T4L: Hello, Jim. Thanks for doing this interview for Theology for Life Magazine! We’re excited about your book, Truth or Territory: A Biblical Approach to Spiritual Warfare. As you know, the matters of deliverance ministry and spiritual warfare are big topics that not many, but thankfully a growing number of people, are addressing. As we get started today, can you please tell us about your book, Truth or Territory: A Biblical Approach to Spiritual Warfare?
Jim: I published that book in 2015 as a fundraiser for our new church building. It originated as a series of articles in our church newsletter, where I addressed various questions that I was receiving on topics related to spiritual warfare. People were asking things like:
- What are generational curses?
- What is a “hedge of thorns”?
- Do we have the authority to bind Satan?
- Should we be rebuking the devil?
- What are “territorial spirits”?
Having once subscribed to a territorial view of spiritual warfare, I was familiar with both the theology behind these questions and the practices they reflected.
However, during my time in Bible College, I came to reject the typical approach to spiritual warfare often seen in the deliverance ministry and spiritual warfare movements. I realized that true biblical spiritual warfare is a battle over truth, not a struggle for territory.
In the book, I explain what the Scriptures actually teach about spiritual warfare, and demonstrate that many modern practices aren’t supported by the proof texts frequently cited by so-called spiritual warfare “experts”.
T4L: Why should Christians be concerned about modern-day deliverance ministry?
Jim: The deliverance ministry movement undermines believers’ confidence in both the Word of God and the sufficiency of Christ’s work on their behalf. It shifts our focus away from the perfect redemption we have in Christ and emphasizes a perceived need for further deliverance. Additionally, it teaches that sins described in Scripture as the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21) are actually caused by indwelling demons, which misdiagnoses the root of our sin. The solution to indwelling sin is the mortification of the flesh, not a power encounter with demons. Christians are being misled to believe that a few quick deliverance sessions will grant them victory over sin. This is the wrong remedy!
T4L: What kind of teaching marks those affiliated with the modern-day deliverance ministry?
Jim: Deliverance teachers, or “Demon Slayers” as they often call themselves, believe that Christians can be demonized (an unclear term, particularly when applied in this specific manner). While they don’t teach that a Christian can be “possessed” (which they define as being owned by a demon), they do believe a Christian can be controlled or even dominated by a demon. As a result, they claim that every Christian needs deliverance, and that it should be a routine part of a believer’s life. Similar to changing the oil in a car, they advocate for a regular “deliverance” maintenance program to flush out any demonic spirits that may have entered a person’s life and body.
Furthermore, they claim that ongoing private revelation is essential for effective deliverance. They rely on a “word of knowledge” or even the testimony of demons for guidance because Scripture does not provide detailed instructions on how to perform exorcisms. While the exorcisms performed by Jesus and the Apostles are described in the Bible, there are no step-by-step instructions on how to carry them out.
T4L: How should Christians speak out against the modern-day deliverance ministry?
Jim: This is a challenging issue because the deliverance ministry is rapidly growing in popularity, and many are being drawn in by the excitement and subsequently misled by its promises. I believe the best way to engage with people on this topic is by asking them to defend their claims. Ask them to show where Scripture instructs us to cast out demons in Christians (i.e. the reason for deliverance in the Church Body).
You will need to be discerning since proof-texting is central to deliverance ministry teaching. Any believer engaging in this discussion should have at least a basic understanding of what Scripture says about demon possession and exorcisms. For further study, I recommend What the Bible Teaches about Spiritual Warfare, by Robert Dean Jr. and Thomas Ice. At the risk of sounding self-serving, my book, Truth or Territory, also covers this subject in detail.
T4L: What is idea behind generational sin and why should Christians be concerned about it?
Jim: Deliverance experts claim that demonic powers, possessions, and influence can be passed down from one generation to the next, often referred to as “bloodline curses”. According to their teaching, a person can be under a curse, demonic influence, or bound by sinful habits due to the unbelief of their ancestors. They often cite Exodus 20:5 to support this idea. They argue that unless these ancestral sins are verbally renounced, confessed, and a prayer of renunciation is recited, demons will have legal rights in a believer’s life.
However, this is not the message of Exodus 20:5. The passage simply states that if children continue in the sinful, unrepentant ways of their ancestors, they will face the same judgment. Ezekiel 18 offers a perfect response to this false teaching, showing that each person is responsible for their own sin.
As believers, we can have confidence that, having been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Son (Colossians 1:13-14) and redeemed from our futile way of life (1 Peter 1:18), we do not need further deliverance. To suggest otherwise undermines the work of Christ on the cross, which should be offensive to every believer.
