Introduction

Of all the people groups in the world, Muslim groups remain the most unreached and
unreceptive to Christianity. There are a total of 6,897 unreached people groups in the world, of
which 3,530 are primarily Muslim.1 There are an estimated 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide,
making Islam the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity. While Islam is largely
associated with the Middle East and North Africa, almost 62% of all Muslims live in the AsiaPacific region. Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population with about 209
million adherents - 87% of the total population according to the Pew Research Center.2 Joshua
Project presents a different figure, however, stating that only 80% of the country is Muslim while
13% is Christian.3 Even by conservative estimates, that still leaves 227 of Indonesias 780 people
groups unreached by the gospel.
There are countless factors, whether they be political, cultural, or theological, that can
help explain the reasons for the unreached status of most Islamic people groups, but one large
factor is simply the lack of effort by Christians to reach these areas over the past centuries. The
majority of Christian missionary efforts have been focused on receptive areas and, although in
recent decades there has been an intentional movement towards missions in the Islamic world,
the vast majority of Christian missionaries still go to non-Islamic areas that are already
considered reached."4
What does this mean for missionaries to Islamic peoples? Although Indonesia has a large
percentage of Christians compared to other Islamic nations, it is still incredibly resistant to the
1

"Joshua Project - Great Commission Statistics." RSS. U.S. Center for World Mission, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.
Desilver, Drew. "World's Muslim Population More Widespread than You Might Think." Pew Research Center, 07
June 2013. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
3
"Joshua Project - Indonesia." RSS. U.S. Center for World Mission, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
4
A. Scott Moreau, Putting the Survey in Perspective, in Mission Handbook: U.S. and Canadian Protestant
Ministries Overseas, 21st ed., ed. Linda J. Weber (Wheaton, Ill.: Evangelism and Mission Information Service,
2010), pp. 3295.
2

gospel. There may be less outright hostility from peace-loving Indonesians, there is a general
attitude of tolerance that says Ill leave you to practice your religion if you dont try to
convert me to it." This is accompanied by a strong belief that to be Indonesian is to be Muslim,
and it is difficult to break through this barrier. There are other factors that will be examined later
which help reveal some of the deeper issues behind the resistance to Christianity, but all this
goes to show that Christian missionaries clearly needs to think through their strategies well if
they hope to be effective in establishing churches among the unreached of Indonesia.
Several important questions arise at this point. What are the spiritual barriers that may
interfere with evangelism to Muslims in Indonesia? What interpersonal barriers hamper church
planting and growth? How does an Islamic worldview, specifically a Folk Islamic one, affect the
spread of Christianity? And most importantly, how can deliverance ministry address these
issues? In this paper, I will argue four points:
1. There are spiritual strongholds and demonic influences that limit peoples receptivity to the
gospel and their ability to respond to it.
2. Interpersonal conflict is one of the main challenges faced by the growing Indonesian church,
and much of this conflict stems from unresolved areas of emotional damage.
3. The Folk Islamic worldview of Muslims in Indonesia is very different from a Western one. It
places a great deal of emphasis on the power of spirits, demons, and the supernatural in general,
and this background conditions how people respond to Christianity.
4. Deliverance ministry addresses these issues directly and, when combined with other mission
strategies, will help the gospel spread and grow more effectively.

What is Deliverance Ministry?

Before going too much further it is important to stop and define what the term
3

Deliverance Ministry refers to. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines to deliver as, 1: to
set free, and 2: to take and hand over to another."5 Those involved in deliverance ministry
believe that people can be demonized; that is, that they can be affected and even controlled by
demonic powers. Demonization may present itself in many forms, ranging from blatantly
extreme to incredibly subtle. This may vary in intensity, but All demonic invasion is
demonization of whatever degree of mildness or severity.6 Catholic writers and Hollywood
have emphasized extreme manifestations such as speaking in tongues and distorted voices,
supernatural strength, knowledge of secret things7, facial distortions and body contortions,
levitation, extreme vomiting, and others8. Evangelical literature tends to focus on the subtler
manifestations such as irrational anger, bitterness, night terrors, depression, accusing voices, and
addiction.
At its core, deliverance ministry is the act or process of freeing someone from
demonization and handing them over to the control of the Holy Spirit instead. This applies to
both Christians and non-Christians; no one is immune to the attacks of Satan. While in popular
Christian culture there is a belief that Christians cannot be affected by demonic activity,
proponents of deliverance ministry and many respected scholars argue that this belief has no
foundation in scripture and is harmful to the church.9 This will be examined more fully later on,
but for now it is sufficient to know that deliverance ministries target both Christians and nonChristians.
The way in which those involved in deliverance ministry go about their work varies due

"Deliverance." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.

Unger, M. F. (1977). What demons can do to saints. Chicago: Moody Press. p. 86
7
Amorth, G. (1999). An exorcist tells his story. San Francisco, Calif.: Ignatius Press.
8
Martin, M. (1976). Hostage to the devil: the possession and exorcism of five living Americans. New York:
Reader's Digest Press :
9
Anderson, N. T. (1990). The bondage breaker. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers.

to the context and the individuals involved, but there are core principles that govern how these
workers go about doing deliverance. In general, deliverance ministries shy away from the
stereotypical exorcism ritual portrayed on television. They do not rely on religious symbols such
as the crucifix, holy water, or the invocation of angels. In fact, they see these practices as having
a negative or non-existent impact rather than a positive one.10 A crucial component of
deliverance ministry is the cooperation of the person being delivered. Deliverance can only be
achieved when accompanied by repentance from sin and an intentional severing of ties to
anything that can give demons a foothold.11 Deliverance ministries attempt to address their
patients holistically and so, while an actual encounter with a demonic manifestation and the
accompanying removal may occur in a very short period of time, the process of healing past
wounds, breaking addiction, and confession is often spread across several months.12

The Folk Islamic Worldview

While many are familiar with the official Islamic religion and its trappings, fewer nonMuslims are aware of the disparity that exists between the official high religion and the day-today practice of most Muslims. In fact, Phil Parshall estimates that perhaps 70 percent of all
Muslims in the world are influenced by a system we could properly term folk Islam."13 There are
numerous differences between Formal Islam and Folk Islam, some of which are highlighted on
the following chart14:

10

Arnold, C. E. (1997). 3 crucial questions about spiritual warfare. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.
Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson.
12
Kraft, C. H. (2010). Two hours to freedom: a simple and effective model for healing and deliverance. Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Chosen Books
13
Parshall, Phil. Bridges to Islam. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983
14
Love, Richard. "Church Planting Among Folk Muslims." International Journal of Frontier Missiology 11.2 (1994):
87-91. Http://www.ijfm.org/. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.. p.88

11

While the two sides may seem seem very contradictory, most Muslims who practice Folk
Islam see no problem with this dichotomy and often live in both camps simultaneously. They see
no conflict between Quranic instructions to worship Allah alone and their own tradition of
visiting saint shrines for blessings. And while Official Islam only gives credence to the Quran
and the Hadith, Folk Muslims place a great deal of value on the interpretation of dreams, visions,
and mystical experiences. So while the result should be a clash...the surprising truth is that there
is relatively little dissonance between the two domains. Official and popular expressions of Islam
tend to live easily with one another.15
As a mix between Islam and Animism, Folk Islam requires a response to both
worldviews, especially with regards to the spiritual realm. While Folk Muslims may appear to be
modern and urbanized, these same jean-wearing, pizza-eating people still have a deep belief in

15

Musk, Bill. The Unseen Face of Islam. Eastborne: MARC, 1989.p.224

the power of spirits and their utter relevance to daily life.16 This is made abundantly clear by the
importance of rituals, festivals, and daily observances that revolve around spiritual power; this
may take an Islamic form, such as recitations from the Quran to guard against jinn, or a preIslamic one, such as sacrifices to ancestor spirits.
It is helpful in painting the picture of Folk Islamic beliefs and practices to examine
several cases spirit possession, in both Indonesia as well as in other Folk Islamic contexts:
South Kenya: Roger Gomm studied various different kinds of spirit possession among
the Digo of Southern Kenya17. The Digo have several different types of spirits, most of
which do not cause them much concern due to their relatively harmless and temporary
effects. Only the shaitani ya kitchwa, which are believed to cause bizarre and
aggressive behavior when possessing someone, demand a public exorcism ceremony.
This ceremony is conducted by the local aganga (witch doctors of sorts) who gain
power over the possessing spirits by association with their own familial spirit. He then
interrogates and bargains with it to make it leave the host.
Northern Sudan: Janice Boddy conducted a great amount of research amongst the
Hofriyati of Northern Sudan, with a specific focus on spirit possession and gender roles.
Of particular interest is her study of zairan possession18. In Folk Islam across the Middle
East, the zairan is considered to be a special subset of the jinn, a type of mischievous
spirit that is different from a demon. But the zairan is unique in that the people believe it
cannot be exorcised. Zairan possession lacks the dramatic manifestations common to

16

Love, The Theology of the Kingdom of God: A Model for Contextualized and Holistic Evangelism Among the
Sundanese, with Special Reference to the Spiritual Realm. 1992.
17
Gomm, Roger. "Bargaining from Weakness: Spirit Possession on the South Kenya Coast." Royal Anthropological
Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 10.4 (1975): 530-43. JSTOR. Web. 12 Dec. 2013
18
Boddy, Janice. "Spirits and Selves in Northern Sudan: The Cultural Therapeutics of Possession and Trance."
American Ethnologist 15.1 (1988): 4-27. JSTOR. Web. 16 Dec. 2013

other types of possession, but it nevertheless greatly affects its victims, almost always
women, by affecting their fertility. Like the shaitani ya kitchwa, it can only be
bargained with.
Sulawesi, Indonesia: Jennifer Nourse lived among the Muslim Lauje people in Sulawesi
and studied the particular local form of possession. Among the Lauje spirit possession
appears in the form of mediumship; women who become possessed channel a spirits
voice and give messages to the people. They perceive no need for a solution to this
possession because it is not perceived in a negative way.19
These examples showcase some of the wide variety found across Folk Islam and remind us not to
be too quick to make generalizations about all Folk Muslims." Three things do become clear,
however, when examining Folk Muslims beliefs surrounding the spiritual realm:
1. The spiritual realm is immensely relevant to daily life. The spiritual is just as real as the
physical and the two are intricately connected - they cannot be arbitrarily separated as is
common in the Western world.
2. There is an ongoing relationship between humans and spirits, and it is often navigated
through bargaining.
3. The issue of identity, both corporate and individual, is central to these beliefs.

Challenges to Evangelism and Church Planting

There are numerous political, cultural, religious, economic, and spiritual barriers to
evangelism and church planting, and the scope of this paper is far too limited to deal with most
of them. Instead, I will focus on two in particular that have a) received less attention than many
19

Nourse, Jennifer W. "The Voice of the Winds Versus the Masters of Cure: Contested Notions of Spirit Possession
Among the Lauje of Sulawesi." The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 2.3 (1996): 425-42. JSTOR.
Web. 13 Dec. 2013

others, and b) are directly related to the issues of spiritual warfare and deliverance ministry.
Spiritual Barriers
Many Muslims have grown up in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, because the
spiritual powers that surround them are unpredictable, evil, and demanding. The ongoing
relationship that has existed with these spirits for centuries, whether real or imagined, many
times leaves a very real sense of spiritual oppression. People become unusually hostile when
encountering Christians, they are dominated by fear and night terrors, and they may even
experience physical illness or harm if they express an interest in leaving Islam. Their minds have
been blinded by the god of this age and cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). There is a very real spiritual
struggle for the minds of the people.
Interpersonal Barriers
While there are many barriers that keep churches from growing and multiplying, none are
as effective and pervasive as interpersonal conflicts. A house divided cannot stand, and a church
that spends all of its energy in-fighting cannot last, much less grow.20 Why, then, would Muslims
want to leave their old religion and face persecution to become a Christian if the only Christians
they know are drunkards, hypocrites, or angry people? At the core of Christianity lies an ideal of
a changed life that reflects righteousness, peace, love for neighbor, and joy; if these ideals are
absent, Muslims will certainly notice and be driven away from Christianity.

The Scriptural Basis for Deliverance Ministry

The validity of deliverance ministry remains a controversial topic in Christian circles. It
has many proponents and has continued to gain strength in recent decades, but opposition
20

Mark 3:25

towards it has also grown. Proponents see their practices as being grounded in the whole of
scripture, whereas opponents sometimes argue that the New Testament lacks explicit commands
to expel demonic presences.21 It is beyond the scope of this paper to examine all the arguments in
depth, so we will instead examine the Biblical basis for the existence of demons, survey some of
their methods of attack, and explore what the Bible says about interacting with them. All
references are from the English Standard Version.
The Existence of Demonic Powers
Even a cursory reading of the Bible reveals a world populated by both physical and
spiritual beings. God himself is Spirit and lacks a physical body (Jn 4:24), and the same is true of
angels and demons. The importance of these spiritual beings cannot be understated, and
variations of the terms demon, unclean spirit, and devils appear around 100 times
throughout the Old and New Testaments. Demons are described as fallen angels led by Satan
who rebelled against God during the creation of the Earth:
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the
dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any
place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent,
who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole worldhe was thrown down
to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Revelation 12:7-9 ESV)
And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their
proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment
of the great day (Jude 1:6 ESV)
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed
21

Houdmann, S. Michael. "Can a Christian Today Perform an Exorcism?"GotQuestions.org. Got Questions

Ministries, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

10

them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment (2 Peter 2:4 ESV)
These fallen angels, or demons, now live in eternal rebellion against God. But what exactly do
they do?
Methods of Attack
Most of the discussion of demons in the Bible is framed using warfare language, which is
why topics related to demonic activity and deliverance generally fall under the umbrella of
Spiritual Warfare." The fight against Satan and his demons is portrayed as an unseen yet very
real war that is being fought every day. Paul exhorts believers to prepare themselves for this
battle:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the
devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians
6:11-13 ESV)
1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a roaring lion who seeks someone to devour. He is also
described as our adversary, and we are instructed to resist the devil so that he will flee from
[us] (James 4:7 ESV). These attacks manifest themselves in numerous ways, but we will focus
primarily on three: demonization, spiritual blinding, and sin strongholds. We will also briefly
examine the issue of territorial spirits and how they play into the larger discussion of spiritual
warfare.
Demonization
In popular Christian circles, and many Bible translations, people often refer to someone

11

being demonically possessed." Ed Murphy, author of The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare,
argues that this is not a good translation of the Greek term found across the New Testament used
to describe encounters with demons. A more accurate word would be demonized."22 Merrill
Unger agrees with this, stating that: daimonizomai [means] being demonized, i.e., under the
control of one or more demons."23 The term possession also implies an all-or-nothing split as
opposed to a more nuanced view of spiritual warfare, and it also seems to put all the blame for
human evil on the demonic.24
The misuse of the term possession has also contributed to the controversy of whether or
not professing Christians can be possessed." The majority of deliverance ministry proponents
would completely agree with the statement that believers cannot be both indwelt by the Spirit of
God and yet owned by Satan. However, with the more nuanced view of demonic influence found
in the term demonization, the idea of Christian immunity quickly crumbles. As Murphy writes,
[True believers] can be demonized. Such demonization can range from mild to severe. I am not
affirming that true believers can be demon possessed. They cannot be. Satan does not truly
possess anything but his own kingdom of fallen spirits."25 Neil Anderson believes that the idea of
Christian immunity creates complacency in the church and causes it to lower its defenses against
Satanic influence:
If Satan cant touch the church, why are we instructed to put on the armor of God, to
resist the devil, to stand firm, and to be alert? If we arent susceptible to being wounded
or trapped by Satan, why does Paul describe our relationship to the powers of darkness as

22

Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson.
Unger, M. F. (1977). What demons can do to saints. Chicago: Moody Press. (1977), p. 86
24
Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson.
25
Ibid. p. 430

23

12

a wrestling match?26
Catholic and Protestant theologians alike mostly agree on the causes of demonization. In
attempting to explain the demonization of Christians, Murphy offers two possible explanations.
One is that the person was demonized before their conversion and never experienced
deliverance, and the other is that they became demonized after conversion due to serious sin
committed by them or against them. Common examples would be child abuse, sexual sin, curses,
occult practices, anger, bitterness, rage, rejection rebellion, and unrepentant attitudes towards
these sins.27 Arnold also affirms that involvement in the occult and a life of unrepentant sin are
primary causes of demonization because they give demons a foothold or legal right to be
present.28 29
Cases of demonization are extremely common in the New Testament, and exorcism is a
massive aspect of Jesus ministry that is often ignored. These cases of demonization are often
dramatic and obviously supernatural in nature. Demonization often leads to illness that is clearly
distinct from normal physical illness, supernatural strength, trances, mediumship, etc. For
instance:
Supernatural strength: When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from
the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in
a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him
and said with a loud voice, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High
God? I beg you, do not torment me. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come
out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound
26

Anderson, N. T. (1990). The bondage breaker. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers. p.22
Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson.
28
Arnold, C. E. (1997). 3 crucial questions about spiritual warfare. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.
29
Kraft, C. H. (2010). Two hours to freedom: a simple and effective model for healing and deliverance. Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Chosen Books

27

13

with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into
the desert.) Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he said, Legion, for many
demons had entered him. (Luke 8:27-30 ESV)
Illness & disease: Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon
had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. (Luke 11:14 ESV)
Convulsions and bodily harm: And someone from the crowd answered him, Teacher,
I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes
him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked
your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.."..And they brought the boy to him.
And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground
and rolled about, foaming at the mouth...And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running
together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You mute and deaf spirit, I
command you, come out of him and never enter him again. (Mark 9:17, 18, 20, 25 ESV)
Mediumship: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean
demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of
Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you arethe Holy One of God.
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent and come out of him! And when the demon
had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
(Luke 4:33-35 ESV)
While these manifestations of demonization are dramatic and obvious, the same cannot be said
for other effects found in the rest of scripture.
Blinding to Spiritual Reality
One of the ways that Satan opposes God is by blinding unbelievers to spiritual truth. This

14

is especially relevant in Islamic contexts that have been very resistant to the Gospel. The Apostle
Paul states that:
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god
of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the
light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Paul also refers to demonic strongholds that prevent people from seeing the truth of the
Gospel:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the
knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish
every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)
Satan is often described as the deceiver of the world (Revelation 12:9), and it is clear that
demonic activity often strengthens resistance to the Gospel.
Sin Strongholds
Demonic strongholds can prevent people from accepting the gospel, but that does not
mean strongholds become irrelevant after conversion. The first role that Satan ever plays in the
story of scripture is that of a tempter in Genesis 3. Here he deceives Adam & Eve into
disobeying God, leading to the entrance of sin and death into the world. It seems that the primary
aim of Satan here is to disrupt the relationship between God and man, and it is clear throughout
the rest of scripture that this continues to be his ultimate aim. In Matthew 4, Satan does his
utmost to tempt Jesus himself in an attempt to derail his ministry before it ever begins.
While Satans primary goal is to disrupt the relationship between God and man, he also

15

attempts to disrupt relationships between people, especially believers. Some of his most effective
tools are bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. This is evident in 2 Corinthians 2, where Paul
instructs the church to forgive their brother so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we
are not ignorant of his designs. Here it is evident that a man committed a grave sin (probably
sleeping with his fathers wife), but he repented and had already been disciplined by his
community. Paul now writes to the congregation imploring them to forgive and restore him. If
they do not, they will have fallen victim to Satans schemes through the resulting division and
bitterness.30 Paul also implores his readers in Ephesus to not let the sun go down on your anger,
and give no opportunity [or foothold] to the devil. (Eph 4:26-27).
Territorial Spirits
Much attention in recent years has been given to the idea of territorial spirits. This is
primarily based on a passage in Daniel 10 and the idea that geographical areas that have been the
sites of great sin or long-standing false religion are ruled over by a demonic entity. The passage
reads: But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one
of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
(Daniel 10:13 NIV). George Otis linked this verse to missions and popularized the concept of
territorial spirits that must be confronted and defeated before the Gospel can penetrate a
specific area.31 Murphy echoes this idea, mentioning evil spirits who rule over territories and
nations and fight against both God's angels and His people."32 A study of the word translated as
prince here shows that the Hebrew ( )refers to a spiritual being or authority, not to a normal
human being

30

Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson p.188
Otis, George. The Twilight Labyrinth: Why Does Spiritual Darkness Linger Where It Does? Grand Rapids, MI:
Chosen, 1997.
32
Murphy, E. F. (1992). The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson p.14

31

16

Therefore, while it seems clear that these so-called territorial spirits do exist, it is a leap
to say that these spirits must be directly challenged and defeated before the Gospel can take root.
The passage seems too vague and unclear to base a missions strategy on it alone. This passage
does seem to reflect the power of prayer, however, and it affirms that God responds to prayer in
very concrete ways. It may be best to leave the interpretation of Daniel 10 at that.
Interacting with Demons
Just as the Bible discusses the existence of demons and their activities, it also addresses
the responsibility of Christians to respond to them. There seem to be two primary postures
described, especially in the New Testament: Defensive and Offensive.
Defensive:
Those who oppose deliverance ministry argue that the New Testament only stresses
defending against demonic attacks. They would point primarily to passages like Ephesians 6,
where Paul instructs believers to resist the powers of evil, and James 4:7: Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Ephesians 4:27 is also a key
passage, stating that we are to give no opportunity to the devil." Peter says something similar:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same
kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And
after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his
eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1
Peter 5:8-10)
These instructions make it clear that even believers must actively guard themselves against
spiritual attacks. But is that really the whole story?

17

Offensive:
While it is true that the epistles have little to say about the act of exorcism, or casting out
spirits, the same cannot be said for the Gospels and the book of Acts. Exorcisms were performed
by Jesus disciples (Matt 10), the children of the Pharisees (Lk 11:18-19), Paul (Acts 16), and
itinerant exorcists (Acts 19:11-16). As mentioned previously, exorcisms were a central
characteristic of Jesus own ministry. There are several major exorcism accounts in the Synoptic
Gospels and numerous minor ones:
1. Mark 1:21-28 & Luke 4:31-37. A demonized man in the synagogue at Capernaum
approaches Jesus and speaks to him saying, What have you to do with us, Jesus of
Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you arethe Holy One of God.
Jesus commands the demon to be silent and leave, which the demon does after
convulsing and crying out.
2. Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39. Jesus commands multiple demons who
identify themselves as Legion to depart into a group of pigs.
3. Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30. Jesus exorcises the daughter of the Syrophoenician
woman from a distance.
4. Matthew 12:22-32, Mark 3:20-30, Luke 11:14-23. Jesus heals a man who is both blind
and mute by casting a demon out of him. He then rebukes the Pharisees for doubting him.
5. Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-49. Mentioned earlier in the paper, this
story narrates how Jesus casts a demon out of a possessed boy who often experienced
seizures.
6. Matthew 8:16-17, Mark 1:32-34 and Luke 4:40-41. Here it is described how Jesus
heals many who are possessed by spirits and in doing so fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah.

18

7. Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2. Jesus is described as having cast seven demons out of Mary
Magdalene.
Some would argue that exorcism was only something Jesus was meant to do and not something
we should imitate, but this is clearly inaccurate. The Gospels describe how Jesus commissioned
his 72 disciples to cast out demons, which they accomplished using his authority and returned
rejoicing, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name! (Lk 10:17). Some
argue that this command was only for the 72 and is not to be imitated, but there is no convincing
case for this, especially in the light of passages such as John 14:12 where Jesus says, Very truly
I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even
greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Even the Great Commission
includes the instruction to teach them to obey everything I have commanded you [emphasis
added] (Matt 28:20). Acts 16 also narrates how Paul casts a demon out of a young fortuneteller, contradicting the claim that Paul only taught that Christians should resist the devil
defensively.

A Proposed Course of Action

Now that we have examined the issues at stake in ministry to Folk Muslims as well as the
scriptural basis for deliverance ministry, we may examine some possible responses to these
problems.
Integration of Deliverance Ministry and Evangelism
As we have seen, Muslim groups are generally very resistant to the message of
Christianity, having been inoculated against it by their religious leaders and communal pressures.
This is where the importance of the power encounter aspect of deliverance is most evident. Folk
Muslims live in fear of the spiritual world, and so ministry fruitfulness depends on addressing
19

these very real issues. Richard Love pushes for a thoughtful examination of this context: It is
very hard to be relevant to our target people if we dont know the issues they struggle with. It is
very difficult to bring deliverance if we dont understand their bondages.33 Healing and
exorcism address these spiritual realities head-on in a way that cannot be, and is not, ignored by
Muslims.
Jesus was most well-known for his healings and exorcisms. These miracles are what drew
crowds to him and supported his claims to authority and even divinity. These miraculous
ministries announced the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. When Jesus sent out his
disciples to announce this arrival of the kingdom, he gave them the authority to heal and cast out
demons in his name, effectively giving the people proof that these disciples did indeed carry
Jesus authority with them. It is no different for ministers of the Gospel today; they too have
Jesus authority to cast out demons in his name and by doing so announce the arrival of the
Kingdom of Heaven.
When Muslims see demons cast out and people healed in the name of Isa al Masih (their
name for Jesus the Messiah), they cannot help but see the power of Christ at work. Vivienne
Stacey and many others tell stories of Muslims coming to faith in Christ because of Christians
casting out demons. These Christians usually did not set out to make this the centerpiece of their
ministry; they were much more concerned with preaching and teaching. But as more and more
people began coming to them who were afflicted by demons, Christians were, in a way, forced to
meet the need. Many Muslims came seeking this healing and, after being touched by the Holy
Spirit, eventually gave their lives to Christ in faith.34

33

Love, The Theology of the Kingdom of God: A Model for Contextualized and Holistic Evangelism Among the
Sundanese, with Special Reference to the Spiritual Realm. 1992. p. 88
34
Stacey, Vivienne. The Practice of Exorcism and Healing in Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road, ed.
J. D. Woodberry. Monrovia: MARC, 1989, pp. 231-303.

20

This was the case with a young Muslim girl named Farida (name changed), who was
given a charm by her father that led her to have fits and speak in unrecognizable voices. She
went to the Christians in the area and came out of these fits quickly when prayed for. This
planted in her the hope that she could be healed, and so she came back repeatedly whenever she
had problems. At one point she even became blind and dumb but was healed after prayer and the
reading of Psalm 138. As Farida gradually improved she began reading the New Testament,
asking questions, and eventually testified to the Lords healing at a Good Friday service.
Through this witness several people became believers, and her Muslim cousins were touched by
the changes in her life to the point where they also began reading the New Testament35.
This helps illustrate another important point: deliverance ministry is most effective when
integrated into existing ministries. While there may be a role for groups dedicated exclusively to
deliverance work and the training up of others in this ministry, missions work should never be
limited to only this. Especially in Folk Muslim societies, the integration of deliverance ministry
with teaching, preaching, and discipleship will amplify its effectiveness and that of its partner
ministries.
Having seen the important role of the power encounter in ministry, we must not overlook
the equally important role of the contextualized truth encounter. While the power encounter
focuses on bringing healing and freedom through the power of Jesus name, the truth encounter
is concerned with bringing truth into the void left behind. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus narrates:
When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places
seeking rest, and finding none it says, I will return to my house from which I came. And
when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven
other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that
35

Ibid. p.294-295

21

person is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26)

It is apparent here that a power encounter is not sufficient in and of itself. Without the
coming of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ, freedom from the demonic will only be
temporary. Consistent teaching is vital for the person and those around. Exorcism is not an
isolated act by one person...If there are counseling and teaching both before and after, and if the
act of exorcism is seen as part of deliverance and healing of the whole person, then the gospel is
proclaimed and many will be influenced spiritually.36
The importance of contextualizing this truth encounter cannot be overstated. Many
missionaries are struck by the apparent ambivalence of Muslims to the truths of scripture,
especially the forgiveness of sins granted through Christ. But in many cases the truths being
presented are not the ones people are concerned with; if you tell Indonesian Muslims that Jesus
came to destroy the works of the devil, you have an immediate audience37. Richard Love
mentions how in the Western church we have long given preeminence to the Godward
dimension of scripture and have ignored the Satanward dimension." Both are biblically sound
and yet incomplete without the other. The New Testament is especially concerned with Christs
defeat of Satan, and many of the earliest church creeds included an emphasis on Christus
Victor, who triumphs over the evil powers of the world, the tyrants under which mankind is
in bondage and suffering...and reconciles the world to Himself."38 Muslims need to learn the
truth that, through Christ, they can be set free from the powers of darkness that dominate their
lives. But for this truth to sink in we must first pray for the freeing of their minds from Satan and
the healing of their eyes, both of which may occur through the Holy Spirits work in a power

36

Ibid. p. 322
Love, Richard. "Church Planting Among Folk Muslims." International Journal of Frontier Missiology 11.2
(1994): 87-91.p. 88
38
Aulen, Gustaf. Christus Victor. New York: Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1986. p.4
37

22

encounter.
Integration of Deliverance Ministry and Church Multiplication
Upon examining some of the struggles Christians face when working among Muslim
groups, one of the primary ones was interpersonal conflict. It is already difficult for a church to
remain healthy, grow, and multiply without the added pressures of living in an environment that
is hostile to Christianity. Churches in Muslim areas often struggle to grow, and Muslims have
little motivation to leave behind the safety of their religion to embrace a new faith when
Christians show little evidence of the work of the Spirit. While there are certainly a host of other
factors involved in these situations, including a lack of proper teaching and discipleship, this
paper argues that deliverance ministry may address some of these particular issues in a unique
manner.
When Muslims convert to Christianity they often bring a lot of baggage with them. This
may include a combination of emotional damage, spiritual strongholds, physical abuse, and
relational dysfunction. While Christ does bring freedom to all of these areas of life, it is often a
process of healing and not an immediate result. We have already seen that Satan can still hold
influence over the lives of believers, and it is often in these seemingly personal areas that this
is most true; wounds inflicted during childhood tend to grow into deeply rooted bitterness later
on in life. When interpersonal conflict arises, even among Christians, the heart of the issue may
lie deeper than initially believed and may not be as easy to address as one might expect.
It is here that deliverance ministry can play a unique role in the life of the church. While
Satans primary tactic is to hide the truth and bury pain deep within the soul, the main goal of
deliverance ministry is to bring these issues to light and to speak Gods truth over them. So while
Satan obscures the source of a young womans fears of abandonment, those in deliverance

23

ministry seek to reveal them. They will want to work with her to strip away rationalizations and
lies so that she may see the truth and be set free by it: free to live in her identity as a loved child
of the true God.
This process should be carried out hand-in-hand with normal discipleship and should
not be reserved for those with special problems." To relegate deliverance ministry to the fringe
is to deny some of the fundamental aspects of discipleship and severely constrain its
effectiveness. Many ministries are already engaging in deliverance ministry without realizing it
as they seek to live out the commands of scripture in an atmosphere of open, vulnerable
community. But many others are not, and in Folk Islamic contexts it would be wise to offer
training and education for pastors and church leaders so as to better equip them to meet the needs
of both believers and nonbelievers.
Before concluding, it is important to note that deliverance ministry is not a silver bullet
that will immediately solve all of the churchs problems. It is a ministry model that, although
very effective, has its shortcomings and limitations like all others. To focus too heavily on
deliverance at the expense of teaching is folly; to ignore it completely is to court disaster. A
balance must be reached, and at all times Gods sovereignty must be seen as the foundation of all
ministry. Deliverance ministry must never be treated as a magical formula that demands Gods
immediate response; just as the Apostle Paul pleaded for God to remove the thorn in the flesh,
a messenger of Satan, and was told no on three occasions (2 Cor 12:7), so too God may
choose to work in our lives in ways we do not expect or understand. Scripture does promise us
victory over Satan, but these promises of victory over evil and the Evil One point toward both
an ultimate victory and a progressive victory, one that we reach only after enduring faithfully

24

satanic attacks, terrible struggles, sufferings, and afflictions in the present.39

Conclusion
We have looked at some of the issues Christians encounter when ministering in Folk
Islamic communities, specifically in Indonesia. They include religious persecution, cultural
resistance, and anti-Christian apologetics campaigns. It has also become apparent there is also a
spiritual dimension to this opposition as Satan actively blinds people to the truth of the Gospel
and binds them to a fear of spiritual powers. He even works in the lives of believers to cause
strife and division, and in doing so he limits the effective witness of the church in the
surrounding Muslim communities. We see evidence of these tactics both the stories of scripture
and the accounts from the field.
While this is true, we need not observe passively as Satan enslaves Gods lost children.
We have the authority given to us by Christ to cast out demons in his name and to set the
captives free from their chains of darkness. We have the Gospel of Truth that we can share with
those who have been blinded by lies, and we can bring healing to believers who still struggle
with past hurts and bitterness. Deliverance ministry does not accomplish all of this, but the
practice is especially geared towards these goals and has been an incredibly ministry used by
God. May Christs name be glorified in all the nations of the earth, and may the Folk Muslims of
Indonesia be delivered by his power and grace.

39

Murphy, E. F. . The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson. 1992. p.190

25

Works Cited
Anderson, N. T. The bondage breaker. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers. 1990
Amorth, G. An exorcist tells his story. San Francisco, Calif.: Ignatius Press. 1999
Arnold, C. E. 3 crucial questions about spiritual warfare. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books. 1997
A. Scott Moreau, Putting the Survey in Perspective, in Mission Handbook: U.S. and Canadian Protestant
Ministries Overseas, 21st ed., ed. Linda J. Weber (Wheaton, Ill.: Evangelism and Mission Information Service,
2010), pp. 3295.
Aulen, Gustaf. Christus Victor. New York: Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1986
Boddy, Janice. "Spirits and Selves in Northern Sudan: The Cultural Therapeutics of Possession and Trance."
American Ethnologist 15.1 (1988): 4-27. JSTOR. Web. 16 Dec. 2013
"Deliverance." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/deliverance>.
Desilver, Drew. "World's Muslim Population More Widespread than You Might Think." Pew Research Center, 07
June 2013. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. <http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/07/worlds-muslim-populationmore-widespread-than-you-might-think/>.
Gomm, Roger. "Bargaining from Weakness: Spirit Possession on the South Kenya Coast." Royal Anthropological
Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 10.4 (1975): 530-43. JSTOR. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.
Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001. Print.
Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print.
Houdmann, S. Michael. "Can a Christian Today Perform an Exorcism?"GotQuestions.org. Got Questions
Ministries, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. <http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-exorcism.html>.
"Indonesia." Operation World. InterVarsity Press, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. <http://www.operationworld.org/indo>.
"Joshua Project - Indonesia." RSS. U.S. Center for World Mission, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=ID>.
"Joshua Project - The 10/40 Window." RSS. U.S. Center for World Mission, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.joshuaproject.net/10-40-window.php>.
"Joshua Project - Great Commission Statistics." RSS. U.S. Center for World Mission, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.joshuaproject.net/great-commission-statistics.php>.
Kraft, C. H. Two hours to freedom: a simple and effective model for healing and deliverance. Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Chosen Books. 2010
Love, Richard Deane II. The Theology of the Kingdom of God: A Model for Contextualized and Holistic
Evangelism Among the Sundanese, with Special Reference to the Spiritual Realm. Vol. 1, II, III. A dissertation for
Westminster Theological Seminary, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, 1992.
Love, Richard. "Church Planting Among Folk Muslims." International Journal of Frontier Missiology 11.2 (1994):

26

87-91. Http://www.ijfm.org/. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Martin, M. Hostage to the devil: the possession and exorcism of five living Americans. New York: Reader's Digest
Press : 1976
Murphy, E. F. . The handbook for spiritual warfare. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson. 1992
Musk, Bill. The Unseen Face of Islam. Eastborne: MARC, 1989.
Nourse, Jennifer W. "The Voice of the Winds Versus the Masters of Cure: Contested Notions of Spirit Possession
Among the Lauje of Sulawesi." The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 2.3 (1996): 425-42. JSTOR.
Web. 13 Dec. 2013
Otis, George. The Twilight Labyrinth: Why Does Spiritual Darkness Linger Where It Does? Grand Rapids, MI:
Chosen, 1997.
Parshall, Phil. Bridges to Islam. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983
Stacey, Vivienne. The Practice of Exorcism and Healing in Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road, ed. J.
D. Woodberry. Monrovia: MARC, 1989, pp. 231-303
Unger, M. F. What demons can do to saints. Chicago: Moody Press. 1977

27