Introduction
Deliverance is a term used in the Bible to describe the protection and liberation from danger, adversity, evil and suffering. The Bible speaks often of God’s power to save His people and bring them out of bondage and oppression. Deliverance is at the heart of the Gospel and it is one of the core doctrines of Christian faith. The central theme of the Bible is God’s deliverance of humanity from sin and death through the incarnation and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Throughout the scriptures, there is a consistent emphasis on God’s desire to bring salvation and deliverance to those who believe.
Divine Interventions
The Bible is filled with many examples of God’s deliverance. From the Old Testament narrative of the Exodus and the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, to the New Testament story of Jesus’ deliverance of the paralytic man from his infirmities and of the woman from her seven-year battle with a demonic spirit, the Bible frequently illustrates God’s willingness and power to intervene in the lives of His people.
In the Old Testament, God’s deliverance of His people was frequently illustrated through miraculous events and interventions. In the Exodus story, for example, God sent plagues against the Pharaoh and his court, divided the Red Sea in order to protect the Israelites from their pursuing enemies, and provided manna to feed them in the wilderness. In the Book of Daniel, God saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace, and in the Book of Jonah, God rescues Jonah from the belly of the whale. In each of these stories God miraculously intervenes to save His people.
The Cross
At the heart of God’s deliverance is Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. In Romans 6:23, Paul states that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated death and He victoriously triumphed over sin and wickedness. In dying for our sins, Jesus provided for us complete and everlasting freedom from the bondage of sin and death. Through Jesus’ death, God offers us a chance for redemption and deliverance from all that opposes Him and from all that pollutes our souls.
The cross is the ultimate symbol of deliverance. In the cross, we find hope, assurance and consolation. We find forgiveness and healing of our brokenness and we find freedom from our enslavement to sin and death. The cross is the sign of God’s radical love and mercy and it represents His total and absolute commitment to deliver us from evil and restore us to spiritual health and wholeness.
Prayer & Faith
In the Bible, we are reminded that God’s deliverance is often accompanied by prayer and faith. In the Books of Nehemiah and Daniel, we see stories of men crying out to God in prayer for deliverance. We also see in the Old Testament examples of men of faith putting their trust in God and waiting for Him to intervene. In the case of Abraham, he waited patiently on the Lord to provide a sacrifice for Isaac, believing that God would answer his prayer.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus commends the faith of those who come to Him for deliverance and healing. He commends their courage for coming to Him and their trust in His divine power. In Mark 9:24, Jesus explains that, “all things are possible for those who believe.” Jesus promises that if we come to Him with faith and humility, He will deliver us and make us free.
The Holy Spirit
The Bible clearly states that God’s deliverance is ultimately made through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds to transform us, to help us to put away our old sinful ways, and to enable us to live for God according to His will. If we make our requests known to God, He will hear us and answer us according to His divine will.
The Holy Spirit works to bring us freedom from the power of the enemy. When we come to the Lord in prayer and receive the Holy Spirit, He will work inside us to deliver us from fear, oppression, and temptation. He will open our eyes to the truth of the Gospel and He will empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God.
Practicing Deliverance
For those whose lives are filled with trials and tribulations, the Bible teaches us to claim deliverance through faith in the promises of God. The Bible tells us that we can appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit to bring deliverance. The Bible also encourages us to speak words of faith and to thank God for His deliverance even before it arrives. In Psalm 18:2 we read, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” We are called to have faith that God will deliver us from whatever difficulty we are in.
God’s deliverance is offered to all who will come to Him in faith and accept Him as Lord and Savior. He wants to guide and protect us, to rescue us from our sin and free us from the power of death. Through Jesus Christ, He offers us complete freedom, hope, and the assurance of eternal life. By putting our trust in God and His promises, we can experience the joy and peace that only God’s deliverance can bring.
The Source of Deliverance
The Bible points to Jesus as the source of our deliverance. In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” It is through Jesus that God offers us His mercy and grace and it is in Him that we find salvation and complete freedom from sin and death. Jesus is our only means of approach to God and our only source of redemption and deliverance. If we accept Jesus, then we receive the assurance of God’s protection and deliverance from all harm.
The Bible reminds us time and time again that our spiritual deliverance is ultimately secured through faith in Jesus Christ. As Jesus stated in John 8:36, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can experience the joy and peace of God’s deliverance and the assurance of our salvation.
Living Free
The Bible teaches us that the most important step in claiming our deliverance is to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and to make Him the Lord of our life. When we accept Jesus, we are no longer enslaved by sin and death, but we are set free from them. We are given new life and new hope, and we are able to live in freedom and joy. We can acquire the peace and assurance of the Holy Spirit, knowing that we are in the hands of a loving and merciful God.
Deliverance is something we must continually ask from God. We must seek God and have faith in His promises in order to receive His deliverance and follow in His ways. Through faith, prayer and obedience we can expect His deliverance and live in the joy of His salvation.
