Tag: demons

The Type of Faith Needed to Cast Out Demons

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Deliverance, Demons, Faith, Howard PittmanLeave a comment

In his book The Covet War, Howard Pittman reflected on the type of faith that is needed to deliver from demons:

Matthew 17:20. “And Jesus said unto the, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to younder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Jesus was herein talking to his disciples and accused them of not being believers because they had just failed to cast out an evil spirit that was in a little boy. Back in Luke 9:1, they had heard with their own ears, the authority that Jesus had spoken with his own lips, over all unclean spirits. (“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.”)

Until Matthew 17, that authority had worked. In each case, where the disciples had commanded an unclean spirit to come out of a person, it had obeyed! (“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. “) Luke 10:17.

So, how come this one devil refused to obey them, if they had the authority?

Because they were believers only so long as they did not doubt! Until the case of the little boy, all demon spirits had responded to their first command. In Matthew 17, in the case of the little boy, this was a different kind of spirit (Howbeit THIS KIND goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”).

Matthew 17:21 and required more commitment on the part of the disciples. When the spirit did not respond to their first command, they doubted, thus becoming unbelievers. When one doubts, one is not a believer. (Matthew 17:20) In verse 20 Jesus told the disciples why they could not cast out the spirit. (Because of their unbelief). In verse 21 he told them why their unbelief had manifested. (A different kind of Spirit than they had run into.) This particular spirit did not respond to a first command.

Verse 21 showed that a commitment over a period of time was needed to deal with this spirit. Jesus was not condemning his disciples for not fasting, as some people claim, because they could not fast, (Matthew 9:14-15) (14) “Then came to him the ·disciples of John, saying, why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? ( 15) And Jesus said unto them, can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they shall fast.” Their failure to deal with the spirit in the little boy was because they lost their authority by doubting! A good rule to remember is that 2 ounces of doubt can destroy 12 pounds of faith!

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Casting Out Unclean Spirits (David Wilkerson)

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn David Wilkerson, Deliverance, Demons, Evil SpiritsLeave a comment

The following message was given by the late Rev David Wilkerson (founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and author of the well-known book The Cross and the Switchblade) on July 11, 2016:

There are people today battling things in their lives that are so deep and ferocious they can’t be explained. Such things can only be comprehended as unclean spirits. The Bible addresses this supernatural phenomenon and God’s response to it in Mark 4-5.

Jesus was teaching a great multitude by the seashore. The crowds were so large and pressing that the Lord had to get into a boat and speak to them from the water. He taught the people patiently, illustrating his truths with many parables. Then toward evening a strange urgency came over him. It literally stopped Jesus in his tracks. He quickly ended his discourse and dismissed the crowd.

This urgent sense in the Lord was so pressing, he didn’t even stop to meet with his family, who had journeyed to see him. “Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press [of the crowds]” (Luke 8:19). Jesus sensed he had no time to spare. He pointed across the sea and told his disciples it was time to move out.

Somehow our Lord had heard a wailing from across the sea. It was the tormented cry of a person hurting and in need of great help. The cry Jesus heard was from a demoniac, a man possessed by an unclean spirit. This tormented soul lived in the city graveyard, among the many stone sepulchers that had been carved in the nearby hillside. The man actually made his home in one of those hewn tombs. As he cried out day and night, his awful wails filled the air at all hours.

No one had been able to help this man in his awful condition—no physician, expert or religious leader. He was literally out of control, running around naked, and “neither could any man tame him” (Mark 5:4). He lived in torment daily, “cutting himself with stones” (5:5) and scarring his body. As Jesus taught the religious multitudes on the other side of the sea, he picked up the cry of this desperate, devil-driven man—and he stopped everything to go see him.

You may have several such tormented people in your congregation. These could be men or women, teenagers or the elderly, choir members, anyone. Somehow an unclean spirit has taken control of their lives and won’t let go.

When I use the phrase “unclean spirit,” I mean a spirit that is immoral or lewd, chaining someone to a lust. People who are bound by such spirits are no longer in control of their lives. A powerful habit has taken over. They can’t pass by a bar or get on the Internet without being drawn into sin. They’re driven, addicted, possessed by an unclean lust, and its hold on them grows stronger every day. Inside they cry out in torment like the Gadarene demoniac, “I’m hooked. My life is totally out of control. Satan has me bound.”

If this describes you, then you know it’s something far more painful and agonizing than living in a physical tomb. Deep in your soul, you’ve become a slave to uncleanness. You’re driven daily to do things you hate. And now you’re haunted by an inner voice that cries out, “You’re destroying your body, the temple of God. And the Bible says, ‘Whoever destroys the temple, God will destroy him.’” No matter what you do to get free, nothing helps.

I’ve seen this happen with many of the addicts our ministry has taken in. One tormented young man so hated his habit, he tried to burn away the needle tracks from his arm, using a white-hot pan. Another desperate addict chained himself to a steam radiator to keep himself from going back to his habit. Another young man filled a syringe with his own blood and sprayed a literal cry of “Help” on his bedroom ceiling.

Everybody had given up on this tormented Gadarene man. Luke writes that he’d been in his condition a “long time” (Luke 8:27). He was inhabited by so many demons that he answered to the name Legion. And he was so wild he had to be chained down. Yet he was so utterly possessed he broke every iron fetter (see 8:29).

As I read of this man’s chains, I think of what happens to people in self-help programs today. Whenever an addict enters a clinic, agency or hospital, the aim is to try to isolate or chain down that person’s addiction. Such programs seek to clean people up from the outside to separate them from their habit. But every program that suggests an enslaved person can be freed through self-will is going to fail. It can’t possibly work. Ask any habit-bound person who’s been through those programs.

Jesus proves this. He states, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him 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” (Luke 11:24-26).

I think this passage has nothing to do with Christians. If the Holy Ghost has performed a work in someone’s heart, the devil can no longer call that person his home. Rather, I see in Jesus’ words how people become possessed by even “more wicked” spirits. Simply put, the sweeping and refurbishing of their house wasn’t done by God. That’s the only reason an unclean spirit could say, “I’m going back to my dwelling.” Such people have gotten a temporary fix through self-help. But until Jesus drives out the unclean spirit, the house is under its control.

Jesus doesn’t work on the old man. When we’re born again, we become a whole new creation. So when the Holy Spirit moves in he pays off the mortgage on the land and tears down the old structure. The house he builds is so new it’s unrecognizable to the unclean spirit that once ruled it. Now a sign is up outside: “Under new maintenance. This is the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture says when “they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes…he went forth to land” (Luke 8:26-27). I picture Jesus getting out of the boat, walking onto land, and looking, searching. There in the distance he sees the wild, demon-driven man. Now I picture tears in Jesus’ eyes and I see his face growing red-hot with anger at Satan’s tormenting work. We know Christ didn’t judge this man. He didn’t lecture him or ask, “What awful sin did you commit to fall into such a wicked condition?” Instead, he watched as the man fell before him, desperately reaching out for deliverance.

Jesus immediately commanded the unclean spirits to depart from him. At that point, the demons took control of the man’s tongue and cried, “What have we to do with you, Jesus?” Matthew’s account adds, “Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29). They were saying, “We know we’re going to be judged someday. But why are you here now, Jesus? This isn’t the appointed time.” The demons then tried to make a deal suggesting, “Let us depart into that herd of swine over there.” But Jesus would never bargain with the devil. He knew exactly what those demons had in mind. They wanted a temporary home in the pigs so when the swine were led to slaughter the spirits could leap into other people.

Jesus did send those demons into the herd of swine. But he remained in total control of the whole scene. He immediately caused the pigs to race over a cliff and into the sea. What an image we’re given: a herd of unclean, forbidden animals carrying a legion of unclean spirits into an abyss of torment. Later when the townspeople came to see what had happened, they “found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind” (Luke 8:35).

I want to speak directly to those who’ve been driven to bondage by an unclean spirit. How often have you turned to a few minutes of empty pleasure knowing it will leave you sick and despairing? These aren’t just habits. They’re the work of unclean spirits that have taken dominion over your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a well-educated, successful professional who thinks you can quit at any time. You have to face the truth: You’ve lost control. And unless the unclean spirits are driven out, you’ll end up as possessed as the Gadarene man.

The Bible says God has given us all power and authority over the enemy to cast out demons and unclean spirits. Yet Jesus said “these kind” go only when we fast and pray. I want you to know I have fasted and prayed over this message. And if you’ll simply do as the Gadarene man did—fall on your knees before Jesus, trust in him, and ask him to deliver you—every unclean spirit will flee. You’ll be set free and restored to your right mind.

Now let me address certain Christians who’ve fallen back into an old habit. You were tempted, and now you’re totally caught up in a former bondage. You may be convinced God has given you over to a reprobate mind. You think your heart has grown too hard, too stubborn, too rebellious to ever be set free again.

On several occasions, the Bible says God’s chosen people were stubborn, hardened, rebellious, reprobate. Yet God always extended his mercy to them whenever he saw them reaching out to him. “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel?…mine heart is turned within me…I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man” (Hosea 11:8-9). The Lord was saying, in essence, “Your friends may abandon you thinking you’re too far gone. But I don’t see you that way. I see the potential in you.”

I believe God wants to teach us two things through the Gadarene man’s story:

1. Our battle against unclean spirits will continue until Jesus returns. And it will grow ever fiercer as an angry devil increases his seductions on humanity in these last days. We see this ongoing battle throughout the New Testament. Everywhere Christ and the apostles went, they cast out unclean spirits.

Are you baffled as to why Christians seem to have so little authority to cast out spirits from possessed people? I believe there are two reasons for this. First, we’re not committed to fasting and praying, as Jesus said is required in certain cases. We have to realize that Satan’s forces can be driven out only by true spiritual authority, which comes through prayer and fasting. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Second, the church has become so compromised we’re afraid to stand up to devils. We fear we’ll end up like the sons of Sceva in the book of Acts. These seven men claimed to have power over demons, but when they tried to cast out an unclean spirit they were attacked and beaten by a devil-possessed man.

If we try to rely on carnal weapons—self-help programs or psychology—we’ll end up merely cleaning the outer shell. And we’ll open up hurting people’s souls to even greater possession. Demons heed only the voices of devout servants who can say with Jesus, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30).

2. We’re to reach out to multitudes, but we can’t forget the hurting individual. We cannot allow our ministries to the masses to drown out the cry of a single lost, hurting soul.

It’s all too easy not to hear the cry of the homeless man on the corner. It’s easy to pass by someone who’s unshaven, dirty and sin-enslaved and never see the potential in him. We forget too easily that God can restore every wasted year of a person’s life. Instead, we allow ourselves to think, “He’s too hardened, too far gone.”

But Jesus heard the cry. He saw the potential in the Gadarene man. And that delivered, cleaned-up man became a witness of Christ’s power to the whole city of Decapolis, causing “all men (to) marvel” (Mark 5:20). Jesus is telling us, “Don’t give up on anyone. That person you think is too far gone could end up preaching the gospel on your street.”

If we’re fasting and praying for such people, as Jesus instructed, then our ears will be attuned to their cries. And like Christ, we’ll be able to hear the Spirit whispering, “Go to that one, and minister God’s Word.” Lord, give us ears that are attuned to you. We know that nothing can keep you from delivering those you’ve made up your mind to set free. Amen!

Woman Who Had Been Playing Pokemon Go Claims That She Was Raped by a Pokemon

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Deliverance, Demons, International newsLeave a comment

According to the UK MailOnline, a young woman in Russia has lodged a police report that she had been raped by a Pokemon.

The married woman, whose name has not been released, had reportedly been playing Pokemon GO before she fell asleep in her apartment in the Russian capital city of Moscow

She claimed that she woke up to find a huge Pokemon lying on top of her body and says it was raping her.

The woman said that the Pokemon disappeared when she jumped out of bed – but added that the Pokemon GO app on her phone could still detect the same virtual character’s presence on her bed.

She woke up her husband to tell her what had happened who told police officers that he did not believe her and told her to see a psychiatrist.

The police did not believe her either and that the woman then went to see a psychic who was unable to help her.

Ivan Makarov, the woman’s friend, said: “She says there are too many Pokemon at her place and even the dog can sense them. She says the dog barks whenever she plays Pokemon GO.”

Mr Makarov said that his friend had eventually accepted her husband’s advice, in desperation, and had booked an appointment with a psychiatrist.

Could this woman be telling the truth?

Well, Christian ministers who specialise in deliverance acknowledge that there are demons that physically manifest themselves and are able to sexually assault human beings.

Generally, the demons that sexually assault woman are known as incubus, and those that have sexual intercourse with men during sleep are known as succubus.

People who are disturbed by such demons should come forward and seek help.

What is Pokemon and Why Christians Should Not Play Pokemon Go

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Demons2 Comments

Christians who are thinking about playing Pokemon Go and are not aware of its background (it was created in the 90s) should read this first!

In her 2001 book ‘Deliver Us from Evil’, Christian author and intercessor Cindy Jacobs provided a good overview of Pokemon, and explained to Christian parents why Pokemon is “one of the most popular and most dangerous games our children play today” and “a stepping stone to other fantasy games that lead children deeper into the occult”:

Satoshi Tajiri created Pokemon in 1996. He designed it for Nintendo’s Game Boy, an electronic toy, and it became popular in Japan. In 1998, Nintendo, in cooperation with Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast division, introduced the game in the United States and it quickly became a hit here, “too. The Yellow version sold more than 1 million copies in its first month of release.

Pokemon has gone far beyond Game Boys. Today it features a trading-card game, a video game, a television show, several movies and a variety of accompanying merchandise. There is even a Pokemon website and world-championship tournament.

What Pokemon Teaches

“Pokemon” is short for “pocket monster.” As of this writing, it featured more than 150 creatures. At first these made-up characters may seem to be innocuous. But a careful examination reveals troubling similarities with some Wiccan and other occult practices.

Each Pokemon has a unique set of magical powers which grow and evolve. Players, mostly children, are encouraged to carry their Pokemon with them wherever they go. According to the official tournament rules, holding Pokemon power in their hands will make them “ready for anything.”

The Pokemon are pictured on cards which can be purchased in sets or acquired through trading and by fighting with other Pokemon. The more powerful the Pokemon, the more difficult it is to get that card.

Players are called trainers. The more skilled the trainer, the more Pokemon he or she collects. Ash is the boy hero and model trainer. Children are supposed to strive to follow his example. In one episode of the Pokemon television show, Ash captures his fifth little Pokemon. But his mentor tells him five are not enough. Ash must catch lots more if he wants to be a Pokemon master – the more he gathers and trains, the more power he will have in future battles.

So Ash searches for more of the reclusive, power-filled little Pokemon. He must first find the psychic Pokemon called Kadabra and snatch it from its telepathic, pink-eyed trainer Sabrina. With the Pokemon ghost Haunter on his side, this should be a cinch!

But Ash underestimates the power of his opponent. When he battles Sabrina, each hurl their chosen Pokemon into the air, but only Kadabra evolves into a supermonster. Haunter hides. “Looks like your ghost Pokemon got spooked,” taunts Sabrina.

Another Pokemon dialogue reveals the moral values the game teaches. Ponder the influence this could have on children: “You can catch a Mew by cheating with a Gameshark.”

“Ah, the Gameshark. Cheating is not honorable. But many of you have requested and sent me this information, so I have put it up for all you cheaters.”

Gengar, yet another made-up creature, has the power to curse Pokemon players. This teaches children that cursing through magic is OK. Pokemon further models ungodly character traits such as gambling.

This fantasy game, which clearly seduces our children, introduces them to the demonic realm. In his book “Pokemon and Harry Potter: A Fatal Attraction”, pastor Phil Arms does an excellent job of showing how Pokemon embodies New Age and occult-like characteristics. I will list just two here.

  • The Pokemon Evee can be morphed, or changed, into three different kinds of Pokemon. The trainer, however, must use scones co complete the transformation. In Pokemon, there are water scones, thunder scones and fire stones. Several other Pokemon can be altered by these scones as well. “Many kinds of stones have been taught by occultists co have mediumistic capabilities. New Age proponents believe that some scones, such as crystals, can give off energy chat has the ability to heal and even transmit thoughts,” Arms writes.
  • The Pokemon Psyduck has incredible telepathy or mental powers. Too bad he thinks they are his own and does not realize it is actually demons that empower him. “Psyduck defeats his opponents by mesmerizing them with a piercing stare and releasing a barrage of pent-up mental energy. The New Age concept that parallels this ability falls under the heading of an altered state of consciousness,” Arms explains.

Children as young as four participate in Pokemon and it spin-offs. While the game’s creators call it amusement, in reality as players gather more Pokemon they learn co be clairvoyant, summon spirits, practice mind-control and how to dabble in other magical arts. As we discussed in chapter two, Scripture strictly forbids all of this!

Kids Learn Math Skills?

Some Pokemon proponents boast that the game reaches kids math skills as they buy and sell cards. This may be true, but do we approve of Pokemon on these grounds? If we do, then we should also accept children running numbers at the horse track and selling drugs. When someone bets on a race, the bookie needs to know the odds. When someone sells drugs, he or she must calculate the weight of the product and know how to count cash payments.

Dangerous Side Effects

The fruit of this beginner’s form of magic and witchcraft should frighten us all. The theme in Pokemon is “gotta catch them all.” Such a goal can result in obsessive-compulsive behavior and violence.

Some schools have banned the game and cards because of the problems that accompany them. In Philadelphia, for example, four children at one middle school were arrested after they attacked classmates and stole their Pokemon cards. In Quebec, a 14-year-old student was stabbed in a fight over the game?

One of the most alarming side effects of Pokemon occurred in Tokyo when about 700 school children reportedly suffered convulsions, vomited and displayed other symptoms while watching the Pokemon television cartoon. TV Tokyo imposed a health warning on future episodes.

Just how much have our society’s children been bewitched by this game? The first Pokemon movie earned $50.8 million in its first five days. Wizards of the Coast, the U.S. company based in Renton, Washington, that introduced the game in January 1998, claims to have sold more than 2 million $10 starter sets.

The Bible warns us in 1 Timothy 4:1:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (emphasis added).

The First Step to the Occult

“How close can we get to the occult and still call it ‘good social interaction and imagination stretching fun for kids?”‘ inquires pastor Brett Peterson about Pokemon.

It is an entry-level occult game. Wizards of the Coast hosts a website (www.wizards.com) that not only features Pokemon but also provides information on other even more dangerous fantasy games that they produce, including Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons.

“Satan always begins with offering a bait,” Phil Arms writes. “In this case, he offers children a fun-filled fantasy and diversion from reality … . However, as children enter into the Pokemon game, it is inevitable that they must participate in a role-playing world of fantasy.”

pokemon

Children Can Have Demons

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Children, Deliverance, Demons, Evil Spirits, Parenting1 Comment

In their book “A Manual for Children’s Deliverance”, the late husband and wife deliverance team, Frank & Ida Mae Hammond, explain why children, as young and innocent as they may be, can be plagued by demons.

There are two accounts in the Gospels of Jesus healing children plagued by demons. A study of these passages brings to light several foundation principles which give direction for children’s deliverance.

The first account tells of a father who brought his son to Jesus. He had already taken his boy to the disciples, but they were unable to deliver him. Here is the scriptural account:

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

“O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. (Luke 9:37-42)

The second account is that of a Canaanite mother who came to Jesus on behalf of her little daughter who was suffering from demon oppression.

Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”

Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”

The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matt. 15:22-28)

CHILDREN CAN HAVE DEMONS The first truth that we discover from these two passages is that children can have demons. Neither of these parents had any problem identifying the source of their children’s torment. How different that is from most parents’ perception today. Most mothers and fathers would recoil in horror if someone suggested that their little ones were oppressed by evil spirits.

We are reminded of those days when the Lord was leading us into deliverance ministry. For us, it was a gradual process of comprehending for whom deliverance applied. At first we thought it was only for those who were deeply enmeshed in sin: the prostitute, the alcoholic, the dope addict. Next, we added the mentally and emotionally ill to our list of deliverance candidates. What a shock it was to us and those of our fellowship, when a visiting minister discerned and cast demons out of Ida Mae.

Then, after each adult in our fellowship had gone through a measure of deliverance, a young mother requested that we cast oppressing demons out of her little son. We recoiled at the idea. “Surely,” we thought, “this is taking deliverance too far!” The mother insisted that she was sure that her little boy had demons. She pointed us to Matthew 15:21-28 where Jesus delivered the Syrophonecian’s little daughter of demons. This convinced us that it is possible for a child to have demons, which gave us the faith to proceed. We cast the evil spirits out of the child, and his behavior improved.

Children are very vulnerable to the infiltration of demons. Why? Children are totally dependent upon others for their care and protection. Parents are the God-appointed, spiritual guardians of their children, yet too few parents are knowledgeable and vigilant in providing a spiritual covering for their children. When we recognize the gates through which demons enter, we can then understand what parents must do to guard their children.

Corrective punishment is a companion to deliverance. As Scripture puts it, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). Along with the casting out of demons, a stubborn, rebellious child must sometimes be disciplined repeatedly and consistently. The goal is to bring the child to the point of self-discipline. Unless the flesh3 is disciplined, the demon of rebellion and his companions will soon return.

DETECTION OF DEMONS A second truth derived from Jesus’ ministry to the two children, is that the presence of evil spirits in children may be determined by what is happening to the children. The boy whose father brought him to Jesus exhibited symptoms of epilepsy. The father described the demonic symptoms as follows: “A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him” (Luke 9:39).

Such physical trauma in a child would motivate most parents today to seek treatment from a medical doctor. Jesus concurred with the father’s diagnosis and “rebuked the evil spirit.” The child was instantly healed and handed back to the father.

The Syrophonecian woman explained to Jesus how she concluded that her little girl was beset by a demon. She said, “My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” (KING JAMES); “cruelly harassed by a demon” (WEYMOUTH); “seriously afflicted with insanity” (LAMSA); “in a terrible state – a devil has got into her” (PHILLIPS) (Matt. 15:22).

Jesus did not challenge the mother’s conclusion that her child was demonized. In fact, Jesus showed agreement with the mother when He declared, “You may go; the demon has left your daughter”” (Mark 7:29).

Some theologians have contended that Jesus simply accommodated Himself to the superstitious beliefs of the woman. No, Jesus did not play games with words. He who is Truth never agrees with error.

There are two ways to determine the presence and activities of demons: discernment and detection. Discernment is supernatural; a gifting of the Holy Spirit; the ability to distinguish between spirits (See: I Cor. 12:10). “Detection”’ is derived from the Latin word for discover. “Detective” comes from the same root word. A detective is one who examines the evidence and discovers the truth.

If a child is stubborn, rebellious and untrainable it does not take supernatural discernment to know what spirits are manifesting. They are readily detected.

A woman who lived about twenty miles from us brought her infant daughter for deliverance. She said, “My little baby is just two weeks old, and I want you to deliver her of evil spirits.” She explained to us that the RH factors between her and her husband were not compatible, and, at birth, the baby required a blood exchange. This procedure entailed the extraction of the infant’s blood which was replaced with blood transfusions. Ever since the blood exchange, the baby had been nervous and hyperactive. She was not sleeping normally. There was a constant nervous jerking of her body.

The doctor had sent them home from the hospital with a prescription for Phenobarbital, with instructions to give the barbiturate to the baby. The mother said, “Something in my spirit just says that I cannot start my baby out on drugs.” We agreed that her baby’s vexations were symptoms indicative of the presence of evil spirits. We had not had any experience with such things, but we thought it possible that the trauma of the blood exchange could be the root cause of the child’s affliction.

It was a precious deliverance. Ida Mae held the infant in her arms and quietly commanded a vexing spirit to go. The baby cried briefly and then became peaceful. A spirit of irritability was commanded to leave. Again the infant cried and then became quiet. This pattern of crying followed by peace, repeated itself over and over as demon after demon was commanded out. A week afterward, the mother telephoned us. She reported that her baby was sleeping, and the nervous jerking had stopped.

Through this experience, the Lord confirmed to us that even infants could need deliverance.

Is Your Child Haunted By an Imaginary Friend?

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Children, Deliverance, Demons, Evil Spirits, ParentingLeave a comment

If your child complains of being “disturbed” by imaginary friends or playmates, do not automatically dismiss what he/she is saying, but investigate further, as it could be a sign of a demonic attack. In his book “Confronting Familiar Spirits”, the late Frank Hammond, author of numerous books on deliverance, shares two cases:

It is not unusual to find a child who has an imaginary playmate. The invisible companion is very real to the child. In fact, the playmate may be invisible to others but appear visibly to the child. The imaginary playmate becomes a companion and a teacher of the child.

What begins, in the child’s imagination, as a technique to offset loneliness, evolves into a relationship with a familiar spirit. A four-year old boy, to whom we ministered, had an imaginary playmate whom he called Charcoal. We asked why he called his playmate “Charcoal”, and he insisted that the playmate told him that his name was Charcoal. In order to be set free, the boy first had to fall out of agreement with the familiar spirit and command him to go. Although he was normally an obedient child, he was so threatened by the prospect of losing his companion that he stubbornly resisted his father’s coercion to renounce the demonic presence. After a successful deliverance, there was a marked improvement in the child’s personality and behavior.

In another case, my wife and I ministered to a young woman who was plagued by extreme supernatural phenomena. Poltergeists manifested themselves in her house; she experienced unsought astral travel, and possessed undesired psychic insights. The root cause for all the supernatural phenomena was, in her particular case, an early childhood relationship with an imaginary playmate. Her parents had divorced when she was four years old. Rejection and insecurity resulted because she was passed around to different family members who raised her. She began to play with an imaginary friend, a familiar spirit, named “Genie.” Interestingly, Genie (a derivation of jinn) is one of a class of spirits that assumes various forms, exercises supernatural power and serves his summoner. The familiar spirit, Genie, was responsible for the occult phenomena.

Church Leader Becomes a Homosexual and Leaves His Wife and Family to Live With A Man. Then Something Amazing Happens…

On By SingaporeChristian.comIn Deliverance, Demons, Evil Spirits, HomosexualityLeave a comment

In his book “Power of the Blood”, the late deliverance minister H.A. Maxwell Whyte shares this amazing story of a church leader who unwittingly opened his life to the spirit of homosexuality, and even went so far as to leave his beautiful wife and family to live with a man. However, something amazing happened, as we read below:

IS THERE HOPE FOR ME? Perhaps the best Scripture on this subject details the story of the man whose house was garnished, swept, and cleansed after the evil spirit had gone out. This demon was not so easily defeated. He wandered around, waiting for a convenient moment to return. Finally, the man backslid, and the demon did return and brought with him seven other spirits worse than himself. (See Matthew 12:43-45.)

To say that this man was not saved is to misuse the plain meaning of words. Obviously, he was saved, delivered, and cleansed in the blood; but he chose to backslide and consequently returned to his previous habit, and seven other demons came to plague him. The frightful possibility of such a relapse was made very real to me a number of years ago.

The telephone rang. “Is that you, Pastor Whyte?” The same man who had been delivered from twenty demons in our church kitchen seven years before was on the line.

“Yes,” I replied. “What can I do for you?”

“Are you in the same place?”

“Yes.”

“Do you still have the same ministry?”

“Yes.”

He sighed with relief, saying that God had directed him to call me. He was trapped in the pit of sin again. “Do you think there’s any hope for me?” he sighed. “I’m in a terrible mess.”

I assured him that there was indeed hope, for the mercies of God are new every morning. So he came to my office.

His story was very sordid but a warning to us all. After his spectacular deliverance, he had moved out of the area and into the suburbs. The new church he attended did not believe the full gospel and did not teach or practice healing or deliverance.

One rainy day, as he drove downtown to his business in Toronto, he noticed a man at a bus stop. With compassion, he invited the man to get into his car. This worldly man offered our friend a cigarette. His offer opened a wonderful opportunity for our friend to witness about the salvation and deliverance available in Christ. But no. Instead, he took the cigarette, which proved to be his first step to hell on earth.

Each day he picked up this man, and each day they smoked. Soon they talked about drinking together. Their sin escalated from the tavern to the racetrack where they bet on the horses. Finally, the newfound friend said to our brother, “I love you.”

As I listened to this man’s story, I could hardly believe it. He had a beautiful wife, four wonderful children, and a good home. I had often visited them. What power drove a good Christian man to become a homosexual, leave his wife and family, and live in one room with another man? Psychology cannot explain this. It was the devil working through indwelling demons.

WORSE OFF THAN BEFORE. Theology explains that no Christian can have a demon. But I remembered how God had delivered this dear brother from a demon of suicide seven years before. How could this Spirit-filled man have gotten a suicide demon in the first place? And what about the demons that were in him now?

I knew there was only one answer. He had arrived at this miserable state by disobeying the words of Scripture: “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). He had allowed the devil to occupy territory that had previously been occupied by the Holy Spirit.

The broken man slumped into a chair after his agonizing confession. He had scraped the bottom of the barrel of sin but was ready to be rescued again.

Without further delay, we gave the command. “Come out, in the name of Jesus!” The man was ready. The filthy demons began to pour out of him with almost continual coughing and choking. Without any asking on my part, they willingly named themselves as they came out. Lust, filth, uncleanness, perversion, cursing, etc. In twenty minutes he was completely free again.

When it was all over, I realized that I had seen a fulfillment of Jesus’ words:

 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. (Matthew 12:43-45)

This explained what had happened to the man. After his first deliverance, his “house” had been cleansed, swept, and put in order, but he had not kept it filled with the new Visitor, the Holy Spirit. His house had been left empty, so the suicide spirit came back. However, that spirit also beckoned to seven of his filthy friends, and they came in also. What a mess a Christian can get himself into by backsliding! But thank God, deliverance is available to all who will bend the knee to Jesus and ask Him to forgive their sins and enter into their lives.

FULLY RESTORED.   Seven years later, I met this same brother again in a certain church. Immediately I asked how he was doing. He joyfully told me that after his second deliverance, he returned home and made a full confession to his wife and family. They forgave him and took him back. God then began to prosper his business, and he bought a better home. He was keeping his house clean with the blood of Jesus, and the demons had permanently left.