And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

Matthew 10:7-8

The late Derek Prince pointed out that there is no authentic call to evangelism without the power of healing and deliverance.  There is no legitimate preaching of the Gospel without its appropriate demonstration.

This may be viewed as an extreme statement, but let us consider the alternative.

Paul said he was not ashamed of the Gospel because it was the power of salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).  The Gospel is power to set people free, to deliver them from the dominion of darkness.  There are numerous studies about the desire of God to heal, and the intent of this is not that, but look at what our “alternative” has brought us.

We rarely see demonstration of the Kingdom of Heaven in the body, if at all.  In general, we have to go to special para-church organizations and conference-style settings to see most demonstrations of healing and deliverance.  Mean-while, for those who are willing to admit it, we see the church demonized, oppressed, and afflicted with all manner of diseases and infirmities.  We see deception rampant in the church, with little breakthrough of faith in the church.

The instructions Jesus gave His disciples were simple, and they they were straight-forward.  First, Go.  Second, preach the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Finally, demonstrate it, giving four ways.  Today, we attempt to do just about everything else, and can’t seem to get it to fully “work” for us.

Again, consider what our current state of church handles.  If we do get someone saved in our church, they may have some level of demonic oppression, possibly from past occult activity, multiple sexual partners in the past, or other sins that may or may not linger over into their lives today.  If this is the case, some of this may go away with proper Biblical instruction, change in heart, and other righteous support.  However, as is the case for many, people are not always immediately freed from all of their bondage.  Quite often, curses, lies, and other strongholds remain, often with demonic empowerment in the lives of new believers.  Note, the word “possession”, where it might imply a person being in some way “owned” by a demon, is not scriptural.  The New Testament word is “demonized”, or “under the influence of a demon”.  Hence, a believer, who is fully owned by the Holy Spirit alone, can come under various pressures, and influences, and other forms of oppression from the enemy.  The issue is not where the demon is in the life of a believer, it is simply a matter of expelling it.

But, if that new believer does not have the power of the Gospel applied to their life, no matter how much they attempt to crucify the flesh, they will make little progress at best, until the demonic component, any curses applied, are addressed and removed.  Pressure will invite discouragement, despair, and the path is much harder.  In fact, Derek Prince said, whoever preaches the Gospel without the power of deliverance scatters and does not gather.

The church without the power of delivernace, without the power of the Spirit actively, every day, working in its midst is blinded from the higher spiritual things, and is thereby generally reduced to live a mostly carnal life.  Saved, but not gloriously triumphant.  They make it to heaven, and for that, we do rejoice, but, because they do not break free from the controlling patterns in their lives, reinforced by the demonic, prodded on by the infirmities and the weaknesses, they find it next to impossible to come into the fullness of their salvation, the overflowing, constant joy and peace of communion with the Holy.

And, so we come right back to Jesus’ instructions.  There is a place for all of the ministries in the church, apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor, and evangelist.  Yet, if we settle for a church model that does not have the supernatural, the power of the Gospel that sets people free, the very power the raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11), what have we done?

Preaching is left without unction, because, in order to continuously flow in the anointing, the demonic  forces in the church must either be dealt with and overcome.  Or you will be overcome by them!  In the spirit of “being nice” and “false peace”, many ministers have stepped off the platform of anointing right into Jezebel’s clutches.  These are real forces, they are powerful, and the only way to stand against them is an unswerving, unflinching display of the Gospel, which MUST include the deliverance.  Even as the words of Elijah came true with the ultimate casting down of the woman Jezebel outside the city walls, the wickedness must be cast out in the streets, or the nation, in our case of simple analogy, the church, will simply be overrun by their adulteries.

We have focused on everything but the basic, simple instructions of Jesus.  And, they seem to remain out of reach for us.  Yet, as the Word says,  if we had stood in His counsel, we would have spoken His words.

The only way to the fullness of the Gospel (Romans 15:19), is through the power of the Spirit.  The only thing that gets you there is by daily sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him, and asking Him for it.  This is the way the Apostles did it, and how every man of God has done it throughout history.  A preacher without a prayer life is a well without water, and a lamp without light.  All the form is there, but none of the function.  And, the only way to make a well wet again is to dig it, and the only way to enlighten a lamp is to set it on fire…

Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

Mark 9:50