9 Common Obstacles to Deliverance From Demonic Strongholds

In the ministry of deliverance, there can be challenging situations where we do not receive the complete freedom we are expecting. People hop around from event to event and several different deliverance ministries and never stop to discern why they aren’t getting delivered. They will ponder within themselves and think there is something wrong with themselves and that they can’t be delivered. The truth is Jesus came to set all the captives free (Luke 4:18) and that means everyone!

Demons will put up resistance and roadblocks before coming out. Jesus also experienced demons manifesting and throwing up resistance before departing:

• “When the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, it came out of him” (Mark 1:26).
• “While he was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and returned him to his father” (Luke 9:42).
• “When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and enter him no more'” (Mark 9:25).
• “Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!’ (Mark 1:25).

I believe it is crucial to try and minimize the roadblocks and obstacles we are experiencing whether we are going to an event, a personal session or our God-time for deliverance.

Common roadblocks and applicable solutions to assist you in overcoming obstacles:

Physical Roadblocks

Aches, pains and headaches try to distract us while receiving ministry or entering our God-time. Pray against these attacks. Say out loud, “I break agreement with every demonic attack against my life and health, and I command you to stop, in Jesus’ name.”

Upset stomachs are common in deliverance ministry. Command your stomach to settle down and for the demons of distraction to be bound and restricted. Don’t fear! The feeling will pass!

If you are experiencing physical attacks command a spirit of infirmity to leave. Say out loud, “Spirit of infirmity, I command you to leave me in Jesus’ name.” Physical attacks can also be vain imaginations and false feelings because you are nervous; remember, stress does unusual things to a body.

Emotional Roadblocks

Feelings such as self-condemnation, fear and guilt can be a hindrance to your deliverance. Check your emotions in advance of receiving ministry or seeking God for deliverance and make sure you aren’t holding onto anything so tight that you aren’t willing to let it go. When we hold on tightly to things, that becomes our identity, and we don’t know how to live without doing so. Your identity is as a child of God, not as a victim of your past circumstances and demonic strongholds. Command by praying out loud, “Blocking, hindering, mind-binding and lying spirits go and get out of me in Jesus’ name.”

Spiritual Roadblocks

Religion and our upbringing can block us from receiving deliverance. When we have been raised in legalism and the idea that a Christian can’t have a demon, we can be blocked spiritually. Even though we are seeking deliverance now, we may want to control what that looks like and how it happens.

Doubt and unbelief are spiritual roadblocks. You can’t receive deliverance if you don’t believe you are hindered.

Forgiveness Roadblock

Before a time of ministry or entering in the presence of the Lord, we must seek within ourselves and make sure we have forgiven ourselves and others. Unforgiveness will block our healing and deliverance. Forgiveness is a conscious decision to wipe the slate clean and to forgive the offender. Forgiveness is not condoning what happened. It is declaring that Jesus purchased our forgiveness at the cross; and today, even though we don’t feel like it, in our heart, we are making a conscious decision to forgive the person who offended us and wipe the slate clean, so we aren’t held in bondage anymore.

Forgiving ourselves can be more difficult. I suggest to people to say out loud in your quiet time, “I forgive myself,” several times until you truly can say it and mean it.

Judgment Roadblock

People are afraid of confessing their sins (1 John 1:9) and talking about their problems in fear of being judged. We need to remember that God is our judge (Isa. 33:22). We need to also trust God for the people He sets before us that they will not judge us. We need to make sure we are praying about from whom we will receive deliverance prayer ministry.

Wrong-Direction Roadblock

Inner healing and deliverance go hand in hand. It can be a matter of where do you start first—with inner healing or deliverance. You cannot walk a person through inner healing without deliverance, and you cannot walk a person through deliverance without inner healing. Seek the Holy Spirit through prayer about which direction to start.

Soul-Tie Roadblock

Soul ties are a common roadblock. We often don’t go deeper to see if it has to do with a relationship because we are focused on getting revelation about ourselves. We don’t go deeper to see if there is a soul attachment to another person that is preventing deliverance. We must spiritually map relationships and generational curses to discover if there is something tied together in the spiritual realm we are not initially discerning.

Memory-Loss Roadblock

Frustration can set in when you don’t remember. As hurts and wounds happen, people tend to stuff their feelings and bury their problems. In deliverance, we need to deal with these root issues. The best way to conquer memory loss is to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal and bring to the forefront in His perfect timing what happened and what you need to remember to manifest your deliverance.

Frustration Roadblock

We can get frustrated and distracted by what the Holy Spirit or deliverance minister is revealing. We need not get caught up or stuck on the details or astounding unbelief of what happened or what is revealed. We need to trust the Holy Spirit that He is the ultimate revealer and will only prophetically show us what needs to be seen. Instead of getting frustrated, see it as an opportunity to learn the truth to guide you to freedom. He won’t reveal to you what you’re not ready to handle.

As you are seeking the Holy Spirit and Lord Jesus Christ for deliverance, do some preliminary work and evaluate these items and see how you can co-labor with them in advance to remove any obstacles you may have. Jesus came to set the captives free, and you will be set free when you seek Him. He is a God who loves to give good gifts and complete freedom to His children; after all, He sent His very Son to die for your deliverance and freedom!

Excerpts are taken from Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan by Kathy DeGraw.

Kathy DeGraw is a prophetic spiritual warfare strategist releasing the love and power of God, to ignite and activate people, release prophetic destinies and deliver people from the bondage of the enemy. She is the founder of Kathy DeGraw Ministries and Be Love Outreach. She is the author of several books, including Speak Out, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, Identity Invasion, Who is Speaking? and Warfare Declarations. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook, facebook.com/kathydegraw or visit degrawministries.org.