Deliverance as defined in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary means; release from captivity, slavery, oppression, or any restraint. To rescue from danger or evil. It also means to bring forth children and the act of giving or transferring from one to another.

John 8:31-36 NIV “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” ³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

The Church leaders of Jesus’ day were always getting mad about something he was teaching or doing and for the most part that is still true today. This is why in order for the body to move forward we must be delivered from old mindsets and old ways of doing things.

John 8:37-47 NIV “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” ³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. ⁴³ Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Those of us who follow Jesus need to check ourselves on a regular basis to make sure we are following the example of how disciples followed Jesus and not the example of how the Church leaders rejected everything He was doing.

In order to move forward, the first thing we must do is continually develop in God’s way of thinking and doing. Jesus told the story of the old wineskin bursting because of new wine. God is doing a new thing, yet many of us are trying to move in the same way our parents and grandparents moved. While we honor what God did in the past we must recognize God is always moving us forward and He’s doing that in new ways.

Secondly, we must get on God’s calendar and in His timing. We have talked about this before and we will review here. Constantine took from the Church it’s Jewish roots and from that we entered the dark ages of the power of God being absent from the Church.

Jesus told the religious leaders they had a form of godliness but denied the power. We, even in the Pentecostal and charismatic have denied parts of God’s power. To restore that power we must be restored to the Jewish roots of our faith. (See Romans 11).

We must be willing to submit to God’s process. We have to be willing to let go of our traditions, doctrines, our old wineskins in order to move forward.

James says, submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee. Too many of us try resisting the devil without being submitted to God. There is an order in which we must follow in order to move forward.

Right now submit to God. Ask Holy Spirit to show you what places you are out of step with God’s plan and God’s time. Repent of those areas, cast out the enemy and ask Holy Spirit to cleanse you and renew your mind.

Get into the Word and renew your mind and allow Holy Spirit to dismantle any old wineskin you have functioned in.

We move forward on step at a time. Take a step, then take another.