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Chapter 12: Christian Exorcism

Demonization may be one of the most challenging and isolating experiences a person could face. In addition to the intense emotional (and sometimes physical) trauma that demoniacs face at the hands of their supernatural tormentors, demonized individuals also face fear, rejection, shame, and disbelief not only from family and friends but often from Christians in general. If the church is to effectively minister to people suffering in this way, it must view their problems with the same compassion that Paul felt when he considered the struggles of his fellow Christians (2 Cor 11:28–29). The secular world with its fervent zeal for science and earthly wisdom largely rejects the idea of demonization. This is a problem meant for the church. If we as Christ’s holy people fail to help, there are no other options for those who are spiritually ill. Doctors can medicate and psychiatrists can advise, but only Christ’s people can point to the single remedy that can truly resolve a supernatural problem: the grace and mercy of our Lord.

Demonization is not theoretical. It is very real. The Bible attests to that spiritual fact from cover to cover, so what we believe about it is more a reflection on us personally than it is on the spiritual reality present in this world. The question for the church is not whether this still happens but what to do about it when it does happen. Some Christians may wonder if understanding the supernatural mechanics of demonization is a prerequisite to providing effective help. The answer is no; those details are extraneous. Both Jesus and His apostles ministered to many different demoniacs, but they never concerned themselves with probing into the supernatural aspects of this affliction. They either helped without question or focused on the faith and righteousness of the one asking for treatment. The minutiae of demonization—such as specific reasons, dates, demons involved, and so on—may often be something that only God knows for certain. He might choose to reveal some of those details as they pertain to a particular individual, but this is entirely at the Lord’s discretion. If the Lord does not choose to reveal those answers, it is fruitless to speculate.

We cannot know anything for certain that takes place in the spiritual realm without His input. If Jesus was unconcerned with explaining every hidden mechanic of demonization to the people He helped, we should be equally unconcerned with guessing them—or asking demons about it. There can be great temptation to converse with tormenting demons in order to seek information about this or that, but not only would these conversations put into practice what God has explicitly prohibited in Scripture (Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27; Deut 18:11–12; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 8:19), anything a demon says will involve malignant and deceptive schemes.1 “[S]hould a people not consult their God?” (Isa 8:19 NASB). Why consult an entity bent on the utter annihilation of everything God holds dear?2

So if becoming an “expert” in the hidden details of the supernatural is not a part of biblical exorcism, how exactly can the church help? That is the topic of this chapter. It includes scriptural guidance and practical advice for providing this ministry as well as guidance for those who suffer from demonization. This chapter assumes the help of another person—typically a Christian called to this ministry—when attempting to diagnose or treat demonization. James writes, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (Jas 5:14 NASB). While this is not a hard requirement for ill Christians since God welcomes each of our prayers (Heb 4:16; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6; 1 Thess 5:17), calling for the help of mature Christians when in this situation is decidedly sound advice.

Diagnosing demonic oppression and performing an exorcism can be done alone by the demonized individual because there are no credentials required to effectively approach the Lord in prayer. It is God and not an exorcist who forces a demon to leave. However, attempting to conduct a personal exorcism is not always the wisest approach. The Christian faith is not lived in isolation. We are a spiritual nation of believers with interconnected responsibilities and a commandment from God to love one another. Furthermore, demonization does not just happen. If God has permitted this trial in the life of an individual, it may be for a very important reason that the demoniac is unable to recognize without the outside perspective of a mature Christian. A demoniac should seek the help of other Christians whenever possible, so who exactly qualifies to serve as an exorcist?

Who Can Be a Minister in an Exorcism Ministry?​

God can use anyone to further His kingdom. Spiritual truth is not just for an elite cadre of highly educated Christians but for anyone who wants it. At some point after Jesus’s experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, He sent out seventy-two of His followers “in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come” (Luke 10:1 NASB). These were common people. Some were educated, some were not, yet given what we know of Jesus’s clashes with the religious establishment of His day, they surely did not represent the first century equivalent of pastors, bishops, and clergy. But it did not matter. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2 NASB). These ordinary people were to preach the gospel message and demonstrate miracles from God to announce the coming of His kingdom (Luke 10:5–9, 16–17).

They did not have special qualifications other than faith in Jesus, yet even demons responded to their faith as they healed the demoniacs they encountered (Luke 10:17–20). Faith in Jesus counted for more than all the religious training in Jerusalem. It was the only condition necessary for these disciples to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. This overjoyed Jesus. The irony that the religious elite would have deemed these seventy-two people as incapable of teaching and grossly unqualified to represent God in any meaningful way was not lost on Jesus. He described the situation like this:

I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for doing so was well pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him. (Luke 10:21–22 NASB)

Prestigious rabbis and teachers of the Law would have been invited to share in the coming of God’s kingdom alongside the people they shepherded had they wanted to participate. Wisdom, intelligence, and training did not disqualify them. It was a lack of faith in Jesus. It was spiritual pride. Jesus rejoices greatly when anyone undertakes His work regardless of who does it. “Many of life’s rewards seem to go to the intelligent, the rich, the good-looking, or the powerful, but the kingdom of God is equally available to all, regardless of position or abilities. We come to Jesus not through strength or brains, but through childlike trust.”3 Each of us is fully qualified to participate in kingdom work once we place our trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Jesus instructs us to “plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers” because there is always a need for Christians to represent the mission of Christ in our world. Christians are responsible for making the best use of the time and talents God has given us, not because this is required for our salvation but because this is a natural and healthy outcome of a close relationship with God (Eph 2:10; Jer 1:5; Prov 16:9; Ps 37:23; John 15:8; Phil 2:12–13; Jas 2:16–26). For some people, the work God calls them to do is the ministry of Christian exorcism.

This is not kingdom work that must be restricted to the highly trained Christians who serve in the upper echelons of our church structures. Such people are certainly included among those whom the Lord may call into service, but so are faithful Christians who have never set foot in a seminary nor ever read complicated books on systematic theology. Simple faith in Jesus and a prompting from the Lord are the only divine requirements for participating in this work. Nevertheless, given its rigor, additional characteristics that are likely to be helpful include Christian maturity, an accurate understanding of Scripture, humility, compassion, follow-through, perseverance, and listening skills. Practically speaking, some churches may wish their exorcists—ministers serving in an exorcism ministry—to also double as either of the church roles that Paul referred to as elders (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9) and deacons (Acts 6:1–7; 1 Tim 3:8–13; Rom 16:1), but this is not a command from the Lord.

Because a sick person should “call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him” (Jas 5:14 NASB), and demonization is a form of sickness, it is a good idea that a healthy church be able to provide this ministry when needed. Many of the personal qualifications Paul gives for acting as an elder nicely overlap with helpful characteristics for a Christian exorcist. The Lord must always have the final say in who can serve in this ministry at any given church, but it seems practical to look for characteristics similar to what Paul uses to define eldership. Namely, elders (and, as recommended, exorcists) must live a blameless life, be faithful if married, and demonstrate a righteous family life (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:2, 4–5). A person who holds this position within a church carries authority, so elders must live beyond reproach so as not to set an example that leads others astray. This is especially true when ministering to those like demoniacs who are in an extremely vulnerable position. There is a certain temperament needed for this station, so Paul also gives more personal requirements an elder should fulfill.

For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it. (Titus 1:7–9 NASB)

Contrary to popular depictions of priestly looking exorcists wading into a pitched spiritual battle—armed with holy water and a crucifix no less—those who effectively serve in this ministry are more like spiritual counselors. The role fundamentally exists to coach demoniacs into a proper relationship with God and mentor them as their Christian faith deepens. Sure, there will be many fervent prayers and all the supernatural flamboyance the kingdom of darkness can muster, but a Christian exorcist is primarily a steadfast human comfort and an aid for increased faith in God. The father of a demonized boy, while squarely in the midst of a terrifying and bewildering situation involving his son, “cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24 NASB). The exorcist is there to say, “Be at peace. God loves you, and we will work through this together. Let’s pray about it.” Supernatural elements are what sets this role apart from more commonplace Christian ministries, but supernaturalism is never the focus. God and God alone has the power to cast out demons. Any other focus takes our attention off of what He can do and, instead, places it on what we can do. This is an incorrect perspective that has been used to justify many unbiblical approaches to exorcism throughout the centuries.4

When it comes down to it, there are very few biblical restrictions on who is eligible to serve as a minister in a Christian exorcism ministry—but there are also practical suggestions for this role based on the challenging nature of the work. Those who attempt to discern the involvement of evil spirits may benefit from general knowledge of mental illness and physical disease so as not to misdiagnose the underlying causes of suffering. An exorcist might be a pastor, a trained counselor, a medical doctor, or none of these; however, aspects of all these roles can be helpful to someone serving as an exorcist. Christian loved ones of a demoniac may even be able to serve in this role depending on the situation. Above all, an exorcist should be a mature Christian able to provide compassionate and faith-based support to a demoniac—ideally a fellow Christian—in the midst of a difficult ordeal.

Serving as a Christian Exorcist​

While Jesus healed numerous people in Scripture often without comment, He linked healing with faith on multiple occasions (Luke 17:19; Mark 5:34, 6:5–6; cf. Acts 14:9–10). Other times, without directly commenting on matters of faith, He healed with a touch of His hand that would have focused the faith of the afflicted onto Himself (Matt 8:3; 8:15; 9:29; 17:7; 20:34; Mark 1:41; 8:23; Luke 5:13; 13:13; 22:51; John 9:6). Jesus did not need to do any of these things to heal, as He often proved, but by doing so, there exists a subtle thread throughout many of His miracles that involve faith in Jesus as part of the healing process.

The opposite was also true. Where there was no faith, Jesus was less inclined to step in and do something miraculous (Matt 12:38–40; Luke 11:29–30). He encountered a dearth of genuine faith when He preached in His hometown of Nazareth (Mark 6:1–3), and as a result, “He could not do any miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He was amazed at their unbelief” (Mark 6:5–6 NASB). It was not that Jesus failed to heal these unbelieving Nazarenes; they just refused to believe He could and rejected His help. They seem to have been content without Jesus in their lives and missed out on what He would have done because of it. God does not force anyone into a relationship with Him, and this is a reason why part of what an exorcist does is point the way to God.

Christians serving in this ministry do not have autonomous spiritual authority to demand that a demon leave its victim. They do not even have the power to make a single hair on their own heads white or black (Matt 5:36)! Jesus’s original disciples required His authority to drive out demons and still failed whenever they attempted to do this apart from God (Mark 9:18). He attributed their failure to a lack of faith (Matt 17:20), but more broadly, they failed because it was not God’s will to perform a miracle in a situation where reliance on the Lord was an afterthought. Success would have taught them that relying on something other than faith in God was acceptable, but that is not the lesson Scripture teaches. Exorcists are always subject to the will of God (1 John 5:14–15). Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is at the very top of the hierarchy. We take our orders from Him and can only do what He empowers us to do (cf. Luke 7:6–10).

We are to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph 6:10 NASB) rather than the strength of our own might, fervently praying with “every prayer and request… at all times in the Spirit… with all perseverance” for all believers (Eph 6:18 NASB). The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has legions of powerful, holy angels at His disposal should He want to deploy them against “the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 NASB). That is their war to fight and not ours. The Christian exorcist, by comparison, takes problems straight to our mutual King through prayer and supplication and waits for His response rather than presuming to act on personal authority. There may be times when the Lord empowers an exorcist to give direct commands to demons in His place (cf. Acts 3:6; 16:18), but that should never be the starting assumption. It will depend entirely on what the Lord has in mind for the specific people involved.5

Not even the apostles claimed to work miracles on their own power. Peter and John, using the apostolic authority God had given them, healed a man who could not walk, and when a surprised crowd gathered around them, Peter said, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why are you staring at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?” (Acts 3:12 NASB). Peter, John, and the other apostles did not produce their own miracles. It was Jesus, plain and simple, and the same is true for the modern Christian exorcist (cf. Jer 17:5–8, 14). The responsibility for healing a demoniac belongs to the Lord. Exorcists serve as a comfort, a confidante, a counselor, an intercessor, and one who shows the way to the kingdom of God.

Prayer is Powerful​

There are many people who believe that prayer is not enough to drive out the demons from a demoniac. Everything from elaborate litigating of indwelling demons to the medicinal use of certain plants and animals have been recommended as efficient exorcistic techniques. Yet Scripture teaches that prayer and faith are all we really need. Nothing more. One example demonstrating the effectiveness of intercessory prayer (praying on behalf of someone else) is that of a devout Roman centurion with a very ill servant. This soldier did not feel worthy of asking Jesus to come into his house. He recognized that Jesus was a very important figure, and given the man’s close association with Jewish elders, he would have also understood the strong cultural taboos against asking a Jewish rabbi to enter into a Gentile household. But none of that affected his deep trust in Jesus. Instead of asking Jesus to come to him, the centurion instead asked his friends and some of the Jewish elders to go to Jesus (Luke 7:1–6). This was the message he sent with them:

Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof; for that reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You; but just say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under myself; and I say to this one, “Go!” and he goes, and to another, “Come!” and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this!” and he does it (Luke 7:6–8 NASB).

The man knew that Jesus had the power to heal his servant with just a single word. Jesus did not even need to be in the same vicinity as the centurion or his servant. If Jesus wanted it to happen, it would happen. Simple as that. This was an incredible display of faith, so much so that Jesus was amazed and remarked, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith” (Luke 7:9 NASB). Jesus then healed the servant from where He was without ever even speaking to the centurion or his servant. This is how our faith should look. We send our prayers ahead of us to Jesus instead of friends and religious leaders. Jesus can still heal with a single word just as He did for the centurion’s servant two thousand years ago. Nothing has changed. If Jesus wants it to happen, it will happen. By extension, if we faithfully ask Jesus to heal a demoniac, He can do it with no problem. It will need to be within His timing and according to His purposes, but just as He showed in His response to the centurion, Jesus takes a personal interest in our struggles and will help us when we ask Him.

A similar example in Scripture demonstrates the power of intercessory prayer specifically applied to exorcism (Matt 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30). The young daughter of a Canaanite woman was severely demonized. This demon tormented the girl so much that she may have been confined to her mother’s house (Matt 15:22; Mark 7:30). Her mother, having heard about Jesus, found where He was staying and pleaded with Him to help her daughter (Mark 7:24–26), saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely demon-possessed” (Matt 15:22 NASB). The woman readily acknowledged her daughter had a serious problem; she also recognized that Jesus was able to help. But this was a different situation than the centurion because it required her to persevere in her request.

At first, Jesus did not say anything at all (Matt 15:23). Yet the woman kept asking, repeating her cries for help. She was so vocal in her pleas that the disciples urged Jesus to send her away because her constant begging was annoying them (Matt 15:23). Although the worried mother did not appear to bother Jesus, He did finally respond to her with an implied challenge: why would He bless someone who may not have been a person of faith? Jesus did not reject her; however, this was a teaching opportunity. It might have been His way of showing that faith in Him was available to everyone, or it might have been a test of her individual faith. Regardless, Jesus required the Canaanite mother to be absolutely certain of what she believed before He stepped in. She took up this challenge and demonstrated that her faith was genuine (Matt 15:25, 27; Mark 7:28). After many requests and much perseverance, Jesus finally responded, “‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed at once” (Matt 15:28 NASB).

There are times when fervent prayers for exorcism will have no visible result. Even prophets like Jeremiah did not always receive an immediate response to prayer. One time when he prayed, it was “at the end of ten days [when] the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah” (Jer 42:7 NASB), yet we know that Jeremiah was a righteous man who did his best to obey God. This was no reflection on him. When the answers to our prayers are not immediately obvious, the response God has given to these requests may simply be, “Not yet.” He hears our prayers. He cares. And He has time for us. But, just as we see with the Canaanite mother, there will be certain situations when He requires something more from us than simply asking for healing. Perhaps we must prove that our own faith is genuine, or perhaps we must repent from sins that we would rather keep on doing. It could even be that Jesus is pulling some pieces together in the background to prepare us for something even greater, so we must be patient and persistent until the timing is right. Whatever the context, Jesus will never reject us when we are genuinely seeking Him. He is our high priest and is more than capable of not only taking care of our needs but also truly understanding our struggles (Heb 4:14–16). We can always find mercy and grace in our time of trial when we approach God’s throne in prayer (Heb 4:16). If He requires something more from the people involved to step in and heal a demoniac, He will make that known in due time.

Prayer against evil is so powerful that Jesus even suggests it in the model prayer He taught His disciples (Matt 6:5–15): “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil [or the evil one, meaning Satan]” (Matt 6:13 NASB). Jesus would not have recommended prayer as a response to evil if it did not work. As fallen angels, Satan and his demons are capable of a wide array of destructive deeds and insidious temptations. Our prayer to the Lord is to rescue us from Satan and protect us from the many trials the kingdom of darkness will throw at us in their attempts to push us away from God. For those suffering from demonic oppression, every time they pray the Lord’s prayer, they are asking God to be set free from their affliction.

When we have a saving relationship with the Lord and put our trust in Him, we do not require the kind of grand, faith-building miracles the apostles demonstrated when they built the foundations of the church. We already have faith in Jesus and can go straight to the source of all divine miracles. We can ask Him ourselves to deliver us from the evil one and his demons; “for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt 6:8 NASB). Prayer works. “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; / He is their help and their shield” (Ps 115:11 NASB).

Be Wary of Pride​

Jesus teaches that all Christians are of equal standing under one Messiah (Matt 23:8–10). God does not play favorites (Jas 2:1–9; Rom 2:11; Acts 10:34). The greatest is the most humble rather than the one who seeks rank and worth above other Christian believers (Matt 23:11–12). Leaders, teachers, and mature Christians are important to a healthy church (1 Cor 12:28), but they are just different parts of the same body of Christ and not any more important than any other believer (1 Cor 12:12–14). When God calls believers to help address the demonic torment afflicting their neighbors, the call is to help alleviate suffering by expressing God’s love and pointing the way to Him. This is a delicate position for the exorcist because the human dynamic here necessitates both dominant and submissive roles. The exorcist must be vigilant for any seeds of arrogance and keep in mind that while the situation may dictate one who leads and one who follows, both individuals have the same intrinsic value in the eyes of the Lord. Though an exorcist may be the one who encourages a spiritual victory, it is always God who delivers that victory (cf. Exod 23:31).

Pride is a very serious risk for an exorcist as this is a position of some authority within the church. The exorcist will become part of highly sensitive and difficult moments in the life of a demoniac, serving as a visible representation of God’s love and mercy. The demoniac, in all likelihood, considers the events of his or her exorcism to be highly confidential. Seeing a demon respond to an exorcist’s prayers or commands to leave its victim is an extraordinary occurrence that many people have never witnessed. Unfortunately, each of these points is an open invitation for destructive pride to take root in the exorcist. The exorcist must always be on guard against pride and never take credit for what only God can accomplish. Paul cautions, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:3–5 NASB). This is especially true of leaders and people with any kind of responsibility. We must keep in mind that exorcists are largely unnecessary because God is the one who casts out demons, not the exorcist, and the Lord only requires faith, trust, and obedience. A demoniac may be able to achieve this alone. That is not to say a demonized individual should try to do that when a local church is available and willing to help, but there is nothing in Scripture precluding this possibility.

Understand That Demonization Can Be Traumatic​

A demonized individual eventually learns that a hostile spiritual force has infested his or her body and soul; moreover, there is nothing anyone but God can do to force it out. People who are otherwise healthy may suddenly discover, for example, that their bodies move on their own and unfamiliar voices speak without permission. This represents a partial or total loss of basic human autonomy. It cuts to the core of what it means to identify as a human being, and to make matters worse, this invading demon is the very embodiment of evil—a twisted, hateful, blasphemous, fallen angel who will take every opportunity it can to torment the demoniac. It is not going to permanently leave unless forced, and it delights in terrifying anyone it can. While the situation becomes a bridge to deeper faith in God as the demoniac learns what it means to trust Him in the face of extreme adversity, the eventual spiritual benefits of perseverance do not make this experience any less horrifying.

The narrative of Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan 6), while not a perfect comparison, contains some similarities to what a demoniac experiences. We often read this biblical narrative as an entertaining story without thoughtfully considering what it must have been like for Daniel. He was an old man, thrown into a dark cave with ravenous predators that were probably kept on the verge of starvation (Dan 6:24). He surely felt fragile. These lions were certain to kill anyone who trespassed, and as a high-ranking government official, Daniel would have been well aware that other prisoners thrown to the lions did not survive. His anxiety must have spiked as the king’s soldiers dragged him from his home and brought him to the den. Straining to see inside, unsure whether he would live to see the next day, Daniel might have noticed the skeletal remains and cracked bones of other prisoners the lions had previously killed.

Once the officials sealed Daniel into the execution chamber, it must have been dark and cold. It would have also smelled terrible, a nauseating stench permeating the cramped space. Enclosed animals. The smell of urine and feces. It would not have been pleasant. These starving lions would have intently watched Daniel’s every movement if the den had enough light; they would have certainly smelled him. Entombed within this dark prison, waiting breathlessly among gnawed bones and dangerous animals that wanted to eat him, Daniel had to wait. He did not know at first whether God would spare him from death. While Daniel was a devout man, this would have been a terrifying experience, and it was not over quickly. It lasted for many sleepless hours until the king finally had the stone rolled away the next morning (Dan 6:19). The Lord rescued Daniel (Dan 6:21–22), but the night in the lions’ den would have made a strong impression on him.

In many ways, this represents what it feels like to live as a demoniac. It is a horrifying experience, waiting among vicious spirits without a shred of pity, hoping for the moment when Jesus “rolls away the stone” and rescues the demoniac from this den of despair. Demoniac becomes a new identity that terrifies the individual and terrifies other people. Both friends and family are prone to treat the demoniac as a pariah. It becomes a secret shame, something to hide when possible while hoping against hope that it ends soon so that life can return to some semblance of normalcy. Demonization can be a debilitating and lonely condition. Yet even after it ends, emotional scars can remain. Demonic oppression is not a lighthearted affair. An exorcist steps into this spiritual darkness to shine the light of God. For some suffering individuals—and their families—this may be the only ray of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. Those who God calls to this ministry must view the condition with the gravity and compassion it deserves.

Have Faith in God above All Else​

Jesus gave His twelve closest disciples special authority to cast out demons (Matt 10:1; Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1). They used this miraculous authority to great effect, and many people believed in Him. Nevertheless, some of these disciples would eventually forget that God had always been the source of power behind their miracles (Matt 17:16–20; Mark 9:18–19, 28–29; Luke 9:40–41). It was not their own abilities, processes, spirituality, Jewish heritage, or anything else they might have imagined. When they failed spectacularly to drive the demons out of a traumatized boy, Jesus told them they failed because of a lack of faith. He said, “[T]ruly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matt 17:20 NASB). Minuscule faith is entirely capable of moving mountains, and the nice thing about mustard-seed faith is that, when properly nourished, it grows “larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches” (Matt 13:32 NASB).

No person and no process is ever God’s equal. Faith is surrendering to God’s will in assurance about what we do not see (Heb 11:1–6), and that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 NASB). God did not fail in this stressful situation; the disciples did. Jesus taught that with a little faith (Matt 17:20) and prayer (Mark 9:29), they would have been able to heal the demonized boy because God would have responded to their request. Jesus criticized His disciples for having too little faith and failing to pray, which suggests they had become overly reliant on themselves instead of relying on the Lord. Failing to rely on the Lord, as Jesus pointed out, is just another kind of faithlessness (Matt 17:16–17; Mark 9:18–19; Luke 9:40–41). Faithlessness is unlikely to lead to a successful exorcism because the exorcist is there, in part, to bolster the faith of the demoniac. The Lord does not require tremendous faith in Him the size of a mountain, only a little faith the size of a tiny seed. An exorcist plants this tiny seed of faith in the expectation that God will do what is right and just in the situation. It may not be on our timetable, but our faith in God reminds us that nothing is too difficult for Him. He loves us too much to let us linger in the depths of spiritual torment longer than necessary.

Building an exorcism ritual from specific “you shall do this” and “you shall do that” requirements quickly changes the focus away from faith in God to faith in a process. The practitioner is then at risk of trusting a personal approach over the sovereignty of God. This is a similar error to the Pharisees who were more concerned about the Law and the appearance of righteousness than God and actual righteousness (Matt 23:25–26). God takes a back seat when a minister views the rigmarole of an exorcism as the primary focus and personal force of will as what expels a demon. While God may still have mercy on the victim, He may also hold back until the people involved correct their faulty viewpoints. After all, He did this very thing with His disciples. Demons are all too happy to play along with exorcists who perpetuate wrong views and doctrinal errors since both parties are working toward the same goals! While processes are useful and hard work is important, Christians must never allow these to push God out of the way. That is idolatry, something God will never endorse.

Reasons for Adversity​

One of the first questions a demoniac might ask is why this has happened. Having faith in God does not mean we will never experience demonic oppression. There are those who think that unbelievers are the only ones who are susceptible to this particular hardship, but the story of Job teaches that even righteous people are vulnerable to satanic schemes.6 Job was a virtuous man who did his best to revere God in every aspect of his life (Job 1:8). One day, however, without Job ever knowing the reasons why, God permitted Satan to thoroughly assault Job with a variety of supernatural calamities (Job 1:11–12; 2:5–6; 42:3). Theologians have long debated possible reasons for Job’s adversity, but his story teaches that strong faith in God is a reliable anchor whenever life gets difficult. It also teaches that faith is not in itself a guarantee that we will never face the supernatural displays the kingdom of darkness is capable of producing.7 While we might wonder why God would allow this to happen, what He does and why He does it is sometimes beyond our ability to comprehend. The Lord once said, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, / Nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. / ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, / So are My ways higher than your ways / And My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa 55:8–9 NASB). But we can be absolutely certain that God works for good in all things for those who love Him, even when our situation seems bleak (Job 42:10–17; Rom 8:28; 1 John 1:5) because “God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him” (1 John 4:16 NASB).

The possible reasons behind demonic oppression are not as simple as mechanical cause and effect—the Lord always has complete authority over whether it occurs and to what degree. Actions that cause one person to become demonized may not cause another person to suffer the same outcome. The existence and quality of our relationship with the Lord as well as our internal attitudes, recent actions, biblical understanding, and life context are all very important considerations. Moreover, what the Lord has planned for our lives also makes a difference, and when we consider all these factors in aggregate, each person represents a unique matrix of circumstances that all play a role in whether one person encounters a demon while another does not.

God is sovereign, and as King of All Creation, He has full control over what a demon may or may not do. His sovereign permission for a demon to become active in the life of a particular person is governed by His infinitely intelligent decision-making rather than lifeless processes and hidden “spiritual laws.” For example, if a young child plays with an occult object like a ouija board, God may choose to shield that child from the more serious consequences of disobedience whereas an adult who fully intends to try and communicate with the dead may end up suffering from severe demonization. The underlying sin in both cases is attempting to contact a spirit, and God has no tolerance for that, but the unique circumstances associated with each person are very different. The child may be unaware of the prohibition and suffer less than the adult who is fully aware of the prohibition and proceeds anyway despite clear biblical warnings against it (Lev 5:17; Luke 12:48). The Lord will have mercy on whomever He chooses (Exod 33:19).

Another critical point to keep in mind is that demonization is not always the result of sin.8 It certainly can be. This is even a reasonable starting point when praying for wisdom to know how to address a demonized condition. But sin does not have to be the cause of demonic adversity. There are young children in Scripture who suffered from indwelling demons (Matt 15:21–22; Mark 7:25–26; Matt 17:14-15; Mark 9:17-18, 21; Luke 9:38-39), yet the Lord recognizes that young children “have no knowledge of good and evil” (Deut 1:39 NASB). Every child except Jesus has at one time or another lied, envied, stolen, caused violence, or dishonored his or her parents. We are all guilty of this, yet not everyone has suffered from demonic oppression, so we can infer from the young demoniacs found in Scripture that sin is not the only explanation for a demonized condition.

This widespread yet incorrect idea that calamity is always the result of sin is nothing new. Jesus and His disciples once encountered a blind man, prompting the disciples to ask Jesus if sin caused the man to be born without his eyesight. Jesus replied, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3 NASB). Jesus then healed the man. At another time, Jesus taught that certain Galileans who the Roman governor Pilate had murdered were not any more sinful than anyone else (Luke 13:1–3). Nor were eighteen other people who died when an unstable building fell on top of them (Luke 13:4–5). None of these people were particularly noteworthy for their extreme sins, yet Jesus did use their situations to emphasize that “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5 NASB). In other words, repentance is critical to a saving relationship with God, but sin does not always lead to blindness, murder, or accidental death, nor does sin necessarily lead to demonization. So although sin and repentance are important considerations when reflecting upon the causes of adversity, these factors are far from the only causes seen in Scripture.

Christians should never be surprised to encounter trouble in this life (1 Pet 4:12). God often permits adversity for a variety of reasons. It befalls good people just as it does those who are wicked at heart (Eccl 8:12–14), and this adversity comes in every imaginable form, from disabilities and demonization to violence and injustice. That is not to say God enjoys seeing harm befall His children. Quite the opposite (Deut 5:29; Ezek 33:11)! He even goes so far to heal the wounds of adversity that He permits in our lives (Isa 30:26). Yet God knows something that we often forget: “tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:3–5 NASB). Through trials of many kinds, we are made mature and complete believers in Christ (Jas 1:2–4). This is part of the pruning process Jesus described when He said, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, [God the Father] takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2 NASB). The Lord’s goal is to make us more fruitful believers, and we know in advance that we are guaranteed to experience adversity in this life.

Since demonization is fundamentally a form of adversity, a generalized study of adversity in all its many forms can be instructive. Scripture gives many reasons why adversity happens:

Sin. There are consequences for our sins (Luke 6:49; 1 Sam 16:14; 1 Cor 11:27–30; Lev 22:9). The Lord uses these consequences to correct our behaviors as a father would a child in order to spare us from greater hardship or eternal condemnation (John 5:14; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:5–12; cf. Phm 1:15–16). While the Lord will walk with us through hard times, adversity can be a direct result of something we have done (Jer 30:11; Ps 89:30–33). The commandments of the Lord are not just empty words. They are life itself (Deut 32:47; John 6:68)!

Refinement. Sometimes we think we understand God when, in reality, we do not perceive how incredibly misguided we are about Him and what He expects from us. When wrong ideas and empty spiritual philosophies become entrenched within our thinking, the Lord will use adversity to burn away all the impurities from our lives (Col 2:8; Luke 22:31–34; Job 42:5–6; 2 Cor 4:8–9). He refines His people like gold and silver (Mal 3:3), which means that He wants to retain whatever is righteous and remove whatever is not. We learn through these refining trials the nature of whom we worship and that God’s ways are far superior to any that originate from the world.

Maturity. Some adversity has nothing to do with sinful behavior and everything to do with strengthening our Christian character (2 Cor 12:10; 1 Pet 5:10; Rom 5:3–4; Jas 1:2–4). Building perseverance against suffering gives us great resiliency against the storms of this life through cultivating our dependence on the Lord. Christian maturity helps us, our families, and other believers to become strong in our faith and bright examples in a world that desperately needs Christ yet frequently opposes Christian beliefs.

Grace. After we successfully persevere through a time of testing, God often places people in our path who need help for a situation very similar to what we just endured (2 Cor 1:3–7). Think of it like special training from the Lord. It can be difficult to truly empathize with someone until we have directly experienced the problems that person has suffered. Therefore, God may permit our trials so that later He can work through us to express His grace and mercy to someone else (cf. Isa 51:3, 12; 66:13).

Authenticity. Not everyone who calls on the name of the Lord truly knows Him (Matt 7:22–23). Adversity is an efficient way to separate authentic believers in Jesus Christ from those who only pretend (1 Pet 1:7; cf. Rev 13:16–17). There are times when trouble lingers because the Lord is using that trouble to see if we will keep His ways and be obedient to Him. In other words, He tests us to see what is in our hearts (Judg 2:20–23; Deut 8:2; 13:3). This is tough love in action. Those who are sifted out of their lukewarm faith as the result of adversity have been given another chance to get right with God before there are no more chances.

Unbelief. Not everyone in this world has or wants a saving relationship with the Lord. Despite His great love and desire for us to turn to Him, some people will adamantly refuse (John 3:16–18). While those who reject God are not guaranteed to suffer (Eccl 7:15; Ps 73:3), they have chosen to walk away from the protection and guidance that God provides (Ps 5:4–6; Lam 3:7–9; Ezek 20:3). This can and often does lead to suffering.

Invitation. There are also people in this world who deliberately pursue trouble. Some test the limits of God’s patience (Matt 4:6–7; Deut 6:16), others intentionally invite demons into their lives (1 Cor 10:20–22; Deut 32:17), and still others embrace that which the Lord detests (Prov 6:16–19; Deut 18:9–13). The fastest way to encounter adversity is to go looking for it.

Opposition. Sometimes the worldly response to righteous Christian behavior is to inflict injustice and suffering upon the believer (1 Pet 4:12–19; Acts 14:19). This is not because the Christian has done something wrong but because Satan is still active in this world. God has not yet carried out the judgment for his sins (Matt 25:41; Rev 19:20), and that means those who reject God are squarely under Satan’s influence and often act accordingly. The good news for believers is that when we suffer as a result of living out Christians beliefs, God has “considered [us] worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41 NASB). One could imagine curses and hostile occult practices to be found within this category, but these are unlikely to have any bearing on Christians since God protects His people from such things9 (Num 23:8; 23:23; 24:9).

Mystery. No one can know the mind of God unless He tells us what He is thinking (1 Cor 2:16; Isa 40:13). His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways (Isa 55:8). There are times when we are in the midst of adversity and do not know why. We must accept mystery as our King’s prerogative but always trust that He has very good reasons for what He does (Exod 4:11; John 9:2–3; Luke 13:11–13; Eccl 3:9–13). God may reveal the mystery of a particular trial when the time is right because, after all, “[t]here is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven” (Eccl 3:1 NASB). But regardless of how much He chooses to reveal, God always has full control of our situation.

Despite the pain we all experience from adversity, we can take heart knowing that Christian brethren throughout the entire world share in the same kind of suffering—but only for a little while (1 Pet 5:9–10). Our reward for successfully finishing our race through life is eternity in paradise with our loving heavenly Father (Jas 1:12; Rev 2:7). There are many possible reasons for adversity, so we should not limit our understanding to what sin might have caused it. Rather, we should view sin as just one possible explanation for why God allows us to face a difficult trial. That holds true for demonization because this particular challenge is just adversity in a supernatural package. The precise reasons why an individual suffers from demonic adversity will always be unique to that person.

Diagnosing Demonic Oppression​

Christians must take great care to thoughtfully discern whether intense suffering is of supernatural or bodily origin. The standard approach for treating a chemical imbalance in the brain or aggressive cancer in the body is not going to be the same as treating demonic oppression. This is a type of spiritual illness that can have significant ramifications on both mental and physical health.10 It should be stressed that a formal evaluation is not always necessary to spot demonization. Those who suffer from supernatural torment may be fully capable of identifying the cause of their own misery.

King Saul was aware that a demon tormented him (1 Sam 16:15). King Ahab was aware that his false prophets were demonized (1 Kgs 22:23). Crowds of people brought their demonized friends and family to Jesus for help (Matt 4:24, 8:16, 9:32, 12:22, 15:22; Mark 1:32, 7:25, 9:17). The condition was also common enough that first century Jews used the hallmarks of demonization as a verbal insult (Matt 11:18; Mark 3:22; John 7:20; 8:52; 10:20). Nevertheless, others who suffer from demon problems may not fully recognize that demons are the cause of their misery. Christian counseling led by an exorcist who is aware of the symptoms associated with demonic oppression can be particularly beneficial. Such people can help diagnose individuals suffering greatly from causes that seem too extreme to be natural yet too ambiguous to clearly identify as demonic. This is not always a concern, but it can be.

For all the demoniacs in Scripture who knew for certain they were demonized (cf. Mark 1:23–24; 5:2–7; 7:25–26; 9:17–18 parr.), there were others—such as those who suffered from supernatural illness (cf. Job 2:7; Luke 4:40–41)—who may not have known for certain. There were also those in Scripture who suffered adversity from more natural causes that had nothing to do with demons (cf. Matt 9:6, 20–22, 28–30; Luke 7:2–10). This is why counseling is often a good first step in any situation where demons may be involved. If the work of demons is not immediately apparent, the ministering exorcist should work with the individual to follow the trail of available evidence.

Diagnosing demonic oppression can be difficult. Extreme cases replete with supernatural phenomena (Acts 19:15–16) are more obvious than subtler cases characterized by unhealthy emotional attitudes (Judg 9:23), though it is instructive to note that first century Jews “attributed almost every evil to the direct agency of demons” rather than splitting hairs defining the difference between evil spirits and evil mindsets.11 The strength of demonic oppression falls on a spectrum, and that is a factor which can influence the challenge a particular diagnosis presents. For example, while all demons are evil and united with Satan against God (Mark 1:24; Luke 11:15; Matt 25:41), some demons are more wicked than others (Matt 12:45), which might impact how clearly the symptoms of demonic oppression appear. There are demons who attempt to harm children by throwing them into fires (Mark 9:21-22 parr.), and there are demons who settle for disrupting public gatherings (Mark 1:23–24 parr.). One set of symptoms is distinctly more extreme than the other. Moreover, the story of the Gerasene demoniac may suggest the intensity of demonic oppression grows stronger when more demons indwell the same individual. There were thousands in his case (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:30).

Depending on what the Lord reveals when asked and what symptoms are clearly known when observed, an accurate diagnosis might require intentional probing.12 Prayer should be a constant activity during a session like this because even if we are uncertain what is behind the situation, God has known from the start. He sees everything with absolute clarity and has no problem revealing the answer whenever it fits within His purposes for the people involved. Building on top of this foundation of continual prayer, the exorcist has different diagnostic approaches available: prayer-based, subjective, and objective. These approaches can and should be combined as needed to accurately assess the spiritual condition of a suffering individual.

Prayer-Based Diagnostic Approach​

Pray for discernment with the individual, asking God to make it abundantly clear to everyone gathered whether demons are behind the suffering that prompted this meeting. God may choose to overtly answer that prayer right away and force any demons inhabiting the individual to make themselves known.13 We are often blind to the spiritual reality surrounding us, but we can ask God to make it more apparent. Scripture presents a helpful example in Elisha who prayed that his traveling companion would become aware of the spiritual reality surrounding them (2 Kgs 6:17). Daniel is another good example of this principle. He and his three friends prayed for the Lord to reveal the hidden meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2:17–19). Daniel said that God “reveals the profound and hidden things; / He knows what is in the darkness, / And the light dwells with Him” (Dan 2:22 NASB). Demons can reside in the “darkness” of the human soul, but God can and does reveal their activity. Nevertheless, God works on His timetable and not ours (cf. Dan 2:17–19; 10:12–14). This does not mean that God is disinterested in our problems. It only means that we must trust His timing in all things.

Subjective Diagnostic Approach​

On a subjective basis, some exorcists may sense a demonic presence when counseling an individual, and perhaps this is a spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:10–11). Or perhaps this subjective sense of supernatural evil can be likened to the colorful analogy Paul gives about the fragrance of Christian teaching—to some it is the aroma of life while to others it is the aroma of death (2 Cor 2:14–16). Although the apostle had in mind religious instruction and how the message lands for different people, Christians and demons may exude a different spiritual impression that can, at times, adequately hint at the presence of evil. This particular approach requires an abundance of caution; our perceptions are not always trustworthy.

Directed conversation is another way to assess the situation. Start with a simple question such as, “Do you think your experiences could be the result of an evil spirit?” The response could be anything, yet this question gently raises the topic and provides space to discuss the possibility. Then ask the individual to self-evaluate his or her own situation. Patients routinely do this very thing at a physician’s office prior to a medical consultation. It helps the doctor arrive at a more accurate diagnosis. Likewise, the Christian minister may benefit from asking questions intended to gain a more holistic understanding of the individual’s condition. Here are a few basic questions to structure that conversation:

  1. What exactly happened to suggest demons are involved?
  2. What symptoms are you experiencing?
  3. How often do they occur?
  4. How acutely do you experience them?
  5. When did these symptoms first start?
  6. Do you have a history of experiencing these symptoms?
  7. Can you think of any other explanations for what you are experiencing?

Understand that demonic activity is not always the one plausible explanation. For example, mental illness can result in inner voices, physical illness can result in uncontrollable body movements, sleep deprivation can trick the mind into seeing visions, and carbon monoxide poisoning can cause hallucinations.14 But the minister must never use these questions to discourage individuals from seeking help that only the church can provide. The purpose of these questions is not to dissuade the individual from believing demons could be involved; rather, these questions are meant to both gauge the severity of the symptoms and surface any alternative explanations for consideration.

Objective Diagnostic Approach​

The following scriptural indicators for assessing demonization are more objective in the sense that they help build a spiritual profile of the individual. Some of these indicators provide stronger evidence of demonization than others. A person for whom many of these questions ring true may be suffering from demonic oppression; however, keep in mind these questions do not provide “certifiable proof” of demonization. They are best viewed as a diagnostic tool to expand the conversation. The minister and the individual should prayerfully consider these questions together while carefully discerning where the Holy Spirit is leading the conversation.

Spiritual Indicators​

  • Has the individual rejected or renounced a saving relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3:18–21; 8:44; 1 John 3:10)?
  • Has the individual relapsed into apostasy or chronic sin after a previously successful exorcism (Matt 12:43–45; 1 John 2:1–2)?
  • Does the individual advocate religions or spiritual philosophies that are not Christian (Exod 20:3; 23:13; 1 Cor 10:21; cf. Deut 8:19–20)?
  • Has the individual embraced sinful behavior as a way of life (Rom 1:18–31; Ps 81:11–12; Hos 4:17; Prov 1:24–31)?
  • Does the individual express fear or hatred toward God or the things of God (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:23–24; 3:11; 5:7; 9:20; Luke 4:33–34, 8:28)?
  • Does the individual experience difficulty reading Scripture, hearing it read, or saying the name of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:21–24; 5:7; Luke 4:31–34; 8:28)?
  • Is the individual abnormally attracted to evil as expressed in images, objects, books, or games (Deut 18:9–13; 2 Kgs 21:4–6; Prov 6:16–19)?
  • Is the individual abnormally attracted to places that people typically avoid such as tombs, execution grounds, or other places of death (Mark 5:3; Luke 8:27)?

Supernatural Indicators​

  • Has the individual been involved with occult practices such as sorcery, witchcraft, divination, fortune-telling, horoscopes, searching for omens, channeling, or “ghost hunting”15 (Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27; Deut 18:9–14; 2 Kgs 21:2–6; Isa 8:19; cf. 2 Thess 2:9–10)?
  • Has the individual caused a supernatural event to occur, especially when the individual has no saving faith in God, credits oneself with the event, or engages in activities prohibited in Scripture (Exod 7:11–12; 2 Thess 2:9–10; cf. Acts 12:22–23; 1 Cor 12:8–10)?
  • Does the individual communicate with voices or personas that no one else can hear or detect (Lev 19:31; 1 Sam 28:11–14; Jer 14:14; Luke 4:3; 1 Tim 4:1–2)?
  • Has the individual been moved or touched by something unseen (Mark 9:22)?

Psychological and Emotional Indicators​

  • Does the individual exhibit multiple, distinct personalities (Luke 4:33–34; Acts 19:15; 1 Sam 18:10)?
  • Has the individual experienced realistic nightmares that do not seem dreamlike (Jer 23:32; cf. Dan 4:4–5; Matt 1:20; 2:12–13, 19)?
  • Does the individual frequently feel compelled to exhibit lewd or socially inappropriate conduct (Luke 8:27)?
  • Does the individual frequently feel compelled to lie (1 Kgs 22:22–23; John 8:44)?
  • Does the individual experience blackouts or other moments where there is no memory of personal conduct (Mark 5:4–5; Luke 8:29)?
  • Does the individual harbor personal unforgiveness or unforgiveness toward others (Eph 4:26, 31–32; Matt 6:14–15; 1 John 3:10–12, 4:20; Heb 10:29)?
  • Does the individual frequently prefer isolation from all contact with friends, family, colleagues, and other familiar people (Mark 5:2; Luke 8:29; cf. Rev 18:2)?
  • Has the individual experienced a recent and noticeable decline in emotional or mental well-being (Mark 5:5; Luke 8:27, 29)?
  • Does the individual frequently experience a desire for self-harm (Mark 5:5; 9:22)?
  • Does the individual frequently experience irrational fear (1 Sam 18:12; cf. Isa 41:10)?
  • Does the individual frequently experience paranoia (1 Sam 22:8; John 7:20)?

“Spiritual Fruit” Indicators​

Because demons are entirely opposed to God, it is reasonable to think they will, at times, influence a person to experience the inverse of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22–23). A general heuristic for assessing demonic oppression affecting the emotions is to consider spiritual fruits from an inverted perspective.

  • Does the individual frequently experience strong feelings of…
  1. anger, apathy, bitterness, hate, lust, mockery (fruit: love)?
  2. depression, despair, grief, sadness (fruit: joy)?
  3. agitation, anxiety, dissension, fear, strife (fruit: peace)?
  4. frustration, impatience, irritation (fruit: patience)?
  5. callousness, contempt, cruelty, malice (fruit: kindness)?
  6. immorality, self-loathing, selfish ambition, worthlessness (fruit: goodness)?
  7. betrayal, deceit, envy (fruit: faithfulness)?
  8. aggression, hostility, spite (fruit: gentleness)?
  9. greed, impulsiveness, indecency, indecision, recklessness (fruit: self-control)?

Physical Indicators​

  • Does the individual engage in sudden and unexpected violent outbursts (1 Sam 19:10; Matt 8:28; Acts 19:16)?
  • Does the individual engage in sudden and unexpected shouting (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:23; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:33; 8:28; Acts 8:7; 16:17)?
  • Does the individual experience uncontrollable physical movements, motor tics, or vocal tics (Acts 19:15–16)?
  • Does the individual experience convulsions (Matt 17:15; Mark 1:26; 9:18; Luke 4:35; 9:39)?
  • Does the individual experience frequent physical agitation—i.e., pacing, wringing hands, or feelings of internal pressure (Mark 5:5)?
  • Does the individual experience frequent insomnia (Mark 5:5)?
  • Has the individual suddenly contracted an illness that does not respond to medical treatment (Job 2:7; Luke 4:40–41; 13:11; cf. 1 Cor 11:30)?
  • Has the individual experienced a sudden onset of blindness, muteness, or deafness (Matt 12:22; Mark 9:25)?
  • Has the individual exhibited abnormal physical strength (Mark 5:4; Luke 8:29; Acts 19:16)?

When to Recommend a Medical Diagnosis​

Near the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry, He preached in Capernaum, a village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is where Peter once lived. One night after the people witnessed Jesus preach then heal a demonized man in their synagogue, “they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door [to Peter’s house where Jesus was staying]. And [Jesus] healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons” (Mark 1:32–34 NASB). Mark makes an important distinction between those who were demonized and those who suffered from illness. Luke echoes this point when he writes, “Now while the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He was laying His hands on each one of them and healing them. Demons also were coming out of many” (Luke 4:40–41 NASB). This indicates different people in Capernaum suffered from different problems. Some people suffered from demons, some people suffered from illness, and some people suffered from demons who caused illness. Although Jesus was willing and able to help everyone, not everyone shared the same underlying condition.

For this reason, some faith traditions practice exorcism but require a thorough medical examination as part of the process. That is not something this book advocates unless an exorcism ministry has a compelling reason to do so. Scripture provides ample evidence that clearly shows the hallmarks of demonization are, in many cases, abundantly obvious. A demoniac may know with absolute clarity that he or she is demonized—this was no surprise to many people in the Bible. To suggest someone who is otherwise healthy but suddenly loses control of motor functions and speaks with a blasphemous alter ego should see a psychiatrist before visiting the church is insulting. Demonization is real. No amount of psychotherapy or medical testing can address the supernatural root cause.

However, there is some subtlety here. An exorcist may pray constantly and run through every diagnostic imaginable but fail to uncover any evidence of supernatural malfeasance. In those cases, the simplest explanation is probably the correct answer—the suffering that caused the individual to seek an exorcism ministry is not of demonic origin. The attending exorcist must be open and honest with individuals who fall into this category, even suggesting that such people should seek traditional medical help. The Lord has blessed humanity with doctors, counselors, and advanced medicine; it is ill-advised to avoid these blessings whenever they can provide much needed relief. Ministry is about caring for other people as expressed through spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical support as these are all important aspects of a healthy human life. When an exorcism ministry definitively rules out spiritual illness, the needs of the individual are best served with other forms of ministry.

The Situational Context of an Exorcism​

Of all the exorcism accounts in the New Testament where the authors record a specific context, most exorcisms are the result of a request for help. Some people seek help for themselves (Mark 3:10–11), but the most prevalent context is when someone known to the demoniac asks Jesus or the apostles to drive out a demon on behalf of the afflicted person (Mark 1:32; 7:25; 9:14–29; Matt 4:24; 8:16; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; 17:14–21; Luke 4:40–41; 9:37–43; Acts 5:16; 19:12). Additionally, impromptu exorcisms were conducted when the demons influencing a demoniac were loud and disorderly to the degree where they disrupted ministry work and could not be ignored (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33; Acts 16:18). Jesus also made it a special point to drive out the demons from people who were too sick and alone to ask for help (Matt 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39) as well as a person who may have believed nothing could be done to resolve her situation (Luke 13:10–12). The specific details do not appear to be overly important to Jesus or the apostles, though, so rarely do they question the people involved. They simply help as asked and show compassion to the afflicted (cf. Luke 10:30–37). While there is much we do not know about the specific situations involved in many of these exorcisms, Scripture contains enough details to broadly classify them into these categories:

  1. A personal request for help
  2. An indirect request for help on behalf of a loved one
  3. A disruption to ministry work that cannot be ignored
  4. A special mission of mercy

This suggests the bulk of exorcisms should be done upon request only. In order to get well and stay well, the demoniac must want help and must want Jesus to provide that help. Otherwise, as King Solomon writes, correcting a mocker just results in insults and harm (Prov 9:7–9). “Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you” (Prov 9:8 NASB) whereas instructing those who specifically request the help of a Christian exorcist is far more likely to produce fruitful results for the one who is sick. The demoniac must be in agreement with Scripture that demonization is both possible and undesirable before that person is likely to do anything other than mock and insult the minister. Jesus asked a paralyzed man shortly before healing him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6 NASB; cf. Acts 14:9–10). We might ask the same question today. The answer plays a large part in determining the success or failure of an exorcism. Cases that fit within the other categories will be context specific. Determining what to do in those situations is wisely contingent on prompting from the Holy Spirit. We can be absolutely certain, however, that nowhere in Scripture will we find any teaching that suggests Christians should go out into the world looking for a demon to fight. That is not an exorcism context present anywhere in the Bible. Yet that does not limit our prayer life; we can and should pray about anything that concerns us.

Objections to Exorcism​

Sadly, there will be times when a clearly demonized person either does not want help or is opposed to doing anything constructive about it. Christian exorcism is fundamentally about diagnosing the situation, getting the demoniac on the right track with God, and praying to the Lord for healing. But not everyone wants a relationship with God. And not everyone wants to live the Christian life. Although very few people want to experience pain, the reality is that God’s way is the only way forward, and this will be completely unacceptable to certain individuals. John perfectly summarizes the situation when he writes that some people hate the light Christ provides and would rather revel in their sins.

[T]he Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God. (John 3:19–21 NASB)

This might be difficult to accept, yet the minister must respect the wishes of the individual. Life as God created it is all about choices and consequences. It is impossible for one who has demons to be permanently rid of them without the Lord’s help. We must choose to draw closer to Him because the ultimate responsibility for living a Christian life rests with each of us. Still, God never forces us to do this. Outlining some of the reasons why a demoniac might refuse treatment could be helpful to a minister who wishes to use this as a springboard to counsel the individual into seeing things from a different perspective.

Fear is likely to be a common objection to exorcism. The minister can allay fearful concerns with a reminder of God’s love, power, and control over the situation. Furthermore, as we will see later in this chapter, the suggested process is very simple. But objections may also veer into more philosophical territory. For example, does the demoniac disagree with biblical definitions of evil? Does this person fail to recognize evil in general? Or does this person knowingly welcome evil influences? These perspectives might play out as one of the following objections:

  • The individual has no desire to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is the only path to freedom. Nevertheless, it will be far too narrow for some people to follow.
  • The individual refuses to believe in the supernatural. This is a byproduct of the Age of Enlightenment when many people came to believe that science explains everything. However, our God is supernatural which means He transcends the laws of nature as we understand them. The supernatural must exist in a universe where God exists; therefore, the supernatural exists.
  • The individual disagrees with biblical examples of sin and evil influences. One who is immature in Christian faith may not understand why God prohibits certain activities. Unbelievers may also give this reason. For other people, this objection may come from an unrepentant heart or a hazardous attraction to the supernatural.
  • The individual refuses to face the reality of sin and evil influences. Some people do not want to recognize the problems in their life because then they would feel obligated to do something about them. This objection may also arise from those who have not fully considered the painful consequences of their choices.
  • The individual considers the cost of giving up sin to be more than the perceived benefit of retaining it. This is dangerous pragmatism that counts worldly gain as more beneficial than spiritual wholeness. It may also indicate the individual does not have saving faith in Jesus Christ.
  • The individual is confident that evil actions can achieve a good outcome. This perspective is likely to be some variation of spiritual immaturity, unbelief, or attraction to the supernatural. For those who find themselves in the deep end of demonic miracles, self identity or insecurities may also be wrapped up in generating supernatural occurrences that others cannot.
  • The individual wholeheartedly participates in evil actions. People who adopt this perspective are highly unlikely to approach a Christian for help. Their goals may include money, power, influence, health, or sex at any cost. One who gives this reason is on especially perilous ground and may be too stubborn to change before facing extreme repercussions from this lifestyle.
  • The individual is aware of demons and welcomes their influence. Those who see demons as beneficial are not going to want to drive them away. Perhaps a demonized condition brings this individual welcome attention, or perhaps the demoniac misinterprets demonic influence as intimate companionship. All such viewpoints grossly misunderstand the true nature of a demon. An indwelling demon, despite what it may say to a demoniac, is primarily interested in that person’s eternal destruction. This may be an opportunity for the minister to discuss Christian eschatology with the demoniac, specifically focusing on what happens when we die.

As seen throughout Scripture, the consequences for reveling in sin or willfully accepting demonic influences are disastrous. Outcomes include violent death, personal and civil hardship, exile, property destruction, depression, paranoia, blindness to truth, bondage to worldly desires, and eternal condemnation.16 These are not guaranteed outcomes, but they are all plausible, particularly if demons are involved. “One who diligently seeks good seeks favor, / But one who seeks evil, evil will come to him” (Prov 11:27 NASB).

Exorcism and Unbelievers​

Christians belong to God (Jer 10:23; 1 Cor 6:19–20). Unbelievers, however, belong to Satan (Matt 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21–22). They are his “possessions” (Luke 11:21 NASB) and his “property” (Matt 12:29 NASB; cf. Mark 3:27), so when someone rejects God’s grace, only the mercy God chooses to extend protects that person from severe demonic oppression. Jesus obliquely describes such people as a house with no lock—demons can come and go as they please unless God commands otherwise (Matt 12:38–45). This presents a serious problem when evaluating whether to conduct an exorcism with an unbeliever.

Nevertheless, while prayerful discernment is greatly warranted, lack of faith is not a sufficient reason on its own to turn away an unbelieving demoniac. Demonization can be an effective catalyst for reevaluating personal beliefs. Jesus healed many people of demonic oppression, and it is likely that at least some of these demoniacs were miracle chasers rather than people who genuinely believed in what He was preaching (Luke 6:17–19). Moreover, Paul drove a demon out of a Philippian woman who showed no signs of being a believer herself (Acts 16:16–18). These stories demonstrate that in certain situations God will drive out the demons from an unbeliever, but a Christian exorcist must use special caution when ministering in this situation for the sake of the demonized individual.

One reason is that if a healed demoniac does not choose to recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior—and every individual has a right to make that choice—this person remains under the sway of Satan. The spiritual life of these recalcitrant individuals will not have changed for the better as they will have rejected God again after receiving healing from Him. They will still be like houses with no locks. Demons can repeatedly leave and enter into their victims (Matt 12:43–45), so why would God be inclined to forbid the same demons He just evicted from moving right back inside that person? A successful exorcism is surely temporary unless that person chooses to enter into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. But even if such people are never again afflicted with a demon problem, they will continue to suffer the harsh realities of living in rebellion against God.

Another reason for caution is that unregenerate unbelievers healed of demonic oppression are worse off than before. Having denied the truth of God after seeing a miracle firsthand, such people are even more distant from Jesus than when they were first demonized. This is very similar to the “unforgivable sin” Jesus describes in the gospels17 (Mark 3:28–30; Matt 12:31–32). The Pharisees had seen divine miracles before their very eyes—Jesus cast out demons in their presence—yet they knowingly chose to deny the truth these miracles represented about Jesus. In doing so, these Pharisees condemned themselves to an eternity apart from God. Unregenerate and recalcitrant former demoniacs are in that same situation. They have seen a miracle from God and denied the God who produced it. Their final condition is worse than it was when they first requested an exorcism. They are like the proverb Peter quotes in his letter when he writes, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet 2:22 NASB).

Again, lack of faith is not a sufficient reason on its own to bar an unbeliever from the special help that an exorcism ministry can provide. Jesus and Paul probably both healed unbelieving demoniacs. But it becomes an important responsibility for any Christian exorcist in this situation to clearly outline the biblical risks for the demoniac whenever possible. The minister must also take the issue to the Lord and decide how best to approach the situation based on His guidance in the matter. We must remember that it was Jesus Himself who said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners” (Luke 5:31–32 NASB; cf. Matt 9:13; 15:24; Jer 50:6). In other words, Jesus is saying that “the gospel is only for those who know they are spiritually sick… and need a physician.”18 Since Christian exorcism is intrinsically wrapped up in the gospel message, this admonishment is highly relevant to the ministry of exorcism.

Responses to a Successful Exorcism​

Life can look very different to a former demoniac. The situation might have had such a profound impact that the individual wants to experience more of Jesus. This is a good thing. Jesus healed the Gerasene demoniac, and the man “was begging [Jesus] that he might accompany Him” (Luke 8:38 NASB); however, Jesus had something else in mind. He said, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19 NASB). “So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city what great things Jesus had done for him,” (Luke 8:39 NASB) “and everyone was amazed” (Mark 5:20 NASB). While the people of this region begged Jesus to leave (Matt 8:33–34; Mark 5:14–17; Luke 8:34–37), this man stayed and told everyone who would listen about the One who saved him, which may have been the outcome Jesus had in mind when He sent the man back to his family (cf. Eph 2:10). This is a great pattern to follow. “No one lights a lamp and puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light” (Luke 11:33 NASB). When God blesses us with a miracle, we should not keep that fact a secret. This man may have been the very first Gentile Christian in Scripture. Jesus soon left the region, but God was far from finished with it. We might speculate that the evangelical work of this one man helped draw a crowd of about four thousand people to hear Jesus the next time He traveled through this area (Matt 15:29–39; Mark 8:1–10). Evangelism is a good response whenever God heals demonic oppression.

Conversely, some people are bound to diminish the significance of Jesus driving out their demons. Such a person is like an empty house that has been swept clean and put in order (cf. Matt 12:44). It may look nice now that the former demonic occupants are gone, but that may not last. Satan always comes back later with another temptation. Should the recovering individual soon forget what the Lord has done and defiantly return to old sins, that person has trampled upon the mercy of God. These actions demonstrate a heart full of wickedness; those who think their sins are acceptable so long as there are no immediate consequences are only deceiving themselves.

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. (2 Pet 2:20–21 NASB)

Demons do not want to leave their victims. The exorcism accounts seen in Scripture show that demons will not leave unless they are either forced to vacate or planning to return later with other demons to cause even greater harm (Matt 12:43–45). God loves us as a father loves his children, but just as a father sets rules that his children must obey, so our heavenly Father sets rules and expects disciplined behavior from us. Flaunting His rules is not a good idea. That choice is ours to make, and God loves us so much that we can always return to Him and seek His forgiveness, but one who runs from the Lord’s protection soon encounters trouble. The kingdom of darkness will do everything in its power to keep people away from the Lord because He is the only one who can truly help any of us. When a former demoniac rejects God after God has healed that person, this individual is primed to experience even more severe demonization than the first time.

Exorcists Are Not Guaranteed Physical Protection​

After the seventy-two disciples Jesus had sent to announce the kingdom of God returned, they were overjoyed that demons had obeyed their exorcistic commands when using the name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). Jesus told them they should not get hung up on the spectacle of compliant demons; their joy should have come from their salvation (Luke 10:20). But He also said this: “Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you” (Luke 10:19 NASB). How we interpret this statement is partly a factor of how we understand the seventy-two disciples. Are they intended as a metaphor representing the entire church? Or are they simply a group of people who served a specific ministry purpose at a specific moment in history? If the former, Jesus’s promise applies to us too. If the latter, it does not.

Jesus was no stranger to figures of speech. Within this same passage, He says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2 NASB) to mean there was much work to be done to bring people into a proper relationship with God, yet there were relatively few people willing to do this work. He also tells the disciples He had commissioned, “I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3 NASB) to mean there was going to be danger inherent to their mission. Jesus commonly used colorful phrasing, particularly when it helped emphasize the points He wanted to make to a listening audience.

In contrast, Luke—the author of the gospel containing this story—was solely interested in recording the unvarnished facts. At the very beginning of his gospel, he writes, “[I]t seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:3–4 NASB). Luke was writing for a distinct audience, perhaps a Roman governor given the title he uses, and has a stated purpose of reporting the factual results of his careful investigation. In other words, the Gospel of Luke has more in common with a history book than a historical allegory. Although Luke traveled with Paul and witnessed the birth of the church, his goal was not to inject his personal, doctrinal viewpoints into his writing. Whenever an eyewitness reported that Jesus did something or gave a speech, Luke would have simply recorded those facts. He would not have created an elaborate metaphor to equate Jesus’s seventy-two disciples with the church as he understood it. That would have gone against his stated goals.

So when Jesus says that He gave the seventy-two disciples special authority and that they would not be harmed by the power of the enemy, this was a specific message for that specific audience. Jesus enabled them to work miracles and command demons in His name. They used this borrowed authority to heal the sick and announce the kingdom of God. However, these were not promises intended for us—they were intended for the seventy-two disciples. Jesus has made different promises for disciples who live in the modern era, promises like nothing can separate us from His love (Rom 8:38–39), He works all things together for our good (Rom 8:28), and He serves as our compassionate high priest before God the Father (Heb 4:14–16). Christians today are not typically imbued with miraculous divine authority to command demons and heal the sick.19 The church has now been established, the kingdom of God announced. Evangelism remains vitally important in the world today, but many people have now heard about Jesus regardless of whether they choose to know Him. Times have changed.

Elsewhere in Scripture, John writes, “We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18 NASB). This is a promise that does apply to us; however, John is not talking about physical harm. He is saying that while Satan will try to derail the faith of a Christian, he cannot force anyone who abides in Christ back into spiritual bondage and eternal condemnation. Yet there is no promise that God will prevent Satan from tempting, testing, accusing, discouraging, and persecuting believers—Satan often does these very things.

As a consequence, Scripture does not promise that exorcism will be without an element of physical danger,20 and there are many examples supporting this conclusion. Satan was permitted to destroy Job’s family (Job 1:18–19). Many faithful prophets were tortured, flogged, persecuted, and mistreated (Heb 11:35–38), which may have been the indirect work of Satan (cf. 2 Cor 4:4; Rev 12:9, 13–17). The Gerasene demoniacs were known to be so violent that people had to route around them in order to safely travel through the area (Matt 8:28). A demonized man beat up the Jewish exorcists who attempted to drive out his demon (Acts 19:16). A Christian who Jesus commended as a faithful witness was martyred in a hotbed of satanic corruption (Rev 2:13). These accounts all suggest that ministering to a severely demonized person is not without risk, and while this is no excuse to avoid our Christian responsibilities in the matter, it does call for certain precautions.

Exorcists should begin praying just as soon as they have resolved to personally counsel a demoniac. The Lord has complete sovereignty and control over the situation and is always the first and best solution to any problem. Exorcists should also strongly consider asking one or more other Christians to accompany them into a ministry context (cf. Jas 5:14). Having physical support if needed—as well as other people who can pray during an exorcism session—can be beneficial in especially challenging situations. An exorcist should not view this ministry as primarily a solo affair but rather prefer a team effort when possible.

However, not every situation will carry a risk of physical harm just as not every demoniac in Scripture exhibited violent symptoms. And just because there is no scriptural guarantee of physical safety does not mean that God will neglect to protect Christians involved in this ministry (cf. Exod 33:19). All Christian ministers work under the authority and supremely merciful watch of a loving God. Neither Christ nor anyone else in Scripture who had a genuine relationship with Him and drove out demons suffered physical harm from either the demon or the demonized individual. Exorcism ministries should take whatever physical precautions are deemed appropriate for each unique situation while placing full trust in God to work toward the best possible outcome for everyone.

An Exorcism Is Best Conducted with a Team​

Severe demonic oppression poses a unique challenge. The demoniac, man or woman, could exhibit behaviors that are disruptive (Luke 4:33), violent (Acts 19:16), deranged (1 Sam 18:10), or lewd (Luke 8:27). Attending exorcists must remember the demoniac may be expressing multiple personalities where one is a human and others are demons. The human personality should want to glorify God since, after all, the demoniac has requested the help of Christian believers. But a demonic personality will oppose the things of God and may seek to shame its victim. Exorcists in situations like this should take appropriate safety precautions while remembering that the true battle is on a spiritual level and belongs to the Lord. Having a Christian team confront the evil and chaotic nature of severe demonization can strengthen the ministers and provide safety as well as accountability. Depending on the situation, a team might consist of multiple ministers, a minister and a trusted Christian partner, a minister and the mature Christian family or friends of the demoniac, or whatever composition seems appropriate for the task at hand. Those closest to the situation are best positioned to make that determination. Solomon gives this very sound advice which generally applies to an exorcism ministry:

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up! … And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Eccl 4:9–10, 12 NASB)

Additionally, it is almost never a good idea for a male exorcist to meet individually with a female demoniac, nor is it a good idea for a female exorcist to meet individually with a male demoniac. This opens the door to a variety of unnecessary risks and potential accusations. It is far better to head that off by entering into a ministry context like this with multiple Christians present. But whatever the situation, teamwork is almost always appropriate. This is in line with James’s recommendation that multiple Christians should pray over someone who is sick and help that person reconcile with any outstanding sins that must be addressed (Jas 5:13–18). This also reflects the idea that Jesus sent out His disciples in pairs whenever they ministered to people (Mark 6:7; Luke 10:1; cf. 2 Cor 13:1; 1 Cor 14:29; Num 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:15). Teamwork in an exorcism ministry provides a witness to the proceedings, adds credibility, and helps support the people involved.

Demonic Oppression Can Last a Long Time​

Not every exorcism is going to be instantaneous (Mark 5:8; Luke 8:29; 9:38–40 parr.). There will be times when God’s will is to drive out the demons from a demoniac but not immediately. It may have nothing to do with a lack of faith and everything to do with God’s plans for the people involved. Job is one example of this. Satan tormented him mercilessly, so Job and his friends must have prayed night and day for his misery to end. It lasted more than a few days—and perhaps much longer than that—yet one day, suddenly and without warning, God healed Job and reversed everything Satan had done to him (Job 42:10–17). This was not a direct response to any particular prayer. God acted of His own volition when the time was right and not a moment sooner. Elsewhere in Scripture, a seemingly devout Jewish woman suffered from demonic oppression for eighteen years before Jesus healed her (Luke 13:11). And a demonized boy who exhibited supernatural symptoms so severe the family was at its wits end lived with this torment for years before Jesus stopped it (Mark 9:21–22). One of the basic facts that should always be present in the mind of an exorcist is that God resolves demonic oppression on His timetable and not ours. This has already been mentioned several times because it is so very important.

For those who are afflicted with demonic oppression, the wait for God to intervene can seem interminable. However, God knows the situation intimately, and He knows the plans He has for the people involved. A suffering Christian’s job is to remain faithful to the Lord and trust that He understands every detail, hears our prayers, and will help everyone to endure this trial. We all want pain to end immediately. Sometimes, however, the straightest path through it runs directly into the heart of adversity. A psalmist once wrote about waiting for the Lord in the midst of affliction (Ps 130:1–6). Jesus urged the church in Smyrna to be faithful and hold on while it suffered slander, incarceration, and poverty (Rev 2:8–11). Nobody likes to suffer, but suffering is never an eternal state for God’s adopted children. Quite often, God will even show mercy and resolve difficult situations for us far sooner than eternity. The Lord’s ways are good, and He is our stronghold when we are in trouble (Nah 1:7). Nothing is too hard for Him (Gen 18:14). But a demoniac who suffers lingering oppression is experiencing this situation for a reason.

The ancient Israelites may have also wondered at times whether the Lord would actually help them. God told them before they began to take possession of the Promised Land that He would drive the inhabitants out before them. However, God also said He would “drive them out from you little by little” (Exod 23:30 NASB) because otherwise the land would have become desolate without anyone to tend it, and wild animals would have become too much of a problem (Exod 23:27–30). Had God done what He planned all at once, it would have actually created a worse situation for the Israelites. They needed to be patient and obedient to God for very good reasons. So in some contexts, lingering oppression could be the Lord’s way of handling factors that could have a huge impact on the demoniac’s life without that person ever knowing the details. Furthermore, what better way to train a believer to resist evil than while its effects are at their most obvious (cf. Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8–9)? Immediate freedom might not accomplish everything the Lord has in mind. The kingdom of darkness would have a freed believer go immediately back into bondage through any means it can muster, but this is not an outcome that Jesus desires for any of His people (Luke 4:18–21). He factors considerations like that into all His plans.

Lingering oppression, while unpleasant at the time, becomes an opportunity to trust that God will keep His promise to make our paths straight (Prov 3:5–6; Ps 23:1–6; 2 Cor 1:3–5). Extended demonization does not imply that God is unwilling to help. He is merciful to even the worst of sinners (1 Tim 1:15–17; Luke 6:35–36; Heb 4:16; Lam 3:22–23). Yet God chooses when He will heal and how He will heal, all in His timing and for His reasons alone. He is who He is (Exod 3:14). We do not control the Lord, nor must we earn the right to His help through any means we might imagine. Instead, when an exorcism is not immediately effective and we struggle to understand the reasons, we must take the advice of King David who writes, “I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord / In the land of the living. / Wait for the Lord; / Be strong and let your heart take courage; / Yes, wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:13–14 NASB).

Demons Are Cunning Opponents​

There are many instances in Scripture where demons speak to Jesus unbidden before He drives them out of their victims (e.g., Mark 1:24; Luke 4:41; cf. Acts 16:17). Demons can be chatty. This may be intriguing to some Christians who have never encountered the supernatural, but demons have nothing good to say (John 8:44). Exorcists should never consult them nor heed what they might divulge when working with a demoniac. These are evil, rebellious angels who delight in shaming people and destroying whomever they can. They lie by nature, are eager to teach doctrinal errors, and want to divide humanity from the Lord. Relying on any advice a demon gives is a sin that defiles those who pay attention to it (Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27; Deut 18:9–13; 2 Kgs 21:2–6; Isa 8:19; Luke 10:19). Furthermore, when an exorcist actively converses with the demons indwelling a demoniac, it functionally turns that person into a medium, which is a very serious sin. Christian ministers have a solemn responsibility to never intentionally cause anyone to disobey the Lord. That, however, is a demonic objective.

Demons also recognize who does and does not have authority over them. There is never a long and protracted struggle to yank a demon out of a demoniac when the Lord gets involved. It happens or it does not. By all means, an exorcist should verbally command a demon to leave its victim if the Holy Spirit prompts it. However, should the demon fail to comply, the Holy Spirit was not the one who suggested that course of action. Any exorcist who commands a demon to leave but fails to actually drive that demon out of its victim has proven to everyone that he or she has no real authority to give such commands. When Jewish exorcists operating near Ephesus tried to do this, the demon simply responded, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15 NASB). These men did not have the authority to do what they were attempting to do. Demons know who they can safely ignore. God has never empowered everyone to miraculously and instantaneously drive out demons on command. Jesus Christ and His apostles had such authority, but these were confirming signs in the early days of the church partly intended to validate Jesus as the awaited Messiah.21 The Holy Spirit may still choose to work this way in some situations, but it should not be the expectation going into an exorcism unless He indicates otherwise.

One danger of attempting to personally command a demon to do anything is that they can and will pretend to leave a victim without ever actually leaving. They are highly devious spirits who are far more clever than any of us could imagine. They have thousands and thousands of years of experience entrapping humanity, so of course they know how to manipulate people!22 Demons understand human behavior and can easily run a long con. For example, it would be a trivial matter for these deceitful entities to merely refrain from making their evil overtly known while they sit back and watch the humans triumph in their supposed victory. This would be no more difficult for a demon than it is for a human to end a phone call and then watch television. Once the victim and the ministers are convinced an exorcism was effective, the demon could simply go back to causing evil. We must not forget that only Jesus has the power to free a victim from Satan’s grasp (Matt 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21–22). Those without His authority to drive out demons may produce results that appear successful, but give it time and prayer. Exorcism results achieved with unbiblical methods may just be a supernatural sham because Satan never drives out Satan (Matt 12:25–26; Mark 3:23–26; Luke 11:17–18).

Additionally, casting out a demon does not imply it is permanently banished, killed, or stopped from its evil work. Only the Lord has the authority to do such things, and while some demons have been sentenced to “prison” while awaiting their final judgment (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6; Luke 8:31), the fact remains that this final judgment has not arrived for either Satan or his demons. That day will come (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:10, 14–15), but it has not yet come. Demons will continue to cause problems in this world until then, so it is the height of pride and folly to put ourselves in the place of God and command that a demon removed from a demoniac should be chained in the abyss or cast into the lake of fire. God alone has this authority. He alone knows the moment when demons will be removed from creation. That is never for the exorcist to decide. If a demon appears to play along with this charade, it is only to entrap the exorcist and anyone else who believes its lies.

What Happens as a Demon Leaves​

Most exorcism accounts seen throughout Scripture indicate that a demon who leaves its victim rarely causes additional harm on its way out. The one clear exception to this generality is a severely demonized boy who suffered from extreme symptoms. When Jesus commanded the demon who tormented this boy to leave, “after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; the boy became so much like a corpse that most of [the gathered crowd] said, ‘He is dead!’” (Mark 9:26 NASB). Yet this was likely an overreaction from a crowd primarily attracted to the supernatural spectacle of it all because “Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up” (Mark 9:27 NASB). Perhaps the demon really had done some final damage to the child, but even if that were true, it was nothing Jesus did not fix. Moreover, what the boy experienced is unique in all of Scripture. The specific details of his demonic expulsion do not appear to be common, nor are they repeated elsewhere in any other biblical account.

By comparison, what the Capernaum demoniac experienced seems to be what most demoniacs in Scripture experienced once a demon was cast out: “[I]t came out of him without doing him any harm” (Luke 4:35 NASB). As far as the biblical authors are concerned, this is what happens the majority of the time. A demon causes problems, someone like Jesus casts it out, and the demon leaves its victim without inflicting further injury. The prevalence of this in Scripture strongly suggests it still holds true today. Nevertheless, what the demonized boy experienced does point to the possibility that an individual may become temporarily fatigued whenever an exorcism is successful. Another exorcism account in Scripture appears to support this notion. When traveling through a region north of Jerusalem, Jesus remotely healed a demonized girl who was later found “lying on the bed, and the demon gone” (Mark 7:30 NASB). This might indicate she was exhausted from her ordeal. These two accounts together imply that when a demon is forced to leave its victim, the struggle can be physically taxing for the afflicted. An exorcist who observes this happening should advise a period of rest for the person being helped. It may even be necessary to end the session that day and reconvene at a later date.

We might wonder what other physical sensations are part of demonic expulsion, but the Bible does not include those details. However, while personal anecdotes can never compare with divinely inspired Scripture, perhaps the different sensations I personally experienced after an indwelling demon left me will contribute to the discussion. Coughing was common at the outset of each demonic expulsion; other sensations followed. Some of these were present and some were not every time Jesus drove a demon out of me. Each experience was different. This short list catalogs the full range of different sensations I observed:

  • Coughing at the outset (at times so strong my stomach muscles grew sore)
  • Strain (strong enough to turn my face slightly purple)
  • Physical weakness, various intensities
  • Lightheadedness, various intensities
  • Immediate reversal of supernatural symptoms, various degrees
  • Improved mental clarity
  • Improved quality of sleep
  • Sense of spiritual cleanness
  • Sense of peace
  • Sense of joy
  • Sense of hope

Another commonality among scriptural accounts is that demons may depart with a loud noise. After Jesus commanded the demon to leave the demonized boy, it left “after crying out” (Mark 9:26 NASB). The missionary Philip cast out demons from many people, and these unclean spirits “were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice” (Acts 8:7 NASB). A demon may not be silent when it departs from its victim. Much like a demon can speak through a person, it can also scream through a person, and that appears to be the behavior some demons exhibit upon leaving their human hosts.

Driving Out Demons​

When it comes time to drive out a demon, in truth, the precise words we use make absolutely no difference. This is not a ritual, nor is it an incantation, so the exorcist has some options. There is nothing wrong with simply praying for God to remove the demons from a demoniac. Jesus once said of a particularly stubborn demon, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer” (Mark 9:29 NASB). He did not intend this to mean that we must pray to drive out a demon (cf. Mark 9:25), but it does convey that not only is prayer powerful, it also reminds us of our dependence on God. Moreover, James writes, “A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much” (Jas 5:16 NASB). If an exorcist prefers to operate using only prayers, it is just as effective as any other Bible-based approach. The same God who answers prayers is the same God who drives out demons. Let that sink in for a moment. There is no delay between saying a prayer and God hearing that prayer. The only delay is whether He will choose to drive out a demon in that moment or not, and this decision is entirely up to the Lord.

However, while the precise words are unimportant, an exorcist should explicitly ask the Lord to remove the demons who are tormenting a demoniac, remaining humble and open to whatever God wants to do in that situation. A minister who fails to ask God to remove a demon from a demoniac cannot identify as an exorcist, nor should there be any expectation of success. “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives” (Jas 4:2–3 NASB). So pray for the Lord to drive the demons out of the demoniac, and do it with a spirit of humility and compassion. Here are a few other things a minister might pray for a demoniac (cf. Col 1:9–14):

We can request that they (1) understand God’s will, (2) gain spiritual wisdom, (3) please and honor God, (4) bear good fruit, (5) grow in the knowledge of God, (6) be filled with God’s strength, (7) have great endurance and patience, (8) stay full of Christ’s joy, and (9) give thanks always. All believers have these same basic needs.23

If, on the other hand, an exorcist prefers to use verbal commands, this is not an inherently wrong approach. That is what Jesus did. It is also what His apostles did. There may even be some contexts where a verbal command is preferable so that the people gathered will know beyond a doubt that the Christian God is the one who is doing the healing. When Peter, Paul, and the other apostles performed a miracle “in the name of Jesus Christ,” they were effectively stating where the power to heal originated. This is not a phrase meant to place Jesus’s power under our control24—that would make this phrase into an incantation, which would be a sinful abuse of His name (cf. Acts 19:13, 15; Exod 20:7)—but it can be a good way to point to Jesus among people who either do not know Him or are very new in their relationship with Him.

An exorcist must never go beyond Scripture. Doing so has led to all sorts of unbiblical ideas over thousands of years. Ministers can guard their hearts by remembering that God is always in control of the situation. By extension, exorcists do not need to concern themselves with the unseen minutiae of the spiritual realm. Jesus did, but this was Jesus. When exorcising a demonized boy, He commanded the demon to “not enter him again!” (Mark 9:25 NASB). We can safely ignore such details because Jesus will take care of them for us. This is an exercise in trusting God for the exorcist just as much as it is for the demoniac! Christians must also refrain from mocking demonic forces, especially in the thick of an exorcism (2 Pet 2:10–11; Jude 1:9; Zech 3:2). Any interaction with a demon beyond simple commands to drive it out is unsupported in Scripture. Exorcists who deem it appropriate to use verbal commands rather than prayers may find it useful to reference the exact phrases Jesus used when casting out a demon:

  • “Go!” (Matt 8:32 NASB)
  • “Be quiet, and come out of him!” (Mark 1:25 NASB; cf. Luke 4:35)
  • “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” (Mark 5:8 NASB)
  • “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!” (Mark 9:25 NASB)

These were simple phrases given in His own authority. Jesus did not use elaborate wording, and the words were different every time He commanded a demon to leave. In fact, the commands Jesus gave are wholly unremarkable in themselves; nevertheless, demons obeyed when He commanded them. This plainly shows that the exact words Jesus used did not matter! Rather, the God behind those words is why the demons responded (cf. Matt 8:29; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28). God always controls the agenda. An exorcist should remain aware and obedient to whatever actions the Holy Spirit may prompt during an exorcism, but the outcome does not solely depend on the minister (cf. Matt 6:8). We can rest assured that the Lord is always working behind the scenes. He even helps us to pray effectively.

[T]he Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:26–28 NASB)

Suggested Psalms to Pray​

The psalms are a rich source of comfort for those who are in pain. Praying a psalm puts us in the place of the psalmist, many of whom experienced periods of deep suffering during their lives. When we pray through a psalm, it is as if we are the ones who are crying out to God for His help in a dark situation. Many psalms reference wicked people and evil men, but we can easily substitute demons for those references as they are the embodiment of wickedness and evil. Either pray through an entire psalm or just a few verses, but here are some that might prove useful:

  • Psalm 5 – A prayer for deliverance and wisdom in the midst of our enemies
  • Psalm 22 – A cry of anguish25 as well as a song of praise
  • Psalm 31 – A prayer for deliverance from intense oppression along with an expression of trust in God
  • Psalm 40 – A prayer for deliverance while remembering that God has helped us in the past
  • Psalm 51 – A prayer of repentance paired with a request for forgiveness
  • Psalm 86 – A prayer for mercy and strength
  • Psalm 91 – A reminder that we can trust the Lord to be our refuge
  • Psalm 119:33–40 – A request that God would give us the understanding we require to obey Him
  • Psalm 145:17–21 – A confirmation that God hears you and will rescue you

Example Exorcism Prayer​

Alternatively, here is an example prayer loosely structured with the ACTS (Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication) prayer model. It assumes a Christian exorcist praying on behalf of a demonized Christian. The critical element of this prayer is asking God to remove all demons from the demoniac, but the exact wording is unimportant. We serve a God who perfectly understands the meaning we intend whenever we pray to Him. Use this prayer as is, or modify it as needed:

Dear Lord, our eternal heavenly Father, You defeated the schemes of Satan through the blood of Jesus, and by our Savior’s death and resurrection, You have drawn everyone to Yourself who desires to know You. We praise You that the mercy You show us begins anew every morning. Lord, we confess that we are sinful people, regularly disobeying You in our thoughts, words, and actions. We do what we want to do rather than what You would have us do, and for that, we are truly sorry. We renounce the wickedness in our lives. Please forgive us our sins and help us to be obedient to Your perfect commands. We thank You and praise You for the loving kindness you show Your adopted children. You are ever mindful that we are only dust, too weak to save ourselves.

Lord, your servant [Name] is suffering greatly from the workings of Satan and his demonic forces. Jesus came to free us from captivity to Satan, and just as He once rescued many suffering people from demonic torment, we pray that You would do the same for [Name]. We ask that You would command these evil and unclean spirits, the demons who work to advance the kingdom of darkness, to depart immediately from the body and soul of your servant [Name]. We pray that with Your help and the healing that only You can provide, [Name] may freely live a righteous life fully obedient to Your perfect commands. We thank You and praise You, our heavenly Father, for hearing our prayers and listening to our heartfelt request. May Your will be done here in this place just as it is in heaven. Amen.

  1. See Chapter 11 to learn more about why listening to demons is a terrible idea.↩
  2. See Chapter 6 to learn more about the nature of demons.↩
  3. Ronald A. Beers et al., eds., Life Application Study Bible: New International Version (Wheaton, IL; Grand Rapids: Tyndale House; Zondervan, 1997), 1822.↩
  4. See Chapter 11 to learn more about the many ways people have gone astray in the practice of exorcism.↩
  5. The ending of the Gospel of Mark which says “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons” (Mark 16:17 NASB) is not included in most major manuscripts. Therefore, it should not be used as the basis of any doctrine. But even if we take it at face value, these words are fulfilled quite literally through the apostles and the early missionaries who both believed and cast out demons. Those were signs that continued to announce the kingdom of God into the church age. These words do not necessarily imply that we in the modern era will continue to be empowered with the same apostolic authority. Empirical evidence suggests the opposite (cf. Rev 21:14; 1 Cor 4:9; 12:28–30).↩
  6. See Chapter 5 to learn more about how Satan operates.↩
  7. See Chapter 4 to learn more about the dynamic between God and demons.↩
  8. See Chapter 10 to learn more about how demonization relates to sin.↩
  9. See Chapter 9 to learn more about how curses relate to the people of God.↩
  10. See Chapter 7 to learn more about demonic oppression.↩
  11. Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (BibleSupport.com, (1905) 2014), https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/ §Judg 9:23.↩
  12. At first, my own symptoms would greatly subside when in the presence of a Christian minister. See Chapter 2 to read more about my experience as a recovering demoniac.↩
  13. In my own situation, prayer was all it took for my demons to reveal themselves whenever they attempted to hide. The Lord answered this prayer every time, so there was never a question whether demons were still inside me.↩
  14. Diane Mapes, “See Ghosts? There May Be a Medical Reason” (NBC News, 29 October 2009), http://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/see-ghosts-there-may-be-medical-reason-1C9926902.↩
  15. Ghost hunting involves seeking contact with spirits, a practice clearly prohibited in Scripture.↩
  16. See Chapter 9 to learn more about these consequences. Although the relevant discussion in that chapter concerns the consequences of occultism, the lessons also apply here.↩
  17. See Chapter 10 to learn more about the “unforgivable sin.”↩
  18. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 1141.↩
  19. This was not even common in the first century. See Chapter 8 to learn more about apostolic miracles.↩
  20. See Chapter 7 to learn more about the specifics of demonic oppression.↩
  21. See Chapter 8 to learn more about the nature of apostolic miracles.↩
  22. See Chapter 6 to learn more about the nature of demons.↩
  23. Beers et al., Life Application Study Bible, 2159.↩
  24. See Chapter 11 to learn more about what the phrase “in the name of Jesus” actually implies.↩
  25. Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 while He was dying on the cross.↩