Should We Cast Out Devils on Television?

If you’ve ever watched Christian television, you’ve probably seen pastors casting out devils in the late night hours. Although I don’t think it’s necessary to have a running conversation with a demon manifesting on live TV, I’m all for deliverance ministry. And I believe too few churches are willing to cast the devil out today.

Many Christians don’t believe believers can have a demon. I always think of it this way: A believer can have whatever a believer wants! Of course, sometimes believers didn’t invite demons in. Rather, they experienced some sort of trauma on the road of life that left them vulnerable to the enemy’s entrance.

The late Dr. Lester Sumrall outlined his theory of demon possession in his classic Demonology & Deliverance Volume 1. He describes the seven stages of demonic influence: regression, repression, suppression, depression, oppression, obsession and possession. I don’t believe a Christian can be demon-possessed but I do believe they can depressed, oppressed and obsessed.

At Awakening House of Prayer, casting out demons when they manifest in repentant believers who renounce these intruders is commonplace. So, yes, demons can erect strongholds in the minds of believers that cause them to regress, live repressed, depressed, oppressed and obsessed. Demons can also bring infirmities. I believe, for example, that cancer is a demon.

Live Exorcism Planned for October

So let’s get to the real question of this article: Should we cast out devils on television? Whether you believe we should or not, Destination America is doing just that. 

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Indeed, the network plans to host what it claims is the first live televised exorcism in U.S. history. On Oct. 30, it will air Exorcism: LIVE! The problem is this show makes a mockery of the Christian practice of casting out devils just like Preach made a mockery of the prophetic ministry and Impastor makes a mockery out of pastoral ministry.

With all the hype it can muster, the network says it will “revisit the story and the frightening house that inspired the iconic movie The Exorcist on its 66th anniversary this October.” The live event will happen at the original Exorcist House in the suburbs of St. Louis where the “infamous ritual” was performed on Roland Doe in 1949.

According to a press release, Exorcism: LIVE! will feature the cast of Ghost Asylum, the Tennessee Wraith Chasers, as well as world-renowned psychic medium, Chip Coffey. Cameras will follow along as the team explores each crevice of the home, from the attic to the basement, to find whatever or whomever has scared Americans to death for decades. The ghost hunting team will use state-of-the-art technology to do daytime and nighttime investigations, documenting as much evidence as they can of these true-life demonic entities on live TV.

“As we step into one of the most haunted and well-known spirit destinations in America, Exorcism: LIVE! will show exactly what is inside this infamous, highly dangerous and possessed home,” says Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “By actually exorcising this iconic house live, Destination America will do what it does best—bringing never before seen experiences to television.”

Hunger for the Supernatural

I’m not opposed to seeing a devil cast out on TV, but this show is ridiculous! It feeds into a clear hunger in America for the supernatural, but this is a perverted way to feed that hunger.

Would that all believers rose up in the authority of Christ with the anointing of God and the power of the gospel to show a lost and dying world true signs, wonders and miracles! The church should be filling the void in the hearts of curious supernatural seekers with the love of God and manifestations of His power. Instead, they are looking to witchcraft. I recently wrote about a revival of the devil’s witchcraft. This is part of it. I’m reminded of this account in Acts 19:11-20:

“God worked powerful miracles by the hands of Paul. So handkerchiefs or aprons he had touched were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists invoked the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We command you to come out in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ There were seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva doing this. The evil spirit answered, ‘I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

“This became known to all Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus. And fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Many who believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Many who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them before everyone. They calculated their value, which equaled fifty thousand drachmas. So the word of the Lord powerfully grew and spread.”

Powerful miracles caused people who practiced witchcraft to repent. I’d love to see this today, but if believers want to do what Paul did, they need to do what Paul suggested: “Follow after love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1).

Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. She is the co-founder of awakeningtv.com and a leader in the New Breed Revival Network. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and on Periscope @propheticbooks.