In the Bondage Breaker, Neil T. Anderson gives the following aid to people who want to help others find freedom in Christ. Everything in quotes comes from the book.
Principles of Spiritual Conflict Resolution
- How should we help people find freedom?: “We should derive our methodology for dealing with the kingdom of darkness primarily from the epistles rather than the Gospels and the Book of Acts.” He advises us to look to how things were done after the cross when the church was founded, not before it.
- Who is responsible? The Priesthood of all believers is a biblical teaching that says that we are all priests. Before the cross, we need priests to go to God on our behalf. Now, we are the priests who offer up sacrifices to God. Christians don’t need someone to set them free. Anderson says, “Because there are no instructions in the epistles to cast out demons does not mean that Christians cannot have spiritual problems. It means that the responsibility for living free in Christ has shifted from the specially endowed agent of authority to the individual believer.”
- What should be the focus? “Dealing with the demonic should be seen as a truth encounter rather than a power encounter.” You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
- What are the qualifications of a helper? “The primary prerequisites for helping others find freedom are godly character and the ability to teach.”
Guidelines for Helping Others Find Freedom
- “Gather Background Information”. Do this just like a doctor or counselor would in a visit.
- “Determine False Beliefs” Determine their concept of God, their identity, what God has done, and the devil. A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
- “Deal with the Individual, Not the Demons”
- “Lead Them Through the Steps to Freedom.”
