Spiritual warfare 10:' Obey instructions'



When it comes to deliverance, we have to remember that many people ,who are targeted by satan, don't always make it alive.



At times, deliverance or a breakthrough will require participation from the person seeking it. What do I mean by participation?



You see my friend, many of satan's victims constantly transfer the full burden of their deliverance or breakthrough to their pastors, their elders or to some strong fellow Christian. They transfer the burden without even participating in their own quest. During the process of deliverance,some of the expected acts of participation from the victim include: prayer, giving,fasting, obeying instructions, etc…



During the deliverance process, victims of oppression or people seeking breakthrough may need to follow certain instructions in order to speed up or to seal their deliverance.



In this post, the term 'instruction' refers to a list of things to do and which are required from a person seeking deliverance or breakthrough. Usually the instruction will be given by God either directly or through a person (pastor, Bible instructor,a prophet, a spiritually advanced friend or an acquaintance). The instruction is usually designed to fill something that was not existent in the life of the victim.



Though I refer to the various participatory acts, I mainly want to focus on 'instructions' that come along with the deliverance process. In the Bible, there are several instance where Jesus or a prophet would give instructions in view to either:



a) Speed up a deliverance and a breakthrough

b) or to seal a deliverance process or a breakthrough.



Speeding a deliverance or a breakthrough


Instructions, during a deliverance or breakthrough process, are a real test of humility. The application of instructions reveals the level of humility of the person seeking deliverance or breakthrough. Furthermore, the application of instruction is also a good exercise that helps strengthen the power of our spirit above the needs of our flesh. Usually, during the deliverance or breakthrough process,certain people don't apply the instructions because they are either:



a) too proud to apply those instructions, OR

b) still submitted to the human reasoning of their flesh which tells them to ignore the instructions.



In the book of 2 Kings 5:1-19, a very interesting passage depicts the story of an Army commander named Naaman. He was a valiant soldier but he was sick with leprosy. One day, his servant urged him to see Elisha in view to be miraculously healed.

As Naaman reached the door of Elisha's house, he was received with a very 'humbling' welcome. Instead of being greeted by the prophet, he was met outside by Elisha’servant who gave him the following instruction:


'Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan river, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed' (2 Kings 5:10).



However, in verses 11 and 12, Naaman gets upset with the instruction and with the way the instruction was issued....

And this is where many people fail to get their breakthrough...When pride takes the better of them, they think that the given instructions are plain stupid. They assume that they are better than the instructions coming from God. In this story, Naaman had a pride problem. The deliverance and breakthrough ,he needed, could have been blocked by his pride.

Fortunately, his servants convinced him to obey the instructions. During the deliverance process, you need to be surrounded by the right people and the right information. Many people, when faced with a genuine instruction (especially when it's a 'giving’ instruction), run quickly to google to search: 'is it Biblical to do 'XYZ'?



I would understand if you are concerned over an instruction of sinful nature (e.g: sleep with the pastor...). But when the instruction is genuine, when it aligns with the Scripture and when it is free from any sinful nature, then obey it.

Fortunately Naaman obeyed and he was healed. He tried to reward the prophet but Elisha refused to take the reward since Naaman needed to be humbled with a free gift.


Here are few lessons from the above story:


1. The victim of oppression is the one in need of deliverance,not the helper. The helper refers to the person who will assist the victim. Many victims behave as if they are doing a favor to the helper by seeking their help. The instructions are not for the helpers. Instructions are for the victims, for those who seek breakthrough.



2. During the deliverance or breakthrough process, instructions are designed to bring something that was non-existent in the life of a victim. In 2 Kings 5, the instructions were designed to bring humility in Naaman. Certain instructions are designed to bring generosity, a spirit of prayer, or an ability that was non existent before.



3. God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6-7 ). The humble is the one who obeys the instructions during the deliverance process. As long as you remain proud, there will be no grace for deliverance and breakthrough. The whole process will stop.



4. When you refuse to obey a Godly instruction, you are stubborn. In the spiritual world, stubbornness attracts stubbornness.

Look at all the fallen angels, they were all stubborn. When a person, seeking deliverance or breakthrough, is stubborn to God's instructions, he/she creates a good environment for stubborn demons and stubborn circumstances. Many people are oppressed by stubborn demons and stubborn demonic instructions because they are stubborn themselves to instructions. Likes attract Likes.


Sealing a deliverance process


There will be times where a complete deliverance or breakthrough will be followed by an instruction. In case the instruction is not followed, the breakthrough and deliverance can be lost and reversed. The two best Scriptural examples are in John 8:1-11 and Mark 8:22-26.



John 8:1-11: A woman is caught in adultery and she is a few moments away from being stoned to death. The Pharisees brought her to Jesus as a 'trap situation'. Jesus manages to come out of the trap and He delivers the woman from her accusers. However, listen to the instruction that seals the deliverance: 'Go and sin no more'. If the woman goes back and does the same thing, then she would certainly lose her miracle.



In Mark 8: 22-26, Jesus heals a blind man only after taking him out of the village where he was living. After healing the man, Jesus sent him home and said : 'don't even go to the village'.

Having personally experienced the wickedness of men in my life, I am certain that there was something wicked in the village that would make the man blind again.




When a deliverance or breakthrough is achieved, the recipients must always obey the instruction that follows.



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