Deliverance Ministries, Are they For Real?
Welcome to Living Word Cast! I’m Pastor Michael Chilcott, coming to you from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This podcast exists to proclaim, teach, and explore the Word of God together. Our goal is to provide sound theological and biblical guidance on all things Scripture, helping you grow deeper in your understanding of the Bible and your relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whether you’re seeking answers, encouragement, or a closer walk with God, this podcast is here to help you stay firmly rooted in the truth of God
Today we’ll be discussing a crucial topic that has gained a lot of attention in the modern church: deliverance. Specifically, we’re going to look at Colossians 1:10-14 to understand the full deliverance that has been granted to believers through Jesus Christ and why the concept of needing further deliverance is unbiblical.
In recent years, there has been an increase in deliverance ministries, where people claim that believers need continual, repeated deliverance from demonic oppression or other spiritual bondages. While the intentions behind these ministries may be well-meaning, we are going to explore today why this practice doesn’t align with the truth of scripture, especially when we look at what the Apostle Paul says in Colossians.
So, let’s turn to our passage for today, Colossians 1:10-14, which reads:
“So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
1. The Complete Work of Deliverance in Christ
Right from the start, we see in verse 13 a powerful truth that cannot be overlooked. "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son."
Notice the past tense of this statement: He has delivered us. It is not a future promise; it is a past reality for all who are in Christ. This is where we begin to see the problem with many modern deliverance ministries: they operate under the assumption that believers need some ongoing, external deliverance from demonic powers or spiritual oppression, even after they’ve been saved. But according to Colossians 1:13, this is a misunderstanding of the gospel.
When a person is saved, they are not just saved from sin in a spiritual sense. They are saved from the domain of darkness—a realm controlled by Satan and his forces. This transfer from darkness into light is a one-time act. It’s not something that needs to be done repeatedly. In Christ, we have already been delivered from the power of the enemy.
In the moment of salvation, you are delivered. Delivered from the curse of sin, from the powers of darkness, from the grip of the enemy. Jesus Himself declared in John 8:36, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." This freedom is complete and eternal.
