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“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Acts 1:8
We hope that the Discipleship Course curriculum is usable to you for training and equipping. Below you will find the contents (Module II). Download links are available after each lesson.
As you enter this next phase of our Discipleship Course please carry all that you have already learned with you. We have laid a solid foundation of basic (yet profound) biblical discipleship truths. You have been learning to die to yourself and live in Christ. He is your foundation.
In this next module you will learn about doing ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. It should be very interesting and exciting. Nevertheless, it is imperative that you remember the basics. Especially when it comes to humility, holiness and love. Apostle Paul reminds us in 1Cor. 13:1-2 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
Throughout Church history, especially during times of Revival, anointed servants of God, filled with the Spirit have carried His glory to their generation. They operated in the power of the Holy Spirit and demonstrated amazing signs and wonders. Multitudes were saved, healed and delivered. Sadly, many of them buckled under the weight of this heavy mantel. Some burned out, others fell into sexual sin, or pride, or the love of money, or began to teach false doctrines. We do not want you to fall into these traps, beloved.
People will oppose you and the enemy will attack… but God will be with you and bring you into abundant fruitfulness if you will walk humbly and obey Him. Jesus clearly told us to count the cost. Are you willing? Never be satisfied with anything less than God’s perfect will for your life. Nevertheless, you can be sure of this: It will cost you everything.
Rise up sons and daughters of the Most High! Be filled with the Holy Spirit and do the work of the Kingdom. Great adventures await you. Just keep saying “YES” to Jesus as He leads you to the harvest. Do mighty exploits in His name, for His glory and honor. You will find great fulfillment and receive eternal reward. He is worthy of your best… your everything.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1-2
Lesson 1: Holy Spirit Baptism and Ministry
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Exercising the Gifts
Keys to Ministering in the Spirit
Practical Guidelines for Personal Ministry
Lesson 2: The Five-Fold Ministry Gifts
God’s Hand of Ministry
Women in Ministry
Lesson 3: Kingdom Authority
Lesson 4: Power Evangelism
Evangelism
The Process of Evangelism
Do’s and Don’ts of Personal Evangelism
Power Evangelism
Prophetic Evangelism
Methods
Ways to Present the Gospel
Lesson 5: Preaching the Gospel
The True Message
The Narrow Way
Presenting Your Message
The Altar Call
Preaching Tips
Lesson 6: Healing the Sick
Facts About Healing
Roots
Faith and Healing Scriptures
Lesson 7: Prophecy
Receiving From the Lord and Delivering a Prophetic Word
What is Prophecy?
Delivering a Public Prophetic Word
Order in the Meeting
Delivering a Personal Prophetic Word
Judging Prophecy
Processing Prophetic Words
Exercising the Gift of Prophecy
Lesson 8: Deliverance
Spontaneous Deliverance
Deliverance By Appointment
The Interview
Areas to be Renounced
The Soul
The Body
The Spirit
After Liberation
Teach Them How to Stay Free
The Deliverance Minister
Preparing Yourself for Doing Deliverance
Lesson 9: Spiritual Warfare
What Spiritual Warfare Is and Is Not
Regional Warfare
Effective Weapons of Warfare
Preparation for War
The Full Armor
Spheres of Authority
Conclusion
This awesome gift of God was not only promised in Joel 2 but also promised by Jesus “But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost (Acts 2) and fully experienced after Pentecost (Acts 4:31, 10:44-46, 19:6).
Baptism in the Spirit is the POWER for service and for witnessing… not only in words, but healing, deliverance, prayer and in understanding the Word… and the power to overcome sin and live a victorious life (Romans 8:26, John 16:14, Luke 24:49, Acts 9:17-20). Even Jesus ministered by the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). It is the power for your specific ministry. Re-filling continually…Eph. 5:18
You can receive this infilling of the Spirit in a variety of ways… as mentioned in scripture:
There is no formula for receiving Him… but it goes something like this:
Remember, He really wants to fill you to overflowing. We have the assurance of God’s word that if we ask for this Precious Gift we will not receive anything evil but will receive His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:11-13).
You may or may not feel anything initially, but some can sense peace, warmth or overwhelming joy. You may hear a strange sound or word in your mind. Speak it out…and continue to speak it. Like priming a pump, this usually begins the flow. Sometimes only a few words come at first, but as you continue to speak in faith the Lord will give you a complete vocabulary to praise God.
God’s gifts are given for a purpose. Praying in the Spirit edifies or builds us up in the Lord (1Cor. 14:4). We also build our faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). You will later find this is one of your weapons in repelling the attacks of the enemy (Eph. 6:18). Speaking in tongues is an important gift; you don’t want to refuse it. To refuse tongues is to refuse to yield yourself completely to God.
Paul lists nine gifts or manifestations of the Spirit (1Cor. 12). These are the supernatural tools for Christian service. All Spirit filled Christians can manifest any of these gifts as the Spirit directs.
Exercising the Gifts
The exercise of any of these gifts requires your cooperation with the Spirit. He gives the gifts as He wills and lets you know in a variety of ways when you are to exercise them… for example:
The prophetic gifts… He will sometimes put a few words in your mind. You speak these and more begin to flow. You may also sense an excitement or nervousness before you are to prophesy.
Word of knowledge… You may see a picture or receive a word/thought that suddenly jumps into your mind.
The word of wisdom can flow in the midst of normal conversation. You find yourself speaking God’s wisdom… and both you and the hearer are surprisingly pleased.
The healing gifts… Your hands could begin to feel warm or you may get a pain in a certain part of your body. Sometimes the word of knowledge and the healing gifts work in tandem to build faith and bring healing. We must be willing to lay on hands, speak a word of command or do anything else as Holy Spirit directs us.
The Approach
It is not wise for a man to pray for a woman alone or a woman to pray for a man alone
When possible get feedback from the person you ministered to. Ask how they feel after prayer (or their pain level) … have them test their healing. Be willing to pray again… ask for feedback again.
Assignments:
Memorize Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Spend time in worship and ask Jesus to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. If you have already had this awesome experience, ask Him to fill you again… and again.
By the leading of the Holy Spirit, pray for someone… or several people this week using your healing and/or prophetic gifts. Holy Spirt will flow through you to touch the lives of many.
The Five-Fold Ministry Gifts
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.
These five ministry gifts are not about having a title, but about ministry functions. There is nothing “elevated” about these gifts (see 1 Cor. 4:9-13). One is not better than the other… only different. Each has a special purpose.
The Purpose… “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” Eph. 4:12
These five leadership gifts were not only given to do the work of the ministry but to enable God’s people to do the work of the ministry.
The Time-Frame…” till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13
The five-fold ministry did not pass away at the end of the first century, but was given until the maturing of the Body in unity, knowledge and expression of Christ’s fullness.
The five-fold ministry gifts are examples of how “grace has been given as Christ apportioned it” (Ephesians 4:7). All ministry is simply the ministry of Christ expressed through the believer by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Christ is our Apostle (Hebrews 3:1), Prophet (Luke 24:19), Evangelist (Matthew 9:35), Pastor (1 Peter 5:2-4) and Teacher (John 3:2). Every ministry – including that of the five-fold – is an extension of the ministry of Christ Himself. The five-fold ministry are not self-commissioned, nor are they simply leaders of a church. They are clearly defined ministries that have an impact on the Church as a whole.
“…God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” Ephesians 2:19-20.
The foundation of the Church is the apostle and the prophet (note Ephesians 3:4-5). Ephesians 4:12-13 indicates that these two ministries still continue in that foundational role, so it is vital for us to understand how each of these ministries work.
An apostle is “one chosen and sent with a special commission.” The 12 apostles chosen by Jesus were witnesses of the resurrection (Acts 1:15; 4:33), but there were many other true apostles (Acts 14:3-4; Romans 16:7; 1 Corinthians 15:5-7; Galatians 1:1,19), as well as false ones (2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Revelation 2:2).
The ministry of an apostle can include pioneering new churches (1 Corinthians 9:2; 1 Corinthians 3:6), grounding the Church in truth (Colossians 1:25), preserving unity in the Body (1 Corinthians 3:3-5), laying foundations in the Church (1 Corinthians 3:10), setting things in order (Titus 1:5), fostering a vision beyond the local (2 Corinthians 8), fathering new ministries (2 Timothy 1:6) a breakthrough-type ministry of miracles (2 Corinthians 12:12) and powerful prayer (Acts 6:4).
The ministry of the prophet involves being “moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21) in prophetic utterance, which can be:
The prophet operates best in teamwork with the apostle (i.e. Paul and Silas). A prophet is not just someone with a prophetic anointing, but a recognized ministry to the Body at large.
Note there are levels of prophecy: the word of prophecy – limited to “strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (1 Corinthians 14:3,31) and the ministry of the prophet (1 Corinthians 12:28-29). All believers are encouraged to move in words of prophecy, but only a prophet should exercise the authority of predictive, directive and corrective prophecy, and even then only within clear protective guidelines.
Evangelists extend the frontiers of God’s Kingdom (see the ministry of Philip in Acts 6:3-7; 8:5-40; 21:8).
They preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit in their own region… or around the world as the Spirit leads.
The Greek word for pastor poimen means “one to tends sheep or cares for flocks” (read 1 Peter 5:1-4; John 21:15-17). But this word is used only in Ephesians 4:11. Elsewhere in the New Testament, other words are used: “shepherd,” “elder” and “overseer”. This is significant…a comparison of these ministries should be made.
The word “elder” – presbuteros – refers to any leadership ministry. An elder may be one of the five or an “overseer” – episkopos – over a local church. But whether a person is a pastor (one of the five-fold ministry) or an overseeing elder (in charge of a local body), both are called to be shepherds. Following the example of the Chief Shepherd (John 10:1-16), a shepherd’s ministry is to feed (verse 9); protect (verse 12), guide (verses 3-4) and love (verse 15) the sheep.
A teacher is not just someone who teaches (we are all encouraged to teach – Colossians 3:16), but is a ministry who brings instruction to the Body at large (note the “watering” ministry of Apollos in Acts 18:24-28; 1 Corinthians 3:2-10).
Only when the ministries of Ephesians 4:11 begin functioning as God intended – both as individual ministries and as apostolic teams – will the purpose of their joint ministry be fulfilled.
By Paul Bunty and David Collins
It is not God’s intention for pastors to attempt to equip and build up the body alone. There are no scriptures that even suggest that one senior shepherd has been given everything necessary to perfect a particular congregation.
Fivefold ministers are meant to cooperate in their special giftings and abilities, and together govern, guide, gather, ground and guard God’s people.3
God’s Hand of Ministry
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God… “ (1 Pet. 5:6)
When Christ ascended, He took His whole ministry mantle, divided it, and gave it in five parts to men and women. All five are needed to perfect, mature and equip the saints “till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of… the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). The function of these gifts, also sometimes called equipping or ascension gifts, and how they fit together can better be understood through the analogy of how a physical hand functions.
The Apostle: The Thumb
The thumb is not in opposition to or over the fingers, but it is designed to complete the full function and power of the hand. Apostles function in administration and (together with prophets) lay the foundation with proper doctrinal and spiritual structure (Eph. 2:20). Apostles move primarily in the gifts of healing, faith, working of miracles, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, and prophecy. Their authority may be regional or national.
In a modern church setting, they would oversee the development and sending of apostolic teams for miracle ministries, as well as activating, imparting and demonstrating the apostolic anointing to other bodies of believers. They would participate in going to other regions and nations to establish new churches and help local pastors restore order and unity in existing congregations.
The Prophet: The Forefinger
The forefinger is often called the pointer finger—the prophet functions in revelation and points the way for believers. The office of the prophet is different than the gift of prophecy—it carries a governmental authority and role with higher responsibility. The gift of prophecy is for edification, exhortation and comfort, whereas the prophet flows in areas of guidance, instruction, rebuke, judgment and revelation—whatever Christ chooses to speak for the purification and perfection of His church.
Prophets are also given the special ability to recognize God’s gifts and callings on individuals and can activate people into their ministries. Not everyone who prophesies is a prophet (just as not everyone who moves in miracles is an apostle).
In a church today, prophets would oversee the development of qualified prophetic teams to be able to give accurate and timely personal prophetic words, and form prophetic presbyteries—groups of ministers and elders who come together for the purpose of ministering prophetically to individuals or a church body.
The Evangelist: The Middle Finger
The middle finger extends the furthest on the hand—it represents the outreach ministry extended to evangelize the world.
An evangelist in today’s church would oversee evangelism teams and outreach, and maintain passion and vision for winning souls to Jesus, in addition to training other evangelists.
The Pastor: The Ring Finger
The ring finger is the wedding ring finger, symbolizing the pastor’s commitment to his flock. Prophets and evangelists might come and go, but the pastor is bound to the local saints in a shepherding relationship.
Those in the pastoral department of a local church would oversee home group leaders and assist the senior pastor in duties such as weddings, funerals, visitations, prayer, counseling, and other ministerial capacities.
The Teacher: The Little Finger
Although it’s the smallest finger, the little finger is essential and provides balance. The teacher grounds the church in truth through instruction in the principles of the Word of God.
The teaching department in a modern-day church would oversee the educational and training ministries, including writing and developing curriculum and performing teaching duties.
In Conclusion…
– A person does not call or appoint himself to any of the fivefold ministries. It is a gift or call of Christ Himself and, in time, is confirmed by other believers.
– Generally, a fivefold minister has one initial primary calling and divine enablement to fully manifest one equipping gift. They may also have a secondary gifting in another fivefold area, and additionally, be called to manifest other five-fold gifts at various times.
– Finally, a pastor may conform his or her congregation to his/her doctrines, beliefs and methods of ministry—but not into Christ’s fullness. It takes all five ascension gifts working together to accomplish this.
May we—as a church—humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and recognize those He has empowered to represent His heart.
By Generals International… Diane Lake
“Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.” 1Cor 14:34-35 “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” 1Tim 2:11-15
It would seem that this topic should have been played out by now, but there may still be a need to discuss it. I hope you are willing to learn something. After all, some have drawn a line in the sand and refuse to go there. We must hold our peripheral doctrines loosely so we can continue to grow:
Women in Ministry: We have seen them, admired their gifts and have been blessed by their ministry, but what about the prohibition passages found in 1Corinthians 14: 34-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-15? I had been stumbling over these for years. I asked the Lord, read various authors, and still there was a lingering doubt. I did make progress though, mostly because my spirit was resonating with God’s Spirit and He was teaching me.
Many anointed male leaders had already heard from the Lord in this matter including Peter Wagner and Jack Hayford but I wanted to hear too. Thank God, someone offered me an article written by Dr. Gary Greig, “Biblical Foundations for Women Alongside Men in Ministry.” Apart from the fact that his presentation was intelligent, logical and believable, it was also Spirit-life giving. In addition, and perhaps most convincing, Gary is an expert in Bible languages. This makes his interpretation of the aforementioned “prohibition” passages most palatable. Please hear what he says:
“1Cor 14:33-35 appears to forbid women from speaking in public worship. But a close reading of the Greek text shows that this passage forbids wives, not women in general from speaking out disruptively in the context of their husbands judging prophecy. Greek gune can be translated “woman” or “wife.” It requires the translation “wife” in this passage because husbands are mentioned in 14:35. The sense “wife” is the clear connotation of the Greek gune in 14:35. So we are talking about husbands and wives in this passage and not women in general. The picture we get in 1Cor 14:29-39 concerns judging prophecy. These wives were apparently speaking disruptively over their husbands who were the recognized authorities to judge prophecy. This certainly could not be referring to Philip’s daughters who were prophets in the church of Caesaria Acts 21:9. They would be crazy if they didn’t allow them to judge prophecy because they were prophetesses themselves. What we are talking about here are women who were not recognized with this authority speaking disruptively. It is a matter of order, not gender. It is a matter of respecting their husbands.”
In 1Tim 2:12 Paul says literally “I am not permitting.” Many translations translate the Greek present active indicative verb as if it were gnomic aorist “I do not permit (ever)…” It is not. The Greek present active indicative is a primarily progressive tense – it denotes action in progress now…not forever and ever.
“I am not permitting a woman/wife (gune) to teach or to domineer a man/husband.” The Greek word aner can be translated “man” or “husband.” “To have authority over” is not what the Greek verb authentein means. If we turn to the standard NT Greek-English Lexicon of Bauer, Ardnt, Gingrich and Danker Pg. 121 we will find good evidence for the fact that authentein means domineer. It does not mean simply exercising authority. Paul could hardly say that women were not permitted (to teach) or exercise authority over men if he was aware of Priscilla with Aquilla teaching Apollos and if he was commending Phoebe as a diakonos minister that exercised a certain amount of authority in the church of Cenchrea. What we are talking about in 1Tim 2:12 is domination. The use of authentein refers to a domineering spirit that these women had.
The context in this speaks of Adam and Eve, the first husband and wife. This fact should condition our translation of Greek gune and aner to be translated “wife” and “husband” rather than “woman” and “man” in this passage. I think the sole translation of 1Tim 2:12 required by the context is “I am not permitting a wife to teach or to domineer a husband. She must be silent.” Paul could not have meant all women in Ephesus since Priscilla had been his co-worker along with Aquilla, and Paul certainly knew Priscilla and Aquilla had taught Apollos. Also, Paul cannot be referring to all women in Ephesus or in the church in general because he is no longer speaking of women in the plural as he was earlier in the chapter in verses 9 and 10.” (Mentioning Priscilla before Aquilla probably meant that she was the primary teacher. Remember in that day it was not “ladies before gentleman.”)
“The language of the prohibition then reflects the original problem. A woman or a restricted number of women in the church of Ephesus were being contentious and argumentative. The woman/women were also domineering her/their husband(s). This scenario and Paul’s correction of it is a far cry from the idea that Paul was issuing a blanket prohibition against all women everywhere teaching or exercising godly authority to which God is calling them to in the Body of Christ.”
Just one more point for you to consider: “Paul mentions Junia and Andronicus in Romans 16:7. He says they are prominent among the apostles. “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles and they were in Christ before I was.” Junia was a common Latin female name in the Roman Empire! That Junia as a woman was recognized among the apostles is understandable. They had Deborah as a prophet, senior judge and a mother of Israel and Miriam as a prophetic leader under Moses and alongside Aaron. Huldah was a prophetic leader and advisor under King Josiah and Esther, a leader in the late period. This wouldn’t have been a problem in the New Testament Church with this history of women in leadership in the Old Testament.”
Dear Church, it is time to accept the obvious – the evidence is quite clear. God has called women to serve alongside men in every aspect of the fivefold ministry…Peter Whitehouse
Assignment:
Memorize Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”
Your Father wants you to know who you are. You are a son or daughter of the Most High God! He has been preparing you to carry His glory, to be His representative to this generation. He wants to give you this responsibility. Will you accept it?
Through Jesus, the sinless Son of God, the authority or reign which was lost through our sin has been re-established for all who submit to God’s grace and reign through faith in Jesus. These points outline the significance of Kingdom authority restored through Jesus.
Having deposed Satan, Jesus reinstated those who He has brought into relationship with God through faith in Him, and thereby gives us authority:
(Matthew 10:8; 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-21; John 20:21; also 1 John 3:1; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:4-6; Luke 10:19; Acts 1:8).
Assignment:
Earnestly ask God to reveal to you who you are in Jesus Christ.
Memorize Galatians 3:26-27 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Luke 9:1-2 “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Romans 8:19 “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”
If you narrowly escaped driving into the river because the bridge collapsed, of course, you would praise God. But would you then simply turn around and go home? Wouldn’t you try to block the road or wave and shout to prevent others from going over the edge? What if you were walking at night and noticed a house on fire; would you just walk by? Or would you start banging on the doors and yelling to wake the family who lived there? There are so many who are headed for destruction… backsliders and the unsaved. Their house is on fire and they are unaware. Will you warn them or just walk by? There are serious consequences for sin… and hell is very real!
Evangelism is the proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ. Simply put: Jesus suffered and died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. By believing in Him we have forgiveness of our sins, a restored relationship with the Father and the free gift of eternal life in heaven.
Everyone is not called to be an evangelist, preaching crusades and approaching people on the street. But everyone is called to be light and salt in this world… according to their gifts and calling. Every Christian should, in some way, be intentionally drawing people closer to the Lord. There are so many ways to do this… and many types of ministry.
The Process of Evangelism
Consider Mark 4:26-28 “And He said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
You may be sowing a seed or watering one that has already been sown. Sometimes an individual may need several gospel encounters before they are ready to receive Christ. That’s OK! Pressuring someone to say the sinner’s prayer does not save them. They must believe first.
If you understand this process you will not become discouraged when someone does not respond to your gospel invitation…or become proud when they do. If you get the privilege to harvest a soul know that many others went before you praying, sowing seeds and watering them before you came to reap the harvest. However, the operation of the gifts of the Spirit can dramatically stir faith, accelerate the process and bring a genuine salvation.
Do’s and Don’ts of Personal Evangelism:
There are some basic mistakes we sometimes make in communication which turn people off to the gospel. The best way to reinforce good conversational skills in witnessing is to study the approach and methods Jesus used.
Jesus demonstrated the reality of God’s kingdom with power… public evidence that the Kingdom he was talking about had come. Signs should validate our evangelism too.
The Son of God came to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8) and His miracles were evidence that the devil was retreating. As Jesus put it, once the strong man has been overpowered his possessions can be taken from him (Matt 12:29; Luke 11:22).
Apostle Paul sums it up so well: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1Cor.2:1-5).
Demonstration of Spirit and of Power
The Church should announce and demonstrate the Kingdom of God. This involves a presentation of the good news of God’s reign accompanied with the manifest presence of God. Power evangelism is spontaneous and is directed by the Holy Spirit.
The most common form of evangelism is through personal relationship in which the gospel is shared with relatives, friends, co-workers and neighbors. But whether through personal relationship or divine appointment on the street, bus or plane… answered prayer, especially when healing the sick, has led many to faith in Christ.
Words of Knowledge and Prophecy are also powerful tools. The unsaved stand amazed at these supernatural encounters and must truly consider the reality of God.
Always look for an opportunity to pray for someone. Lay hands on them and see what God will do. So many times I have seen people begin to cry or feel peace or warmth when I begin to pray for them.
Power evangelism is that gospel presentation which is both rational and transcends the rational; it comes with the demonstration of the power of God, with signs and wonders and introduces the reality of God.
Prophetic Evangelism
Holy Spirit and His gifts are given for us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). Prophecy is useful for edifying believers but also to show the power of God to unbelievers (1Cor. 14:24-25). Paul says that prophecy is a sign to unbelievers as evidence that God is real.
Jesus did prophetic evangelism with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). He told her things about her life that He could only know supernaturally. As a result of this word of knowledge she opened her heart to Him and led her whole village to believe in Jesus.
There is really no formula for prophetic evangelism… It really must be learned through trial and error. It is usually uncomfortable to approach someone you don’t know… but if you want to be used by God you must be willing to take a risk.
Methods…. How to share Jesus in stores and on the street using your spiritual gifts.
Another thing to consider: If you are with a Christian friend in public (standing in line, sitting in the mall, waiting for a movie to start) purposely talk about what Jesus has done for you… share your testimony with each other… just loud enough for those around you to hear. I call this “third party” witnessing. Some people will block you out when you tell them about Jesus but if they are listening to others talk, they will receive every word. Are you ashamed to talk about Jesus in public? Ask the Lord to give you the grace and the courage.
Also, develop conversational relationships with some of the employees in the stores where you usually shop. This can open doors for healing prayer, spiritual guidance and repentance.
The Holy Spirit is very creative. Therefore, we should not try to reduce our ministry to a group of simplistic techniques or formulas.
In every instance… look for an opportunity to demonstrate God’s power… Pray for healing, a word of knowledge or prophecy.
I believe the time is soon coming when evangelistic/healing/prophetic teams will travel to cities and villages … preaching salvation and ministering in the power of the Spirit. Would you like to be one of these? Start practicing!
Assignments:
Memorize 1Corinthians 2:4-5 “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
By the leading of the Spirit approach someone you don’t know, witness to them about Jesus and pray for them. Ask if they have pain or sickness, emotional or physical. Pray for them!
Preaching the Gospel
The True Message
Over the years many people have believed “if Johnny is a good boy he goes to heaven. If he is a bad boy he goes to hell.” Nevertheless, this whole premise is so wrong. Some weigh their good deeds against the bad they do… or think, “I’m a nice person; I will go to heaven.” Wrong again. There will be many “nice” people in hell. Here is the truth of the gospel: Almighty God made a way for us to come to heaven. He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die to pay the penalty for our sins.
By believing in Jesus, following His ways, our sins are completely forgiven and we receive the free gift of eternity in heaven. Everyone who refuses to receive this pardon will spend eternity in hell. It’s really not about being good enough to get into heaven. It’s all about agreeing with God that we have disobeyed Him, asking for His forgiveness and turning away from our sins. We must accept Jesus as your Savior, make Him our Lord and cover ourselves in His righteousness. This is the ONLY way to be acceptable to our loving God who is also holy and just. To be perfectly clear, Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven.
During the 1st century, when someone became a Christian, they were making a serious commitment. They would be rejected by family and friends and possibly imprisoned or killed. They understood the cost and embraced their cross. This is still true today in Muslim and Hindu countries. Christians living there really know what commitment means.
Sadly, in the West, many evangelists tell the people what Jesus will do for them instead of telling them to count the cost. They invite the people to ask Jesus into their heart without repentance and without embarrassment (just raise your hand while everyone closes their eyes). And then we wonder why we have such a lukewarm, compromised Church. This has to change.
The gospel message is about Jesus shedding His blood to save us from our sins – saving us from hell. It’s not about how much He wants to bless you and make you happy. Becoming a Christian should be a life changing commitment, surrendering your life completely to a loving Lord who purchased you with His blood.
Dear evangelist, please consider your methods. Many who are answering your altar calls may not be truly saved because you really haven’t preached the gospel. And remember this. Salvation isn’t only about getting someone to say the salvation prayer. Christianity is all about following Jesus Christ. Altar calls are wonderful, but they are only the doorway. We are to make disciples, not converts.
The Narrow Way
You have a choice. Will you love money and materials or will you follow Jesus? Will you love yourself and your life or will you follow Jesus? Will you love porn and illicit sex or will you follow Jesus? There is a way that leads to eternal joy in heaven and one that leads to hell. Will you choose Jesus Christ and obey His word or will you choose the cheap thrills of this life and spend eternity suffering in hell.
I preach the narrow way because Jesus did (Matt.7:13-14). I warn about hell and the fear of God (Matt.10:28) and preach repentance (Matt.4:17) because Jesus did. We must proclaim the full truth of God’s word in this hour. If not, we will be held accountable.
Presenting Your Message
Dear preachers… Some of you are well experienced and others not so much. Here are a few tips that may be helpful. Of course, this is just a guide. Feel free to preach and minister as you are led by the Holy Spirit. Be blessed with faith and hopeful expectation. God is going to use you mightily!
The Altar Call
Invite the people to turn away from sin and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior… something like this:
“Will you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? God loves you so much that He gave His only son, Jesus, to shed His blood for you. No matter what you have done, if you are willing to turn away from your sins now, He will forgive you. He is merciful and kind, but there is eternal punishment for those who refuse to receive Jesus’ sacrifice. Give your life to Him now.”
Be sure that church members are available to get the names and addresses of those who come forward. Invite them to your church and/or make a home visit. Remember, the altar call is only the doorway to the kingdom. You have been called to make disciples, not converts.
This is important: Be alert! While you are preaching God may give you a word of knowledge about a healing. Just speak it out: “There is someone here who has _(pain in their right arm)_. God is healing you now.” Sometimes He will heal several! Praise His wonderful name!
Here are some good points taught by an experienced preacher. But above all else… When preparing and delivering the word of God you must be led by the Holy Spirit. Spend time with God and preach with confidence the things He wants you to say.
Preaching Tips… Aaron Brown
Assignments:
One: P-R-O-J-E-C-T your voice and get rid of inhibitions. Stand before the class and shout your favorite scripture! Let’s preach it under the anointing! Home work: memorize John 3:16-17 and John 14:6
Two: Go with the Flow! 3 minutes of preaching using memorized Scriptures…including changing topics. Home work: memorize Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 6:23
Three: Exegesis…Using the scripture while preaching, take a passage and explain it line by line while preaching. Home work: preach at home (to others or to your chickens) memorize Romans 10:9-10
Four: Content… Present a 5 minute evangelistic message to the class incorporating memorized scripture, including a reminder of hell. Give an invitation to receive Christ! Home work: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel!
Man was created to be both a spiritual and physical being… to access the natural and the supernatural. In the beginning he communed with God in the garden, but relinquished this glory and digressed to a carnal existence. Because of Jesus’ shed blood man’s spirit was regenerated and is again ready to commune with God’s Spirit. Jesus preached about God’s supernatural Kingdom… a message that taught miracles were possible if we would only believe. Dear believer, understand who you are and allow your spirit to take the lead – not your flesh and emotions. Follow the Holy Spirit and become naturally supernatural.
Over the years, I have seen God heal many people, young and old… on the street, in churches or during conferences and crusades. God loves to heal. I saw a 5-year-old boy who had never walked, leap and jump after laying hands on him… and simply saying, “Be healed in the name of Jesus.” Another boy, about 11, whose arm was paralyzed, was instantly healed in the same way. I have also seen the Lord heal the blind and the deaf… in the name of Jesus! I have never raised the dead, but others have. Nevertheless, I have seen 3 people who were in a coma, expected to die, wake up and then went on with their life after receiving prayer in the name of Jesus! Several of these healing came after the Lord gave me a word of knowledge. You can do this too, beloved. Have you asked God to use you in this way?
You may have tried to pray for someone and nothing seemed to happen. Don’t give up! It will take persistence and practice. Someone once said, “If you pray for 10 people and only 1 gets healed, pray for 100 so 10 will get healed.” Keep praying and let your faith grow. Keep practicing and learn new methods. The percentage will increase. Believe me, I have prayed for plenty of people and saw no apparent results. But I wholeheartedly believe that God answers our prayers and began the healing process because we asked Him to.
It is also important to know that some healing occurs instantaneously. We call this a miracle! But sometimes the illness requires more prayer. (Jesus prayed for a blind man twice.) Don’t be afraid to pray more than once. There is also a method I call “soaking prayer.” John G Lake used this in his Healing Rooms. A small group of people would pray and lay hands on someone continually for several hours (even a few days) while the sick or dying person laid in bed. They would continue until the person was completely healed. There are volumes of documented healings of terminally ill patients using this method. Keep praying, believer. God hears and will answer.
John 4:12: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. “
Matt 10:7-8: “And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons: freely you have received, freely give.”
Success in physical healing ministry, so many times is dependent on our willingness to ask questions prior to praying. Many times before physical healing manifests, healing for the soul must occur.
Important questions to ask to determine root:
I have found in praying for thousands of people that most sickness has some sort of trauma as a root. It is astounding how trauma begins to manifest itself 20-30 years later. Examples of trauma are accidents, abuse, death, but also trauma we afflict on our own hearts through willful sin.
Repentance, and forgiveness are two huge factors in healing trauma. This shuts the door of demonic interference, and removes their right to operate and remain. Without a legal right to operate, when we command them out they leave with little to no struggle.
The next step is to pray for the wound. It is a beautiful thing to watch the love of God flood their hearts, causing healing tears to flow. Many times at this point pain levels have dropped. Then we command complete healing and restoration to come. This process paves the way for complete healing.
Below is a testimony of the effects of recognizing and dealing with the root of trauma:
“I met a woman today who was suffering with just about every kind of arthritis there is. She could not use her hands. She could not move her right thumb at all. She had excruciating pain that shot from her biceps to her hands. She had severe spinal stenosis, and arthritis in her back. She had psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis in her hips and knees. She could hardly bend her knees causing her to barely be able to walk. On top of all of that she was dealing with depression and anxiety from her sickness.
We got on the topic of God. I shared my testimony with her. She told me she was a believer, but due to her physical condition, has not been able to attend church. I told her that I felt that God was going to do something amazing for her. I began to ask some questions. She told me that she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when she was 8. I asked her if anything traumatic happened to her around that time. She told me that a month earlier her father died unexpectedly. She had been extremely close to him and his death was very painful. She said that a few weeks later she began experiencing arthritic symptoms.
I lead her in a prayer to renounce the spirit of trauma that gained access when she heard her father died. Immediately she began to feel things happening in her body. I also led her to renounce pain, affliction, infirmity. I began to command them out. She began to feel things leaving her body where she had pain. She said “this may sound strange but I feel so light that I feel like I could float away.” She then started opening and closing her hands, moving the thumb that had been dead, bending her knees, straightening and bending her back, and finally she got up and walked unhindered! All of the pain was gone! I then commanded depression, heaviness, anxiety and fear out of her. She pursed her lips and blew them out! I then prayed for her to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Pretty instantly she began praying in tongues!
Jesus came to bring release to the captives (those who have been traumatized by others), and to open prison doors (those who have traumatized themselves). Jesus heals trauma!”
Faith and Healing Scriptures
James 5:14-15: “ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Isaiah 53:5: “He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him. And by His stripes we are healed.”
Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Matt 9:35: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”
Luke 6:19: “And the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.”
John 4:12: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. “
Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Joshua 21:45: “Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”
Psa 89:34: “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.”
Psa 103: 1-5: Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psa 107: 19-20: “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Psa 118: 17: “I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the LORD.”
Matt 8:13: “Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.”
Matt 8:16-17: “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
Matt 18:19: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”
Mark 11:22-24: “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
John 14:13-14: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
John 15:7: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
John 16:23-24: “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
Rom 4:17: “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which are not as though they were.”
I John 5: 14-15: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
Mark 16: 17-18: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”
Matt 10:7-8: “And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons: freely you have received, freely give.”
Assignment:
Memorize (2) of these Faith and Healing Scriptures
Pray for 2 people for healing. Be sure to use the things you have learned in this lesson… and expect God to do something wonderful.
Receiving From the Lord and Delivering a Prophetic Word
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied…” “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.” 1Cor. 14:1-5, 39
What is prophecy: A word from the Lord that brings edification, exhortation and comfort… to build up, stir up or cheer up (1Cor. 14:3)
Who may prophesy: All believers!
Who is prophecy for: the church and unbelievers (1Cor. 14:4,24)
Receiving a Word of Prophecy from the Lord
Delivering a Public Prophetic Word
Sometimes the prophetic word is given in tongues. The Lord will then have you or another give the interpretation. This is not a word-for-word interpretation as you would translate Swahili to English but it is similar to giving a prophecy as described above.
On occasion a strong presence of God will bring a spirit of prophecy. Many are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to prophesy, each in turn. Even those who have never done this will find it easier to do.
Order in the Meeting
“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1Cor.14:29-33).
Many misinterpret Paul, saying that only 2 or 3 can prophesy. He is saying 2 or 3 prophets can speak… but then goes on to say that all (with the gift of prophecy) can prophesy one by one. He is not saying to quench the Spirit… just to do things in order, not having several people prophesying at the same time, interrupting one another.
Delivering a Personal Prophetic Word
Judging / Processing Prophecy
Teresa Seputis / GodSpeak International
Judging Prophetic Words
Processing Prophetic Words
Exercising the Gift of Prophecy
The exercise of any spiritual gift requires your cooperation with the Spirit. He gives the gifts as He wills and lets you know in a variety of ways when you are to exercise them:
The prophetic gifts… He will sometimes put a few words in your mind. You speak these and more begin to flow. You may also sense an excitement or nervousness before you are to prophesy.
Word of knowledge… You may see a picture or receive a word/thought that suddenly jumps into your mind.
The word of wisdom can flow in the midst of normal conversation. You find yourself speaking God’s wisdom… and both you and the hearer are surprisingly pleased.
Assignment:
(Pablo Bottari Method) Lon Dean
It is absolutely necessary for you to know that demons are real. They are not simply the manifestations of mentally unstable people… as some would suggest. They are malevolent spirit beings. The scriptures describe many demonic encounters. Of course, demons are not the cause of every problem but they have ruined many lives. Make no mistake, Christians can be oppressed by demons. Dear believer, don’t close your ears to this vital subject. The Church must learn to do effective deliverance ministry!
There are two entry points to receiving deliverance ministry 1) a person has manifested after a spontaneous encounter, after receiving prayer or answering an altar call 2) they have asked to receive ministry. The latter could be someone who was referred to you or voluntarily recognized their own need. This is usually done by appointment.
Spontaneous Deliverance After Receiving Prayer or During an Altar Call
Verify Manifestations
Bring the spirit into Subjection
If Not Manifesting
Deliverance By Appointment
Find Out Why They Came
Explain What You Are About to Do
Make Them Aware
Ask Them if They Want to Be Free
Lead Them to Christ
Interview the Person (James 5:16)
Have the Person RENOUNCE each Binding (see areas to be renounced)
Break Every Binding or Yoke and Cast Out all Unclean Spirits
Lead Person in a Prayer of Thanksgiving
Pray for a Fresh Infilling of The Holy Spirit
Important Things to Remember
Areas to Be Renounced
The term renouncing is simply the act of declaring that the contract with the devil is null and void. It is the act of taking back any authority given to the enemy through a demonic contract. This can only be done by the one who made the contract in the first place. This also must be done verbally to declare to the holder of the contract (Satan) that the contract has ended. Christ already purchased our freedom (Col.1:13) and we must simply apply the power He has ALREADY given us to be free by declaring that freedom.
Here is a model statement:
“I renounce ______ and take back the authority I gave the devil through believing the lie______ from a spirit of ________ . I place it under the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. I repent of this and ask God to forgive me.”
The idea is to tell the devil he no longer controls you because of what you did. This revokes the permission he had in that area of your life.
“I renounce unforgiveness and take back the authority I gave the devil by not forgiving ______. I place it under the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. I repent of this and ask God to forgive me.”
Areas of Control
The enemy can gain authority in 3 specific areas of a person’s life…
Soul (mind/emotions) Body and Spirit. All of these areas should be reviewed.
Soul (Mind and Emotions)
Anger/Hatred- Who has hurt you? Explain to the person that whatever you hate, you become like (Prov. 14:17, 29)
Murder- Have you ever thought about killing someone? Have you ever wished someone was dead?
Depression- Renounce specific events, if possible. What events started it?
Fear/Worry- Explain that whatever you fear has authority over you (2Tim. 1:7)
Lying- Lying can be a spirit or a character flaw. When did you begin lying? Did you ever lie so much you believed it?
Pornography- Lust brought by internet, magazines, movies, peeping at neighbors, etc.
Rejection- From a parent, at school, boy/girlfriend- also, if they are adopted, an orphan spirit and a spirit of poverty coexist… believing the Father seeks to punish and demands performance.
Shame/Condemnation- From different sins, especially sexual encounters, or abuse. Ask them “Is there anything that you have ever done that you have said, “I should have KNOWN better”? Or, is there something you could NEVER tell anyone? (Rom. 8:1)
Unforgiveness / Bitterness- Have them declare that they chose to forgive the person and then have them ask God to give them the ability to forgive (James3:14) Renounce unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, etc. Say “I choose to forgive this person for what they did to me” Pray, “God help me to forgive this person, in Jesus’ name”.
Be sure to ask- “What was the most traumatic experience in your life?”
Body
Abortion- Have you ever had one? Have you ever advised or paid for one?
Abuse- Verbal, physical or sexual (MUST forgive and release the person who abused). Explain to them that praying for the person will help release them.
Adultery- Physical, Emotional, Visual and Fantasy (Matt. 5:27-28)
Eating Disorders- anorexia, bulimia, over-eating. When did you begin overeating?
Drug/Alcohol Abuse- Specifically look for anything traumatic that happened while they were under the influence, (bad trips, car accidents, demonic presence, anger, suicide). When did YOU start and WHY? Renounce the use of drugs in general.
Perversions- Masturbation, bestiality, homosexuality, child molestation, S&M, fetishes. These usually have shame and condemnation attached to them.
Sexual Unions- Tell them that when two become one flesh there is a transfer of authority from one spirit to another. Whatever had authority over that person, may now have authority over you! (1 Cor.6:16; Mark 10:8)
Sleeping Problems- When did this begin? Do you have nightmares? (Ps. 127:2)
Spirit
Accepting the lies of the enemy: You will never be as spiritual as so-and-so. You are not going to succeed. Fear of generational curses such as cancer “runs in your family, you are going to get it”. (Gal. 3:13).
Anger toward God- Ask: Was there ever a time in your life when you felt that God did not protect you? or Was there a time in your life when God let you down? (finances, deliverance, sickness relationships) Have you ever asked “Why did God let this happen to me?” Did you ever blaspheme or curse God? RENOUNCE UNBELIEF HERE
Demonic Activity- Have you ever seen a demon? Have you ever had a demonic dream?
Idolatry/false religion- Idol and saint worship. Have you ever prayed to a statue- Allah, Buddha, Mormonism, Jehovah witness (Deut. 18:10-11)
Religious Spirit- (Neh. 2:10, 4:19, 6:6-7)
Unbelief- Could be connected to a religious spirit. Ask- “Have you ever felt like God did not answer your prayers?”
Occult Activities- Ouija boards, tarot cards, psychics, role playing games (example: dungeon and dragons), satanic music or films, witchcraft books, blood pacts. Anything that would cause a fear of the satanic.
We know the scripture teaches that whoever the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). Why, then do some fall back into the very bondages they have been freed from? Consider the role of the minister and the individual being ministered to… in their staying free.
Why do they fall back?
Two skills the minister must teach the person being ministered to:
Explain to the person that the devil will try to get them to believe that they are not free. Or, he will try to get the person into a new bondage. When the person leaves you they MUST be able to renounce things themselves. Have them practice renouncing one or two things with you right then until they are comfortable.
If you determine the person is NOT completely free… assure them that they will be free eventually:
Educating is more important than just encouraging them not to return to bondage. Here are some practical steps to explain the how-to:
Note: Go above that which is required of you. Give them scriptures that fit their situation. Call them to see how they are doing a week or so later. The person should not be relying on you for their freedom when they leave you. It is important they can stand on their own.
Be sure to tell them to remove all objects from their home that will attract demons… pornography, false gods, occult items like Ouija boards, horoscopes, etc.
The Deliverance Minister
A minister of deliverance is a unique person. This servant of God must:
Preparing Yourself for Doing Deliverance
Assignment:
Ask God if you are to be part of a deliverance team. Find someone who is already doing this ministry and ask if you can be an apprentice. You can just watch and intercede while they minister. Deliverance ministry is best learned in this way. Do not attempt it alone.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1Peter 5:8-9).
“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. (Eph.6:12).
We can see from these scriptures that Christians are at war! Satan is very real and his demons are prevalent on planet earth. We are living in the midst of millions of demons! If we are to be successful in ministry, we must learn how to avoid demonic traps for our own personal well being, but also know how to pull down strongholds that hinder entire regions. The Lord wants you to be effective at spiritual warfare and will prepare you for battle. “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1
What Spiritual Warfare Is and Is Not-
For sure, it is not just shouting at the devil and calling him names!
Demons are well organized malevolent fallen angels cast out of heaven after they rebelled against God. They have a well organized hierarchy. Satan is the leader, and there are principalities over nations and cities. Demons are the foot soldiers who generally inflict pain and cause problems for the children of God.
Nevertheless, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and He has now given us authority over them. “Behold, I give you the 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).
Regional Warfare
You have learned how to take authority over demons and cast them out of individuals. Let’s take this a bit further. You must be led by the Holy Spirit and equipped before trying to push back the enemy from a city or region. This is not a game and not some religious activity. It is a very real war and you could be seriously wounded. I have been. You MUST be led by the Lord and hidden in Him. I hope you understand. You put on the full armor of God and stand in your God given authority with courage.
In the power of the Spirit you pray, fast and declare the truth of God’s word. You worship and use the name above all names, Jesus. You apply His precious blood… and persevere until the job is complete.
Over the years I have ministered in many nations. When doing evangelism, teams would be sent out before the crusades and they would fast and pray and worship (sometimes for 2 weeks) pushing back the enemy and preparing the ground for a harvest of souls. When this was done there was good results. When it was not, there was usually poor results.
The great revivalist, Charles Finney, would send his intercessor, Daniel Nash, to travail in prayer for weeks before Finney would come into a city to preach. He cried and groaned in warfare until he gained the victory. Nash would then send Finney a telegram, “Come, I have broken through.”
Do you understand? In any given region, the sins of the people living there give the enemy permission to stay. They have opened the door for demonic oppression. These strongholds must be broken. (In the first part of this course I shared a testimony of “an open heaven” while in India.) Many times, this requires angelic assistance. They are dispatched as a result of our prayers (Daniel 10:13).
Effective Weapons of Warfare
Rev. 12:10-11 “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
Important Tools of Warfare
Preparation for War
The Full Armor
“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18
As you know, we are to put on the full armor of God. You probably have heard of the first 6 listed here. Nevertheless, there are 7. Be sure to pray in the Spirit!
It is wise to understand when you do warfare that there are various levels of authority. You should be faithfully pulling down strongholds in your assigned field. Then you graduate to a new sphere of warfare. (e.g. The life of David. First the bear and the lion, then Goliath, Saul, Judah, Israel, then the nations.) Don’t be presumptuous. You must first deal with the demons affecting your own life before you pull down strongholds in your church or city. You certainly don’t want to come against demons if you have unrepented sin in your own life!
Assignment:
Memorize 1Peter 5:8-9 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Ephesians 6:12 “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.”
Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Thank you for the honor of allowing us to pour into your lives. We bless you, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to live out all of the things you have learned, by the power of His Presence.
There will be many trials, triumphs and glorious things ahead…through it all, give Him thanks and praise and do not lose heart, knowing that He is in control of all things and will surely work it for your good! You have been called; you have been chosen to follow Jesus! Your walk is designed to bring Him glory, in everything you do…no matter how small or great the task is!
We pray that your heart remains true to Jesus, your first Love, and that the revelation of His love for you will overshadow every area of your life. As you remain in Him, you will bear much fruit.
We pray that you will fix your eyes on Jesus and run the race set before you in such a way, that when you see Him in heaven, you will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant…”
Go forth now in the power of His Holy Spirit… doing mighty things in the name of Jesus!
God bless you abundantly in Jesus Christ
Peter and Lori Whitehouse