Many have sought deliverance from demonic torment and suffered what I call “exorcism interruptus.” Interruptus is an ancient Latin term meaning to “stop,” “hinder,” or “obstruct.” It refers to quitting something before its finished. In the spiritual sense, it is declaring that a prayer process is over when it is not over. Some who have suffered an interrupted exorcism eventually seek my help through a personal encounter. They were tormented by evil spirits. Many experienced overt demonic manifestations. They went to a deliverance minister or inner healing group. Unlike our personal encounters which thoroughly vet an individual’s history, few questions were asked. The process was heavy on the prophetic but light on investigation. No one was looking for, what I call in my book “Dealing with Demons,” the fingerprint of Satan — evidence that demons were indwelling the person (possessing them).
Here’s what these victims of exorcism interruptus were told:
- We don’t allow demons to speak. We just tell them to go and they go.
- You’re not possessed, just oppressed. Christian can’t be possessed.
- God gave me a word that you had such-and-such demon and it left.
- You need healing prayers. We don’t do exorcism. That’s Catholic.
Often, none of these assumptions was true. The individual went on his, or her, way thinking all would be okay, but it wasn’t. The torment returned. Not because the demons returned. They never left because they were never cast out. Healing prayers may bring relief. That’s good. But often the comfort is temporary because there was no actual exorcism. No expulsion of objectively identified entities. The deliverance process was cut off. Exorcism interruptus!
Students of our International School of Exorcism (To enroll click here.) are taught this maxim: “Strong demons don’t go until they’re made to go.” Inner healing can be a gateway to exorcism. Self-deliverance will weaken lesser demonic minions. But the Strong Man, the chief evil spirit of whom Christ spoke of in Mark 3:27, has to be forced out. Driven out. Exorcised. As the King James Version says in Psalm 44:2: “Thou didst drive out the heathen [demons] with thy hand . . . and cast them out.” We of the new covenant who have Christ’s command of Mark 16:17 to cast out demons dare do no less!
