Deliverance, once relegated to purposeful obscurity, is a big deal these days. Due to social media, there is more talk than ever about evil spirits from a Christian perspective. Much of this dialogue is helpful; some is not. But despite all the information out there about demons, there are still many misconceptions. I’m going to clarify some basic aspects of spiritual warfare that most people don’t know. This isn’t a theological treatise. The biblical understanding of these points I’ll make are adequately covered in our books and Bob Larson University. My purpose here is to clear up misinformation and fallacies about a basic understanding regarding the operation of demons.
1) THERE ARE MANY DEMONS BY THE SAME NAME: The reason I keep casting out Jezebel isn’t because she keeps coming back. There are millions, perhaps billions, of demons who go by the name Jezebel. That’s because they all mimic the evil characteristics of the original Jezebel of First Kings chapters 16-21. Likewise, there are many demons that go by the name Murder, because their activities are all rooted in present and past acts of bloodshed.
2) THE NAME OF A DEMON OFTEN INDICATES WHAT HE DOES: Many demons have proper names such as Beelzebub, Leviathan, Asmodeus, or Lucifer. But others are nominally designated with their functions. Examples would be Hate, Anger, Rejection, Rebellion, Perversion, Deception, or Greed. Their name is their assignment, the evil action or emotion which they foment. Leviathan may, for example, represent the attribute of pride. But there is also a demon named Pride who specifically operates in that emotional realm.
3) DEMONS ARE OFTEN ARRANGED BY SEPARATE KINGDOMS: Satan’s conspiracy of evil is well organized. Often lessor demons are attached to a ruling spirit that supervises a certain kingdom in an individual. An example would be a person who has a kingdom of violence, with demons of Murder and Bloodshed. A marine kingdom might have Octopus and Squid demons. A religious kingdom could involve a Jezebel spirit along with demons of Antichrist and Blasphemy.
4) MOST DEMONS ARE CONNECTED TO GENERATIONAL CURSES: One of the first things that someone new to deliverance learns is that the root of demonization is almost always generational. A demon of Murder likely goes back to times of ancient wars and ritual killings. A Perversion demon may have gotten into the bloodline by a forebear who molested a child or committed incest on a family member. Fear could be rooted in some past trauma. Anger in some historical injustice.
This brief study of basic facts about waging spiritual warfare isn’t exhaustive. There is more to say, and it is all there in Bob Larson University. But for those dipping their toe into the stream of deliverance, it’s a good start to know these four basic guidelines to understanding how to set the captives free in Jesus’ Name.
