While people seek professional medical and psychological care, the church needs to prepare to minister deliverance to those in spiritual bondage who are experiencing demonic harassment and oppression due to the pervasive influence of occult practices in contemporary society. Today, there is a call for the church to advance its readiness and effectiveness in this ministry.

Spiritual Bondage
Mary’s life story reveals a profound and harrowing journey through demonic harassment and oppression, marked by deep entanglement with occult practices and a painful quest for spiritual freedom. Born into a profoundly occult environment, Mary experienced layers of spiritual attack and bondage that permeated both her personal and social existence. Her journey from darkness to deliverance vividly illustrates the challenges faced by those caught in the occult and the resilience needed for a soul-seeking liberation.

Mary’s experience was neither isolated nor mild; demonic influence relentlessly shadowed her life. She recalled feeling pursued by malevolent forces, a sensation that occasionally intensified, indicating sporadic yet profound episodes of spiritual harassment. Moreover, Mary’s past includes a near-fatal experience—she was almost murdered when someone attempted to strangle her during a ritual. Mary’s initiation into this shadowy world included numerous psychic consultations—both in person and via psychic hotlines—that facilitated continual contact with spirits and supernatural powers beyond human perception.

Exploration Leads to Captivity
When responding to questionnaires designed to evaluate victims’ exposure to the occult, Mary answered yes dozens of times to inquiries aimed at identifying an individual’s involvement in various forms of fortune-telling and occult practices, such as tea leaf or palm reading, horoscope consultation, tarot card reading, and contacting psychics either personally or via hotlines.

Mary also explored induced trances, a therapeutic practice that utilizes hypnosis or meditation to bring about altered states of consciousness, enabling individuals to access deeper aspects of the psyche for healing. During these states, people may uncover memories, emotions and insights that are otherwise inaccessible. While many believe this practice can open gateways to otherworldly realms, they do not realize that, like Mary’s experience, such a move often takes a darker turn.

One particularly lonely night, under the influence of cannabis—which weakened her spiritual resistance—she encountered what felt like an “opening of the sky.” She believed she had an astral projection, a phenomenon often linked to serious spiritual risks, including demonic imprinting and even possession. What began as an exploration into entering a trance state led to lasting negative spiritual consequences.

Mary’s life took a pivotal turn during the global pandemic—a time of widespread suffering and isolation, but also a spiritual awakening for many. She found a glimmer of hope in witnessing people set free after hearing sermons from one of our colleagues. This spiritual opportunity stirred in her a longing for deliverance from the chains of oppression. During this period, Mary confronted the weight of her bondage—recognizing the accumulated spiritual damage from years of occult involvement and demonic harassment.

Mary’s Deliverance Journey: Seeking Freedom with Compassion
Mary’s quest for deliverance was deeply personal and complex. It was marked by sessions of intense prayer, self-recognition of demonic strongholds, and a gradual turning toward the light of Christian faith.

The journey of praying for Mary was both a profound spiritual challenge and an immense joy for my female colleague and me. Over several weeks, we devoted ourselves to fervent intercession on her behalf, taking turns to stand in the spiritual gap while witnessing the gradual release of demonic oppression from her life. This shared experience not only deepened our faith but also brought us great joy as we observed Mary’s transformation from bondage to freedom. Although each session did not always conclude with renewed confidence and joy, after most of them, we saw tangible signs of deliverance: her demeanor, peace and testimony became increasingly evident.

The Growing Need for Deliverance Ministry
Sadly, cases like Mary’s are increasing. Since the beginning of 2024, the demand for assistance in delivering people from demonic harassment and oppression has grown significantly. When I began as director of the Set Free in Christ Institute at AFM’s home office in April 2024, we were receiving two or three messages weekly; now, the volume has risen to a dozen emails or phone calls per week from people around the world.

In response to this growing need, we are organizing a Deliverance Ministry Training for North America, scheduled for September 23–25, 2025, at the AFM Training Center in Berrien Springs, Michigan. To find out more information or to register, please visit setfreeinchrist.org/news/didasko-training.

Pray for Mary
Please remember Mary in your prayers as she continues in her journey with Christ and as she seeks guidance on how to best use her experience, whether through writing or speaking, to advance God’s kingdom and encourage others to pursue deliverance.

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