QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SESSION WITH PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME.
DOES A CHRISTIAN REQUIRE DELIVERANCE?
QUESTION: Kofi from MOROCCO asks:
Thank you Pastor for teaching us the Word of God. Pastor you teach that a born-again Christian does not need deliverance. I am a new Christian and I have been invited in a church and after prayers and praises, I saw demonic manifestations in some 2 sisters and a brother which I knew as old Christians. I don’t understand anymore! Please, Pastor can you explain to me?
ANSWER:
Yeah, Pastor Kay?
Pastor Kayode proffers:
Thank you, sir, thank you very much. Thank you for the opportunity to be here on the set with you. Pastor, I would like to read from Colossians chapter one, I’d begin from verse 12. It says: “Giving thanks unto the father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”. Now for every believer who is a Christian, the first thing is that the person is taken from the domain of darkness; so, we are delivered already! But I think that he is talking about oppression- whether a Christianis oppressed or possessed. A Christian cannot be possessed by the devil but can be oppressed depending on what he knows. So, there are those who still talk about being delivered but you have already taught us that we are delivered already and we are in God’s kingdom.
Pastor Chris answers:
We are in God’s kingdom! And you see sometimes our observations can really question what we think in the Word. Now notice that I said what we think, rather than what we know because, if you actually know, there would be no questions. Let me explain to you- I know that there are Christians who go for deliverance sessions and there are other Christians who are delivering them. It’s the same thing for when Christians get sick. A Christian should not be sick. But there are Christians that get sick and oftentimes it’s because of ignorance or misuse of the body. So, when you misuse your body you’re going to get into trouble with your body but then you’ve got to do something about it if you know the truth: “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (Scripture reference: John 8:32). So, those two sisters and brother in Morocco that were having demonic manifestations, obviously, they did not know what to do about their situation; they let the demons come into them! The demon cannot force his way if you don’t let him. He can’t! He can’t do it! Even for non-Christians, demons can’t force themselves into non-Christians, otherwise the whole world would be possessed! But they are not possessed! Demons can’t force their way! They can only do it when you let them and so these particular Christians let the demons get a hold of them, come into their lives. Now, had they been taught the Word and accepted the Word, all they needed to do was to say: ‘devil get out of my life in the name of Jesus Christ!’ and that would be it! But many don’t believe that that is real, so they are looking for somebody to deliver them. They are looking for some help somewhere and it’s a problem. It (the Bible) says: “they know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die like men”(Scripture reference: Psalm 82:5-7). Why are they dying like men? Because it says: ‘they know not neither will they understand. They walk on in darkness’. Sad story! Painful! But if you study the Word and learn the Word and live by the Word, you are not going to have problems with demons. You are going to be chasing them out, you are going to be casting out devils. He (Jesus) said: “in my name shall they cast out devils” (Scripture reference: Mark 16:17).
Let me tell you this: there is nobody who is gifted spiritually, who is gifted specially to cast out devils. No one! There is no such gift in the Bible! There is no special gift for casting out devils. Every Christian can cast out devils and, there is no Christian, no minister that has a special authority to cast out demons. There is none! We cast out devils in the name of Jesus Christ because he gave every one of us the power of attorney to use his name to cast out devils. Every one of us can cast out devils. Don’t believe that somehow, you need some special help to cast out the devil out. If you tell him to go, he would go. Believe in your own words. That’s what you need. The devils don’t like us telling people the truth, but this is the truth! There’s no gift in the Bible for casting out devils, so you can’t say- ‘oh I don’t have the gift of casting out devils! There’s no such gift! We all have been given the one gift that is necessary- the name of Jesus Christ. He says “these signs shall follow them that believe…”,not special ministers, not special apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists, no! “These signs shall follow them that believe…” The first sign: “…in my name they shall cast out devils”. All of us who believe can cast out devils. So, let’s keep casting them out.
Rev. Ray proffers:
Pastor Sir, there is a scripture in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 27, it says: “Neither give place to the devil”. That means we have the authority.
Pastor Chris answers:
Don’t give place to the devil! And that also means that you could, that’s why he told you not to because you could. It’s an act of your will; it’s up to you! You may let the devil come in, by your choice or by your ignorance. “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge”(Scripture reference: Hosea 4:6). See, that’s what God said.
Rev Ray proffers:
Pastor sir, a little digression but consistent with what we are saying: I think the brother is referring to probably some physical demonstrations of demonic presence, but there are also some other manifestations that might not be as physical, like anger. The Bible talking about it says, “be angry, and sin not”. And they (the manifestations) are demonic. And sometimes some people allow that in their lives.
Pastor Chris answers:
Yes, you allow anger, bitterness, envy, these things are works of demons. Of course, they are works of the flesh, but they open up the door. That’s why you shouldn’t let them. Anger is a work of the flesh, bitterness is of the flesh, envy is of the flesh, strife is of the flesh. Now, when you have these things manifested in your life, what you are doing is you are giving place to the devil. So, the demons would take advantage of that in your life and come in. Jesus said, “the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me”(Scripture reference John 14:30). See, Jesus said satan had nothing in him. Can you say satan has nothing in you? If you’ve got anger, that means he’s got something in you. If you’ve got bitterness, that means satan has got something in you. If you’ve got envy it means satan has got something in you! And if he’s got something in you, he’s going to come for it and then make a home either in your body or in your mind- somewhere- and start running your life. Don’t let satan have a place in your life. Never let him! Give no place to the devil.
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