Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual

Francis MacNutt approaches deliverance in a reasonable and spiritually-mature manner, as one who has a significant history and practice of deliverance and healing ministry. MacNutt is thoroughly scriptural and Christ-centered in his approach to deliverance. He does not present himself as a super-minister who stands above others in ministry, but he sees himself as part of the larger Christian Body and as one who needs others.MacNutt emphasizes the reality of what we see in Scripture, especially in the gospels and in Jesus' own ministry, in relation to deliverance of demons. He shows how the deliverance ministry is as essential today as it was then and the church needs to be the experts in it. There is plenty of evidence in this book that demonic oppression is active in our cultures and world today.The main contribution of this book is a textbook approach to guiding people in the deliverance ministry. MacNutt gives readers good instruction to inform the ministry. I think he could emphasize more than he does how important a person's own devotional life is when even thinking about deliverance ministry, and this includes the necessity of being plugged into a Biblical Christian community for support and protection.MacNutt also does very well to highlight the relation of demonic oppression/possession to emotional and mental wounds that require inner healing. He advises ministers to be especially careful to not treat mental/physical/emotional wounds as demonic oppression. He repeatedly emphasizes the need for discernment and humility in this work.There is always the danger of people getting obsessed with demons and giving them too much respect and power or in assigning every ailment or sinful habit to demonic influence. MacNutt advises readers to keep a careful balance and to be led by the Spirit in discerning demonic presence.This would be a recommendation for training prayer ministers and as an essential book in one's library. MacNutt offers other suggestions resources.

Over the last year or so I have read over 10 books on deliverance, and this one is by far the best, most comprehensive and balanced book on the subject.

This is one of the more balanced books on the topic of deliverance. Unlike some other authors who are more prone to attribute any human problem to the influence of some unholy spirit, the author points out the importance of discerning when the problem or a display of behavior is simply an expression of human emotions and the person may be purging his thoughts and feelings and when it may be influenced by spirits.He mentions how many people have caused damage to people who were already suffering by trying to exorcise demons from them, when people were just experiencing pain and grief and needed tender loving care and comforting. He also mentions cases where people have developed multiple personality disorder from abuse and again how they are in need of healing and therapy, and not of exorcising demons.He points out that despite the clarity of all the Scriptural passages about deliverance, many theologians and preachers profess a profound skepticism as to whether we should take accounts of people being tormented by evil spirits in a literal way.They explain their position by saying that "people in Jesus' day believed in evil spirits as do primitive people today." He gives as an example one of more popular Bible commentators, William Barclay, who states that "demon possession is a delusion and that people are cured through the power of suggestion".Barclay says: "It may seem fantastic to us, but the ancient peoples believed explicitly in demons ... To this day anyone can think himself into having a pain or into the idea that he is ill; that could happen even more easily in days when there was much of what we would call superstition, and when man's knowledge was more primitive than it is now. Even if there are no such things as demons, a man could be cured only by the assumption that for him at least the demons were the realest of things."The author ads how psychiatrists and medical doctors seem to be more open to healing prayer than the clergy and mentions a meeting called by a large Western hospital which has a department for religion and health. They invited a selected group of medical doctors and clergy to a meeting to discuss the topic of healing through prayer and all but one physicians responded, 80 percent of them came, while barely 50 percent of the clergy responded, and less than 30 percent of them attended the meeting.The author quotes from Luke 9:1-2 "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.""Most people who need deliverance, the author states, "seem to be good people, not evil people. Most of them are Christians and go to church on Sunday, but in some part of their lives they are not free. They will ell you that they seem compelled to act in ways contrary to their innermost desires."Among different levels of oppression, the author lists temptation, physical attacks or obstructions, emotional oppression, and adds demonization - the latter with possible symptoms such as bodily contortions, change in voice, change in facial expression, unpleasant smells and a sensation of cold. When the Holy Spirit is present we often experience heat.The author points out that we must ask what is causing the symptoms, a psychiatric disorder or a demon. "Rolling eyes, voice changes, twitches, or marked shifts in facial expression could indicate either ... Exorcists likely have not known enough about MPD to tell the difference ... Christians who have had years of experience in deliverance work say they knew all along that certain entities seemed like demons initially but didn't respond to exorcism like demons do."He says that the most accurate way of diagnosing the presence of an evil spirit is through the gift of discerning spirits. The gift enables us to distinguish whether a person is influenced by the Holy Spirit, natural human, psychological or created causes, or an evil spirit. Some may have a strong gift of prophecy, healing, or discerning of spirits but contaminate it, if they are immature in its use, with elements of their own prejudice, self-interest or religious background. Zealous Christians who have gotten into deliverance have usually received insufficient instruction or oversight to direct a balanced ministry. Some ministers of deliverance know little about psychology and are unable to tell whether a person needs inner healing or deliverance or both.For those who want to practice deliverance, the author suggest "If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, study about it, then pray to receive it." The empowering of the Holy Spirit enables us to minister deliverance more effectively. In addition, it brings with it those charismatic gifts essential for a fully rounded deliverance ministry - gifts like healing and the discerning of spirits."Among different kinds of spirits, he author says that the demon's name is especially important because it indicates its nature and purpose in lie He lists different kinds of spirits like spirits of sin, spirits of the occult, spirits of trauma, ancestral or familiar spirits.While some exorcists send spirits to the abyss, the author suggests sending them to Jesus Christ to deal with them in His Justice and mercy, pointing out that even Archangel Michael sent the spirits to God, as the vengeance and judgment belong only to God.In defense from curses, the author suggests a prayer "Lord Jesus, I ask You to protect our family (whom I mention by name) from sickness, from all harm and from accidents. If any of us has been subjected to any curses, hexes or spells, I declare these curses, hexes or spells null and void in the name of Jesus Christ. If any evil spirits have been sent against us, I decommission you in the name of Jesus Christ and I send you to Jesus to deal with as He will. Then, Lord I ask You to send Your holy angels to guard and protect all of us."The author deals an assortment of remedies from oppression, depending on the possible cause and ranging from repentance, renouncing associations with whatever caused the oppression, and he even shares prayers for blessing oil, salt and water to anoint oneself or sprinkle them around the premises for purification and protection.Here's a prayer for blessing the salt: "God's creature, salt, I sat out the demon from you by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water-springs by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.Almighty, everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless this creature, salt, which you have given for mankind's use. May all who use it find it a remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit, through Christ our Lord. Amen."He recommends praying and fasting for deliverance, and offers elaborate instructions for preparing a deliverance team and what to do in different cases.

This book is a good introduction to the topic of deliverance. There are lots of resources listed for further study. And there are many practical suggestions given. I found parts of the book repetitive, but generally it was a helpful book for me since I knew virtually nothing about the topic.

gifted. person liked it.

This was recommended by a friend for a situation I am dealing with, and it was so helpful! Looking at evil from a psychological perspective is so helpful and I am on a hunt for more books like this and People of the Lie! So helpful.

I am going on a Deliverance Ministry Training session and reading this book was a requirement. I can see why. It is filled with actual stories and lessons learned thru it all. Excellent book for training and encouragement.

This was very helpful for me during a particularly trying time.Since reading this book, I have graduated from life lessons and I am now spiritually qualified as an exorcist.Honestly, this is useful for those who live in haunted houses - or are going through difficult times.Or just maybe having what they think is a bout of mental illness and are hearing voice and feel things that may medically be described as hallucinations. If medical treatments don't seem to be working, try this.You might just be surprised how much what happens in the physical is linked to activities in the spiritual sphere.

tout sur le ministère de délivrance !explications... origines...comment prier, que dire, quoi faire,ce qu'il ne faut pas faire.différence exorcisme/délivrance (même si au final on a le même résultatL'expérience de l'auteur et surtout de tous ses confrèresmise bout-à-bout pour vous aider.dans le style " do it yourself"tout sur la délivrance des possessions, infestations, sortilèges....mais l'anglais minimum niveau lycée est demandé pour comprendre...

Francis MacNutt offers more than a word of encouragement proposing that an "intelligent discussion about the need for a balanced deliverance ministry" within the present day Church should be resurrected. This book gives historical as well as present day examples that can guide many to not only gain a balanced view towards deliverance, while avoiding many pitfalls and mistakes, but actually receive freedom for themselves.

I was a bit hesitant about this book but have read it and it is one of the best I have ever read about deliverance (have read a number of them).It is very level headed, informative, filled with Biblical truth and incredibly useful