The vast majority of people exorcise their own demons.
The so-called “deliverance ministry” makes lots of noise about going on a crusade to drive demons out of people, places and institutions. But the genuine biblical ministry is not so much doing it for someone else, but helping them do it themselves. It should encourage people to consciously move away from captivity to Satan.
There are two ways you can actually banish someone else’s demons. One is that they come to you for help and place themselves under your covering. In this context, “covering” is a biblical term for divine dominion granted from God, your spiritual shepherding. The second way is when God grants you specific authority by revelation. It comes as an urge in your heart, a conviction, that you need to dispatch Satan and/or his helpers from a person, place or institution. We do this with all reverence for the authority of God.
See Jude 1:8-10 as a warning about not getting too sassy with demonic powers. However, be warned that a great many English translations mess up this passage. The context warns about following the example of Sodom and Gomorrah, referring to them as “dreamers” in the sense of delusion, fantasy, and delirium. In modern vernacular, “They must be high on something.” They recognize no authority. That is, they reject God’s authority in the first place, and so reject all the other authorities ordained by God. They even have the gall to insult angels and demons.
Jude warns us the archangel Michael, whose authority was presumably more or less on par with Satan’s, didn’t dare insult our Enemy with false charges. No sarcasm or exaggerations, but a sober statement of plain truth. In a dispute over the body of Moses, Michael was careful to warn Satan that his claims to the body were contrary to the Word of God. It was rather more like a warning to Satan not to defy his own Master.
Jude warns that there are people in this world who carelessly provoke demonic powers with only the authority of their delirious imaginations. And he has been warning his readers that these folks are drawn to churches, sent by Satan to corrupt the Body of Christ.
We’ve seen a great deal of mythical lore coming out of certain sectors of the Charismatic movement that violates this teaching. They pretend to have the right to castigate Satan and his demons like stray dogs. I’ve watched in person as this kind of teaching has destroyed churches and fellowships by opening the doors to demonic presence, sneaking in some back door that nobody seems to notice.
They “take authority” over demons, which demons then snicker at the way this gives them authority to slip around behind these mouthy people and destroy the work of the Spirit. Not directly, of course, but that work is destroyed because the people involved leave too many gaps in their spiritual armor. They are too focused on dramatic cool stuff and pay no attention to fundamentals. We know what happens when spiritual leaders compromise behind closed doors.
Your primary authority is Biblical Law alongside your sense of conviction. No two of us will approach the mission of spiritual rescue the same. There are no rituals to promote; you are obliged to compose your own rituals based on your experience and your sense of calling and mission. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that you may not have the full authority to kick out demons for someone else, especially if they don’t in some fashion communicate a request for help. Some part of them has to want that relief. But you most certainly can restrict demonic presence and influence in your own life, particularly when you are with that victim.
But even that limited authority is nothing more than plundering the battlefield after you’ve won the battle in worship and prayer. It requires coming to the recognition of conviction about confronting the Enemy after soaking yourself in the God’s Presence. Then, choose your words carefully. Don’t assert your will; declare the will of God. Make sure you understand in their full context the Scripture passages you quote.
Don’t be surprised when the people you seek to help let the demons right back in.
