Customer Reviews

Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual

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Francis Macnutt has a long and credible history in the practice of healing prayer. His compassion and faith leads him to share what he knows with others. With many more praying, many many more are helped. His prayer style is calm and confident. It is the power of God and not the energy of hype that brings healing through his prayers and others. Through his instruction and the instruction of John Wimber and Charles Kraft, I too have seen people healed, by God, when I have prayed for them.

This book specializes in deliverance from evil spirits, a topic that challenges our enlightened western minds. Many churches that preach the existence of Satan and demons, do not acknowledge that people need help and deliverance. Francis MacNutt's experience and the Biblical record lead to another conclusion. Demonic influence in varying degrees does affect many, and they need deliverance. Those who know this and take authority over the demonic realm can bring freedom to those who need it so desperately.

This book will guide you through evidence for demonization, the types of demons that you might encounter, and practical instruction for dealing with them. Franics MacNutt tells us that demonization is different from what is popularly known as "demon possession." Possession represents an extreme and rare form of demonization. Rather one or several demons may link themselves to a part of our lives. Often, they only manifest themselves when their territory is invaded by other forms of healing prayer.

It is significant to note the care Francis MacNutt takes to distinguish between demonization and emotional wounds, and the very important difference between Multiple Personality Disorder and demonization. As in all his books, his methods involve a partnership between prayers of faith and modern medicine and counseling techniques.

This is an important book, written in a professional style that maintains interest throughout. It was a great encouragement to me.

This is an excellent book on the practical how's and why's and when's when the deliverance ministry is where God has led you. Relevant examples, good balance of inner healing of wounds and spiritual healing is taught. As my own life experiences with this ministry accumulate, the information he gives is verified and affirmed repeatedly, especially when dealing with the spirits, entry points and how to proceed. Of course, the Holy Spirit is still the primary source of all "how-to's", but the information MacNutt offers is invaluable. Also recommend Noel and Phyl Gibson's Evicting Demonic Intruders and Rebecca Brown's He Came to Set the Captives Free. I have read over 80 books on the subject of deliverance, demonology, occult and the like, and the above mentioned books offer the best insight and information.

As a person who values rationality, I would hardly be expected to add a book titled "Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual" to my must-read list. But when I ran across it in the bookstore, I felt oddly compelled to pick it up. Far from being loony, this book by Francis MacNutt (now there's a name for you!) has assembled a very straightforward account of his work delivering people from evil spirits.

MacNutt takes seriously the talk of evil spirits in the New Testament. Unlike contemporary scholars who see demons as metaphoric or psychological in nature, MacNutt believes that Jesus Christ truly encountered and overcame dark spirits, and that part of his good news was that in him, the dominion of God had broken into the world to destroy a literal dominion of evil. This concept is simple and easy enough to accept. Though many mainline Christians call Jesus Savior and Reedemer, they often don't ask, "Saved from what?" and "Redeemed from whom?" MacNutt answers: "Saved from bondage to evil" and "Redeemed from the Evil One." Simple answers like these are attractive, and more accessible than reams of scholarly texts explaining away what the gospels present without hesitation.

MacNutt believes that evil spirits exist, that they infest or possess certain people, and that Christians have the duty and obligation to pray for deliverance from these spirits. He also believes that many main-line clerics are reluctant to deal with the demonic, leaving many to suffer the predations of the Evil One. In calm, unnutty tones, MacNutt catalogues a variety of evil spirits, the types of demonic oppression and the power of curses.

MacNutt's thesis is fascinating, and empowering if true. If real, we should learn to recognize evil, protect ourselves from it and rid ourselves of it. Not to say that he is completely convincing. Calling certain demons "laziness " or "anger" (...) comes pretty close to the psychologizing tendency of mainline churches. Some of his claims about the appearance of certain demons is silly. His depiction of a potbellied, top-hatted demon made me think he spent too much time in the voodoo shack. MacNutt also believes in ritual Satanic abuse -- a practice I thought invented by the media. Too, he seems to imply that priests (Roman Catholic? Anglican? Other?) are particularly empowered to cast out demons. What this means to MacNutt's seeming alliance with pentecostal and charismatic groups is not clear.

In any event, MacNutt serves up a non-sensationalistic, rational-sounding and well-organized account of a topic that many in the West do not accept. As a hypothesis for the cause of evil in the world, it is fascinating -- especially for those who take Scripture seriously. While not providing a comprehensive theology of evil and its relationship to God, it goes a long way toward making a bizarre topic more acceptable.

Recommended by my grandfather Chuck Hunt who is a Methodist Minister in Georgia, this book seemed less hocus pocus than a lot of other spiritual warfare books. MacNutt is a decent writer, but he is careful not to get bogged down in the opinions of what he thinks. Because the Bible is incredibly vague on the specifics of demon possession/oppression and excorcism it's very hard to find a person who isn't either totally denying the presence of demons or blaming every little happenstance on demon possession. Whenever MacNutt mentions his own opinion which isn't mentioned in the Bible, he always points out that it is his opinion, unlike many other authors who try to slip theirs in, unbeknownst to the reader. Very imformative book, probably the only spiritual warfare book I would read in a group setting because any others are too far-fetched and people quickly become uncomfortable.

This is by far the finest book I have read on the topic: sane, informed and very practical. Fr. MacNutt has a deep knowledge of history also, making his work a refreshing contrast to the anti-intellectualism of many associated with Pentecostal ministries.

Francis MacNutt makes a very important observation in this book: Demons infect emotional wounds just as pathogens infect physical ones. He is careful to treat both the infection and the wound, so as to prevent re-infection. A very valuable book..

This book is an incredible tool and blessing to me. It is a concise, practical, wise, Jesus-centered, and intelligent handling of an extremely misunderstood subject. Practically the book gave me the tools I needed to pray for both my wife and daughter who were being demonized. The victory over demons was won on the Cross by Jesus, but Francis provides a framework for us to understand and utilize this victory. God Bless Francis MacNutt

I have had this book in my collection for a long time now, and I have been in the Deliverance and Healing "business" for a long time now. I am always impressed with the personal humbleness and straight-forwardness of Francis, and if he doesn't know something, he will tell you that also. This should be in every person's collection, especially for the ministerial body, but there are other books that may lend additional insight to the relationship between medical illness and spirits of Darkness. Here are a couple that I recommend - The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and The Power of Divine: A Healer's Guide - Tapping into the Miracle by Tiffany Snow. We are in a warfare like no other, and the Lord provides the right information at the right time for it. And NOW is no better time! Blessings to All, as we fight the fine fight!

Provides a clear understanding of a very complex subject. Not many people know, believe or want to accept what is actually happening in the spiritual world behind the scenes of day-to-day life. Deliverance will help many understand how to be set free from these prisons.

I have had this book in my collection for a long time now, and I have been in the Deliverance and Healing "business" for a long time now. I am always impressed with the personal humbleness and straight-forwardness of Francis, and if he doesn't know something, he will tell you that also. This should be in every person's collection, especially for the ministerial body, but there are other books that may lend additional insight to the relationship between medical illness and spirits of Darkness. Here are a couple that I recommend - The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and The Power of Divine: A Healer's Guide - Tapping into the Miracle by Tiffany Snow. We are in a warfare like no other, and the Lord provides the right information at the right time for it. And NOW is no better time! Blessings to All, as we fight the fine fight!