Deliver us from Evil

 Deliverance & Inner Healing

I’ve had some comments that indicate that there are some that don’t fully understand the role of deliverance and inner healing in the life of the believer. Therefore, I’ve going to be like Jesus and tell a story.

Once upon a time, the city of Huntsville decided to hold a marathon race. Now it so happened that two inmates at the Huntsville penitentiary were excellent runners and wanted to enter the race. They were both in good standing with the warden, so they petitioned to be allowed to run the race.

The first one was granted a temporary release for long enough to train and to participate in the race. The stipulation was that he had to wear a ball and chain whenever he was off of the prison grounds. He was promised, though, that if he did well and obeyed all the restriction, he would be up for parole at the end of the race. He trained hard and built up his strength so that he could run while carrying the ball and chain. By race day, he was ready to run.

The second was granted a pardon by the governor and was released from prison without restrictions. He also trained hard to build up his strength and endurance for the long race. By race day, he was also prepared to run the race.

Now the question is, since both men were prepared to run the race, which one had the best chance to finish the race with a good time? It would seem obvious that the one without the ball and chain would have the best chance.

Now both of these were “saved” from prison, but only one was “delivered” from his shackles. They both had to train for an equal amount of time, and both had to run the marathon, but the one without shackles had a much better chance of doing well in the race.

Another way to look at this is to consider the topic of yesterday’s blog. Psalms 106 and 107 were about praising the Lord while remembering how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt and provided for them across the wilderness. Now in this case, the people were removed from Egypt (delivered) in a single day (Passover), but it took 40 years to remove Egypt from the people. 

Jesus didn’t always explain his parables, but I will say this. There is great benefit from deliverance and inner healing for the believer. It can remove shackles and heal things that hinder your walk with the Lord. However, deliverance alone does not remove the need to continue to walk in obedience to the Lord. The writer of the book of Hebrews put it like this;

Hebrews 12:1-2 - Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easilyentangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So we need to lay aside those things that encumber us but we then need to run the race with endurance, always fixing our eyes on the goal, Jesus. And like Jesus, we need to endure whatever hardships we encounter along the way until we finish the race and win the prize, just like the Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone whocompetes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

But always remember, you cannot endure on your own strength, but you need to ask for the Lord’s help. This is why the Lord taught us to pray thus:

Matthew 6:13

13 ‘Anddo not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

[ForYours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

Therefore, bless the Lord that He is willing and able to deliver us from evil and to heal our infirmaries, even those that result from emotional and spiritual hurts. This healing allows us to throw aside those encumbrances that hinder us and run the race successfully, until the day that we meet Jesus face to face and receive our reward.