Discernment 101. Part 1. Who can cast out demons? Four groups you want to know about.

With the rise of spirituality in the world, we can see the rise of many different manifestations of powers and entities through people. The occult, witchcraft, and even simple curiosity bring more people to explore the unknown realm. But these encounters come with the cost of demonization and oppression from evil spirits. On the other hand, there are people who are casting out these entities. They perform other kinds of miracles and spiritual manifestations. The Bible tells us about four different groups of people who can cast out evil spirits.

#1 Believers in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) who are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and walk in righteousness before God.

And many miracles and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. And of the rest no one dared to join himself to them, but the people magnified them; and more believing ones were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women; So as to carry out the sick into the streets and place them on cots and mattresses, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. And also a multitude came from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick ones, and those being tormented by unclean spirits, who were all healed.

(Act 5:12-16 MKJV)

Peter was baptized by the Holy Spirit and was walking in the power of the Spirit of God. This power through him brought freedom to those who were in bondage even from his shadow.

#2 Followers of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) who do not have the power of the Holy Spirit through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

And when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

(Mat 10:1 MKJV)

We see that Yeshua’s disciples had the authority to cast out demons in the power of Yeshua’s name before they were baptized by the Holy Spirit.

And after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, And He sent them two and two before His face into every city and place where He was about to come.

(Luke 10:1 MKJV)

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name. And He said to them, I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning. Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. Yet do not rejoice in this, that the evil spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.

(Luke 10:17-20 MKJV)

Although the seventy had power in Yeshua’s name to cast out demons, and the demons were subject to them, their faith was lacking a deeper relationship with the Lord, and after some time they left Him.

This is the Bread which came down from Heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and died; he who partakes of this Bread shall live forever. He said these things in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Then when they had heard, many of His disciples said, This is a hard saying, who can hear it? But knowing in Himself that His disciples murmured about it, Jesus said to them, Does this offend you? Then what if you should see the Son of Man going up where He was before? It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who is the one betraying Him. And He said, Because of this I said to you that no one can come to Me unless it was given to him from My Father. From this time many of His disciples went back into the things behind, and walked no more with Him. Then Jesus said to the Twelve, Do you also wish to go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of eternal life.

(Joh 6:58-68 MKJV)

#3 Those who do not follow Yeshua, yet can cast out demons in His name.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out demons in Your name, and he does not follow us. And we forbade him, because he does not follow us. But Jesus said, Do not forbid him. For there is no one who shall do a work of power in My name who can lightly speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us.

(Mar 9:38-40 MKJV)

And again, even those who do not follow Yeshua can cast out demons through the power and authority of the name of Yeshua.

#4 Those who do lawlessness.

It may shock you to think that lawless people can have power over demons.

Yet Yeshua Himself warned us about this.

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them, I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!

(Mat 7:22-23 MKJV)

It sounds confusing, because in our society we are accustomed to think that if a person performs miracles in Yeshua’s name, then this person is anointed and blessed by God. It is common to think that the “anointed” can do no wrong, and therefore through this comes spiritual abuse and false teachings.

Can a person who does lawlessness perform miracles and cast out demons?

Look at Judas. He was among those who were sent by Yeshua to preach, among those who were casting out demons, and he was walking with the Son of God, following Him, and yet he was a thief. One sin opened a door for Satan, who entered into him, and he himself went in bondage.

If this could happen with Judas, why do you think this cannot happen with somebody else? How many “Judas’s” has the body of Christ had during its existence throughout the centuries? Many.

Why then are demons getting thrown out by these people?

First, it is because they are using the mighty name of Yeshua (Jesus Christ). Demons are not afraid of the people; they are afraid of the authority of this name.

Second, when desperate people are looking for help and looking for a minister of Christ, the authority of the position that some ministers hold becomes as a spiritual portal when the faith of the oppressed is activated and they connect to Christ and His mighty power through their faith and His name. 

If you want to be a deliverance minister, remember this:

If I speak with the tongues of men and of messengers, but do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all belief, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am none at all. And if I give out all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, I am not profited at all.

(1Corinthians 13:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+)