I have done years of ministry, and also done deliverance ministry, but when I read the scriptures, I understand that deliverance ministry that is often done is very old covenant based.
One of the most misunderstood areas in Christian teaching today is deliverance ministry—especially when it is disconnected from covenant context.
If Jesus lived and ministered under the Old Covenant, and the New Covenant began after His death and resurrection, then a crucial question must be asked:
What changed in deliverance ministry after the covenant changed?
The answer reshapes how we understand authority, identity, spiritual warfare, and freedom in Christ.
1. Deliverance Before the Cross
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, deliverance was real, powerful, and unmistakable. Demons recognized Him instantly:
“I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
— Mark 1:24
But the source of authority in that period is important.
Key Characteristics of Pre-Cross Deliverance
- Authority resided in Jesus personally, not in believers. Yes, he delegated but for a time.
- The Spirit was with people, not in them permanently (John 14:17)
- Demons were expelled by command, not by shared union
- People were healed and delivered, but not yet regenerated
Even when Jesus sent out the twelve (Luke 9:1) and later the seventy-two (Luke 10:17), their authority was:
- Delegated temporarily
- Mission-specific
- Not rooted in new creation identity
Jesus confirmed this when He corrected their excitement:
“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”— Luke 10:20
Deliverance existed—but it did not define covenant standing.
2. The Cross Changed the Legal Ground of Authority
The cross destroyed dominion of darkness.
Paul explains what happened at the cross:
“Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” — Colossians 2:15
This verse does not describe a ministry moment. It describes a cosmic legal event.
At the cross:
- Satan’s legal claim over humanity was broken
- Sin—the ground of accusation—was judged
- The powers were stripped, not negotiated with
Deliverance shifted from conflict-based to victory-based.
3. The Resurrection Introduced New Covenant Authority
Jesus’ resurrection did more than prove His divinity—it created a new humanity.
“He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places.”— Ephesians 2:6
This was impossible before the resurrection.
New Covenant Reality
- Believers are in Christ
- Christ is in believers
- Authority is shared union, not occasional delegation. We use His authority because we are one spirit with Him (1 Cor 6:17).
- The believer does not fight for victory, but from victory
Deliverance is no longer about extracting demons from people who belong to darkness.
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.”— Colossians 1:13
That is a completed transfer.
4. Why Deliverance Looked Dramatic in the Gospels
In the Gospels:
- The kingdom of God was invading hostile territory
- Jesus confronted darkness directly and visibly
- Demonic resistance was expected
But after Pentecost:
- The kingdom was established within believers
- The Spirit now dwells permanently
- Darkness no longer has rightful access
This is why the Epistles:
- Never teach believers to seek deliverance. You don’t see demons cast out of believers.
- Never instruct casting demons out of believers
- Emphasize renewal of the mind, not exorcism
5. The Epistles Redefine Spiritual Warfare
Paul does not tell believers to cast demons out of themselves.
He tells them:
“Put off the old man… be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”— Ephesians 4:22–23
“Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 10:5
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”— James 4:7
Resistance is not deliverance. It assumes authority already exists.
6. Why Modern Deliverance Ministry Often Feels Endless
Many believers today experience repeated “deliverance sessions” because:
- Old Covenant patterns are applied to New Covenant people
- Identity is replaced with introspection
- Freedom is sought for instead of understood
- The cross is treated as partial, not final
Jesus never taught believers to live in constant spiritual diagnosis.
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
— John 8:36
7. What Deliverance Looks Like Under the New Covenant
Deliverance today is primarily:
- Revelation of identity
- Renewal of the mind
- Walking in truth
- Standing in finished victory
Demons flee not because we shout louder—but because darkness cannot coexist with light.
“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
— 1 John 4:4
That verse was written after the resurrection.
8. Jesus Modeled Old Covenant Authority — We Live in New Covenant Union
Jesus cast out demons as:
- The anointed Messiah
- The last Adam
- The faithful Israelite
- The sinless Law-keeper
We walk in freedom as:
- New creations
- Sons and daughters
- Participants in His resurrection life
- People in whom Christ dwells
We do not copy Jesus’ pre-cross deliverance methods.
We live from His post-resurrection victory.
Conclusion: Deliverance Changed Because the Covenant Changed
Before the cross, deliverance confronted demons and “fought” demons, but after the resurrection:
Deliverance flows from an internal kingdom reality
Before:
- Darkness resisted invasion
After:
- Darkness has been judged and displaced. We are living from victory.
The Gospel is not about endless battles. It is about a finished victory revealed and lived out.
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