. But if say those same two words with
authority and power, your dog will more than likely follow your commands.
This is how Christians should address demons in order to get them to leave.

DEMONIC HOUSES AND DOORS

When someone dies while being inhabited by demons, Satan’s
representatives will quickly look for another domicile. Remember, they
view human bodies as potential homes. Those same demons have a
tendency to stay within the family. In fact, they will search for relatives who
have given or are willing to give themselves over to their specific satanic
assignment. For example, a demon of perversion will enter another family
member who already has a perverse spirit. Why? Because there’s already a
breach or opening in them. Not only do they enter, but they bring along
seven more spirits more wicked than themselves. The perverse spirit that
already lives there will open the door for the others.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh

through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I
came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept,
and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits
more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:
and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so
shall it be also unto this wicked generation (Matthew 12:43-
45).

I believe that “my house,” referred to in Matthew 12:43 above, doesn’t

just apply to one person, but their whole family. Merriam-Webster’s
Dictionary defines house as “a building that serves as living quarters for
one or a few families.”3 According to their definition, one home can hold
one or a few family members. This leads me to the conclusion that when a
demon returns to his dwelling place with his friends, he has the option of
invading anyone within that abode who is open to him. As I mentioned
earlier, “open” refers to specific family members who have personally
sinned or freely allowed themselves to be used for demonic penetration.
Habitual sin can be an open door for devils. If you habitually sin, more
than likely there is a demon(s) involved. There is a distinct difference
between a habit and a struggle. If you struggle with sin, then grace and
mercy are your portion. If you make sinful behavior a habit, then you are
literally inviting Satan to come in.
 Do you remember the old Dracula movies? The title character was
based on a real person called Vlad the Impaler. He was the second son of
Vlad Dracul, who became the ruler of Wallachia in 1436.4 The Ottoman
sultan, Mehmed II, ordered Vlad to pay homage to him personally, but Vlad
had the sultan’s two envoys captured and impaled. In February 1462, he
attacked Ottoman territory, massacring tens of thousands of Turks and
Bulgarians.
As we can clearly see, his moniker was well earned. He was an evil
king who terrorized others, even those he ruled, very much like Satan does
today. The mythical Dracula was a vampire who could not come into
someone’s residence unless he was invited. Lucifer and his servants operate
in the same manner. They cannot enter a human body unless they’re asked
in. They may obtain permission through ancestors, accidents, actions,
personal sin, or direct request.
This is the reason why many find themselves in a worse state after the
death of a demonically afflicted family member. They face a greater battle
for deliverance because the demons come in and link up with the familiar
spirits that already reside there. This causes them to be an even greater
force for evil. The saying is true—there really is strength in numbers.
To combat such an army, we must be quick to recognize that the Greater
One lives inside of those who are born again.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:

because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the
world (1 John 4:4).

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE FREE?

You know you’re free from a particular demon when you no longer do its
job. What I mean by this statement is that demons use the human body to
express their depraved nature. They are incorporeal beings that require a
body to express themselves. For example, they may cause a person to
engage in homosexuality, fornication, drug use, murder, and other sins.
Their primary occupation is to get you to do things that you know are
wrong or sinful in the eyes of God. They can’t make you do these things.
Demons act upon the hidden desires that are already within the person.
When pinpointed, a relentless barrage of imagery is flooded, not just
into the mind, but also into the soul. As the individual focuses upon the
devilish images consistently, the process of its manifestation begins.
Remember, we innately have a tendency to become our greatest thoughts.
As mentioned before, we will eventually do that which we meditate on the
longest. This is why the Scriptures are clear regarding what we should think
about.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your
thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure,
and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are
excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8, NLT).

When our thoughts are finally able to line up with the things listed in
this verse, we know that we have overcome Satan, mentally. The enemy
may send an evil thought or image past your mind, but the fruit of the spirit
—self-control—is in place to prompt us to cast it down as we remain
submitted to Christ. (See Second Corinthians 10:4-5.)

BE AUTHENTIC. BE WILLING. BE FREE.

Some of the greatest deliverance you can receive is not only from demons,
but also people! To be free from the opinions, desires, and approval of
others concerning your endeavors is one of the most liberating feelings in
the entire world. Sadly, there are very few who have mastered this art. The
more delivered you are from other individuals’ thoughts, opinions,
criticisms, and judgments, the more kingdom focused you will become. You
can’t let anything detour you from the mandate of God upon your life. We
must all come to the realization that some people are demonically inspired
to prevent you from being all you can be in Him. Essentially, demons don’t
want you to be great in God.
If you’re serving the Lord to be liked or popular, then you’re not really
serving the Lord; you’re using Him! In this season, God is pinpointing the
authentic and raising them up. They are, even as I’m writing this, replacing
the old guard. The old guard must be willing, like Elijah in relation to
Elisha, to anoint and mantle their successors, even while they are still
living. They must be like John in reference to Jesus, to whom he lost his
entire congregation without a murmur, harsh word, or complaint.
If we can get delivered from the praise and the curses of men, then true
freedom will be realized. The false will be discerned or distinguished from
the true. Words will not be just given to placate, but they will also be used
to impart and replicate authenticity.
When I say replicate authenticity, I’m referring to producing originals,
not copies. I’m talking about being catalysts for independent thinkers, not
just yes men, making disciples instead of armor-bearers. We have enough
people in the church washing cars, holding jackets, carrying briefcases, and
standing guard so that nobody will attack the leader while they’re
preaching. We’ve had enough of the lack of deliverance teams or
presbyteries. We’ve had enough of a good “whoop” (entertaining style of
preaching) without solid teaching and training, which is needed to equip
saints for battle.
How many in the church can cast out a devil or engage in spiritual
warfare? This question needs to be addressed and answered in every church
that belongs to Jesus Christ.
Let’s encourage free thought instead of charging for it. Let get real
again! Let our speech be seasoned with salt instead of pepper. Let’s allow
our words to carry the weight of integrity. Let’s truly be who we are called
to be in Him. Let us be peculiar. Like Daniel, let’s dare to be different!
Stop worrying about whether others acknowledge you or not! Don’t get
offended if they don’t speak. Don’t get mad if they don’t share their pulpit
or platform with you. Don’t talk about them in secret then smile in their
faces as if nothing is wrong.
Get delivered from the actions of others! Allow God to build His
platform for you, instead of attempting to build it yourself. Remember,
anything that’s formed carnally will die! Today, God is raising up the least
likely to succeed and bringing down those who, in their own eyes, are the
most likely to succeed.
 One of Satan’s objectives is for us to be people pleasers. The constant
pursuit of making others happy is truly an exercise in futility. It’s
impossible to do this with fidelity and consistency. No one should be a
barometer for your success or failure. You should not allow others to live in
your head rent-free! You evict them by allowing God to not only be your
head, but also live in it as well.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or

am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please
man, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10,
ESV).

When you have mastery over your own spirit and are not disrupted by
men-pleasing spirits and other temptations or sinful behaviors, you can
begin to step into the realm of deliverance ministry with faith and
confidence.

WHEN YOU’RE CALLED TO

DELIVERANCE MINISTRY
When Moses first threw down his rod under the instruction of God, it
represented the casting off of his old identity. When it hit the ground, it
turned into a snake and Moses fled from it. Sometimes the realization of
who you are in God will cause you to flee. Many people today are running
from their true identity, but it’s time to come back to it. Moses returned and
picked the snake up by the tail. It became a rod again, and Moses became a
deliverer. That which scared him became the instrument God used to help
deliver millions!
It’s time to throw down who you thought you were and pick up who
you’re supposed to be in God. When you embrace the new identity you
picked up, a new sound will emit from you. This is a sound that attracts
God. This sound is even heard through your praise and worship.
Authentic praise is one of your greatest weapons against the enemy. He
especially hates it when you’re able to worship the Lord when he’s
unleashed all of hell against you. When it’s combined with quality prayer,
it’s even more effective in putting devils on the run! As evidenced by Paul
and Silas, prayer and praise can cause a shaking, which subsequently sets
captives free. I believe that this can be applied to a demonically oppressed
individual. The shaking will ultimately create pathways for liberation.

OUR FIRST DELIVERANCE SESSION

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).

When we first started our church, Enduring Faith Christian Center, in

2002, I had very limited exposure to actual deliverance sessions. The first
time I was a part of such an event was at the ministry prior to starting my
own. It occurred in 2000 during prayer for one of the members. Without
warning, a foreign voice came out of this very soft-spoken male congregant,
along with growls and snorts. He displayed superhuman strength, taking
three large men, including myself, to hold him down. While on the ground,
the demonized individual almost lifted us off of him! After coming against
the demons that were obviously inside of him in Jesus’s name, he reverted
to a normal state, unable to recall the previous goings on.
I had never seen anything like this in the house of God. It was both
alarming and intriguing at the same time. We later found out that this same
person had been cheating on his wife for years. Adultery is a common
avenue by which demons get in. This guy was so perverse that he subtly
came on to my wife. I addressed him and his demons, but that’s another
story for another time.
In the early 2000s, on a cold fall Wednesday evening, our church,
Enduring Faith Christian Center (www.faith2endure.com), was having its
weekly prayer service. This particular meeting turned out to be a vast
departure from what we’d been previously used to. In the midst of our
prayers, a young lady started manifesting a demon. It shook us because we
never had this happen in our ministry before. Several of us ran to her and
began shouting deliverance at her. This was a mistake, based on being
novices to this type of spiritual attack.
A voice spewed from this woman’s mouth that didn’t belong to her. It
was deeper, and much more masculine. It said, “You can’t cast me out
because there’s no power here!”
Though a bit shaken, we pressed on anyway. After a while, tranquility
literally walked into the room and she settled down. We all know it was
Jesus who came in. Know Jesus, know peace.
Even though she was calm and the alien voice subsided, I felt that we
hadn’t really done anything significant in terms of her deliverance. So,
afterward, I consulted a good friend of mine who is a prophet and well-
seasoned in the arena of casting out devils. I expressed our apparent failure
and communicated my despondency. The response he gave was prophetic
and relieving. He stated that we had done more damage to the kingdom of
hell than we thought. We did? It sure didn’t feel like it at the time, but that
evening would prove otherwise.
When my wife and I arrived home that night, an eerie feeling circulated
within the house. Though I wasn’t sure, I perceived that it was a result of
what happened earlier. While in my office, my wife, Elisa, frantically bolted
in with a look of extreme concern on her face. She asked me to come to our
bedroom. Elisa pointed out a horrifying image that has been indelibly
etched into my mind ever since. It was an inverted cross formed out of a
substance that looked like some type of tainted or dirty oil. Someone or
something did this. During this time, we had no children or other people
living with us; it was just my wife and me.
I immediately began to pray and rebuke the devil, while concurrently
using a dampened washcloth to wipe off the blasphemous symbol. What the
prophet told me earlier instantly came to mind—you were more effective
than you thought.
The devil didn’t stop there. The next night, I was attacked by something
I couldn’t see. While sleeping, I was jarred awake by a strong shot of pain
that raced down my arm. I looked down at my right arm and could see the
muscle in my forearm being squeezed repeatedly by an invisible hand! I
came against this spirit with the name of Jesus! In a couple of minutes, it
departed. To give further credence to this incident, upon waking the next
day, there was a purplish bruise on my right forearm.
These attacks and others convinced me that Satan will not just stand by
and let you attack his kingdom. We must always be on guard against
retaliation that comes from taking the offensive against the dark forces.
Like a worker bee that will sting you for assailing the hive it protects,
demons will fervently defend their current habitation. When operating in
deliverance, we must walk by faith and not by sight (see 2 Cor. 5:7). Sense
or human knowledge may say that you’ve failed, but what did God say?
Oftentimes, you’re more successful than what your physical vision
indicates. Remember, we see with the mind through the eyes. Satan will
always attempt to blind the minds of those who believe, especially when it
comes to supernatural deliverance.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of

them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel
of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them
(2 Corinthians 4:4).

As deliverance workers, we should pray for God to open our spiritual

eyes to see Him at work and to see the forces of heaven on our side. May
we see what Elisha saw:

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more
than they that be with them.
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his
eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the
young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full
of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings
6:16-17).

There are more for us than against us. With God, we always win the
battle against darkness.