The problem that I see with the casting of demons is that the pulpit
and the pew are always trying to cast them out of people in the church,
and out of people who perhaps aren't living as holy as the pastor and
other people expects them to live. Your friend probably watches too
many horror films or eats too many slices of pizza too late at night.
:) Ask your friend if she be willing to visit a demon infested neighborhood
in the South Bronx New York, and see how her casting out of demons works
out in those areas?
Listen, when the mind has been exposed to church and religious teachings
of the casting of this, that and the other, that's all the mind will
focus upon. Now, here is a question for your friend: "If Paul rebuked
"Peter, James and John" for perverting the Gospel, and Paul
called what they were doing as being "Witchcraft," why didn't
Paul cast out the spirit of "Witchcraft" out of "Peter,
James and John"?
Take for example 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 through 3... "Now,
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe
and know the truth." Aren't the Evangelical's the one's who are
forever telling people to abstain from this, that and the other?
Now, if you have read my study on Timothy, Paul is addressing these
verses to religious, holier, than thou, self-righteous people. If we
read the entire letters of Paul in context to Timothy, we will see that
in verse 4 through 7 of 1st Timothy, Paul is talking to people who were
attempting to be teachers of the law (just as your friend) understanding
neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm."
In other words, they don't know what they are talking about. Now, there
has been and there is still a great debate as to whether a church going
person can or cannot be possessed with a demon, or tormented by them.
I think the "Bob Larson's" power of suggestion doctrines of
this religious nutty world that we live in, have convinced many throughout
the years of such nonsense. My question to your friend is this: "Are
we complete in Christ?"
"Is God at peace with us?" "Did Christ come to destroy
the works of the devil once and for all?' "Did He conquered sin,
death, the law, the prophets and the psalms and all demons?" "If
Christ has done it all, then what devil's, demons, are yet left to be
cast out?" The teaching of the casting out of demons is a self-righteous
doctrine. If anyone would need to have demon's and what have you cast
out, it would be none other than those who are still mixing the teaching
of law with grace.
Here we have Paul giving us words of encouragement to THINK upon "whatsoever
is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, and your friend
is still pulling passages out of context to keep you in the opposite
frame of mind by thinking on things of 'lies, dishonest, unjust, not
pure, not lovely, and of bad report', so that you can worry about looking
for a demon on every door knob. Philippians 4:8. Lets get a life and
get real, and stop living in the fairy tale world of the "Robert
Tilton's."
The constant preoccupation with casting of demons, does not allow for
a heart to be established in grace and in peace. The casting of demon's
doctrines not only denies the finished work of the cross, but it keeps
a person under the constant bondage of self righteous performance because
it leads the person who THINKS is doing the casting into a superiority
type of attitude, and leaves no room for unconditional love, if any.
IT IS ALL IN THE MIND. 2 Cor. 10:3-6.
These ministry's of deliverance draw the attention upon self and leave
the person who they believe is possessed with the mindset that there
aren't good enough in God's eyes, and they need to do more. Take for
example at what took place, and has been foolishly taking place for
years and years at some of these self-righteous so called 'deliverance'
or 'exorcism' services. Just last month, a lady took her son to a local
church neighborhood, who she believed was possessed, and the Christian
pastor weighing almost 300, pounds placed his body over the young boy's
little 8 year old body to cast out what they believed was a demon.
It turned out that the little boy had a medical brain dysfunction, and
he would have lived a long life with proper treatment and medication.
Instead, the 300 pound preaching inconsiderate whale, who will be going
to jail for murder of the child, kept the little boy's body pinned to
the ground for hours on end, and the little boy was pronounced dead
of suffocation. The doctrine of casting out of demons is a deadly doctrine
because it plays on the mind of people and it keeps them under the control,
and manipulation of those who believe that they were called to cast
out demons out of everything and everyone that don't line up with their
self-righteous, religious, two face beliefs.
If I were to go out and cast any demons out of anyone, it would have
to be out of every legalistic, religious, holier than thou, self-righteous,
ignorant person who uses their out of context teaching and preaching
to spiritually abuse the simple minded. As long as people keep tuning
their television and radio channels to these flight by night religious
charlatan's, who Paul identified as always giving heed to seducing spirits,
fables, endless genealogies, ministering questions, rather than godly
edifying, and not recognizing that the END of the commandment is LOVE
out of a pure heart and of a GOOD conscience, people will continue to
be deceived by vain jangling, and mentally damaged. 1 Timothy 1:4-7.
These men and women (cowards and abusers) who are desiring to be teachers,
preachers, evangelist's, pastors and what have you, understand neither
what the say, much less are able to understand anything. My advice to
you, love your friend, but don't put any stock in any of her puffed
up imaginations if you want to keep your heart and mind established
in God's grace. Have your friend e-mail me and join our group? Maybe
she will learn what she has really been delivered from.
Grace N Peace
Eddie