Renouncing Satan and Driving Out Demons

By Chris Misciagna

As a pastor, I had the privilege several months ago to officiate the baptism and dedication of several adults and children from our congregation. During the reception following the service, I was approached by a distant relative of one of those I baptized. The relative asked about the reasoning and purpose behind the part of the baptismal ceremony when I said, “Do you renounce Satan and his works?”

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“I came to the realization that my understanding of Satan and how he works is limited to my liking.”

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I have to admit, as an Italian-American, whenever this part of the ritual comes up, I have to keep my mind from wandering into the very violent final scenes from Francis Ford Coppola’s movie “The Godfather.” But putting that aside, I found myself in a conversation with a genuinely curious person, but I was lacking a strong theological foundation on Satan and his works. As we spoke and I satisfied the inquiries posed by my questioner, I found myself mentally processing through 30 years of pastoral work along with CCD (Catholic Sunday school), undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate Bible school and seminary education. I came to the realization that my understanding of Satan and how he works is limited to my liking.

Demonic Encounters

I have had experiences over the past 30 years of ministry where I have literally seen the power of God in the face of a demonic encounter. But did I truly understand what was actually going on?

In my early 20s, I answered the call to enter the pastoral vocation. My first position was serving as a deacon at a small Pentecostal church in northern New Jersey where I grew up. My responsibilities included shadowing my pastor when needed and doing the countless mundane tasks required to keep a small church operational.

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“Between music tracks, he asked me, ‘Do you believe that people can be possessed by demons?’”

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Early one Sunday morning, I received a call from my pastor asking me if I would give a ride to a young man who wanted to attend our church. After getting the address, I drove over to his home blaring my favorite Keith Green tunes. (That’s what all young, cool, serious Christians listened to at that time.) Upon arriving at the given address, a fellow in his early 20s hopped in my car. After we exchanged normal pleasantries, we headed off to church. Five minutes into the ride and between music tracks, he asked me, “Do you believe that people can be possessed by demons?” I thought, “That’s a bit of a strange conversation starter,” but answered, “Sure, it’s in the Bible.”

As the words left my mouth, a horrible presence filled the car, and I looked over at him. He immediately began to convulse and heave forward. His face became contorted, and it appeared as if it would turn inside out. His lower jaw actually looked as if it had become unhinged. Out of my being came this unrehearsed command, “In the name of Jesus, stop!” He immediately stopped and sat still in my car.

As he returned to himself and was panting to catch his breath, he told me that he had a demonic problem and was seeking the help of a nearby Christian college chaplain. He also hoped my pastor could help him. When we got to church, I introduced him to some of my friends and had him sit next to me through service. During the service, he was very agitated, moaning as in pain and talking under his breath. After the service, I briefed my pastor on what occurred, and they met together for over an hour. He attended our church a few more times, and then I never saw him again. I remember thinking, “What was that all about?” I spoke with my pastor about the situation, and I was told, “All you need to know is, as a Christian, you have been given power over Satan and demons, and they can’t harm you or inhabit you.” Phew! That’s all I needed to hear, and honestly that has served me fairly well over the past few decades.

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“I had access to power but didn’t fully understand how to properly use it.”

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In addition to that encounter, I have had only five similar interactions with people dealing with diabolical issues. Each time I sensed the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence and especially when invoking the name of Jesus. But like the previous encounter, I was able to subdue and arrest the evil powers, but never saw a person fully experience deliverance and/or healing. It was like I had access to power but didn’t fully understand how to properly use it.

Creating a Spiritual Superbug?

I remember during my first year of Bible school, I was invited to preach at a church a few hours away from campus in Pennsylvania. During the week prior, I developed a cough. When I arrived at the pastor’s home on Saturday, it developed into full-blown bronchitis. The pastor, wanting to help me, gave me the remainder of a bottle of penicillin he had recently picked up on a short-term mission trip to the Philippines. There were approximately eight pills left in the bottle. He said, “I’d take one pill a day until you run out. That should work.”

I took as directed and, after four days, I started feeling really good. After the eighth day and eighth pill, I felt 90% back to normal. But then, after a day or so, my symptoms started to return and eventfully got worse. I visited a doctor, and he told me I created a superbug and may need to be admitted to the hospital. Thank goodness, the new regimen of antibiotics kicked in, and my sickness subsided. The pastor who gave me the medication was trying to do a good thing. He basically had the correct medication to cure me, but because the dosage and length of treatment were incorrect, we unknowingly created a monster. We took a mild ailment and turned it into something more serious.

Could I — as a well-meaning, semi-informed pastor — be doing the same thing to those I come in contact with who are diabolically tormented?

According to Luke 11:24–26, “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 person is worse than the first” (ESV).

What? Demons leave and come back? And come back with reinforcements? I’m not a theologian, but as a practitioner at the very least, this passage gives us a glimpse of the very complex dynamic working of the demonic world. Maybe my naïve approach isn’t sufficient? Maybe I have made things unintentionally worse? Could I have been prescribing the right medication but the wrong dosage and length of treatment — therefore bringing temporary health but long-term bondage? In my desire for self-preservation as well as to help people, could I have caused undo harm? Honestly, I don’t know.

Seeking Answers

As a good Free Methodist, I thought, “Let me see what our Book of Discipline has to say about this.” It was really nice and homey to casually revisit the text of our ecclesiastical tribe. It gave me gratitude for our history and all the years of work that have been invested in establishing and maintaining our identity. But when it came down to dealing with Satan and his works, there was not much there. So where do I turn?

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“It took me two years to process through the anxiety I felt when trying to sleep with the lights out.”

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As a child raised during the 1970s-80s, I was very aware of the 1973 horror film “The Exorcist.” I remember (on a family vacation at a resort with cable TV) sneaking a viewing of the classic thriller with my brothers while my parents were out for dinner one evening. It took me two years to process through the anxiety I felt when trying to sleep with the lights out. During the movie, I was made aware that the Roman Catholic Church has priests who are specifically trained to deal with those who are diabolically tormented.

I recently picked up a few books by Roman Catholics on the subject. The first one I grabbed was Malachi Martin’s best-selling book, “Hostage of the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans,” which came out first in 1976 and was revised in the mid-1990s. In it he writes, “There has been a 750 percent increase in the number of exorcisms performed between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s. … Each year, some 800 to 1,300 major exorcisms and some thousands of minor exorcisms are performed.”

Over the past several decades, the Roman Catholics have witnessed a huge upswing in those diabolically tormented and seeking help. The need was so great that the Vatican felt it necessary to establish the International Association of Exorcists as well as a school to train new exorcists in Rome. Matt Baglio, in his book “The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist,” tells the story of Fr. Gary Thomas who was sent by his diocese in the United States to attend the school in Rome. In the book, he describes the teaching and apprenticeship he received while in Rome.

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“The person seeking help is given an extensive psychiatric, medical and spiritual evaluation prior to treatment.”

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In addition, I read Msgr. Stephen Rossetti’s book, “Diary of an American Exorcist: Demons, Possession, and the Modern-Day Battle Against Ancient Evil.” In this book, Rossetti describes multiple encounters with those under the control of demons. I was humbled by the comprehensive long-term approach he describes when dealing with those demon-possessed. Each case is evaluated and approached in a multidisciplinary fashion. The person seeking help is given an extensive psychiatric, medical and spiritual evaluation prior to treatment. The exorcist also works with a team inside a network. The team consists of members from the medical and psychiatric field as well as lay people with gifts of discernment and/or what he referred to as “sensitives” for spiritual things.

One story in the book struck a nerve with me. He tells the story of being approached by a couple who believed their house was haunted. They researched and discovered their home was once owned by a jailed serial pedophile who committed some of his crimes in the home. Rossetti asked the gentleman about his faith. The homeowner told him he was American Baptist. Rossetti asked if he consulted his pastor. The man said, “Yes.” His pastor said, “If your problem has to do with the demonic, you need to go to the Catholics for help.”

I was pleased to read Christianity Today’s article “Meet the Protestant Exorcists,” which describes both the Anglican Church of North America and the Independent Lutheran Charismatic Church seeing the need to start licensing and appointing exorcists. Maybe it’s time for the Free Methodist Church to begin to look more closely at this topic.

I don’t think I would ever turn away a parishioner or someone looking for help, but would I be able to enter into that situation fully competent to do what needed to be done? I’m not sure.

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“I feel an obligation to my Savior and congregation to become more proficient in this very unpopular and intimidating aspect of ministry.”

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The Gospels record Jesus spending one-third of His earthly ministry dealing with demonic situations. As a pastor, I feel an obligation to my Savior and congregation to become more proficient in this very unpopular and intimidating aspect of ministry. In the coming year, I’m looking to advance my education in a more formal setting by spending my sabbatical time attending Pope Leo XIII Institute studying the ministry of exorcism, healing and deliverance.

Additional Resources

If you are interested in finding out more about this subject, I would recommend grabbing a copy of and prayerfully reading “They Shall Expel Demons: What You Need to Know About Demons – Your Invisible Enemies” by Derek Prince. This is a great primer and how-to guide from a Protestant Pentecostal point of view.

In addition, if you don’t mind dealing with the difference in doctrine, I would visit the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal at catholicexorcism.org. There are multiple articles posted by Stephen Rossetti whose book I referenced earlier in this article.

Also check out the podcast called “Christian Squared,” which is set to launch in early November. On this podcast, Christian Fahey and I will further explore this subject as well as other issues pressing the church and pastoral ministry today.

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons…” (Mark 16:17).

Godspeed.

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