After the Deliverance
The Two Ds... Deliverance and Discipleship. Luke 4:18 reminds us that we are to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed...
Deliverance ministry can be controversial because of all the different methods that various individuals speak on. The biggest concern, however, is to follow through on what is needed once the deliverance is done. No one really talks about that! Except of course, The Bible does.
Unfortunately, the radical will focus on being demon slayers and will forget that the focus needs to remain on the individual who was set free. Having worked in the correctional sector with youth who were in the facility for hard felonies, I can be the first to tell you... demons do exist. Having seen from gentle to volatile deliverances, I can tell you that demons can influence people and more...
But the question remains… what happens after the deliverance? Honestly, the individual is responsible for continuing his/her relationship with Christ, but it also falls on the individual that will disciple this newcomer. Remember the well-known scripture, Matthew 28:18-20?
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I can remember a time, before I knew Christ, an elderly man with a young boy rang my doorbell. When I opened the door, he asked me… “Do you believe you will be in heaven with Jesus Christ?” I was taken back by the question and simply answered that I hoped I would be. He immediately told me that Christ was my Savior and then turned and left. As I think back to that time, I have to laugh. I was left so confused and the entire thing was ineffective because I literally received nothing from that ring at my door. Why? Because discipleship is needed after deliverance… and that will require sacrifice and time from the one being discipled and the one who is discipling.
The Parable of the Sower reminds us that Jesus tells the story of a Sower who scattered seeds on four different types of soil. Matthew 13:1-8. If you look at this parable numerically, you will recognize that only one out of four of the seeds that the farmer went out to sow actually produced a crop! Those are the remnants of God.
So, what are some things you can do to disciple someone.... whether they had a deliverance or not?
Remember the fig tree?
Written by Lorena Dorantes
Deliverance ministry can be controversial because of all the different methods that various individuals speak on. The biggest concern, however, is to follow through on what is needed once the deliverance is done. No one really talks about that! Except of course, The Bible does.
Unfortunately, the radical will focus on being demon slayers and will forget that the focus needs to remain on the individual who was set free. Having worked in the correctional sector with youth who were in the facility for hard felonies, I can be the first to tell you... demons do exist. Having seen from gentle to volatile deliverances, I can tell you that demons can influence people and more...
But the question remains… what happens after the deliverance? Honestly, the individual is responsible for continuing his/her relationship with Christ, but it also falls on the individual that will disciple this newcomer. Remember the well-known scripture, Matthew 28:18-20?
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I can remember a time, before I knew Christ, an elderly man with a young boy rang my doorbell. When I opened the door, he asked me… “Do you believe you will be in heaven with Jesus Christ?” I was taken back by the question and simply answered that I hoped I would be. He immediately told me that Christ was my Savior and then turned and left. As I think back to that time, I have to laugh. I was left so confused and the entire thing was ineffective because I literally received nothing from that ring at my door. Why? Because discipleship is needed after deliverance… and that will require sacrifice and time from the one being discipled and the one who is discipling.
The Parable of the Sower reminds us that Jesus tells the story of a Sower who scattered seeds on four different types of soil. Matthew 13:1-8. If you look at this parable numerically, you will recognize that only one out of four of the seeds that the farmer went out to sow actually produced a crop! Those are the remnants of God.
So, what are some things you can do to disciple someone.... whether they had a deliverance or not?
- Continue to remain in close contact with the individual. Yes, that might mean inviting that person to your home and to family/church events. Take time to meet with this individual once a week; either in-person or virtually. A conversation where the person can speak freely to you about struggles and a place you get to pray over this person. The feeling of acceptance and the feeling of being loved and valued, are an important part of discipleship. John 17
- Show them how to handle good and bad moments biblically. Use scripture often to apply in their life. There is no how-to-book better than The Bible.
- Take time to just relax with that person; take time to show that Christians do know how to have fun!
- Teach them how to grow in the relationship with Christ. If the person learns how to love Christ, then the chance of backsliding lessens.
- Overall... love on that person because he/she will disappoint you but just remember.... you disappointed someone at one point as well. Don't give up and dishearten at the first obstacle. Do not get offended by this person, or I should say... do not get offended period! Things will happen, so guard your heart because from it comes all things (your actions, your words, and your thoughts). Proverbs 4:23
Remember the fig tree?
Written by Lorena Dorantes
Posted in Ministry
Posted in deliverance, Garden of Grace, discipleship, parable of the sower, set captives free, Lorena Dorantes
Posted in deliverance, Garden of Grace, discipleship, parable of the sower, set captives free, Lorena Dorantes
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