Life after deliverance 

Our kind, loving and all-powerful Saviour, Jesus Christ, came to set us free from the torment, oppression and temptations of evil spirits by the authority of His name and the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Experiencing God’s personal Hand in our deliverance is indeed a powerful encounter. How should we steward the newfound freedom, peace and joy we have received? We live in a world that idolises the power of the self and hard work to achieve all that we need (humanism) though this is not biblical. There is a lot of skepticism around the Holy Spirit’s power to bring us new life simply through confession, repentance, and deliverance alone. There is even more skepticism around the fact that Christians need to be delivered from evil spirits. The ongoing lie is that you first need to be evil in order to need deliverance from evil spirits. Here are eight practical pointers on how to navigate our ‘new normal’ after deliverance.

 

Isaiah 61:1 NKJV  “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Acts 10:38 NKJV   how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

After deliverance, it can feel as if our spiritual senses have been awakened to discern things in the spirit more clearly, according to God’s wisdom. We are able to recognise Satan’s lies and spiritual traps more quickly – and this is just the start. Our loving Father in heaven will continue to equip us to persevere and grow in strength and purity, until the day Jesus returns as we humble ourselves before Him. Praise God for His faithfulness. 

Psalm 62:5-7 NKJV  My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

1. Rejoice and give God all the glory

Our deliverance is the result of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. All praise and exaltation should be reserved for God alone, not any person, prayer format, or deliverance ministry. No human leader, minister or teacher is perfect and flawless. Some may even be led astray and turn away from God. The Bible reminds us that only Jesus Christ is the perfect Teacher. 

1 Peter 2:24 NKJV  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NKJV  Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Matthew 23:10 NKJV  And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

Moreover, as we testify about what God has done for us, let us beware to not unwittingly glorify the work of evil spirits by over focusing on any manifestations or ways we were once held captive. Instead, let us highlight the Lord’s faithfulness and powerful hand in our lives first and foremost and give Jesus the glory He deserves.

2. Expect some concern and skepticism from others

Jesus has said that one of the first signs that will follow those who believe in Him is that we will cast out evil spirits, and that nothing will harm us. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of scepticism and unbelief on the need for deliverance amongst Christian circles. Deliverance is often viewed as a ‘fringe’ activity, when it is not. To begin with, every believer needs to be delivered of demonic strongholds that they inherited from their family bloodline – particularly since so many of our ancestors have worshiped idols and made covenants with other spiritual powers. Then there are doors that we have opened to evil spirits through sin and ignorance. Jesus came to give us the power to cast them out through repentance and deliverance, not leave them in.

Mark 16:17-18 NKJV  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.

The Bible warns us that our experiences of the power of the Holy Spirit will not always be well received by others. It can sound illogical or fictitious to them. Some people may be concerned that we may have come under the influence of false prophets or unclean spirits. These are natural concerns that we need not be offended by. If Jesus could be wrongly accused of casting out spirits by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons, what more His disciples. Let us therefore not become discouraged by unfavourable responses. Whether our testimonies are rejected or received well, we are called to share our hope in God with respect and gentleness. (Remember that we may even have thought like that once upon a time, when we were still in unbelief.)

1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Matthew 12:24-28 NKJV  Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 

Matthew 10:25 NKJV  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

1 Peter 3:13-15 NKJV  And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

It is important to be patient and allow the good fruit from the Lord’s work in us through our transformed lives to speak for itself. The more the light of Christ shines through us, the more evident that it is God Himself who has been at work in us. No one can dispute good and godly fruit.

Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

John 16:8 NKJV  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

3. Testify with joy, do not be held back by shame or embarrassment 

There is power in hearing testimonies, it builds faith. Our testimonies are a good way to share the power and validity of the gospel and bring down lies spread by the enemy. Where evil spiritual powers once dominated our lives in the past, now is our opportunity to prevent them from continuing to do the same to others by exposing these works of darkness.

Acts 4:4 NKJV  However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Romans 10:14 NKJV  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Revelation 12:10-11 NKJV  Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Ephesians 5:11-13 NKJV  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

There is only one name at which demons tremble and that is the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. There is a dire need for more testimonies to glorify the Lord with real life examples. Let us therefore not shy away from speaking up about our deliverance experiences for fear of rejection or misunderstanding. It might well lead to someone’s salvation! Anyone who is ashamed of their Saviour will cause Jesus to be ashamed of them as a result.

Luke 8:27-29 NKJV  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

Luke 9:26 NKJV  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Before we share, we can simply pause and ask the Holy Spirit to take the lead. We may like to say something like, “Holy Spirit, what would You like my friend to know? Please use me as Your vessel and speak through me.” As long as we invite the Holy Spirit to inspire our conversations, we can be confident that He will give us the best words, perspectives, and timing that are based on His wisdom, and not our own.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NKJV  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

4. Seek to know the One who delivered us and consume His Word 

While it is true that deliverance is an ongoing process — one session is never enough to remove all the footholds that the enemy has planted in us through lies, wounding, idolatry, witchcraft, or generational sins — we should not depend on deliverance to draw us closer to God’s throne. Becoming a new creation in Christ takes some recalibration in our ways of life and ways of thinking. Thank God that He teaches us through His written Word and His Holy Spirit so that we can continue to experience His healing and deliverance. 

John 14:23 NKJV  Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

1 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Importantly, we ought to seek to know the Lord and to love Him well, and not only seek Him for His deliverance. 

After deliverance, we will find that we have a renewed desire to read the Bible. We are no longer as held back spiritually as we once were, nor are our minds as ‘foggy’. It is crucial that this spiritual awakening is accompanied by a deepening in our knowledge of God’s Word, so we can test what’s happening around us based on God’s eternal truths. After all, God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit that we use to cut down lies and strongholds in the spirit. Therefore, let us not fail to spend time with God and study His Word every day. This is how He renews our minds, cleanses our hearts, and strengthens our souls. As we draw close to God, He will draw close to us.

Ephesians 6:17 NKJV  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

5. Change our ‘spiritual diet’ and resist Satan’s temptations to fall into familiar traps

There are many things we declare dead and buried during inner healing and deliverance prayers. God graciously scrubs our souls clean of many sins, lies and pain, and gives us a fresh start. Praise God! 

Our circumstances and environments, however, do not change overnight and we need to continue to stay alert. Satan will tempt us to fall back into old patterns through our thoughts. We need to remember that evil spirits that have lost ground cannot force us to do anything except to fool us into letting them back in. They are like wolves that used to be inside our homes. Then, they could devour and tear things apart. Now that they are on the outside, all they can do is howl and bark, but they can no longer harm us. They have no access to what is inside of us unless we welcome them back in!

For example, they may try to get us to doubt our salvation and deliverance, and give up hope. They do this by stirring up strife in our relationships with other people to pressurise us to lose our composure and then question our victory. Or they may try new angles to attack our previous weak spots. Instead of tormenting us with thoughts of self-hatred, for example, the devil may try to deceive us into thinking that even if we no longer accuse ourselves, that God continues to accuse us. This is a horrible lie, one that is disguised to feel “emotionally familiar” (though untrue) and therefore easier to fall for. 

As we are filled with more and more God’s Word, we will recognise such lies quickly and immediately reject them in Jesus’ name. Such thoughts will vanish instantly. And if we are unsure about anything, we can always turn to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to lead us to the truth. 

Moreover, to keep our newfound freedom, it is important to not quench the Holy Spirit’s presence with the things we watch, listen to, or keep in our residences. Figuratively, we need to drastically change our ‘spiritual diet’ and surroundings.

Also, see
Installing a godly filter for our eyes
Renew our life narratives based on God’s truths
Self-idolatry is subtle and leads to carnal Christianity 
Spiritual cleansing at home

Such are the spiritual disciplines that we need to develop in order to protect the good work that God has started us as we are being renewed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  This is how we work out our salvation.

Ephesians 4:20-24 NKJV  But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

6. Beware division, debates, spiritual pride and comparisons

The church is weakened when it is divided by various opinions. Not everyone has the same understanding or exposure to deliverance, and we need to be careful not to be drawn into debates. No one wins when there is dissent in the church, everyone loses. It is Satan who is glorified when we oppose or argue with one another. The devil will constantly tempt us to become judgmental and divisive with thoughts such as, “Why don’t they…?” thereby pitting us against other believers, instead of being united in one Spirit. Let us recognise when those suggestions come from Satan. 

Mark 3:25 NKJV  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV  Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

Let us be very careful not to judge or slander other believers who have a different or more narrow understanding of the gospel. We need to beware of spiritual pride. Rather, let us lovingly pray for our brothers and sisters-in-Christ. Additionally, all things must be backed by scripture and we can invite others to search the Bible and seek God for their own answers. It is far wiser to allow the Holy Spirit to convict them, rather than for any human being to be the source of their “truth.” It is the Holy Spirit who will convict all sides – both other believers as well as ourselves – of unrighteousness and error. 

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Some of us may have more dramatic Spirit-led experiences than others. The Holy Spirit can work in very different ways for different people, and one way is not superior to another. We can be thankful to God for all things and not be tempted to compare with or envy one another. Seeking to experience “signs and wonders” is often a fleshly tendency. We don’t need to witness such things to know that God has been at work in our lives.

1 Corinthians 3:3 NKJV  for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

7. Find a Holy Spirit-led community that loves God and loves people 

Inner healing and deliverance prayers expose many fleshly passions and desires that we need to turn away from. Living a ‘new normal’ can feel overwhelming when done alone. Imagine becoming a citizen of a new country. There are many things we need to unlearn and relearn til they will become second-nature to us. It is much better to immerse ourselves in the new culture of God’s Kingdom amongst existing citizens so we can learn the ropes faster.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Philippians 3:20  NKJV  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

8. Get equipped to bring Jesus’ deliverance for others

Last but not least, as we grow in our spiritual understanding, we should also seek to learn about deliverance and bring Jesus’ salvation to others. Whatever liberation we have freely received from God, we should freely bring to others. While there are some important protocols we must follow (e.g. start with repentance and forgiveness, operate in love not fear etc.), we ought to remember that deliverance is based on the power of Jesus’ name and the Holy Spirit, it does not depend on human strength. Anyone with faith can command demons to leave in Jesus’ name.

Matthew 10:8 NKJV  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

2 Timothy 2:21 NKJV  Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

In closing

God promises to teach, strengthen, and refine us as citizens of His heaven. Often, this comes through trials and struggles. Before a baby learns how to walk confidently, it will struggle and fall a few times. If we keep propping up the baby, it will never learn to walk. Similarly, all of us will have to go through our own sharp learning curves. When we make mistakes, God will never condemn us when we turn to Him for help. He will tenderly lift us up, soothe our anxieties, and cheer us on. And it feels great when we can start to run and help others too!

1 Corinthians 1:5-8 NKJV  that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Testimony

“I scheduled an inner healing and deliverance prayer because I wanted to remove any spiritual strongholds that might hinder me from growing closer to God. Before my session, I felt led to read Derek Prince’s book, ‘They Shall Expel Demons’. I am glad I did because that prepared me for what was to come. 

I had been a believer for two years and baptised six months ago. My prayer counsellors and I thought the session would be straightforward and quick. I never imagined that demons would manifest during my prayer session. 

Each time I was led to forgive someone, repent, or renounce any demonic covenant, they would create some resistance or distraction. At times, I would roar at my prayer counselors or glare at them in pure hatred as I clenched my teeth. I drifted between consciousness, as my body swayed and slumped. This was the work of evil spirits that were unhappy to lose their ground. I was aware of all that was happening but could not stop it. 

My prayer counselors remained calm and lovingly guided me throughout the session. Each time I expelled evil spirits through loud burps or coughs, they praised God for another yet victory for me. They also encouraged me to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what else we needed to cast out. I grew more and more confident and began to also command more unclean spirits to leave me in Jesus’ name as the Lord guided us.

They later explained that in their experience, such loud manifestations were rare (around 3%) and usually tied to deep roots of demon worship in my ancestry. This is true because my family visits mediums on a regular basis and makes offerings to different spirit gods on my behalf, in spite of me telling them not to, now that I have become a Christian. 

I felt quite tired after the prayer session and fearful of what might happen after I went home to my parents’ home. Before I left, my prayer counsellors reminded me to meditate on and rejoice at what Jesus had done for me, but I could not shake off my memory of all the demonic manifestations. 

I had questions that I didn’t have time to process or ask either of them because I had to rush off for a family dinner. Why was I the 3%? Why wasn’t I aware of the presence of these spirits before? Can they come back? How could I serve God with these spirits in me? Who can I tell about what happened and who can I not trust to share this with? Will the spirits in my parents become angry and start to attack me because I am now set free?

That night, I felt alone and afraid, and cried out to God for protection and comfort. As I was praying, I felt my tongue move and I began to pray in tongues! That gave me so much reassurance that the Holy Spirit was by my side and I could finally feel at peace.

The next day, one of my prayer counsellors texted me to ask how I was doing. When she heard about the fear I felt last night, she sent me a very loving message and some articles to read to remind me of my victory through Christ. When I have the Holy Spirit living in me, nothing can harm me. She shared that the Holy Spirit had given her Psalm 27:1-6 the night before and shared it with me. 

Psalm 27:1-6 NKJV  The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

She also ended our conversation with a humorous analogy, which I share here. “Demons are like tiny movie-extras that ‘acted up’ in an effort to steal centre-stage. They are not the true heroes of the story. Instead, focus on the victory that God has given you and praise Him instead. Father God was the main Director and Master who saved you and decided the ending of the story! God is your true Hero.”

May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love the Lord with all your heart and live your life for Him.