Month: March 2023

With all the talk these days of demons and deliverance, how would I know if you had a demon? I’m going to give you five ways to detect if you do. Of course, there are hundreds of ways that demons enter. But I have broken this down into the five areas demons most generally attack the human condition. This applies in every culture on every socioeconomic level. What I’m saying isn’t exhaustive. If you want more illumination on this, go to boblarsonuniversity.org and check out our educational track on demons, deliverance, and exorcism.

Here, then, are the five most common areas where evil spirits strike, especially Christians.

1. FAITH: Demons attack belief systems of faith. These tactics are obvious. Try to read your Bible and you suddenly get sleepy or distracted. You may find yourself questioning time-honored scriptural truths. You doubt, like Eve, when the tempting serpent questioned God with the words of Genesis 3:1: Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’? (AMP) Such distractions may be human querulousness or deception by the devil.
2. HEALTH: John 10:10 says that Satan comes to kill. Not all sicknesses, diseases, and infirmities are demonic, but many are. The devil may exploit bodily weakness to make them worse. He can also be the cause of physical maladies. Luke 7:21 says of Jesus, “He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits” (NKJV). Here we see the connection between illnesses and casting out demons. Demonic diseases often come on suddenly, have no medical explanation, and don’t improve with any medication. Don’t automatically assume that any illness is demonic, but there’s no harm in praying for healing if it is the work of evil spirits.
3. FINANCES: Not every lack of money is the work of demons, but generational curses are often centered on this theme. An ancestor made a deal with the devil, perhaps the demon god Mammon, and successive progeny never seem to have enough or always lose what they gain. Education, hard work, industriousness help to mitigate this curse, but the devil often seems to keep the tormented Christian from realizing their fullest potential. Malachi 3:11 declares that the Lord will rebuke the devourer for the sake of those who are faithful in giving to the Lord. Conversely, Satan can claim the right to steal what should belong to a Christian by destruction and wasting.
4. EMOTIONS: Often the unhealthy emotions of an individual provide a way for demons to infect the mind. Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, rejection, and self-loathing are emotional examples of places where demons can reside. These negative spiritual strongholds if not confessed and healed will remain an opening for evil spirits. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (ESV). Failing to do so invites demons to dwell in the soul of one who has not surrendered their whole mind and their emotions to the Lord.
5. CALLING: Do you feel like you never seem to achieve your real purpose in life. You have a nagging sense that there is more you could do for the Lord. You have the talents and skill, the education and will, but real success eludes you. You wonder, “What is my calling in the body of Christ?” It could be that you have not yet spiritually matured to receive your destiny. Or ego and selfishness could be in the way. It also might be a demon blocking your future of blessing and service in His Kingdom. Ephesians 4:1 recognizes that each Christian has a divine purpose as Paul implored those reading his words, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (NKJV). If you can’t find your calling, you may need deliverance from demons before you realize your divinely created purpose.

As I said, this list is not exhaustive and it isn’t the final word on the ways that demons attack. But if you find yourself afflicted in one or more of these area of life, you may need to consider getting inner healing ministry and perhaps even exorcism prayers. It is likely the only way you’ll detect if you are supernaturally hindered by demons. If you are afflicted in one of these five areas, prayers of deliverance can set you free. We’re here to help so don’t put off reaching out.   

I have an unusual question. What kind of demon do you have? You may think that you don’t have demons. But what if you did? What sort of evil spirit would you want to be on the lookout for? You may think that this an odd line of questioning. But hear me out. Almost every day I encounter people for whom knowing the answer to this question –What kind of demon do you have? — is the difference between spiritual success or a life of misery. 

Demons commonly fall into one of two general categories. Put simply, some demons “do” and some demons “are.” By that I mean that “do” demons are evil spirits of action defined by their assignment, such as Death or Murder. Other demons are specified by what we grammatically call their “proper” name, who they “are.” Their name is not necessarily connected to what they do. An example would be Lucifer or Leviathan. Knowing this distinction helps to guide the deliverance process.

Here’s an example of a man named Bill. Now in his sixties, Bill had served Christ his entire life. But he also experienced a history of failed marriages, depression, and pornography addiction. Still, he kept his faith, attended church, and read his Bible. Bill tried to serve the Lord with a mixture of devotion and obligation. But the standard solution of increasing his spiritual virtues wasn’t working.  On the surface it appeared he was spiritually steadfast, but behind the scenes Bill lived in shame and misery. After decades of disappointment, he now had thoughts of suicide.

In this state of desperation, Bill scheduled a virtual encounter with me. Within minutes of ministry, I uncovered something that Bill had never told anyone — childhood sexual experimentation with pornography. This tragic occurrence compelled him with supernatural lust as a young boy. The trauma locked him into a life of unrelenting sexual sin. 

Bill had a “do” demon, an evil spirit of action and intent. It drove him to do something, lust with an uncontrollable passion. During our ministry we further discovered that this demon was historically rooted in an ancestral curse of idolatry and witchcraft many generations ago. That ancient evil connected with Bill’s youthful, perverted exploration of sex. We broke Bill’s curse, cast out the demon, and he was set free.

What kind of demon do you have? Is it a “do” demon with an evil plan that targets certain areas of your life specifically. Or do you have a demon defined by its name, like Baphomet or Beelzebub, who may be connected to ancient ritual worship.

Don’t try to decide yourself if your demon is defined by what he does or who he is. You likely don’t have the knowledge base or the seasoned experience. You also may lack sufficient objectivity about your own issues. Allow me or one of our associate ministers to determine if you have a demon defined by who he is or what he does. That could be the key to overcoming lingering torment in your life.

Can the devil read your mind? Most people hope that he can’t, but they aren’t sure. Even those who are Christians wonder if Satan knows what they’re thinking, at least some of the time. The answer is simple. From a biblical standpoint the answer is a unequivocal NO! Why then does it seem like Satan knows our thoughts sometimes? There are two parts to this answer. First let’s see what the Bible says. Second, I’ll explain the practical process by which the devil gives the impression that he knows our thoughts.

Our online educational track Bob Larson University has a detailed explanation regarding this dilemma in the fourth department, the Institute of Supernatural Studies, Course #4. If you want a comprehensive answer to this question, regarding the devil reading your thoughts, enroll now by clicking here. The matter of Satan’s intrusion into our mind is far more complex than most realize, but to give you a quick answer consider these scriptures:

• “The Lord knows the thoughts of man” (Psalm 94:11 NKJV).
• “The Lord searches all hearts [minds] and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9 NKJV).

Other verses express the same sentiment, that Satan can’t read our minds. There is no biblical example of the devil ever reading the thoughts of an individual. Clearly, the province of thought formation in human consciousness is sacred and inviolable. It is part of the will. God himself may know our thoughts, but even He does not force his thoughts upon it. If God doesn’t violate our thoughts by force to make us think what He wants, He certainly wouldn’t let Satan do it. What, then, is the mental mechanism that Satan uses to make it look like he’s reading our thoughts? Here is what happens.

A demon speaks into the mind of a person a certain temptation, such as sexual sin. The individual hears the demonic thought and acts upon it. If the sin is then committed, the victim feels as if the devil knew he/she had lustful desires. It’s the devil’s high degree of accuracy in planting thoughts and watching responses that gives the impression he knows what you are thinking. It’s an almost instant feedback loop of a mentally implanted temptation and the sin that follows, followed by the devil inserting yet another similar temptation in the mind. Suggestion and response, followed by yet another suggestion and response.

Our goal as a Christian is not only to reject sinful impressions in our thoughts. We must also heed Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in your which was also in Christ Jesus” (KJV). The devil doesn’t know your thoughts, he only reads your response. And he will be less likely to do that if you truly seek the mind of Christ.” Remember, for more information go to boblarsonuniversity.org.

Talk of deliverance is everywhere in the Christian community. It has become almost faddish to speak of casting out demons, especially among Christians of Gen X and Z. This is cause for much rejoicing and some hand wringing. Where Christ is preached, we rejoice (Phil 1:18). But Satan knows that he has been delivered a blow and isn’t sitting back. If he can’t stop the wave of interest in deliverance, he’ll find ways to discredit it with extremism, indiscretion, and lack of practical, theological balance. He’ll add to it over-zealousness that borders on spiritual abuse. Caution, maturity and carefulness when addressing the matter of demonic possession seems in short supply in certain Christian circles.

If Satan can’t succeed by getting the church to avoid the subject of demons, he’ll try to derail the matter with eccentricities, questionable epistemology, and unwise tactics. I could give you a long list of specifics, but that might reflect negatively on some well-meaning deliverance ministers. Instead, let me emphasize the positive approach of what SHOULD be done instead of slamming the lack of prudency with a broad brushstroke. Consider these five basic approaches to deliverance and exorcism that I believe should be heeded. If you want to know more, check out our online teaching track at boblarsonuniversity.org.

1) PROPER INTAKE OF INFORMATION: A conclusive exorcism should NEVER be attempted without first gathering sufficient information about the person who is supposedly manifesting demons. Demonic displays may erupt unexpectedly, but unless the demon’s host is known to the deliverance minister, the demons should be shut down and some fact-finding ought to be done. When someone schedules a virtual or in-person encounter through our ministry, a detailed personal and family profile is always required before their appointment is confirmed. Even with the live, spontaneous manifestations which occur in our public meetings I stop to get some basic facts before proceeding. Commanding demons to leave an individual you don’t know and about whom you have no understanding of their mental health history is dangerous and unethical in most cases.

2) METHODICAL PROCEDURES: Deliverance and exorcism is ALWAYS about a process. It should never be an abrupt interruption. Even what some call “power encounters,” aggressive prayer techniques, need some format of procedure. It is clear from Christ’s example, that he got information from demons (Legion), he asked questions of family members (the man with a possessed son), and he took time to test the supplicant’s faith (the woman with a possessed daughter). In Bob Larson University we teach a protocol of deliverance with guidelines on how to proceed. There can be exceptions to this rule in extreme cases, such as an unanticipated violent outburst. Even then what happens next should be methodical and structured, leading to the demon’s acknowledgment of defeat and its doom in the pit.

3) BREAKING CURSES: Both generational and contemporary curses need to be broken. Some who seek my help have read our “Curse Breaking” book and are already familiar with the appropriate renunciations. I may still “spot check” by having the individual repeat breaking some curses which are obvious, such as a family history of witchcraft. When no curse breaking prayers have taken place, it is essential to confront these bondages to properly go on with the deliverance process. Not taking this precaution, can disrupt the exorcism at some later point.

4) INNER EMOTIONAL HEALING: When and where to insert this part of the deliverance process can be variable. But the client’s emotional and mental status must be assessed in some way.  The one doing deliverance should be acquainted with the possessed person’s life history. This is especially important when the one seeking prayer has been a victim of physical or sexual abuse. Deliverance on a person afflicted with PTSD, anxiety disorders, severe depression, or mental health issues should not be attempted until past emotional wounds have been addressed. This may mean using so-called inner healing prayers, dealing with dissociative identity disorder, or referring the possessed person to a Christian counselor to deal with past hurts. In addition, prayers for physical healing are often necessary due to the internal systemic damage that demons have done to the body.

5) OBJECTIFY DEMONIC ACTIVITY: Don’t rely alone on hunches or prophetic and intuitional insights alone. In most cases, demonic verification is helpful by having the demon confirm his right of entry. The demon can also reveal the exact source of any bloodline curses as well as mental strongholds or addictions. It’s usually helpful to force the demon to acknowledge what other evil spirits inhabit the host and reveal the hierarchical structure of power inside the supplicant’s soul. What I’ve set forth is a very abbreviated outline compared to the many hours of teaching in Bob Larson University. If you are serious about helping those bound by Satan, please make the deliverance process a matter of study and life-long learning. The need is great, the laborers are few, and the moral decay of our world has resulted in a ripe harvest field of souls desperate to be free. Do your “homework” before doing deliverance. You’ll be more spiritually successful, and Christ will truly get the glory for a labor of love well done.

What I’ve set forth is a very abbreviated outline compared to the many hours of teaching in Bob Larson University. If you are serious about helping those bound by Satan, please make the deliverance process a matter of study and life-long learning. The need is great, the laborers are few, and the moral decay of our world has resulted in a ripe harvest field of souls desperate to be free. Do your “homework” before doing deliverance. You’ll be more spiritually successful, and Christ will truly get the glory for a labor of love well done.