Deliverance
Pray For Deliverance
Faith Like a Mustard Seed: Winning the Spiritual Battle
There's a peculiar comfort we sometimes seek in pretending certain realities don't exist. We've all heard the old adage about the three wise monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. If we just ignore the darkness long enough, maybe it will disappear on its own. Perhaps if we bury our heads in the sand, the storm will pass us by unnoticed.
But what if the storm is real? What if the battle we're trying to ignore is raging all around us, whether we acknowledge it or not?
The Reality We Can't Ignore
Scripture doesn't mince words about the spiritual warfare we face. From Genesis to Revelation, we're reminded that we live in a world where both angelic and demonic presences are active. This isn't the stuff of medieval superstition or horror movies—it's biblical reality. The Apostle Paul warns us plainly: "Do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:27). In 2 Corinthians, we're told that "our weapons are not of this world." Even the Lord's Prayer acknowledges this battle: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
The spiritual realm is real, and the conflict is ongoing.
Yet here's the encouragement we desperately need: the One who is for us is infinitely greater than any force against us. When Satan rebelled, only about a third of the angels followed him. That means God's forces outnumber the enemy at least two to one. More importantly, God alone possesses infinite power, infinite knowledge, and omnipresence. No demon shares these attributes. Satan is a defeated foe, though still dangerous in his death throes.
The Boy and the Disciples
In Matthew 17, we encounter a heartbreaking scene. A father brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples, desperate for help. The boy suffers terribly, often falling into fire or water during seizures. But the disciples, for all their proximity to Jesus, cannot drive out the demon.
When Jesus arrives and instantly heals the boy, the disciples ask privately, "Why couldn't we do it?"
Jesus' answer cuts to the heart: "Because you have so little faith."
Then He offers them—and us—an astonishing promise: "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
A mustard seed is tiny—barely visible in your palm. Yet it grows into a plant six feet tall or more. In biblical times, these plants could reach ten feet. The point isn't the size of our faith, but the size of the God in whom we place our faith.
The "mountain" Jesus refers to isn't primarily about geographical obstacles. In context, He's talking about the spiritual battle—the demonic strongholds that keep people in bondage, the spiritual forces that prevent God's image-bearers from reflecting His glory.
How We Lose the Battle
Losing spiritual battles often begins with something seemingly small. Temptation rarely announces itself as catastrophic. It whispers, "This is just a little thing. It won't really matter."
But every compromise is like cracking open a door. Imagine a salesman appearing at your home. He's friendly, persistent. You open the door just slightly to talk. Before you know it, he's stepped inside. He asks for water. Soon he's comfortable at your kitchen table. He starts leaving his belongings in your home. What began as a crack in the door has become a full invasion.
This is how sin and demonic influence work. One "small" compromise leads to another. Each time we say yes to temptation, we open the door wider. What we rationalize as insignificant becomes a foothold, then a stronghold. There is no such thing as an innocent little sin. Every sin is dangerous because it invites darkness into our lives.
We also lose battles by simply denying they exist. Scripture tells us to "be sober and alert," not to hide. Pretending the battle isn't real guarantees defeat.
The Lies That Bind
Spiritual attacks can manifest in various ways. Sometimes they're dramatic and obvious. Other times, they're subtle—a persistent, unexplained fear that cripples us, addictive patterns we can't break, destructive tendencies that don't align with who we want to be, or negative thought patterns that plague us despite our best efforts to think differently.
The enemy's ultimate goal hasn't changed since Eden: to destroy the glory of God by destroying those made in His image. We were created for fellowship with God and to reflect His glory. Satan's strategy is to mar that image, to steal our joy, kill our effectiveness, and destroy our testimony.
One powerful testimony illustrates this reality. A young man preparing for Bible school suddenly experienced devastating panic attacks in the middle of the night. Voices whispered lies: "God has left you. Don't pray—it won't work. Jesus isn't divine." For months, he battled these attacks, hating even to hear Jesus' name while preparing to study theology.
The breakthrough came at a gas station at midnight. Three young men—who looked like stereotypical "gangsters"—drove past. One rolled down his window just slightly and called out: "Jesus loves you, my friend."
That simple proclamation of truth, spoken by an unlikely messenger, began the process of deliverance. The final victory came when the young man was reminded that God's Word is true whether we feel it or not. After that moment, the panic attacks ceased, and the hatred of Jesus' name disappeared.
How We Win
Victory in spiritual warfare begins with prayer. If you accomplish nothing else this year, make prayer your priority. The Lord's Prayer provides a perfect template: praise, surrender, confession, and petition for deliverance.
Fasting intensifies our prayers. It's not a trick to manipulate God but a discipline that says no to physical desires and yes to spiritual hunger. When we fast, we create space for God to work in ways we might otherwise miss.
We must also confess our sins—first to God, and when there's ongoing struggle, to a trusted brother or sister in Christ. What we hide won't be healed. What we deny won't be forgiven. Proverbs 28:13 reminds us: "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
James 5:16 adds: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
Freedom Is Possible
The enemy is defeated. When Jesus declared "It is finished" on the cross, Satan's empire crumbled. The victory is already won. While the enemy still wreaks havoc, his defeat is certain.
We are called to walk in freedom, not slavery. Christ has set us free—we must stand firm and not let ourselves be burdened again by sin's yoke (Galatians 5:1).
If you're battling spiritual oppression, don't give up. Seek help. Pray without ceasing. Immerse yourself in Scripture. Find a trusted believer who can pray with you and for you. Sometimes deliverance requires help from others trained in spiritual warfare ministry.
Your testimony matters. Your freedom matters. Your witness matters. The God who created you longs to see you walk in victory, reflecting His glory without the chains of demonic influence.
The battle is real, but so is the victory. And it begins with faith as small as a mustard seed—faith not in ourselves, but in the God who moves mountains.
There's a peculiar comfort we sometimes seek in pretending certain realities don't exist. We've all heard the old adage about the three wise monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. If we just ignore the darkness long enough, maybe it will disappear on its own. Perhaps if we bury our heads in the sand, the storm will pass us by unnoticed.
But what if the storm is real? What if the battle we're trying to ignore is raging all around us, whether we acknowledge it or not?
The Reality We Can't Ignore
Scripture doesn't mince words about the spiritual warfare we face. From Genesis to Revelation, we're reminded that we live in a world where both angelic and demonic presences are active. This isn't the stuff of medieval superstition or horror movies—it's biblical reality. The Apostle Paul warns us plainly: "Do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:27). In 2 Corinthians, we're told that "our weapons are not of this world." Even the Lord's Prayer acknowledges this battle: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
The spiritual realm is real, and the conflict is ongoing.
Yet here's the encouragement we desperately need: the One who is for us is infinitely greater than any force against us. When Satan rebelled, only about a third of the angels followed him. That means God's forces outnumber the enemy at least two to one. More importantly, God alone possesses infinite power, infinite knowledge, and omnipresence. No demon shares these attributes. Satan is a defeated foe, though still dangerous in his death throes.
The Boy and the Disciples
In Matthew 17, we encounter a heartbreaking scene. A father brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples, desperate for help. The boy suffers terribly, often falling into fire or water during seizures. But the disciples, for all their proximity to Jesus, cannot drive out the demon.
When Jesus arrives and instantly heals the boy, the disciples ask privately, "Why couldn't we do it?"
Jesus' answer cuts to the heart: "Because you have so little faith."
Then He offers them—and us—an astonishing promise: "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
A mustard seed is tiny—barely visible in your palm. Yet it grows into a plant six feet tall or more. In biblical times, these plants could reach ten feet. The point isn't the size of our faith, but the size of the God in whom we place our faith.
The "mountain" Jesus refers to isn't primarily about geographical obstacles. In context, He's talking about the spiritual battle—the demonic strongholds that keep people in bondage, the spiritual forces that prevent God's image-bearers from reflecting His glory.
How We Lose the Battle
Losing spiritual battles often begins with something seemingly small. Temptation rarely announces itself as catastrophic. It whispers, "This is just a little thing. It won't really matter."
But every compromise is like cracking open a door. Imagine a salesman appearing at your home. He's friendly, persistent. You open the door just slightly to talk. Before you know it, he's stepped inside. He asks for water. Soon he's comfortable at your kitchen table. He starts leaving his belongings in your home. What began as a crack in the door has become a full invasion.
This is how sin and demonic influence work. One "small" compromise leads to another. Each time we say yes to temptation, we open the door wider. What we rationalize as insignificant becomes a foothold, then a stronghold. There is no such thing as an innocent little sin. Every sin is dangerous because it invites darkness into our lives.
We also lose battles by simply denying they exist. Scripture tells us to "be sober and alert," not to hide. Pretending the battle isn't real guarantees defeat.
The Lies That Bind
Spiritual attacks can manifest in various ways. Sometimes they're dramatic and obvious. Other times, they're subtle—a persistent, unexplained fear that cripples us, addictive patterns we can't break, destructive tendencies that don't align with who we want to be, or negative thought patterns that plague us despite our best efforts to think differently.
The enemy's ultimate goal hasn't changed since Eden: to destroy the glory of God by destroying those made in His image. We were created for fellowship with God and to reflect His glory. Satan's strategy is to mar that image, to steal our joy, kill our effectiveness, and destroy our testimony.
One powerful testimony illustrates this reality. A young man preparing for Bible school suddenly experienced devastating panic attacks in the middle of the night. Voices whispered lies: "God has left you. Don't pray—it won't work. Jesus isn't divine." For months, he battled these attacks, hating even to hear Jesus' name while preparing to study theology.
The breakthrough came at a gas station at midnight. Three young men—who looked like stereotypical "gangsters"—drove past. One rolled down his window just slightly and called out: "Jesus loves you, my friend."
That simple proclamation of truth, spoken by an unlikely messenger, began the process of deliverance. The final victory came when the young man was reminded that God's Word is true whether we feel it or not. After that moment, the panic attacks ceased, and the hatred of Jesus' name disappeared.
How We Win
Victory in spiritual warfare begins with prayer. If you accomplish nothing else this year, make prayer your priority. The Lord's Prayer provides a perfect template: praise, surrender, confession, and petition for deliverance.
Fasting intensifies our prayers. It's not a trick to manipulate God but a discipline that says no to physical desires and yes to spiritual hunger. When we fast, we create space for God to work in ways we might otherwise miss.
We must also confess our sins—first to God, and when there's ongoing struggle, to a trusted brother or sister in Christ. What we hide won't be healed. What we deny won't be forgiven. Proverbs 28:13 reminds us: "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
James 5:16 adds: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
Freedom Is Possible
The enemy is defeated. When Jesus declared "It is finished" on the cross, Satan's empire crumbled. The victory is already won. While the enemy still wreaks havoc, his defeat is certain.
We are called to walk in freedom, not slavery. Christ has set us free—we must stand firm and not let ourselves be burdened again by sin's yoke (Galatians 5:1).
If you're battling spiritual oppression, don't give up. Seek help. Pray without ceasing. Immerse yourself in Scripture. Find a trusted believer who can pray with you and for you. Sometimes deliverance requires help from others trained in spiritual warfare ministry.
Your testimony matters. Your freedom matters. Your witness matters. The God who created you longs to see you walk in victory, reflecting His glory without the chains of demonic influence.
The battle is real, but so is the victory. And it begins with faith as small as a mustard seed—faith not in ourselves, but in the God who moves mountains.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
No Comments