How to Cast Out Demons

Casting out demons is a vital aspect of spiritual warfare, yet it is often surrounded by misconceptions and unnecessary complications. Contrary to the numerous lengthy books written on the subject, the process is straightforward: faith, the Holy Spirit, and the command "Come out in Jesus Name!" In this post, we will explore the biblical foundation for casting out demons, provide practical tips, and highlight common pitfalls to avoid. By the end, you'll have the essential knowledge to begin your journey in deliverance ministry with confidence and clarity.

Here is what I say if I notice any demons around me or my family:

In the name of Jesus, I cast you into the pit until the final judgment, smiting you 7 times with Holy Fire from Heaven.

Say this with anger, feeling the righteous anger that God has towards these evil beings. Your emotions have power. Use your imagination! Visualize a hole opening in the ground below the demon, powerful holy fire descending from heaven onto the demon, forcing it into the pit. Imagine the demon in torment as it burns on its way to the dark abyss. Get creative with it and destroy those demons!

How Should You Learn About Casting Out Demons?

I came from a Calvinist/Cessationist background. I only thought demon possession happened in third world countries, which honestly makes no sense? Why would demons only possess people in Africa. You would be surprised how this plot from the devil is so widely accepted. Everything changed when I had a radical encounter, Jesus opened my eyes to the spiritual realm rocking everything that I thought I knew. I have always been a researcher so I dive deep into subjects because I want to know everything. After Jesus delivered me I dove headfirst into deliverance and casting out demons. I have read most of the books on casting out demons and have experienced it first hand.

Get Your Information From The Bible
- You would be surprised how little most of these deliverance books quote the Bible, or take the bible out of context to justify what they want to do.
Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14:26 ESV
- The Holy Spirit will teach you everything you need to know in the timing you need to know it.
- People hate this answer because it isn't quick and easy. Remember, patience is an attribute of the fruit of the Spirit. Adam and Eve were impatient and wanted to be like God, and in their impatience they ate the fruit rebelling from God.
Question everything you hear about Demons
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
- Ask questions. Vet everything against the bible. Even this.
- Demons don't want accurate information out about them so they have muddied the water even in the Christian books.

What To Avoid When Learning About Casting Out Demons

There is not a huge knowledge barrier when it comes to demons that you need to hurdle. All the books and demon dictionaries written by "deliverance ministers" only perpetrate judgmental Christians who believe everything in the world is a sin and demonic. Stop giving the devil so much power over your life. Casting out demons is such a small part of being a believer, but because it is flashy and it makes us feel powerful people have created this term "deliverance minister". There should not be specific deliverance ministers because all spirit filled believers should be able to cast out demons with the help of the Holy Spirit. People can be blessed by God in this aspect like Peter whose shadow could cast out demons, but once again it is such a small part of our lives and we should instead focus on building the global church body and following the great commission.

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1 ESV

Trap 1: Spending over 50% of your Bible time reading about Demons
- I know it is hard, you want to know everything there is to know because that will help you fight them right? Do you know everything there is about the Earth? Don't you live in it just fine? In addition to that over half the information we have on demons is wrong. Let the Holy Spirit guide you, not falible man.
Trap 2: You are so demon focused you think most things are demonic
- You should be focused on the Lord and his goodness.
- The Devil wants you to live in fear
- Not everything is some hidden agenda by the devil. So many YouTubers are promoting this fear under the guise of "I'm trying to protect people so they don't catch a demon"
Trap 3: Reading books about demons will not help you cast out demons
- Sometimes there is good information in these books, but most of the time it is their opinions about their personal experience. For example in Derek Prince's book Thou Shall Expel Demons he tells a story about how several children had epileptic seizures from watching the flashing lightning from Pikachu. Through this there are now deliverance handbooks that tell people to renounce "Anime". Now there is a lot of inappropriate anime, but he has purpetrated a demonic doctrine of fear. Just watching a specific style of animation will NOT open you up to demons. There is a caviot here, if you believe something is wrong and you do it anyway, then you have sinned against your conscience. And sinning against your conscience could open you up to demonic oppression. This is all solved by public figures not telling everyone everything is a sin.
Trap 4: Information from Demons and Demon Dictionaries
- I have met Holy Spirit filled, strong believers who felt like they weren't ready to cast out demons because they didn't know enough, specifcally the names.
- A false doctrine that people have come to believe is that "If I ask a demon its name in the name of Jesus it has to tell me the truth". This is where these dictionaries come from, the lies of demons. They will often cite:
  9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
  Mark 5:9 ESV
- Deliverance ministers cite this verse saying that Jesus asked his name so we can to. But did the demon tell Jesus the truth? No! He just said there were many of them. If anything I feel like this verse is pointing out how demons would lie to Jesus so they will definitely lie to us.
- Asking "How did you enter?" can become problematic as well. Demons lie and they also could enter from a person sinning against their conscience. Demons have entered people that used occult crystals, does that mean all crystals are evil. No!
- I've had a pastor tell my son not to do the Texas Hook'em horns hand sign because it means devil horns. There are only 32 possible hand signs, if something as easy to accidentally do as that was demonic I'm pretty sure God would have mentioned it. I'm thankful my son told us about it so he didn't believe that lie from the devil.
- If the Holy Spirit prompts you I don't think it's wrong to ask the demons questions, but do not believe the demonic doctrine that demons tell the truth.
Trap 5: Don't summon demons or principalities
- This is literally sorcery and should be common knowledge, but some of these deliverance ministers get so hungry for knowledge with their itching ears they have summoned these into other people so they could talk to different demons and decifer their relationships and heirarchies.
Trap 6: Demons can only dwell in people
- Demons can possess and opress people from inside or outside of the body. Fallen angels typically only tempt externally and don't possess people. You still expel them the same.
Trap 7: You can only cast demons out of Christians
- How many Christians did Jesus cast demons out of? Zero. Christians weren't even a thing till after Jesus' death.
Trap 8: People have to repent of their sins
- How many people did Jesus make them go through 20 pages of renunciations before he cast there demons out.
- Don't get me wrong it helps, but there is not any biblical backing.

History of Exorcism

Almost every culture has a history of exorcisms. Some would create talismans to ward off spirits, burn certain things, or sing certain songs. Before Jesus we found specific deliverance psalms in QumRan. Exorcisms existed before Jesus. When Jesus came he changed it, the Jewish exorcisms were long, you'd go through renunciations, and it wouldn't always work. The people were shocked at the authority Jesus had, Jesus' exorcisms were quick.

Renunciations are good, but not a requirement. This is a Pre-Jesus practice. Peter's shadow did not make the people that touched it renounce things.
You do not have to go and search for every single demon and cast it out by name.

Read more about the Essenes and Pre-Jesus Jewish exorcisms here.

Self-Deliverance

Prerequisites for Self-Deliverance

There is only one requirement for freedom:

Believe in Jesus and that He rose from the dead and forgave you of your sins.

That's it. If you believe in Jesus and you notice a demon in or around you, cast it away. There are other practices that can help you achieve complete deliverance:

Crucify Your Flesh
- Get rid of all your fleshly habits and fill yourself with the Holy Spirit.
Renew Your Mind
- If you feel a temptation that seems like it just popped into your head, it is either your soul that has been trained to think that way, or it's a demon.
  2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
  Romans 12:2 ESV
Forgiveness & Repentance
- Ask for forgiveness and show your repentance by not repeating the sin.
- Ask Jesus to forgive you.
  - If you believe in Jesus, know that Jesus died for YOUR sins! Every single one! Past, present, and future.
  - Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sins you need to ask forgiveness for.
  - Out loud, ask Jesus for forgiveness for every time you sinned against Him, every time you sinned against someone else, and every time you sinned against your conscience. The conscience is important and often overlooked. Anytime you felt wrong about doing something, even if it's not listed as a sin in the Bible.
- Forgive everyone who has sinned against you.
  12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  Matthew 6:12 ESV
  - God will forgive us only as much as we forgive others. Jesus is willing to forgive every sin. Are you?
- Ask others for forgiveness.
  16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
  James 5:16 ESV
  - This is straightforward. Confess your sins to others. Don't overcomplicate it.
  - Ask others to pray for you.
    23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
    24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
    Matthew 5:23–24 ESV
  - You should ask others for forgiveness as far as the hurt spread. If you looked at pornography behind your spouse's back, even if they don't know about it, you should ask them for forgiveness. Confess, give them all the information they need so they can heal.
Spiritual Discernment
- Notice when demons are around.
- Being able to see in the Spirit is extremely helpful.
- Notice what temptations are from demons, your flesh, and your soul.

Casting Demons Out of Others

There is a significant difference between casting out demons from yourself and from others. Casting demons out of others requires absolute faith in Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prerequisites for Casting Demons Out of Others

Move as the Holy Spirit prompts you, regardless of this list. However, if you desire to cast demons out of others, consider working on these prerequisites:

Believe in Jesus and His Resurrection
- The exorcist should believe in Jesus, that He rose from the dead, and that He forgave you of your sins.
- Though technically the name of Jesus is enough to cast out demons without belief in Jesus, I highly recommend this foundational faith.
  22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
  23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
  Matthew 7:22–23 ESV
Spiritual Discernment
- I would be extremely hesitant to go to someone for deliverance if they cannot see in the spirit to some degree. You wouldn't hire a blind driver, right? This is important when casting demons out of others because you don't know all their sins, and sometimes people don't even remember all their sins. Plus seeing in the spirit is really not that hard.
  14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
  15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
  1 Corinthians 2:14–15 ESV
- I truly believe that this is something that every person has access to. I believe every person has the ability to see in the spirit to some degree. Some are blessed with being able to see with their physical eyes, while others can only see the spiritual realm in their mind.
  15 A spirit glided past my face;
  the hair of my flesh stood up.
  Job 4:15 ESV
- Physical feelings like chills and heat and emotional sensations can also indicate the presence of a spirit. For instance, when a specific kind of demon is around, my wife, my son, and I all get a pain in our left eardrum at the same time. In that instant, my wife and I look in the spirit to find out where the demon is. We can each identify the same area where the demon is present and describe what it looks like. This has happened on multiple occasions.
- I get chills when the Holy Spirit or angels are really moving, but there have been a few occurrences when the chills have been for spirits that are not benevolent.
- You might be praying for someone and get a pain in your knee. Ask the person about their knee. This could be the Holy Spirit trying to guide you.
Hearing the Holy Spirit
- Be able to listen to the Holy Spirit when He is talking to you.
- Don't feel uncomfortable asking about the random thoughts that pop into your head.
Know Your Authority
- If you are born again, then you are born from above. This gives you authority higher than the demons.
- Demons, being spiritual beings, can naturally see in the spirit. They know who is the brightest in the room and who is the weakest. They will attack whoever is the most vulnerable.

Recommendations For Casting Demons Out Of Others

Don't do it by yourself
- Have another witness there to keep yourself above reproach
- Don't do deliverance in a private room where it is men delivering women or vice versa. There should always be someone of the gender getting deliverd there.
Demons hate the light
- If you are walking in the Spirit, have crucified your flesh, are filled with the word, loving everyone, serving others selflessly, and meditating on the Word. You will be bright and the demons will not want to be around and leave quicker.

Post-deliverance

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
Luke 11:24-26 NIV

If someone has demons expelled and they aren't discipled in how to live like Christ, then the worse demons come. This is not instant, but gradual. The single most important aspect of casting demons out of a person is discipleship.