15/01/2014 - DELIVERING THE OPPRESSED

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Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” Matthew 8:5-6

The Lord must enter the world of those who suffer. The Bible tells us that a certain centurion begged Christ to heal his servant who was lying paralyzed and dreadfully tormented. This is how people who are oppressed by evil spirits become: disheartened. But demons only prevail over them when they give in to temptation. As a result, anyone who is under evil influence is paralyzed in faith and becomes dreadfully tormented.

We need to take the faith in Jesus to the multitude that suffers. Miracles only take place when the Master enters the territory of the oppressed. While the sufferer keeps a religious or mental faith, God cannot work. We must have divine sensitivity so that we are enabled to take the understanding of Truth to those who suffer and deliver them if we can. The Lord wants to set free all those who are tormented by the devil.

Judging from the centurion’s request, we see how far Satan’s grip had already gone in the life of that servant for he was paralyzed. No one who is being attacked by the devil can stand on his feet. One of the signs of demonic operation is the lack of strength on the part of the victim. It is necessary to raise the fallen; otherwise it will be impossible to get them to believe what the Lord says.

Demons strive to weaken an individual’s self-esteem so that they can drive him around as they see fit. Keep in mind that before possession comes oppression, and before oppression comes temptation. Once someone yields to temptation Satan begins to torment him, and if he does not seek divine deliverance, he will go through the possession stage, at which point the enemy has complete control over him. Only genuine faith can set him free.

The devilish influence paralyzes the oppressed, who oftentimes knows exactly what to do to secure his deliverance but does not move a finger to get rid of the adversary’s traps. At this stage, intercession has to be more direct, and the intercessor must be bold to enter into the presence of the Lord and show that his faith to deliver the oppressed causes him to draw near to God. That is why he must be relentless.

The oppression or possession torments people in a most dreadful way. This torment can occur in the mind – because of some addiction, for example – or in any other area of life. It is a fact that Jesus frees, but you need to be steadfast concerning what you have been taught. The battle of deliverance must be fought with precision and based on what has been revealed to you.

In Christ with Love,

R. R. Soares