The ideal deliverance work is led by a knowledgeable pastor who teaches his church that the Great Commission includes casting out evil spirits (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18). Unfortunately, in our day, most pastors are either unaware of or opposed to the deliverance ministry. The command to cast out demons plainly states "those who believe," therefore it embraces all believers. The obvious reason for no deliverance is unbelief.

Many times deliverance works have begun in believers' homes because of the indifference or opposition of the organized church. People convinced from Scripture and experience of the necessity for this ministry make good workers.

Home meetings can be of great help to study and promote casting out of evil spirits. Those interested can come together to study the scriptures and various books which point out the scriptural pattern and give practical help and suggestions.

Those who do this will find themselves targeted for ridicule, hatred and misunderstanding from others, particularly in their own families and churches. Avoid unnecessary conflicts by meeting when there are no regular church services if possible.

Be careful at this point that your knowledge of that which they reject and ridicule does not put you in the place of a Pharisee. Keep your attitude sweet, even when others become nasty. Let them do the striking and vent their anger. Remember that demons hate above all else to be exposed. Let the opposition drive you to greater dependance on the Word and prayer.

Jesus, Paul and others were savagely attacked for their pursuance of the deliverance ministry. You and I will be too. Perhaps one third of Jesus' earthly ministry was involved with freeing people bound by demons. The surprising silence of theologians and ministers everywhere on this vital area is significant. Satan has shut down a vital ministry for many centuries by offering diversionary activities.

After a deliverance group begins to function, another subtle danger appears. Soon someone in the group will swing away from a frontal assault on the demons and begin more and more to rely on counselling to accomplish what only deliverance from evil spirits can. While counselling is important, remember that most who come for deliverance have literally had their ears counselled off before they got to you. if it would have solved their problems, they would never have come to you.

Remember, in deliverance, Jesus the deliverer is magnified. In counselling, often people begin to rely on the one doing the counselling. In this net many who love to palaver have been snared as they rationalize around actual casting out of the spirits. Beware! This is a shooting war and the enemy must be forcibly ejected.

Counselling should be only a supplement to deliverance to aid a person to hold the ground wrested from the enemy, never a substitute for the battle. Demons are clever and will "play along" with any game which does not actually make them go out of the victim.

If you start a group to pursue spiritual warfare, be prepared for many, unfortunately including some pastors, who talk out of both sides of their mouth. You will have only a small group with the spiritual guts to stick it out when the enemy moves to close you down. There will be many who believe with their mouth but their lives will never be thrown into the struggle, Be prepared to receive appreciation and understanding from the Lord alone, for it will seldom be forthcoming from any other quarter.

Beware of those who prate loudly about deliverance and "Know all about it." These kind of men and women, driven by Jezebellic spirits, like to infiltrate sincere groups and subvert and dominate them with their loud ignorance. Don't permit it. Firmly but definitely maintain control of your group in the hands of a person all know to be dedicated to deliverance.

Watch out for floating preachers looking for a group to hijack. If he is a man of God, he will be content to work with the group and not usurp authority over it. If he understands God's order, he will not charge in seeking to upset leadership, but will work alongside them --AS HE IS INVITED TO. Remember Jesus said the greatest is the one who serves the most.

Some people's favorite text seems to be "He that tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted!" Be careful of this type individual. They want to use the group as a means of ego bolstering and are not really interested in serving the Lord. The ninefold fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22,23) mark the true servant of the Lord, not frenzied activity designed to emphasize a person.