The church has shied away from deliverance ministry. We have brushed it under the carpet and pretend it doesn't exist. Pastors either love deliverance ministers or shun the work they are doing. Unfortunately, there is no in-between. I know, because being a deliverance minister either opens doors or closes them.

Talking about demons and deliverance is not normal conversation. As my team and I travel through airports and on airplanes, we receive glances and stares from flight crew and passengers. The demonic is not normal conversation and because of that, people stay bound instead of being set free.

Even strong, Spirit-filled, tongue-praying pastors don't want to deal with the dirty work of deliverance. It isn't dirty work, but that is how it has been labeled. The pastors will talk about praying in tongues, host healing crusades, prophesy and minister in the gifts of the Spirit, but when it comes to the ministry of casting out demons, they act as though it isn't in the Bible.

One time as I preached at my friend's church, I said, "A Christian cannot be possessed," to which he shouted, "That's exactly right." But I continued with, "A Christian can be oppressed," to which there was no reply. I knew he didn't agree.

After I finished speaking that weekend, he never reached out to me again, whereas we used to text to encourage each other weekly. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated instance, even in the charismatic, full gospel, apostolic and prophetic communities.

Church leaders are uncomfortable with the demonic. They choose not to address the ministry of deliverance. People in our churches are under the influence of demons and can't receive deliverance.

One of my pastor friends admits this to me. I asked him to endorse my deliverance book, to which he replied, "I would be honored." Except I never received the endorsement. When we connected again months later, he told me he just couldn't endorse my book at that time. Why? Because he didn't believe in it until the Lord brought him through it.

People are crying out for deliverance. They seek out deliverance ministers to set them free. Unfortunately, their usual comment is, "I had to come here because my pastor doesn't believe in deliverance."

Jesus came to do the ministry of deliverance. That is why we need to talk about demons being cast out and not just love and grace. I am all for love. My ministry is one of love and power. I have prophetic love tours I do around the United States. I formed a ministry corporation called Be Love Outreach. If you were to ask most of the people who know me, they wouldn't respond, "She is a deliverance minister." Instead, they would respond, "She is a lover of Jesus and extends that love to all people."

Love is one portion of the Scripture, just as deliverance is a portion of the Scripture. We cannot just release the Scriptures we are comfortable with; that is only releasing part of the Bible. We need to release all of the Bible, including the ministry of deliverance.

When Jesus purchased our salvation on the cross, He purchased our deliverance. People think this means all of our demons went in that instance, and as Christians and new believers in Christ, we never need deliverance. If that is the case, then I ask you, "Are you walking in the fullness and freedom of Christ? Are you never struggling with depression, anger or lust?"

If it all went away in an instant, then why do we have emotional ailments and physical afflictions? Christ did purchase our deliverance; I'm not arguing with that. It is now time we go through our souls and clean up, repent, turn from our ways and search the parts of our soul that need inner healing and deliverance, the ministry of casting out of demons.

Jesus told us to cast out demons, that we have been given power and authority and that we would do greater things than He did.

• "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8).
• "Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19).
• "Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do also. And he will do greater works than these, because I am going to My Father" (John 14:12).

"Greater" doesn't mean just good, fun or popular things. Greater is going about and extending the ministry of deliverance He came to model for us. Again, I ask you, those who don't believe we need to talk about a demon: Are you walking in all the fruits of the Spirit? Are you manifesting all the gifts of the Spirit? Are you living on cloud nine every day with no problems, no spouts of anger, no mishaps?

Yes, some of our challenges are bad decisions, wrong choices and behavior patterns. However, there is an enemy at work in all of our lives, preventing our destinies, keeping us in mental anguish and making us sit and think and rot and stink.

The emotional ailment you can't seem to get past. The addiction you can't seem to overcome. The draw of lust to pornography. It is time to consider that these things could very well be driven by a demonic spirit that needs to be cast out. It is time for the church to do the very ministry Jesus came to do!

In my book Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan—A Deliverance Guide to Total Freedom, learn how Jesus cast out demons, what the Bible says about deliverance, how to start a deliverance ministry or how to receive deliverance. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36).

Kathy DeGraw is a prophetic spiritual warfare strategist releasing the love and power of God, to ignite and activate people, release prophetic destinies and deliver people from the bondage of the enemy. She is the founder of Kathy DeGraw Ministries and Be Love Outreach. She is the author of several books, including Speak Out, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, Identity Invasion, Who is Speaking? and Warfare Declarations. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook, facebook.com/kathydegraw or visit degrawministries.org.

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