An old friend came to visit our church years ago, not knowing that during our deliverance prayers demons would manifest from time to time. She was ambivalent when we talked about deliverance, as if it had nothing to do with her.
But when someone manifesting a demon let loose a scream, she bolted for the door, hid in the ladies’ room for the rest of the service, and never visited again! It’s a fact that even Christians who profess Jesus as Lord often have more fear of demonic activity than they do of God Himself. I understand, I was like that too before I learned about the power of God. It’s so backwards, and it shows how sadly misinformed Christians are of the authority we have over the devil.
For example: Amanda’s friend went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras every year, and brought her along for the festivities. They went to a voodoo shop on a dare to buy trinkets for good luck in their jobs and love lives. They found a psychic who charged a two-for-one deal to tell their fortunes. Strange things happened on the trip, and they jokingly attributed it to the voodoo. But when Amanda got back home and events started to happen just as the psychic had foretold, she became frightened. When nightmares and voices began to appear, she became very afraid, and depression set in. She hadn’t gone to church for years, but decided it was time to go back and ask God to forgive her for dabbling in something she knew was evil. Years passed, and though she’s repented and prayed, she fears that she has cursed herself. The voices, the depression, her blocked life and the intense guilt convince her that she has no right to pray for the curse to be broken, since she brought it upon herself in the first place.
Amanda wasn’t crazy to be concerned about the presence of demons in her life. But the reason why her prayers seemed to be going unanswered was because God can only manifest His power when faith is based on the truths of the Bible, not just on hunches and feelings. Amanda was mixing superstitions with the Bible, causing a lot of confusion. One problem was that she considered herself a real Christian while she was toying with witchcraft, but a true Christian with a real relationship with God listens to the convictions of the Holy Spirit. She had been a Christian only in name, but wasn’t born of God in the least. Secondly, because she didn’t know God intimately, she knew nothing of His total forgiveness when we repent, or how demons work through lies, intimidation and guilt. If she knew how small and pathetic their power is compared to God, she would have cast them out and been done with them once and for all. Thirdly, she didn’t know that when you’re born of God, He rejects all curses sent to His children. They simply don’t stick. That is, unless you fear the devil more than you fear God – which means you don’t yet know Him.
There is no magic formula or words to recite to break a curse. Beware of ministries that put together written texts to repeat in a certain order as some sort of Christian incantation. Satan can imitate praise and worship, he can imitate tongues, he can preach from a pulpit, and he can be right there repeating deliverance prayers as long as the prayer is made in weakness. Don’t trust in formulas. The devil only fears real faith based on an intimate relationship with God. The Christian who’s sold out for God, on fire for God’s word, and dedicated to obeying His commands has been granted all the forgiveness, grace and authority he needs. He’s covered in Jesus’ purity and is given the right to stand up to the devil and order him to leave his life. He finds pleasure in aggressive, raw faith that confronts the devil head-on, because he knows who his Lord is, and he knows that with God he will always win.
I’ve been casting out demons for twenty-nine years, praying for people involved in witchcraft, Satanism, voodoo and all sorts of evil. Curses have been sent against our pastors, our church and against me, but instead of enduring suffering and loss, we have thrived and been blessed under His perfect protection. God promises, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Genesis 12:3). Christians like Amanda need to know God as a Father, to take authority over demonic thoughts, and to stand on what is true, not on what they feel.
Let them curse, but You will bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice. Let my adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace like a cloak. (Psalm 109:28-29 MEV)
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