An inside Job

Dear friends

As you may know, I have worked with prisoners and people living on the streets or at risk of losing their homes for a while now.

And every single one of them has a reason, a story why they came to this point where they ended up in prison or where they have formed habits (mostly substance misuse habits) which keep them from living a “normal life” as in taking up and keeping a steady job, being able to maintain healthy relationships with friends and loved ones, taking care of themselves, staying away from crime etc.

I came to see – and I am sure many of you will agree with me- that all of them are dealing with some kind of demonic torment, be it an addiction, negative self-destructive thoughts which affect their mental health or make it difficult for them to even stay alive and not kill themselves….most of them live in some kind of vicious cycle repeating itself.

These things don’t come from GOD.

And many of the clients I had in this field, young or older, male or female know GOD!
And yet still they are unable to get out of their situation – at least on their own.

They need help.

Some of them will respond to some kind of therapy, like rehab for instance or some other kind of therapy, but many of them don’t permanently recover with the help of these methods.

I have only been in the field for about 5 years, so I can’t say if the ones I’ve personally seen who seem to have recovered with GOD’s help will be more likely to stay on their path to recovery, but what I have seen is that clients who have been unable to make the necessary changes for many years, some very severe and complex cases, have responded well and have made visible and tangible progress under my care – and although I have been employed in roles where I was expected (and payed) to deliver some sort of therapeutic interventions, that’s not what I have been doing! I have prayed for all my clients (and my team mates and managers) and I believe that this is the only reason why I was able to help them when colleagues who were not Christians and didn’t pray for them weren’t. And that’s also the only reasons why clients in every capacity where I worked would engage with me and refuse engaging with many or all other workers of the team.
GOD can help.
Even if they don’t believe in HIM.
I have heard it so many times – that I helped them like nobody else before.
And I am not a fool, I know that this is not because I know so much or am so skilled and experienced, it is only because I work with GOD.

What we have basically been doing is deliverance.

And the people who need deliverance are not only in prison or living on the streets.

They are among us.

In our friend circle, in our families, in our churches!!! – I would even go as far to say that we all need deliverance to some degree or at some point in our lives.

It’s also in the bible.

JESUS cast out devils wherever HE went.

If all spiritual things are unchanged compared to the times when HE was walking the earth, why would demons not be around anymore and torture people??????

They are!

The devil is as real as GOD is.

And he has an army, just like GOD does.

People and supernatural beings.

They are working hard.

The bible says the thief cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and that’s what they do.

Me, I had to do a lot of spiritual warfare. I’ve said it before, even the devil himself came to me twice and told me that I cannot leave him – boy was he wrong!!!

What I have discovered through my own experience and in my observations and findings of doing this work helping so many people break free from unhealthy habits – both with GOD’s help and only by GOD’s help with so much success!!! – everyone who needs deliverance needs to find the necessary power and the necessary steps INSIDE of them before they can make the change.

Even in my work before I worked with this client cohort, I found that if I am working too hard as a counselor, I am doing something wrong, because it’s not me who needs to do the work, but the client.
I’ve seen many clients, especially in prison, who had become institutionalized and weren’t taking any responsibility for their lives anymore, blaming all their circumstances on other people, their probation officer, the judge, their babymothers, nobody helped them etc……and when asked what they themselves had done to change their situation, they were unable to give an answer……..

And on the other hand, the ones who were successful and accepting the help and working on themselves, they usually had the following repeating patterns:
– when I saw them, they would tell me what they had worked on and would report some positive changes or some progress
– they would tell me some revelations, usually, they would repeat something back to me from what I said (in 99% of the time something I didn’t remember saying) that helped them to come to a new conclusion or that helped them to keep going
– they are working on making more progress, setting new, additional goals for themselves and are acting more self-reliant and self-driven
-they have new findings and conclusions which I haven’t inspired or given
-they are expanding their inner work on other areas of their life, actively achieving things and also letting go of what no longer serves them, people, habits, things…
– in many (but not all) cases, they would tell me that GOD had spoken to them or that they had felt peace like never before
– they would become more willing to listen to more advice and even to go down more difficult routes, for instance to make another effort to reunite with their loved ones and do what it takes for them to learn to trust them again etc
– they would become more free from not only the “core habit” but many more of their negative patterns would go (Resist the devil and he will flee from you James 4:7).

Freedom is a process in many cases, including my own.

I have seen deliverance taking place through prayers from someone else, but from what I know and from what I have seen, it is not a one time matter and the prayer is often only the beginning and a lot more deliverance work needs to be done.

Mainly by the person themselves.

I normally say something to them which Derek Prince said:

You have to hate “it”! – If you don’t, you won’t get rid of it.

And this is so true – for myself and everyone I have ever worked with.

In my case, as long as I was still fascinated by anything ungodly, I was unable to get rid of the nightmares, the attacks, the physical consequences of all the witchcraft they sent my way.
Plus, I had to get rid of everything that had opened the door for them in the first place.

Same goes for my clients – AND for everybody.

You can’t keep drinking and expecting to have a better life if you have an alcohol addiction. This is an example that everyone understands.
But the principle is true for all of us.

You cannot stay in sin and expect GOD to deliver you from its consequences.

And someone praying for you is nice and feels good, but it won’t be all it takes to get the job done.

Deliverance is an inside job.

Remember the demoniac in the bible who lived in the graveyard (Mark 5: 1-20)? After his deliverance, he wanted to come with JESUS but GOD ordered him to stay where he was and testify to everyone.
The follow up work needs to be done and often times comes with a change of purpose, that the person will not live for GOD or at least devote this aspect of their lives to godly work….

Becoming free is one thing, staying free is another task!

And that’s why without the person in question being involved in their escape, their deliverance / freedom will not be permanent – and it’s even a waste of time helping them if they aren’t contributing to their own recovery process.

Whoever is helping the person break free, they do not live the person’s life and they are not with them every day all day long – and that’s when the habits and negative patterns come back and need to be conquered.

And the person needs tools and the power to fight – alone!

Obviously, GOD has these tools and the power and HE will be there to help.

But HE will always expect us to do our part – no matter what it is we are struggling with.

And that goes for everybody.

Including you & I, not just people in prison or people who are seriously addicted to something – most of us have some “stuff” – many of us are hiding it from the rest of the world or to some degree even from ourselves.

Telling someone and asking for prayer can be an important part of the deliverance process, but it doesn’t do the job alone and for good.

Again: deliverance is an inside job and we are the main person to do it – together with GOD.

I have a page with resources for you if you would like to start the deliverance and recovery journey – Need deliverance – and I am also here if you need assistance or prayer.

I hope and pray that this will inspire, encourage, heal and bless you.
And that THE LORD will bless you abundantly in all areas of your life and that HE will keep you and shine HIS face upon you and bring you PEACE. In JESUS’ name I pray. AMEN.