Retaining Healing and Deliverance

Guarding Your Heart Against an Invisible Enemy 

Eunice Waye Evans

This teaching on retaining healing and deliverance is a practical application that companions the lessons set forth in "Matters of the Heart," our free eCourse for spiritual growth and emotional transformation.

All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.

Now that you have received inner healing and deliverance, what now?      
     How do you keep the evil spirits from returning?
          How do you retain healing and deliverance?

Gaining Freedom Is Only the Beginning

Stay positioned in Christ to be ready for any attack. Keep the main thing (your relationship with Jesus) the main thing by making sure your safety nets are in good repair - the five essentials of connecting with Christ: prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship and service. Pursue trust and obedience to Him on a daily basis (see Spiritual Warfare 101 and Walking in the Spirit). Then you will be in a good position to do the warfare necessary to retain your healing or deliverance! 

The Warning of Jesus

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."   Luke 11:24-26  

The Spiritual Battle

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6  

Our Place of Authority

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:17-20  

How to Begin Ministry to Others or Self-Protection

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.    James 4:7-8  

The Weapons of Our Warfare

1) Praise and Worship

Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment - This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord! Psalm 149:5-9  

2) The Name of Jesus

We run to His Name that we may call upon Him. We call upon His Name that we may stand by His grace. We stand by His grace that we may command by His Name.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11  

3) The Word of God

Quote the word to the enemy; stand upon it in your heart.

But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" Luke 4:4  

4) The Blood of Jesus

Use the blood as a covering; plead the blood of Jesus over yourself, family, property, body, soul, spirit, mind and subconscious mind.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11-12  

5) The Angelic Shield

Ask God to send angels for protection.

For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12  

6) The Armor of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-19 

7) Praying in the Spirit

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18  

8) Binding the Strong Man

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. Luke 11:21-23  

9) Binding and Loosing

Proclaim what heaven has bound and heaven has loosed.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19  

One More to Explore

The Challenge  Two unwanted things it takes to go the distance in the spiritual life.

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Consider taking our free eCourse for Healing. We have designed a complete series for personal transformation, "Matters of the Heart," to help Christians gain emotional freedom and inner healing. In all there are 24 Main Healing Lessons and 24 Head to Heart Guides to help you bring your heart to God and receive His Great Heart for you in return!