There is a saying when going from a bad situation to a worse one. It goes something like this: out of the frying pan and into the fire. I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to the issues surrounding modern deliverance ministry, but this is a growing issue in the charismatic and hyper charismatic movement. It is an issue worth addressing to help others. There is an appeal to personal experiences, regardless of if those experiences contradict the authority of Scripture. There are prescriptive references made to descriptive passages of Scripture with little to any Biblical discipleship. The issue compounds when those coming out of the New Age are confused by other fellow ex-New Agers embracing aberrant practices, such as casting demons out of professing born-again believers.

I recently had a few women reach out to me, expressing questions and concerns about Christian deliverance teachings and practices. The concern came not only from the teaching itself, but it came from ex-New Agers with a social media presence. These ladies expressed confusion and concern that young influential women would promote such practices that are clearly not taught in Scripture. As I considered what these influencers were saying and their appeals to personal experience, I had growing compassion and concern not only for others who would listen to these women, but also for them. When you have been deceived yourself by false teaching and God graciously shines the light in the darkness to bring exposure, you want the same for others.

The teaching of deliverance ministry for born-again believers is growing in popularity. Though I do not have experience in the New Age, I believe it is safe to say that an appeal to a personal supernatural experience is tempting whether in the New Age or in the hyper charismatic movement. It is also worth noting that New Age practices have found their way into areas of the church. Unfortunately, personal experience creeps in to become authoritative while negating that Scripture points to a Christian’s warfare with the demonic being outward, not inward (James 4:7, 1 John 4:4). Personal stories of another voice coming out of an individual while claiming to be a Christian ignore the correlating accounts in the gospels with demon possessed individuals not indwelt by the Holy Spirit. In other words, deliverance ministers will state that Christians cannot be demon possessed while promoting teachings and videos demonstrating what appears as demon possession. With the teachings being perpetuated in the modern deliverance camp, there are two things worthy of noting: the lack of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and the absence of Biblical discipleship regarding sanctification.

A popular deliverance minister, who considers himself a general in deliverance ministry, recently admitted that not only is the message of Christ crucified missing from their deliverance videos and teachings, but he stated that half of the people coming for deliverance are not born-again. I found this video both interesting and devastating to the foundation of deliverance ministry teaching. Deliverance ministers and the ex-New Agers having this discussion believe that deliverance is the children’s bread. They believe that demonic deliverance is for Christians only. Yet this minister admitted that at least half of those coming for deliverance are not born-again. This is very problematic for their doctrinal beliefs.

During their discussion, these young women agreed that Satan loves it when people do not believe in deliverance because then the demon will attach itself to that person. One of the women stated that she would not attend a church where deliverance was not performed because it was simply a demon daycare. To that I would lovingly respond, a Biblically sound church is proclaiming deliverance and deliverance is taking place in that church; it is called the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3,4), and it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). Salvation is deliverance and thank God that for those of us in Christ, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13,14). Thank the Lord that resting in His sufficiency is truly freeing (John 8:31,32, 2 Corinthians 3:17,18, Galatians 5:1).

Whether someone has exited the New Age movement or the hyper charismatic movement, the sufficiency of Scripture must be of utmost importance. Personal experience cannot be the foundation upon which believers rest, and Scripture does not conform to personal experience. Otherwise, it is simply going from one bad teaching to the next. The only difference is having the label of Christianity. The final authority is Scripture in the proper context. I truly believe that this type of teaching is a snare for those who are Biblically illiterate and are lacking in solid Biblical discipleship, and I say that as someone who was lacking in both for many years while in the hyper charismatic movement. The problem with deception is you do not know you are deceived, but when the Son sets you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36). That freedom does not consider a demon cohabiting with the Holy Spirit in a born-again believer. There is absolutely no hope in that teaching.

There is such good news for those whose faith is in Christ Jesus. Trust in His sufficiency and the sufficiency of His Word because He has delivered you from the penalty of sin, and He is delivering you from the power of sin. Yes, we certainly do have an adversary, the devil. But dear Christian, you are no longer under his tyrannical rulership as a slave to sin. You are now a slave to righteousness (Romans 6:15-23). One day, you will be delivered from the presence of sin. The Holy Spirit and His Word are sufficient to help you and to sanctify you (John 17:17, Ephesians 5: 26-27, Titus 3:4-7).

Listen to this in-depth episode evaluating a recent discussion between ex-New Agers who promote Christian deliverance ministry: The Lovesick Scribe Podcast: From the New Age Frying Pan to the Deliverance Fire on Apple Podcasts