Former Muslim Gets Delivered from a Demon During Water Baptism
The topic of casting out demons can no longer be ignored in the church.
Deliverance was front-and-center in the ministry of Jesus and something He commissioned His followers to do. I believe that God is in the process of bringing this ministry back to the forefront in this hour.
Biblical Examples
The New Testament has many examples of freedom from demonic influence. But many modern believers have struggled to see how the topic of demons and deliverance is relevant to their lives. The Church has often ignored or neglected this topic, or relegated it only to the most extreme of situations. Jesus, however, made deliverance from evil spirits a central part of His earthly ministry. He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and then He demonstrated the Gospel by healing the sick and delivering the oppressed. He called people to repent and believe the Good News, and He also showed that the Kingdom had come near as a present reality. Casting out demons was a normal occurrence in His ministry and a by-product of the Kingdom of Heaven being at hand. It was not a side issue, but a vital aspect of what He came to do. He also passed this ministry on to His followers and commissioned the Church to continue to set captives free. But in much of the Western Church, the ministry of deliverance has been lost or forgotten. Thankfully, this is changing. There is a fresh awakening happening in the Church regarding the reality of evil spirits and the need to cast them out.
Demons can impact a wide range of areas in our lives. Our spiritual growth, physical health, emotional and mental well-being, and relational dynamics can all be affected by demonic influence. Because of this, the ministry of deliverance can have a far-reaching impact. We must clear away the confusion, misunderstanding, and fear of this topic so that many more captives can be set free.
Obadiah 1:17 says, “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” This passage gives a progression of how God establishes His people, just like when He first established Israel. He delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, then He set up the law and called them to holiness, and then He led them into the Promised Land to “possess their possessions.” Before Israel could walk in holiness to the Lord or enter into their inheritance, they had to be set free from slavery. Deliverance was a necessary step in the process of their destiny, but it was not the end goal. In the same way, believers will not be able to grow in the Lord and walk in the fullness of His plan for them if areas of their lives are still in captivity to the enemy. If the Church is to be all that it is called to be, we must break free from the shackles that bind us. A Church in chains will not be able to advance the Kingdom of God on the earth or be able to fully emerge as the body of Christ to the world.
Demonic Deliverance During Baptism
Jesus is still setting captives free and breaking the chains of demonic influence today!
One of my favorite testimonies of deliverance from the devil’s oppression happened during a water baptism service that our church hosted. Nyla came to the service to be baptized, but I knew very little about her background. I had met her briefly and had talked to her on the phone about her desire to be baptized. She attended a different church but heard about the baptism service through some friends.
Nyla was born in the Middle East and grew up as a Muslim. Through a series of circumstances, she ended up in the United States as a refugee. Christians began to reach out to her, but at first, she was resistant. She eventually went to church with them, and without knowing why, she cried throughout the service. God was softening her heart. Jesus soon revealed Himself to her through a vision and a dream, and she committed her life to Him.
“Though baptism is not what saves us, I believe that there is an actual spiritual transaction that takes place and there is a cutting off of the enemy.”
There were about 200 people in attendance at the water baptism service. We gathered together at a pond and worshipped God, and then I shared briefly about the significance of being baptized in water. The Holy Spirit had put on my heart that there would be deliverance from evil spirits at this service in connection with water baptism. I had heard of testimonies of deliverance happening during baptism, but had yet to see to see it happen in my own ministry.
I preached from 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 where the apostle Paul refers to the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and compares it to baptism. Though the Israelites’ redemption was initiated by the blood of the Passover lamb being put on their doorposts, it wasn’t until they crossed the Red Sea that their deliverance was complete. In the same way, I explained, water baptism is more than an empty ritual. Though baptism is not what saves us, I believe that there is an actual spiritual transaction that takes place and there is a cutting off of the enemy. I declared that some who had been under demonic influence and oppression would be delivered as they obeyed the Lord in water baptism.
As I began to lead those who were getting baptized in a prayer of declaration of faith in Jesus, Nyla prayed along. But about halfway through the prayer, I noticed that she was no longer praying. She seemed to be in a struggle and had tears running down her face. I discerned that there was a spiritual battle happening in her mind, and took note of it so that I could pray accordingly when she was baptized. (She later told me that during this prayer she was hearing a demon say things like, What are you doing here? You’re going to go to hell if you do this! Go back to Islam! Get out of here!)
Nyla stepped into the water to be baptized and I laid hands on her and began to pray, breaking off any demonic power and commanding it to go in the name of Jesus. Within seconds, she began to tremble and then let out a long, loud shriek as the demon was cast out of her. She shared later that this demon had been oppressing her for many years, and that nothing would ever help or bring relief. As the demon was leaving, Nyla felt it being torn out of her chest and throat as it screamed in terror at the power of the resurrected Christ!
“As the demon was leaving, Nyla felt it being torn out of her chest and throat as it screamed in terror at the power of the resurrected Christ!”
The crowd of people had witnessed a clear demonstration of the power of God over the kingdom of darkness. For some, this was nothing new, as it is not uncommon for deliverance ministry to happen at our church. But for others, this scene was a little shocking to observe. I had several people ask me about it afterward, wondering what exactly was going on.
The following week, Nyla came to our Sunday morning service and testified about her experience. She explained that she had been oppressed by this demon for many years, from the time she was young. Nothing that she or her parents tried to do would bring any relief, and now it was years later. There was not a dry eye in the crowd as she explained her story in broken English, and testified how Jesus had delivered her in His love and mercy. The place erupted in spontaneous praise to our great God!
Setting Captives Free
Jesus is still setting captives free and breaking the chains of demonic influence. Many are seeking help, but don’t know what to do or where to turn. I pray that my book, Setting Captives Free, will be a resource to facilitate the process of deliverance for you and many others. Throughout the book I have included prayers for deliverance that will help break chains and bring freedom. You can use these prayers for yourself or when praying for others in need. I have also included many modern-day testimonies of freedom from demonic captivity because I want to demonstrate that deliverance from evil spirits is very real and very relevant for today.
If you are in need of deliverance, turn your heart to the Lord, let the Holy Spirit lead you, and call on the name of Jesus. He will break the chains and set you free!
