Resistance to deliverance

1. Poor Models of Deliverance

• Description: The source emphasizes that negative or abusive examples of deliverance ministry create resistance. These poor models include
  • A “hideous” movie where a supposed “man of the cloth” abuses a young girl under the guise of ministry.
  • Examples in other countries, such as China and India, where people are physically beaten during deliverance attempts with chains or bamboo poles
• Impact: These kinds of negative examples make deliverance seem “off-putting” and can lead to legal restrictions on the practice, as has happened in Australia where exorcisms are illegal in five out of seven states due to past abuses.

2. Worldview

• Description: Many people in modern society view the belief in demons as medieval, backward, and superstitious.
  • Ken Fish notes a fascination with the paranormal, but this does not extend to acceptance of the reality of demonic influence6.
• In some academic circles and in some parts of society, those who believe in evil spirits are not taken seriously and their views are dismissed.
• Impact: This worldview creates a barrier to accepting the need for and validity of deliverance ministry. If demons are not seen as real, then deliverance is seen as unnecessary.

3. Theological Beliefs

• Description: Some theological viewpoints suggest that Christians cannot be demonized.
  • This view often stems from the idea that if a believer belongs to Christ, they cannot also be influenced by demons.
  • Ken Fish addresses this by explaining that the Greek word daimonizomai means “oppressed by” or “controlled by” spirits, rather than “possessed” as in ownership.
  • A Christian’s spirit, while sealed by the Holy Spirit, can still be negatively influenced by demonic forces.
• Impact: This theological belief creates a resistance to deliverance because individuals who hold this view may not believe they need or can even benefit from deliverance.

4. “It Was All Done at the Cross” Theology

• Description: Some believe that all evil spirits were removed at the moment of conversion.
• Impact: This belief makes people hesitant to seek deliverance

5. Theological Snobbery

• Description: Some people reject deliverance because it’s associated with Pentecostal or other groups that are viewed as theologically unsophisticated.
• Impact: This attitude creates resistance based on class or denominational bias rather than a genuine assessment of the need for deliverance.

6. Cultural Associations

• Description: Deliverance is sometimes seen as something that is only practiced by the “lower class” or people from “the third world”.
• This view can include racist and culturally insensitive overtones that further contribute to resistance.
• Impact: Cultural biases against deliverance can create further resistance to the practice based on stereotypes rather than theological or practical considerations.

• Title: Deliverance in the Modern Age
• Speaker: Ken Fish
• Start time: 27:34
• End time: 37:40

Orbis Ministries – Link to Ken Fish’s Ministry material.