Pathway to Victory

Guest (Male): Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a non-profit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory, what about these rituals that seemingly remove demons from individuals?

The fact is, we've been studying spiritual warfare, but are we missing something when we don't mention exorcism as a viable tool? That's what we're going to talk about today.

David: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been working overtime to bring down believers using tactics like fear, doubt, and temptation. But can Satan's influence take such a serious hold that exorcism is the only remedy?

Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress considers whether exorcism is still a valid and necessary spiritual gift. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Today and again tomorrow, I'm going to speak to you about spiritual warfare. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you're equipped to win when you deploy the forces God has given you. The title of my series is The Divine Defense, and we will resume in just a moment.

But first, I want to urge you to join us on the upcoming 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska. The dates are June 13th through 20th. Every believer needs time to be refreshed and restored. We cannot win our spiritual battles without pausing to stop, smell the flowers, and bask in God's goodness. And I have to say, there's nothing like the majestic views of Alaska to reignite your passion for our creative God.

For seven glorious days, we'll witness towering glaciers, spot magnificent wildlife like humpback whales and playful salmon, and explore charming coastal villages. Between adventures, we'll gather for worship and praise designed specifically for our Pathway to Victory family. From Vancouver's stunning harbor to Alaska's pristine wilderness, this is truly a pilgrimage through God's cathedral of natural wonders. I sincerely hope you'll join us for this unforgettable journey, and all the details are set out for you at ptv.org.

Be sure to stay with us through the end of the program today because I'm going to answer a question from one of your fellow listeners about the subject of forgiveness. But right now, let's turn in our Bibles to Ephesians chapter six as we resume a study we started on Friday's Pathway to Victory. I titled my message "Exercising Power Without Exorcising Demons."

I'm going to submit to you today three reasons why exorcism is neither relevant nor even effective in spiritual warfare today. Three reasons we do not practice exorcism. Number one, the specificity of the gift of exorcism, namely, it is only given to a few specific individuals.

Go back to this list in Matthew chapter 10 that we just looked at, the names of the apostles, the names of the people to whom this gift was given: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew. Do you find the name of any prominent televangelist in here? Is there the name of any pastor in this list? Is your name in this list anywhere?

While all of the Bible was given for us, not all of the Bible is directly given to us. There are some promises that are given to specific people. There are some promises that are given to Israel that haven't been given to us. We need to understand that while all the Bible is for us, not all of the Bible is written to us, and that's true about these individuals who have received the gift of exorcism.

People always say, "Pastor, there is a passage in the Bible that indicates all believers have been given this gift." Look at Mark 16 verses 17 and 18. "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them, and they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover."

Most Bibles will have those verses in italics or written inside of a bracket. If you have a study Bible, there'll be a note somewhere in your study Bible that indicates these verses, Mark 16:9-20, including the ones we just read, are not found in the most reliable manuscripts of the New Testament, and therefore it is questionable whether they're really part of God's word.

We had Dr. Charles Ryrie, one of the most conservative Christian theologians in the world, as a member of our church for many years. He's in heaven now, but in his study Bible, you find this explanation about these verses: "The doubtful genuineness of verses nine to 20 makes it unwise to build a doctrine or base an experience on them, especially verses 16 to 18."

Dr. Ryrie is saying very simply, before you go pick up a serpent or before you exercise demons, you might want to find a more credible verse to do that than one that is questionable. And even if you believe these verses do belong in the original manuscripts, Mark 16 verses 17 and 18 clearly indicate not everybody has received these gifts.

Not all believers have them. For example, this gift of exorcism is placed alongside the gift of healing. Does every Christian have the gift of healing individuals? We don't all have the gift of healing. That's why we say the specificity of this gift is clear. It was given to Jesus, it was given to the 12 apostles, but no one beyond that.

But there's a second reason exorcism is not relevant or effective, and that's the infrequent mention of the gift in the Bible. Think about that, whether you're talking about the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Peter, John, the writers of the New Testament, not one of them mentions the gift of exorcism. They don't talk about it at all. Isn't that interesting?

For example, turn to Romans chapter 12 beginning with verse six. This is a listing of spiritual gifts that God has given to every Christian. Every Christian has one of these seven gifts. Look at it with me beginning with verse six of Romans 12. "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if your gift is prophecy, according to the proportion of faith; if service, in his serving; if he teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness; he who exercises demons, with power." No, that's not in there, is it?

No mention of it as a gift anywhere. Or turn over to Ephesians six. We've looked at it phrase by phrase, verse by verse. Let's look at it as a whole right now. Here is Paul's ultimate discourse on spiritual warfare. How many of you believe spiritual warfare is real? You believe it. You believe Satan has a plan to destroy your life. You believe God has given you the tools you need, the full armor of God.

Let's look and see what that full armor is. It's all listed in Ephesians 6 beginning with verse 10. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm."

"Stand firm, therefore, and here's the full armor: having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In addition of all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take up the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and don't forget the necklace of garlic with which you will repel the prince of darkness."

If Paul is going to give us a full listing of the armor of God, why didn't he talk about the power to exercise demons? I was talking to a friend this week, and they brought up an interesting point. They said, "Well, if you believe that, how do you explain what we see happening in third world countries? Exorcisms taking place, or what about Pastor so-and-so? He's conservative and he talks about in his study wrestling with the devil after he exercised him from another human being. How do you explain that?"

My answer is I don't have to explain it. I don't have to explain that. God is free to do whatever He wants to do. He can do whatever He wants to do, how He wants to do it. But what I know with absolute certainty about exorcism is two things. First of all, nowhere in scripture am I commanded to use exorcism as a way to fight Satan and his demons. There's no command that tells me to do that.

And secondly, beyond no command, there's no instruction in how to do it. Can I point out something very simple to you? What you see in movies and what you see some religious groups engaging in—the garlic necklaces, the Latin incantations, the hours of prayer—none of that is found in the Bible. There's no instruction anywhere for how to perform an exorcism, what ritual there is to free somebody of demonic control. It's all made up. It's in the windmills of their mind, but nowhere on the pages of scripture.

Why do I say exorcism is not relevant or even effective today? The specificity of the gift, to whom it was given and whom it wasn't. The infrequent mention of the gift in the Bible. It's obviously not an important topic. And thirdly, the limitations of the gift of exorcism. Let's face it, we all desire something that's quick and easy to deliver us from a problem.

We think if I just begin this diet, maybe it will give me permanent victory over the battle of the bulge. Or if I go to this seminar, maybe I'll restore intimacy to my marriage. I can fix it in a few hours. We think maybe there's a ritual I could engage in to free me from a powerful addiction or the addiction somebody I love is being held hostage by.

I understand that. Suppose you had a mate who had been battling depression for years and years. Or maybe you have a child who's wrestling with an addiction and you've tried years of counseling and therapy and it doesn't seem to be working. If somebody promised you that by going to this ritual, this service, spending three hours being prayed for, you could forever take care of this problem, wouldn't you be attracted to that?

Obviously, any of us would. But here's the downside of exorcisms that are rarely discussed. The downside is this: exorcisms don't last. Even if you're able to remove somebody from demonic control, there's no guarantee that it won't happen again and again and again. How do I know that? Because Jesus said the same thing in Luke chapter 11 verses 24 to 26.

Listen to what Jesus said: "When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any it says, 'I will return to my house, that other person, I will return to that person from which I came.' And when it comes, the demon comes, it finds that it's swept, the life is swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other demonic spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."

Theologians differ on what the situation is with the man Jesus is imagining. Maybe he's not a Christian at all, he's truly owned by Satan. Or maybe it's a Christian who has not surrendered a particular area of his life to God and that area is open for demonic influence. But what Jesus is saying is, whether it's an unsaved person or a demonically influenced individual, there is no one-time act that demon-proofs somebody forever.

Dr. M. Scott Peck, the late Dr. Peck, believed that the key to understanding demonic influence in our life is the human will. He said that the single greatest determinant in how demonic influence begins and how it is broken is the choice that we make. He wrote a book entitled Glimpses of the Devil and he discussed from a medical viewpoint what happened in an exorcism.

I don't agree with everything he said in the book, but he makes one statement that I think is dead-on accurate: "The single most important factor in demonic control is a person's choices." That's true for how demonic possession begins or influence. Contrary to what people think, it doesn't happen just haphazardly.

People aren't just walking along singing a song one day when a demon says, "I think I'll invade that person." No, there's an act of the human will that invites Satan and his demons to take control of their life. In fact, in his book, he points to a woman who was under demonic control and she could trace it back to an evil book she read as a little girl that fascinated her and she became fixated on.

In the same way, being free from demonic influence is also a matter of the will. In an interview with Christianity Today, Dr. Peck said the most important exorcist, the one who determines whether exorcism succeeds or not, is the patient himself. Perhaps Dr. Peck's observations explain why after the book of Acts you really don't find exorcism in the Bible anywhere.

As more and more of the New Testament was written, there became less and less a need for these miraculous sign gifts to authenticate the message or the messenger. The way we authenticate today whether somebody is a messenger of God or not is by their fidelity to the word of God. That's the test, not whether they can speak in tongues or perform exorcisms.

The need for signs is gone now that we have the scripture, but we still have the need to be free from demonic control. So how do we do that? This sentence is worth the price of the sermon. Listen to Neil Anderson. He said, "The responsibility for living free in Christ has shifted from the specially endowed agent of authority to the individual believer himself."

It's not some pastor, some priest, some pope, some spiritual Christian who's going to free you from demonic control. They have no authority to do that. No, you are the most important determinant in how much influence Satan is going to have in your life. Let me just cut to the chase here. God has commanded and equipped every Christian to be his own exorcist.

We have everything we need, the Holy Spirit of God. We have every instruction we need, Ephesians 6, to be free. How do we do that? How do we live free from demonic influence? Next time we're going to conclude this spiritual warfare series with a message I've entitled "Putting on Your Divine Defense." We're going to talk about that divine defense in Ephesians 6 and how to put it on every day of your life. I hope you'll be here for that.

You don't have to wait until next time to right now take that one step that will do more to destroy Satan's purpose for your life than any other, and that is trusting in Jesus Christ to be your savior. You see, when you become a Christian, when you trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, God not only offers you forgiveness, He offers you His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God's protection on your life and the assurance that one day when you die you'll be ushered into the presence of God Himself. Today if you want to drive a stake through Satan's plan to destroy your life, I encourage you right now to trust in Jesus as your savior, to allow Him to pay the penalty for your sin so that you can spend eternity with God in heaven.

Today if you'd like to receive that gift of forgiveness, I encourage you to pray this simple prayer with me. "Dear God, thank you for loving me. I know that I have failed you in many ways and I'm truly sorry for the sins in my life. But I believe what I've heard today, that you loved me so much you sent your son Jesus to die on the cross for me, to take the punishment I deserved to take for my sins."

"And right now, I'm trusting in what Jesus did for me, not in my good works, to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for forgiving me and help me to live the rest of my life for you in Jesus' name. Amen." If you prayed this prayer with me today, please write and let me know. I'd be so encouraged to hear from you. David will give our mailing address in just a moment.

And then stay with us, because I'm going to answer a question that arrived from one of your fellow listeners named Carmela, who's truly trying to understand what it means to forgive. My answer is coming up in just a moment. Well, tomorrow is the final day of my teaching series on spiritual warfare called The Divine Defense, and I'm urging you to get in touch with Pathway to Victory in order to request the book I've written for you.

This eye-opening book exposes Satan's blueprint for your destruction. Behind the struggle you feel during these unsettling times of national turmoil, there's an invisible war that's raging, and you don't have to become spiritual roadkill. Using the powerful armor of Ephesians 6, my book will help you recognize and apply six practical strategies that you can use every day to defeat Satan's destructive plan.

A copy of my book, The Divine Defense, is yours when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Without a doubt, God is growing our ministry together in unprecedented ways at a crucial moment for America. When you give generously, you are touching lives with the transforming hope that comes from God's word. So thank you for giving generously. Keep up the good work. Together we are piercing the darkness with the light of God's word.

David: Today when you support the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift, we'll say thanks by sending you The Divine Defense. It's Dr. Jeffress's best-selling book on spiritual warfare along with the "Equipped for Battle" brochure. 866-999-2965 is the phone number to call or visit online at ptv.org.

You could support this ministry also by texting PTV to 78800. And when your gift is $100 or more, you're also going to get the new Divine Defense teaching series on audio and video disc, the companion study guide, and the children's book titled "Suit Up for Kids." This book is a fun, interactive way to teach kids how to put on the armor of God and stand strong against the enemy. To request the complete package of resources, call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. You could write to us, PO Box 223609 Dallas, Texas 75222. Again, that's PO Box 223609 Dallas, Texas 75222. And now, it's time for today's edition of "Ask Dr. Jeffress." A listener named Carmela asks:

God says to love your neighbor, but you don't know my neighbor. He's hard to love. So how do I get rid of this disdain and forgive?

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Carmela, that is a great question and one of the most basic questions we can ever ask. I have found that as a pastor for more than 40 years, the two most important issues in life deal with forgiveness: receiving God's forgiveness for our salvation and then secondly, granting forgiveness to other people who have wronged us, and they are both inseparably linked together.

C.S. Lewis said one time, "Forgiveness is a beautiful word until you have somebody to forgive." It's tough to forgive, to let go of offenses. But the Bible says we can't control what other people do to us, we can't keep people from hurting us and wronging us, but we can choose how to respond to that hurt.

We can hold on to it until it metastasizes into a tumor of bitterness and destroys us and everything around us, or we can make the decision to let go of that offense. You see, that's what forgiveness is. It's letting go of our right to hurt somebody else for hurting us. When we forgive people, we're not denying that they wronged us, we're not trying to rationalize it.

What we're doing is we're saying, "God, what this person did to me is wrong, but life is too short for me to keep holding on to this. I'm releasing them to you so that you can settle the score and I can be free to get on with my life." That's what forgiveness is. Maybe you've participated in a three-legged race that they used to have at old-fashioned picnics, where you would bind your leg to another person and you would hobble down to the finish line while the audience would roar with laughter.

And if you've ever been in a three-legged race, you know that sensation that you feel when you're trying to hobble along with the person tied to you. You think if I could just get free from this idiot, I could run a lot faster and win the race. Well, three-legged races don't allow for solo contenders. You can go no further or faster than your partner.

Do you know that's exactly what happens when you refuse to forgive somebody? You bind yourself, you tie yourself emotionally to that person. You can't be any happier in life than they are. You can't go any further in your life as long as you're tied to them. Forgiveness is the process by which you say to this person, "I care too much about my life to allow it to be held back by you. I'm letting go of that offense, I'm going to let God deal with it so that I can be free to get on with the life God has given me."

The Bible is very clear about this. Jesus said in Matthew 6, "If we forgive others, we will be forgiven. But if we refuse to forgive others, we will not be forgiven by God." I'm not saying that we lose our salvation or earn our salvation, but when you realize the great debt that God has forgiven you, you only find it natural to want to forgive somebody else. Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you." Forgiveness is the obligation of those who have really been forgiven by God.

David: I'm David J. Mullins. It's one thing to know about God's spiritual armor, but it's another thing to actually use it. Learn how to use your divine defense Tuesday on Pathway to Victory.

Guest (Male): Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible.

One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His word. To become a Pathway Partner, go to ptv.org/donate or you can follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go, have you reserved your spot yet for the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska? You've been hearing me and Dr. Jeffress mention it, so what are you waiting for? Just picture yourself on the deck of Holland America's elegant Koningsdam and stepping out on deck to witness nature's grandeur. It's beautiful.

These moments in God's creation will deepen your faith in powerful ways, it really will. Experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms, and visiting iconic ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We're also bringing along our own Christian entertainment, you'll love it. Seats are filling up, so book your spot today at ptv.org.