(EMI) -- Do the following words and phrases sound familiar?

Hardcore deliverance ministries virtually put everything on "demonization," or the activity of "demons". In other words, they sincerely believe there is a demon behind every problem we encounter.

For those seekers of the Truth, it will come to no surprise to you that we believe that the true ministry of deliverance isn't just about demons!

That's right! It's about guiding and helping our brothers and sisters come into the victory that Christ died to give them! The purpose of ministering deliverance is to set free those who are in bondage. As Jesus was sent forth to preach deliverance to the captives, so we are also sent out, and this includes at times, the casting out of devils (Matthew 10:8).

(Luke 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to... preach deliverance to the captives...")

(John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them... as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.") to do the works He did (John 14:12, "He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also...")

But FIRST and FOREMOST, as fellow believers and ministers of reconcilliation, we must sincerely LOVE those to whom we are ministering...to the end! What does the love chapter in 1 Corinthisnas 13 say at the end of the beautiful scriptures on love? "Love endures all things..."

My heart has broken for many a brother and/or sister in Christ who ended up being "marked" and even driven away from their perspective churches because they didn't get "delivered" or "healed" due to their "lack of faith" or because there were (assumedly) holding on to larger issues they were not willing to disclose.

One young mother attended a healing school for several weeks to find healing for her wrist that had undergone several surgeries due to a sports injury. After a few months, and many, many prayers later, the leadership of the class heaped coals of guilt and condemnation upon her for not having already increased her faith to the point of getting one-hundred percent healed already. Do you want to know what I think? I believe the leadership, to save face, threw their inability to get her healed on her lack of faith. These people are placing FAITH IN THEIR FAITH, instead of placing the FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS PROMISES.

The young mother felt condemned and left the church defeated. In all honesty, the leadership drove her away with zero tolerance for her so-called "lack of faith." No follow up, no enduring persistance, and no compassion or heart for her as a bonifies sister in the family of God. Something is desperately wrong wiith this picture!

A young man who was diagnosed with A.D.D. was brought to his church leaders several years ago for prayer because his grades were suffering terribly due to the disorder. Within minutes, the pastors had the twelve-year-old boy on the ground attempting to cast demonic spirits out of him - this went on for nearly thirty minutes until the father reached down, pulled his son up by the arm, and took him out of the church and then home.

Several weeks later, through proper medical attention and precise diagnosis, the family doctor found the right "med-mix" for this young man's condition and the lad began getting A's and B's in all of his classes! His demeanor and countenance lit up light a lightbulb and his life has never been the same since! (NOTE: Medical science, whether they admit it or not, is fighting the same sicknesses, disorders, and conditions we are as believers! They are fighting against the same devil! They are doing what they know to do with what vast knowledge they have accumulated to bring healing and wholeness to broken lives! Remember Jesus' disciple Luke? He was a physician - let's not quickly allow that one to fly by unnoticed).

Now, am I saying that all pastors and ministers of "deliverance" are whack jobs who need to be put away? Absolutely not (well, at least not all of them - LOL). But what I am saying is that our first responsibility as ministers is to PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT and the LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EVERY SITUATION to bring wholeness to someone incredibly loved by God! No two situation are alike!

Simply because God's people are individuals, uniquely designed with different DNA, gift mixes, behaviors, and needs.

The ministry of deliverance is all about bringing spiritual victory and freedom to those who are in bondage. In late 2009, the Lord gave us our slogan for Encounnters Ministries International, which is: Setting the Captives Free!

It doesn't matter what you call it, if people are in demonic bondage, whether they need to tear down a stronghold, break up a legal ground, get set free from a childhood trauma, cast a demon out, get healed up from being grossly betrayed, or all of the above... it's still deliverance, because it's setting the captives free. Casting out demons is just part of the overall ministry of deliverance.

Suffice it to say for this article that Jesus helped people find freedom. He used the necessary tool to get the job done and to get it done right! I believe because Jesus sincerely loved the people He reached out to and touched, is the main reason, we too, should seek to set6 the captives free.