Victory Over Demons and Fear
A basic practical guide-book for those who need enlightenment on this subject
By N. Daniel
Rewritten and Updated by Joshua Daniel
Chapter 1. Devil Oppresses People at His Will Where There is No Christian Gospel
Chapter 2. Do Not Be Ignorant of the Wiles of Satan
Chapter 3. Your Faith Should Be Strong When You Try to Cast Out Devils
Chapter 4. Leading the Devil-possessed People to Christ
Chapter 5. Victory Only Through the Blood of Jesus
Chapter 6. Released to Set Free Others
PREFACE
It looks like many people want to remain ignorant of the existence of the powers of the underworld, and that these evil powers attack people in many different ways and trouble them. How many are totally unaware that these evil powers disrupt the peace and tranquillity of many families.The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Fear not those who have power to kill only the body." When the God of gods became a man and lived among men and ministered on this earth for a short period, he had to rebuke many unclean spirits and cast them out from people. These evil spirits tremble at the Name of this Living Saviour who laid down His life for our sins and rose again from the dead. It is He who is Christ, the true Saviour.
Yes, when apparently fine and sane individuals are possessed by evil spirits and begin to behave in an uncouth and uncontrollable way, they are brought to our revival meetings by their relatives for prayer. Some evil spirits suddenly possess and live inside human beings. Some of them reveal themselves at times that they are inside these people, but for the rest they lie low. There are other spirits who remain in hiding inside human beings so long, in such a way that no one knows it, till they meet a man of God, who is truly filled with God's Holy Spirit. After meeting a true man of God, they begin to cry out, faint, fall down and foam. Once they come out of hiding, they manifest themselves quite freely. Even in their first encounter with a true servant of Jesus Christ, they are thrown into a state of confusion.
Most people who call themselves Christians do not know at all what to do with such problems, because they do not have any real relationship with the Saviour Jesus Christ. They are not His children. So they run to magicians and fortune-tellers seeking some quick remedy. They also spend a lot of money buying charms and amulets.
Soothsayers and magicians worship devils. People who go to such people seeking help add greatly to their miseries. Great spiritual darkness grips them and their progeny and a variety of oppressions seize their families. Jesus Christ Himself has said that it is not possible to cast out devils with the help of the devil. Sometimes these magicians appear to stop these troubles temporarily, using spirits with greater power to control spirits with less power. But very soon the outbreaks of fear, fits and other weird manifestations get completely out of hand. The enchantments of the magicians fail and those evil spirits come back to those that were possessed by them.
"Ye shall not eat anything with the blood; neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times... Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19: 26, 31. Please read Deuteronomy 18:10-14. Palmistry, fortune-telling, horoscopes, observing of times and days and the like are great abominations in the sight of the Living God. The devil's terrible attacks will come on those that are involved in these things and other rites which are connected with idol worship.
My late father, Mr. N. Daniel, learned to live in close communion with God, even from his youth. God used him mightily to pray and deliver many men and women who had struggled hard but could not get any kind of help from hospitals, Hindu pilgrim centers, magicians, fortune-tellers or the various methods used by non-Christians to exorcise demon powers. People possessed by unclean spirits would tremble and fear at the very sight of my father, because my father lived in close communion with the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Saviour of the world.
As my father was continually preaching or traveling doing God's work, he did not have time to write in detail about the powers of darkness and incorporate it in a book. At the persuasion of Mr. Ken Taylor of Moody Press, he tape-recorded some of his experiences. Adding certain other material to this matter given by my dad, Moody Press published the book "Demon Experiences in Many Lands."
We have been constantly urged by many to bring out a book on this subject. Naturally this little volume is meant to be a basic practical guide-book. It is for the ordinary man. It has no pretensions at all to intense research or any exhaustive tabulation of demonic manifestations. In fact I have been very averse to dwell on the works of the devil, for long years. But in the course of my labours in many lands, I am constantly having to deal with people suffering greatly from demonic oppression. Hence this book-chiefly for those who desperately need enlightenment on this subject.
Our prayer is that God should grant deliverance to all those who read this book prayerfully, repent of their sins and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ.
"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Acts 2:21.
- Joshua Daniel
Chapter 1
To a great extent people are possessed by the devil's evil spirits in a pronounced manner in countries where idol worship and spirit worship take place. In this regard, down the centuries, China, India and countries of Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean have been hot-beds of unrestrained demon-worship and activity. Today however, with the spread of rank Satanism and even ritual killings, there is a great proliferation of demonic oppression world-wide.
Just as in the days of Jesus, such devil-possessed people come in great numbers to the revival meetings conducted by us. They come there and wail loudly, or they scream or weep terribly, for they fall down as in a trance. Sometimes they are found to be shaking their heads violently. At such times we rebuke these devils in the Name of Jesus Christ. Immediately these devils come out. But there is a pre-condition: the person who uses Christ's Name to cast out devils should be strong in faith and have a pure heart and a clean conscience.
There are several kinds of devils. If they person has more than one devil, they will not come out quickly. Sometimes it may be a legion i.e., a large number of devils. I remember once I cast out forty devils out of a woman. When the relatives of the devil-possessed person, for some reason, hide the truth without telling all the relevant facts with respect to the case, the devils do not come out easily. It is quite usual for family members to decide amongst themselves that they should not disclose all the magical charms and devices which they had employed, all the places of pilgrimage they had visited and all the astrologers they had consulted, etc, etc. Often the close relatives only want a quick relief of the 'dark paraphernalia'. At such times the demons know that they have a secure 'toe-hold' in the person and that family can stubbornly refuse to leave or in other ways disrupt the proceedings.
You might ask if these things happen to Christians also. Yes, it is possible for the devil to possess those who are mere nominal Christians quite easily (Today when 'believism' is the only Gospel which is chiefly preached, many parade around as true Christians, who have never in fact, truly repented and forsaken their sins. Such people are an easy target to devils.) The devils enter and possess nominal Christians mostly when they take part in idolatrous festivals, or when they go to Hindu temples, or places of pilgrimage, or when they buy and eat things offered to idols, or when they stay under trees which are worshipped by Buddhists or Hindus, or when they take part in sacrifices, oblations or incense which is offered to idols. Now these vile spirits enter people very easily when they practice witchcraft and fortune-telling, and when they go to the graves of some people. Having your palm read, wearing amulets and charms and a variety of other occult practices make people not only vulnerable to demon-invasion, but also to various forms of fearful demon-oppression. Sometimes demon-possession takes the shape of giving the subjects terrible attacks of epileptic fits. While we recognize the fact that medically epilepsy is a disease and there are natural causes for it, we are here talking of devil-induced fits can be very violent and be accompanied by frothing, gnashing of teeth and blood-curdling cries and frightful sounds, convulsions, contortions and physical prostrations.
There is another condition, where certain serious diseases are simulated by these demons. If people who suffer from such diseases are taken to doctors, they examine the patient and say, "We do not at all understand what disease you are suffering from, because there is no disease at all in your body, medically speaking." They often think that the patient is feigning the sickness or that it is some strange psychic case. These evil spirits have authority even over 'nominal Christians' and I have had to deal with many cases of sicknesses which proved simply untreatable medically and completely baffled doctors. The Lord Jesus healed them.
Once a pastor in Madras came to me and said that his daughter had started getting attacks of severe convulsions suddenly and requested prayer on her behalf. I asked him if his daughter was getting the attack of fits from her childhood. He replied, "No, only recently she began getting the attacks." Then I asked him, "Has your daughter ever been to Hindu temples?" Immediately the pastor replied, "My daughter has never gone to Hindu temples." Then I asked that girl herself. She told me that she had daily gone to school entering and passing through a Hindu temple. When the father heard that he was surprised. Then, when I anointed her head with oil and rebuked the evil spirit in the Name of the Lord Jesus, she was delivered. After that she never had fits again. Many who suffered from fits have been healed in this manner.
A Christian official came to me and said that his little son had suddenly lost the capacity to talk and that he was getting attacks of epileptic fits. I asked him at once, "Do you have Hindu temples or trees which are worshipped by Hindus near your house?" Then he said, "Yes, my son has been playing under a tree where idols are kept and worshipped." Immediately I rebuked the evil spirit in the Name of the Lord Jesus and the boy was perfectly healed at once.
Some, who go to live in houses in which evil spirits have been worshipped for many years, are afflicted by these spirits. They suffer from chest pain, stomach ache and fever and even some peculiar diseases, fears and oppressions. Then people of God who have true faith should go there and rebuke those evil spirits and command them to leave those premises. Unaccountable and sudden deaths also take place in such houses.
In houses where weird manifestations, strange afflictions, and nightly visitations with choking sensation occur, upon some investigation you will discover that idols had been installed there and worshipped regularly for years. Behind idols there are evil spirits. Sometimes there are places on the walls of houses with engravings or special ornamentation specifically for idolatrous worship. Such pictures or figures should be scraped out of the walls and that whole area or wall should be completely colour-washed, and a man of God should be invited there and made to pray in the Name of the Lord Jesus. People were permanently delivered from such suffering in all such houses where I went and prayed.
A Hindu graduate teacher went inside a temple and playfully took the ‘holy ash’ (Ash chiefly derived from cow dung which is used in Hindu temples. Before leaving, worshippers smear some of this ash on their foreheads or upper arms.) there and used it to brush his teeth. Immediately that man became insane. He was brought to me for prayer. I prayed in the Name of the Lord Jesus and he was healed right away. But a while after there was a resurgence of the trouble as he had not fully repented of his sins and totally yielded his life to the Lord Jesus, after being healed.
A woman broke an idol out of mere fleshly enthusiasm and being full of zeal for Christianity. Immediately an evil spirit possessed her. The woman was brought to me. The evil spirit began to speak (Ofttimes these evil spirits answer in a voice far different from that of the one possessed and sometimes also in a language which the person does not know.) and said, "She has broken my idol. That is why I have possessed her." I cast out the devil at once. But that woman’s family did not seek to follow the Lord, being satisfied with their routine nominal Christianity. Moreover, as there were hidden and unconfessed sins in that family, I heard later that these evil spirits continued to trouble them occasionally.
Many years ago while my wife and I were spending some weeks in prayer, in a city which was known for its wickedness and immorality, an Anglo-Indian girl was brought to me. She was brought in a horse-cart or buggy. As soon as she saw me, she began to scream hysterically: "O, you are a man of God!" This girl had never seen me even once before, nor had I known her at all. She was possessed by the devil and was shouting at the top of her voice. She was very violent. She had not eaten or drunk for three days. There was no limit to her violence. I asked her to keep quiet and I rebuked the evil spirit to go out of her. Promptly the demon in her said, "Sir, give me a slap on my face. Then I will go away." I said at once, "The Name of the Lord Jesus Christ itself is sufficient for you to leave." I anointed her with oil on her head and rebuked the devil in Jesus’ Name. Immediately she screamed aloud and fell down as if dead. After sometime she got up perfectly healed. Now suddenly the weakness of the past three days’ starvation overcame her. She asked for water to drink. When she was given water, she drank to her heart’s content! It was a pathetic sight. But the Lord Jesus triumphed and she left a healed girl.
The devil has been oppressing and tormenting families and young people like this so much in many places. The only refuge for people who are attacked in this manner by the devil is Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His own life for the sins of all people and rose up on the third day victorious over death.
Chapter 2
Devils do not easily like to go away from the world, because they like to enjoy sin, getting into people who love sin. But those who are in Christ have come out of darkness into the light of Jesus Christ. If they are steadfast in faith, obeying God's word and believing the Blood of the sinless Saviour shed on the cross, they will enjoy great protection and safety. This kind of security is only to be found under the Blood of Christ.
That is why the Bible tells us that we should teach the Word of God to our children when we are sitting, standing, walking and lying down. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) When we fear God and obey His Word the children also are safe. Where there is the knowledge of Christ and where the Gospel is taught, there is no way devils can come there. Furthermore, wherever there is deep faith in the Word of God and on the Cross of Jesus; wherever the communion service is observed not as a formality but with true reverence and holiness, remembering the death of Jesus, the devils cannot operate there at all. The devil cannot possess a truly converted believer who walks with a clean conscience before God. 'Mental Christians' and those who deliberately harbour hypocrisy and disobedience to God's word are very vulnerable to the devil's onslaughts.
One who casts out devils should not bring devil-possessed persons into his house to cast them out, because there may be in that house children who are not strong enough in faith to resist the devils, or women who are weak and fearful. The devils which are driven out seek to enter any 'weak' person close-by.
You should not bring and keep a devil-possessed person in your house. Now, if that person dies in that condition, the devil that was in him, normally enters one who is weak in faith in that house. But we shall be protected if we are strong in faith, obeying God's Word and believing the Cross of Christ. Devils have a vengeful nature. They like to torment even those that cast them out if they see an opening. If there is any presumptuous spirit or pride in them, they like to attack them or their family members. Once, because one of our team tried to cast out many terrible devils out of a person, darkness came into him and he himself was tormented. I had to travel three hundred miles to drive it out. Then he was restored to good health.
Casting out devils should not be attempted by all Christians. Power to cast out evil spirits is a gift from God. In another sense, it arises from a true walk with God, whereby you begin to exercise the power of faith. Those who are in the will of God are always a great power. Then again when there is no one present with this special gift, if converted people with 'ordinary' faith join together and fast and pray, the devils run away.
Women should never singly attempt to deal with devils. When there is a serious backwash, they will suffer much and long before they recover completely. Once people brought a staunch Hindu girl to us. Those that brought her told us that she was suffering from a heart disease and that no doctor could help her. We took that girl to our revival meetings. When I started preaching, that girl started moving her head back and forth vigorously. Immediately we knew that she was possessed with a devil. I took her out of the meeting, put my hand on her head and prayed in the Name of Jesus. That was a terrible devil and so it stubbornly resisted. I prayed three days. Finally, on the third day that devil left her completely. Immediately the heart disease, from which she was suffering left her and she became perfectly healthy.
Once a Christian teacher's wife came to our revival meetings. One day when the Spirit of God descended upon the people, they all fell on their knees and were confessing their sins. But that Christian teacher's wife stood up and started beating others with her fist. Some who were there, caught hold of her and brought her to me. She was possessed with a devil. As soon as she saw me the devil shouted, "Alas! Pastor! Will you drive me out? I have been living in her for nine years. So, please do not drive me out from her." Just before I started from Madras for those meetings, God had given me Matthew 10:1 as a promise- "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." I asked one who was nearby to read that verse. After he had read it, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I commanded that devil to come out. When it came out, she fell on the ground. She was given some water to drink. As soon as the devil fled she became alright. Then she narrated the pathetic story of her nine years of suffering. She had been experiencing terrible agony and was dreadfully tormented by that horrible devil who had even tried to kill her often by pushing her into water and into fire.
We leave you to ponder and reflect what relief and joy come to families when mothers who are rendered unpredictable and dysfunctional, are thus delivered by the Lord Jesus and return to their homes whole. Such is the Saviour- He wipes away your tears.
Chapter 3
Once when we were holding revival meetings in a place the communists there were opposing us saying "There is no God." Just at the time when a group of young communists came to argue with us and silence us, some people brought to me a girl, who was possessed by devils for twelve years. All those communists were watching with wonder and curiosity as to what would happen. When I placed my hand on her head and asked the devils, which were in her, to come out, the devils shouted fiercely and defiantly, "We will never come out. We have been living in this girl for twelve years. So we won't go out of her." I rebuked them at once, "No, you must surely go out of her. It is not I who am giving you this command, but it is the Lord Jesus Christ. So you have no right at all to be in this girl." Immediately the devils left her. That girl was perfectly healed. The communists who had watched all that happened were awe-struck and could not open their mouths. They realized that here was manifest an immensely greater power, which they could not see with their eyes, than what Communist ideology or materialist atheism could produce. After that, they never opposed us at all, but started coming to our meetings.
In that town the communist group which was ruining the young people saying, "There is no God at all" was shattered by the revival meetings we conducted. After that they could never propagate their communist teachings in those parts. The Hindu young man, who was leading them repented and got converted. Now he is preaching the gospel of Jesus.
Those who cast out devils should be very careful in the exercise of this special ministry. Just as the Holy Spirit knows all the secrets of man's heart, the same way the devils also know well all things that are hidden in the hearts of people. Therefore one should not be engaged in the task of casting out devils with a sort of dubious heart-condition. In other words, your heart should be pure and your hands 'clean'. There must be a lot of prayer. Once a lady, one of our women-workers was attacked when she tried to cast out nine devils out of a person at one stretch. Immediately she took ill and was in great pain. Hence I had to travel several hundred miles to pray for her in her house. Now that lady is in good health. God has renewed her in spirit and she is doing mighty things in God's Name. (These things do not happen as isolated incidents. Wherever revival has taken place and our converted men and women have fanned out preaching, there are always groups of faithful people behind them, who fast and pray. As has already been mentioned, when women-workers over-extend themselves, it can be serious.) Lack of spiritual strength to cast out nine devils at one stretch was the cause for that lady to fall ill. Once again I must emphasize that there is a big backwash often and you are left weak and drained of spiritual 'virtue' (power) after engaging evil spirits in battle. At such a time the devils try hard to hit back. As a rule they first try to attack the very person who attempts to cast them out. When we cast the devils out they are terribly afraid because they know very well that they will be cast into the burning fire thereafter. Sometimes when I lay my hands on the head of devil possessed persons to pray, they wail saying, "Alas! I am burning. I am in hell." How true is the Word of God- the Bible! Therefore, before going to cast out devils one should carefully watch in what state one's own spiritual strength is.
It is easier to cast out a demon if it dwells singly in a person. But in most cases legions of many devils indwell a person. They do not easily come out of people and normally put up a tough fight. Once I had to cast out forty devils out of a girl. It took a long time. Before I went there, a lady who was working as a lecturer in a college tried to cast the devils out and she was at once attacked by those devils and so she was suffering a great deal. When I went there, I had to first pray for that lecturer and she was delivered. After that I played for that girl and the Lord delivered her also. Today, that girl is a bright and happy, saved girl.
Chapter 4
After the devils are cast out, if the person concerned does not get converted confessing all his sins, it is dangerous indeed. The devils that left him will come back into him again. So those who are delivered from demon-possession should get right with God confessing their sins without hiding them. Otherwise, the devils will still have a hold and authority over them. That is why, as a principle, we do not immediately pray over devil-possessed people to cast out the devils in them. We cast out devils only after they hear the Gospel at least for three days (Many who are possessed by devils have lucid periods when they think and behave normally. It is only in an atmosphere charged by God's power that they suddenly get provoked and disclose themselves and come out fighting, convulsing or screaming.) at our meetings. After they have understood a little what is meant by salvation and they begin to recognize their need, then they are ready for being prayed over.
Sometimes when the demon-possessed come to the meetings to hear the Gospel, the devils in them give them great drowsiness and sleep so that they will not be able to hear God's word in the meetings. There is yet another startling manner in which Satan prevents his 'captives' from hearing God's word. A strange, continuous sound in the ears jam the message till the end of the meeting. They complain that they could hear nothing of the address or message. We anoint and pray over such cases before the meeting starts. Then they are able to hear the Gospel.
When there is more than one devil in a person, and only one is cast out, that devil will come back into that person. So we should know whether there are more than one devil in that person or not, and cast out all of them. You should not send that person home till you have finished casting a whole lot out.
Generally, the devils are stubborn and rebellious. They will not easily talk. When the demon-possessed start answering the questions we ask, they suddenly feel as if their throats are being choked so that they are unable to speak any word. But in the Name of the Lord Jesus we command them to open their mouths and talk. I used to often ask those devils which manifest themselves, "Who is the Lord of heaven?" They answer promptly, "The Lord Jesus Christ!" Ofttimes non-Christians who are standing by see and hear this frightening and weird scene and are smitten in their hearts. These demons affirm strongly that there is heaven and hell and give details about both places. But the Lord as given us perfect authority and power over all unclean spirits and devils through the wonderful Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Devils believe God's word. They tremble when we read God's word to them, especially when we read Luke 10:18, 19. "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Devils always acknowledge that Jesus Christ alone is the Lord. Devils can never tell a lie regarding the Lord Jesus Christ. They tremble when we just mention Christ's Name. While they firmly affirm that Jesus is the Lord of Creation, they are terrified at the sound of Jesus' Name and plug their ears if possible.
A certain man in a place where I was preaching, was involved in witchcraft. His daughter was possessed with a devil. I was casting out that devil. There were three devils in that girl. At first I did not know it. I cast out one devil. After some time that devil came back into that girl. That girl's younger sister was also in that house. She was also devil-possessed. I cast out the only devil that was in the younger sister. Before that devil went out, it revealed that there were three devils in her elder sister and also mentioned their names. Immediately I cast out those three devils from the older girl. Even then it was a bit hard to cast them out, because that girl's parents had charms in their house and had written certain magical verses on their lintels and at least one of them had been reading those verses daily. So I sent for her husband and asked him to bring all those magical books, verses and charms from their house and had them all burnt immediately. As soon as they burnt all of them, all the devils ran away. Unless you find out from them if there are things like charms and tin foils or plaques with magical verses written on them in their houses and remove them, the devils will not go out, even if you struggle a lot. You will only face defeat.
Sometimes we have found the spirits of deceased parents possessing and tormenting their own children. Where there is ancestral worship there is great bondage and no freedom at all. It is like putting strong iron chains on a young person such that he or she cannot move. The chains of occult bondage go down from generation to generation. Offering children to idols or praying to ancestral spirits are old heathen customs which bring much misery, fear and bondage. Save for the fact that it is illegal to kill children in 'ritual killings', there would be any number of such killings even today in some countries. When Christ frees such people then great things come out of them. It is a very sad sight indeed when an evil spirit tormenting a young person, acknowledges that it is no other than the dead parent of the boy or girl, and then often departs weeping.
Once I went with some of our evangelists to a place to hold meetings. There was a young girl in that town. Some wicked men tried to get her to yield to their base desires by hook or crook. But she did not yield to their wicked desires. These wicked men were angry and decided to kill her. They sought the help of a magician to kill her. That magician along with another magician begin to play witchcraft on that girl to kill her. (It is common for people to pay magicians and practicers of witchcraft to cast spells on people and to even kill them, in certain parts of the world.) That girl started being plagued by devilish spirits. Immediately she went to a Christian there for prayer. When he prayed she got some relief. But the evil spirits set upon her by the continuous spells of the magicians, did not leave her at all. Again there was only great torment. At that time I went to that town to conduct meetings.
That girl came to our revival meetings. She was brought to us for prayer. When we prayed over her, she just fell down on the ground. She was struggling to breathe and was about to die. But we kept on rebuking and commanding the evil spirits to leave in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to go out of her immediately. She was lying on the ground unconscious. In that state she kept on saying, " Two men are sitting on water and are now playing witchcraft against me. They both keep on talking to each other that they should kill me today." We told that girl, "You will not be harmed by those magicians because you are under the authority of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus Christ." What we heard afterwards was that those evil spirits went back to those two magicians who had sent them and told them, "Alas, we cannot go to that place at all. We are afraid." Those wicked men were completely non-plussed. They began to say, "There see to be a much greater and higher power than us. We have never seen such a situation at all. We are unable to do anything."
Even after that those two magicians continued to play witchcraft till that evening. We also continued to pray in Jesus' Name. Finally those two magicians stopped playing witchcraft saying, "Alas, we cannot kill this girl at all. There is another power much greater than ours." That girl was delivered from the powers of the devil that day itself. Today she is a converted Christian girl. Her husband also got saved and became a Christian. Now both of them are shining as faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.
In countries where there is spirit-worship and an abundance of idolatrous practices, many people die all of a sudden. Medically speaking, no explanation can be given for those seizures and mysterious deaths. Even the parents and relatives of the dead cannot give any reason for such premature death of their dear ones. Unclean spirits which are being worshipped by many people as 'family deities' only desire greatly to kill those that worship them. Jesus Christ Himself has warned us saying, "The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. " Now such people, only when they remove all their idols and believe on the Saviour Jesus Christ with all their heart, can come under the protection of the blood of the Lord Jesus and be fully released from all fear and bondage.
In villages where there is a lot of idol worship, the cause for many natural calamities, diseases, and a high percentage of all infantile mortality (Women in such clean places say, "Just before I delivered my baby, a devil stood before me and said, 'I am here to swallow your baby.'" Then the baby dies.) also and the like is the work of evil spirits.
Devils come upon animals also. Then the animals behave in a strange way. Cows, which have been yielding much milk, will stop yielding. Sometimes they suddenly take ill and die. In such situations, when we rebuked the evil spirits which were afflicting those cows, in the Name of Jesus, the unclean spirits left them and the cows started yielding milk again.
When there is true godly sorrow and you repent deeply of your sins, and come under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for your sins, such unclean spirits will have no power over you. When you have turned to Jesus with all your heart and His good and gracious Spirit fills you, then evil spirits cannot touch you. When there is true godly sorrow and you repent deeply of your sins, and come under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for your sins, such unclean spirits will have no power over you. When you have turned to Jesus with all your heart and His good and gracious Spirit fills you, then evil spirits cannot touch you.
Chapter 5
This is the new covenant. It is not an ordinary covenant that can be merely drawn up on paper. It is the only covenant which will change your life totally. The high aim of God is that we should be like Him. For this purpose only He delivered up His only Son to be sacrificed for you and me. By giving this world His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, He has prepared our hearts to receive and experience this new covenant. Our sin "is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart." Jeremiah 17:1. We can never clean if off. We and our parents have sinned. The spirit that is upon our parents is found in us also. That is why the Bible says that we have to repent of our sins and of our parents' sin also.
Traditions held strongly by non-Christian religions such as consulting astrologers, holding fast to horoscopes, observing of days and propitious times, etc, are often found in even nominal Christian homes in certain parts of the world. Many Christian young people too follow such traditions in their daily life, even today, out of cowardice and fear of society. With scientific discoveries literally exploding around us, it is amazing that people cannot see the absurdity of these superstitions and are still so strongly enslaved by the powers of darkness which are behind these practices, which are an abomination to the Living and Holy God. Without forsaking such evil ways and keeping unconfessed sins in their hearts, they go to hear God's word. Being in such a state, they cannot be benefitted in any way even if they hear God's word all through their lives. They will know the truth only at the mental level. Truth cannot penetrate into their heart. Most Easterners accept any truth easily at the mental level, but their heart just continues in the same state. They will talk a great deal of philosophy, but they will not lead a holy life. Their philosophy and their practical daily living are poles apart. Certain very 'wise' people even try to act like Jesus Christ. But we cannot see Christ’s spirit in them. Gandhi tried to walk like Jesus Christ, but as he did not yield his whole life to Christ, he was not guided by the Spirit of God and so could not show the right kind of light to India or the world. There are many deceitful spirits in this world. They try to act like Christ in certain ways, drawing worldly people's applause and even veneration. These imitators and patrons of Christ cannot change even a single person all through their lives. Without yielding to Christ's spirit, even if you fast and pray for forty days, it will be to little purpose. When you truly repent and confess your sins, the Spirit of Christ will make you live above sin.
The great big 'vacuum' created by the mounting materialism of the West has made many a prey to the beguiling talk of obtuse 'gurus' and religion 'talkers' from the East. Shockingly, in droves several misguided and gullible people in Europe and America have been turning to occult practices and even idolatry, which are being discarded by more and more enlightened people in the East. This awful delusion and bondage to idolatry is really spine-chilling. How sad that a 'dead' Christianity is chiefly to blame for their ‘spiritual blindness' and that the real Christ and His 'Everlasting love' was never presented to them!
In the days of Moses, Egypt was also full of idolatry like India, China and several other countries of the world. The Lord had to deliver the Israelites from that country. As the Israelites had stayed in Egypt for a long time, they learnt Egyptian customs and traditions and in a way their idol worship too. They started worshipping an idol within days when Moses left them and went up Mount Sinai. Egypt was full of evil spirits. Wherever there is idolatry, there are unclean spirits in abundance. You should never go to such places where spirits are worshipped, even out of curiosity or simply because you are in a tourist group and the guide takes you there. On the contrary, being strong in faith, you must take the Gospel to others.
Government servants occupy different kinds of houses when they go to various places on transfer. When they go and occupy houses full of unclean spirits, they often do not have the faith that can sprinkle the Blood of Jesus Christ and sanctify their new dwelling. How can such faith be found in the hearts of people who receive bribes and render false expense accounts etc? The outcome is that they and their families suffer very much through various 'disturbances' and even sicknesses.
You can be saved only by applying the blood of Jesus Christ over your heart by faith. After that you will be delivered from all your trust in Egypt, its traditions and its cruel rule and will start your march into a marvelous freedom and deliverance. Then you will see God dividing the Red Sea for your sake. But you must truly get out of Egypt. Some get out of Egypt, but they carry Egypt with them in their hearts.
Though many profess to have accepted Christ, they appear to be lovers of this world. They do not hate this world as Jesus does. Though the devil took Jesus to a high place and showed Him all the kingdoms of this earth and their glory, he could not make Jesus love or desire them. The devil could not overcome Jesus because He greatly loved heavenly things and was on earth only to do the Father's will.
When these shallow Christians truly humble themselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus, they will be delivered from bondage to earthly things. Those that are not delivered from the love of the world can only be called the inhabitants of Egypt. Only the unclean spirits of Egypt will indwell them. If anyone tries to practice witchcraft against such people, one will surely succeed. But witchcraft will in no way affect those that have come out of Egypt. Reader, have you come out of Egypt and its traditions? Sermons regarding repentance are not preached in our Christian churches these days. Our present day churches only look like government establishments- just human organizations.
Moses did not go alone to Egypt. He went there with the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent God. He went there with God's power. He met Pharaoh and spoke the living words of the Living God. Though Pharaoh was a bit indifferent in the beginning, he later started trembling. When we truly meet God in our life and speak His words of life, the Pharaohs of this world will tremble. When the light of heaven came into Egypt, the powers of darkness were afraid. Suddenly, one day when the powers of darkness or demons of Egypt saw the Blood of the Lamb, they trembled and did not know what to do, and entered even the house of Pharaoh and killed his first-born son. When powers of darkness get dispossessed or driven out, they get exceedingly desperate and fall on the ones nearest them. They got mad when they saw the blood of the lamb which was symbolic of the Blood of Jesus Christ. In a way, they saw the Blood of Jesus Christ in the blood of the spotless lamb which was sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels of the house of the children of Israel.
The powers of darkness which are subject to the rule of the devil, who is called the god of this world, are instruments to lead people in the wrong way. These spirits lead people into idol worship and adultery. Some adulterous people will never forsake the sin of adultery. They will never understand God's word even if they hear it any number of times. "They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord." Hosea 5:4.
The spirit of whoredom has been present in some Christian schools and hospitals. These people try to hide their sins. They never understand the word of the Lord. It is a pity that these Christian institutions which have been established to propagate the Gospel of the Lord, are in such a state. We do not see praying people in these institutions. This is the cause of defeat.
What a great deliverance the Israelites saw when they believed the message which Moses gave them concerning the Blood of the Lamb and acted upon it! The very next day the Egyptians came running to the Israelites, pleading, "Please leave our country at once." Their deliverance was secured. Their long slavery in Egypt had ended.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross as the sacrifice for our sins, the powers of darkness were utterly defeated. The devil and his demons saw a great defeat. It is in this marvelous way Jesus Christ brought salvation to you and me.
The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses our hearts and sets free our consciences. Nothing else except the Blood of Christ can do this for us. The Blood of Jesus is very powerful- the devils tremble at the mention of it. When we believe Jesus, His blood cleanses us from all our sins and we receive a new heart. The Lord Jesus helps us then to get ourselves a clean conscience. Then only we can go to the Lord's presence, cleansed of an evil conscience.
Dear reader, is your conscience clean? Have you forgiven all your enemies? The powers of darkness cannot attack you when you stand at the foot of the Cross. Sprinkle the Blood of Jesus on yourself and on your children. Then you will be saved and kept from the works of unclean sprits, diseases which arise from occult oppression and an Eternal separation from God which is Hell.
Dear parents, first come to the Cross of Jesus. Then bring your children there too. Then the Lord will keep His commandments in your heart, and write them on your mind. His words which are engraved upon your hearts will head you in the right way. When you abide in the will of God, the powers of the darkness of this world cannot touch you at all.
The dear Lord will help you to obey His word and implement these things which you have read in this little book, right away. It is hard to guess how many, you yourself will be enabled to bring out of the 'power of darkness' into 'His marvelous light'. Colossians 1:13 and 1 Peter 2:9.
When you obey Him, you too can sing with triumph:
There is victory for ME,
There is victory for ME,
Through the Blood of Christ my SAVIOUR,
There is victory for ME.
For ME, yes ME, For ME, yes ME,
Through the Blood of Christ my SAVIOUR
THERE IS VICTORY.
Chapter 6
What a picture we have here of a tormented human being! Some magicians told me that they went to cemeteries and worshipped spirits to get the ability to gain control over evil spirits in order to use them to do their bidding. But finally they became very miserable people and they themselves began to be attacked by these dark spirits and to suffer great reverses and grievous sicknesses. Driven to dire distress, they came to us for prayer and the Lord Jesus delivered them.
Here was a man whose home was amidst the tombs. What kind of home is that? He dwelt among tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones night and day. His personality was in total turmoil. The Lord Jesus Christ went across the sea of Galilee to meet this one man. Sometimes people tell me, "These meetings have come just in time for me." I remember a mother, who began to repent for her evil life, telling me, "I was trying to force my daughter to join the cineworld when your meetings came to my city." It is simply incomprehensible, the kind of lifestyle which many of these filmstars have adopted. Imagine a mother wanting to throw her minor daughter into such a cesspool. Now we all know that under the convenient cover of art, these people sell their bodies for money. Don't imagine that it is a marvelous thing to circulate through a hundred arms. God has one person for you. God has one wife for you. Are you ready to wait and ask for the right person or do you want to experiment with all manner of illicit sex? Today, television, many magazines and books are not just nudging but urging young people to experiment extensively with sex. They say, "The condom is your salvation. Let's give it freely to people." I don't know whether you live in areas where in the morning you find condoms lying around. I know of some areas like that in London and mothers of little children complain bitterly of such happenings in the close vicinity of their homes.
My dear friends, when you become a person fully obsessed by unclean desires which tear you, then evil spirits can take hold of you. Unclean spirits want unclean persons for their dwelling. Knowing that men desperately need help in this area, when Jesus sent out His disciples, He gave them power to cast out all unclean spirits. Don't tell me of your gleaming skyscrapered city. "This is a proud, enlightened city." Let me tell you this. In some of the richest families of your city, in the families of wealthy industrialists and the apparently most successful people, there are demon-possessed children and others in a forlorn and even neglected condition. Don't imagine that education will drive away these unclean spirits. Pour your honey and treacle over the garbled texture of these tortured lives, cover them with your silk and satin, yet the tears and the screams will pierce through in unmitigated pain and agony.
The Lord Jesus said, the devil comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. If somebody steals ten dollars or a hundred from us, we think we have lost so much and feel the loss. But what does Satan steal? He steals your joy and your peace. Look at our families. No peace! How many people today have strange afflictions! When I was speaking in one place, right in front of the platform a girl of thirteen years fell down and the seizure was so severe and the resultant contortions were so terrible that it was simply too painful for me to witness the scene. Her grandfather had been an idolatrous priest, and all kinds of 'mantras', chants and enchantment had been done in that family. My heart was broken at the sight of this tender girl's suffering. Her father was a government official. I prayed for this girl and the evil spirit left the girl. There were no more 'fits' or attacks of the devil. The Lord Jesus healed her and she went on to complete her high school and college studies. We see this kind of thing in so many families. It makes me very sad. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ gives you power over these evil spirits. Not just the pain and the complete loss of peace, but think of the many precious years 'stolen' this way!
Moreover, you will find indwelling some people the very family deities which they are worshipping. These evil spirits, not satisfied with the gifts offered them, begin to attack them. When they bring these people to me, I sometimes asked those evil spirits, "Why did you come?" "I came to kill this young man and I want to kill his family too," they reply. Then I say, "You have no power to kill this young man or his family. In Jesus' Name you must leave and never come back." Those spirits wail and mourn at this command and after one last convulsion depart. Then all is still and the patient rises as from a daze. How wonderful that the Lord Jesus sets free those very pawns of the devil whose very life appears to hang in the balance!
One businessman brought to me his wife, a nice looking tender woman. But she had been suffering for years from horrible seizures when she would be uncontrollable. So I said, "I am going to fast and pray. You bring your wife on this particular evening." Then he brought his wife. Even as I was talking to her, the evil spirit manifested itself and broke into violent convulsions. Then I prayed for her. You know what the evil spirit said? "I will go away but when this woman goes home I will come back to her." I asked her husband, "What is there in your house which gives the devil his strength?" He said, "There are idols in my house. We are a joint-family. My brothers worship those idols. I don't worship them anymore. But that is where I live." I said, "If you want your wife to be well, you will have to leave that place. Either the family quits its idolatry or you have to leave that place." The Lord Jesus healed that woman completely.
We have a great Saviour. He loves each of us. It is the usual thing for people to 'cover up' their fears, their sinfulness and their moral depravity. By sweeping your sins under the rug you are not going to achieve anything. Where the spirit of uncleanness is, the devil has a strong foothold.
Now the man amidst the tombs cried with a loud voice. The presence of Jesus was a great torment to the unclean spirit. What did the Lord Jesus Christ say to this man? He said to that unclean spirit, "Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit." People can sit before the television four or five hours and in the places of evil amusements for many hours, but they can't pray for five minutes. Why is that? It is because their evil hearts has a strong bent and affinity towards uncleanness. You are in your elements when there is uncleanness around you. But as soon as you are exposed to God's word, you are uncomfortable! You see, these evil spirits in him were most uncomfortable in the presence of Jesus. But the Lord Jesus sets you free from such a heart. To run away from God's presence and His word is a pronounced trait of the devil.
As soon as Jesus said, "Come out, evil spirit," what did it say? "What have I to do with you, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?" Then, the Lord Jesus said, "What is your name?" The spirit replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." When I prayed for one teacher, she actually rolled on the platform from corner to corner and the evil spirit in her began to say, "Don't trouble me. Why do you care for this woman? She is just a worthless dry brand. I came to kill her." I said, "Who are you? What is your name?" It said, "I am the much-regarded spirit that is in the temple on the hill-top. I am an ancient sage. "I said, "I don't care, whoever you are, get out of this woman." After much lingering and with great reluctance that stubborn spirit left and that woman was freed. But she was not ready to take her stand with Jesus. I don't know all her history subsequently. But it is a very sad thing when one who is healed does not become a faithful disciple. When the Lord Jesus delivers you, He wants you to confess your sins, come clean and then live for His glory.
Some people come to tell me of their condition. Some of them even guess or suspect that the strange, sinister fear and distress which quite overwhelms them at time, must be due to demon possession. A man came out from a big hospital to our Sunday service, getting permission for a couple of hours. He had been admitted for heart trouble. After the meeting he came up to request prayer. Hardly had I spoken to him when the evil spirit cried out most ferociously. He fell down and four people had to hold him. When the evil spirit was cast out, he became totally normal, and he said 'good night' to me and went back to the hospital. He was healed completely and soon after left the hospital. He needed no treatment for what had appeared like a serious heart ailment. He has continued well and is now a father of several children.
Here is this man who said, 'I am Legion: for we are many.' But this evil spirit said, "Don't send us out of this country." What a sad thing! Some of these evil spirits attach themselves to certain forests, claim certain hills and temples as their sole domain and certain families as their age-old vassals and slaves. They even claim jurisdiction over some localities, tribes and even large geographic areas and cities. They say, "We have been here for so many centuries. We will not leave." Only the Lord Jesus can deliver such large cities where a great number of men had died violent deaths since ancient times, due to gory battles and mass executions. Let us take Delhi for instance. From the time of those old emperors from Central Asia and warriors who successively invaded India, I can scarcely say how many people had been unjustly killed and indiscriminately slaughtered. Some of those evil and restless spirits are affecting and influencing leaders and people in key positions even to this day. These leaders begin with good desires, but then they suddenly come out with some bizarre regulation or law, which leads to riots and killing and numerous self-immolations.
My dear friends, of country after country, you can say, "How many sufferings in this country, how many tears and tragedies!" What is the use of your saying, "I am a Christian" and really what is the use of my saying, "I am a preacher" if we don't drive away these evil spirits? In region after region there is killing, bloodshed and man robbing man- are we wild animals? Must we devour one another? Look at the injustices and the denial of basic human rights heaped on the poor. Political leaders, supposed administrators and civil service appointees are fleecing and flaying the people alive! I cannot understand the awful greed and cruelty behind such a mentality. The Bible says that those who receive Christ are made the sons of God. God wants us to be His sons and daughters- full of love, full of joy and full of power to release these willing 'slaves' of the devil.
The evil spirits told Jesus, "Don't send us out of this country. Send us into the herd of swine over there." Unclean spirits want to inhabit unclean animals and unclean people. Jesus gave them leave and of course when the evil spirits went into them, all the swine ran headlong into the sea. But what sorrow there was in that country over the loss of their pigs! Word went back to the owners, "Your swines are lost." They did not say, "Hey, that man in the tombs is delivered. The police could not control him, no asylum could cure him and nobody could bind him with chains. But now he is free. Let us rejoice!" No, they did not rejoice about that. They mourned, "Oh, our pigs are drowned." They came to Jesus and begged Him saying, "Please leave our country."
In the East and in many developing countries, there are some people who say today: "We don't want Christ in this country. He is an American God." Do you know America? I have preached in America from my youth. Today America is ready to be destroyed because of her rejection of the Lord Jesus. They began with the Bible, but now many there have departed far from God. Their families are breaking and those who are rushing in there from all quarters of the globe, often get so steeped in materialism that they are of little use and no Heavenly use whatever! Do not imagine that America and Christ are synonymous. No, my friend, Jesus is the God of sinners, He is the God who came to drive out the devils from as many as will seek Him. Nobody can cure us of our native deceit, our false balances, the lying tongue and the innate pride in us. Nobody can save us from our wicked hearts. Because Jesus died on the Cross and became the propitiation for our sins, there is hope for you and me and there is hope for every sinner in this world. Whether you may be in a high position in Government or nobody in the land, Jesus loves you.
What did the people see? They saw this man seated at the Feet of Jesus. What an astonishing sight! He was saying to Jesus, "I want to be with you." The same man who a little while ago had cried, "What have I to do with you?" is speaking like this now. Look at the diametrically opposite change in his attitudes and longings. Seated at the Feet of Jesus, his heart's desire now was to be with Him. When people do not long for prayer and the study of God's word, the Bible, and the company of those who walk with God with a clean conscience, there is something seriously wrong with them. The dramatic change visible in this tortured and tormented man, just takes place in everyone as soon as the spiritual darkness is dispelled from them.
There are those who claim that their family traditions or even 'caste' or class keeps them from the Lord Jesus. Some long to be free from these shackles and in the mean time suffer silently in fear and cowardice, while the years slip by. Dare you lose this salvation of your soul through the fear of your community or companions!
Now here is your opportunity to enjoy and declare the great freedom with which Christ sets us free. I cannot imagine anyone denying that man from Gadarenes a hearing, while he declared Christ and spoke of his release. You can be sure that when you truly taste Jesus, there is a ring of truth and reality about everything you say and do. Dear reader, throw away your blinkers, cast away all fetters! There has never been a time like this to declare Jesus and His love.
Yes, the Lord Jesus told this man, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you." He became the missionary to those parts. Jesus Himself did not preach there, but this man who was once demon-possessed went back and preached there. Listen friends, there is hope for us. You and I simply become true witnesses for Jesus when he touches us. Yes, the Lord Jesus told this man, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you." He became the missionary to those parts. Jesus Himself did not preach there, but this man who was once demon-possessed went back and preached there. Listen friends, there is hope for us. You and I simply become true witnesses for Jesus when he touches us.
"Touch Everyone of My Readers, Lord. I pray You in Jesus' Name." Amen.