Servias Ministries Blog

Randy Kay explores the Biblical significance of the sealed Eastern Gate in Jerusalem, prophetic signs of the times, and the distinction between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

Which group do you belong to? It is all about our relationship with Christ and The Holy Spirit.

The gifts of THE SPIRIT are vital to the Body of Christ!

In the past, I have seen many men operating in the gifts of The Holy Spirit, including myself.

Paul wrote of the nine gifts given by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 12:

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The New Testament makes a clear distinction between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit (character) produced by the Holy Spirit. Both come from the Holy Spirit, but they serve different purposes.

The gifts of the Spirit are for ministry to others

The gifts of the Spirit are supernatural abilities God gives believers to build up the Church and accomplish His work.

Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 4:

11 And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers.

12 And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the Holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ.

13 These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness into the faith, until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally we become one into a perfect man with the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and fully developed into the abundance of Christ.

14 And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers who teach clever lies.

And Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st Peter chapter 4:

10 Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-colored tapestry of God’s grace.

11 For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking His Words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to Him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.

Why are the Gifts vital?

1. They reveal that Jesus is alive and working today.

Jesus ascended into Heaven, but He continues His ministry through His body, the Church.

He told His disciples:

“Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do.” (John 14:12)

The gifts are one of the primary ways Christ ministers through believers.

2. They demonstrate the Kingdom of God

Jesus rarely preached without demonstrating God’s power.

He:

• healed the sick
• cast out demons
• raised the dead
• performed miracles
• spoke prophetically
• revealed hidden knowledge

He said: “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”  The gifts are evidence that God’s Kingdom is breaking into this world.

3. They confirm the Gospel

The apostles did not merely preach.  They demonstrated God’s power.

The ending of Mark says:

“…the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”

Throughout Acts:

• thousands believed
• healings occurred
• demons were cast out
• miracles happened
• prophetic direction guided the Church

Power confirmed the message.

4. They build up the Church

Paul repeatedly says spiritual gifts are for edification.

They strengthen believers through:

• encouragement
• healing
• wisdom
• revelation
• comfort
• correction
• discernment

Without the gifts, the Church loses many of the means God has provided to minister to one another.

5. They equip believers for spiritual warfare

Paul reminds believers that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood.

The gifts become spiritual tools.

Examples include:

• discerning spirits exposes deception
• faith overcomes impossible situations
• miracles break spiritual strongholds
• healing destroys works of sickness
• prophecy brings God’s direction

Jesus often confronted spiritual opposition through the power of the Spirit.

6. They reveal God’s Love

Healing is not merely power, it demonstrates compassion.

Prophecy is not merely prediction, it often strengthens, encourages, and comforts.

Miracles reveal that God is personally involved in people’s lives.

Jesus ministered through the Holy Spirit

In Acts 10:38, Luke summarizes His ministry:

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power… He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.”

If Jesus ministered through the Spirit’s power, it follows that His disciples also depend on the Spirit’s empowering.

The early Church expected the gifts

Reading Acts, the gifts are woven throughout the Church’s life.

They experienced:

• prophecy
• healing
• miracles
• tongues
• discernment
• supernatural guidance
• angelic intervention
• deliverance

These were not portrayed as occasional curiosities but as normal aspects of the Spirit’s work among believers.

Paul instructed believers to desire them

Paul did not tell believers to ignore spiritual gifts.

Instead he wrote:

“Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”

He also instructed:

“Do not quench the Spirit.”

and

“Do not despise prophecies, but test everything.”

His concern was not to eliminate spiritual gifts, but to ensure they were exercised with discernment and order.

However, the Gifts without character are dangerous!

What are the keys of the Kingdom?

Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He Who is Holy, He Who is True, “He Who has the key of David, He Who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:

The “keys of the Kingdom” are mentioned in one of the most significant passages in the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

15 Jesus said to them (the disciples), “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in Heaven.

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound (already forbidden) in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed (or already released) in Heaven.”

To understand what Jesus meant, it helps to examine the context, the symbolism of keys, and how the rest of Scripture reveals this Truth.

The Context

Just before Jesus speaks of the keys, Simon Peter declares:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus tells Peter this understanding came from the Father, then says:

• “I will build My church.”
• “The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
• “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom.”

These statements all concern the establishment and expansion of Christ’s Kingdom on the earth.

What Do Keys Represent?

Throughout the Bible, keys symbolize authority.

A key gives someone authority to:

• Open what is closed.
• Close what is open.
• Grant or deny access.
• Act on behalf of the owner.

One of the clearest Old Testament backgrounds is Isaiah 22:22:

“I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”  The key belonged to the king but was entrusted to his steward, who exercised delegated authority.

Jesus, the Son of David, is the True King. He possesses all authority and entrusts Kingdom responsibilities to His followers.

What Are the Keys?

The keys are not physical objects and are generally understood as representing authority to proclaim and administer the Kingdom of God.

This authority includes:

• proclaiming the Gospel,
• declaring the conditions for entering God’s Kingdom,
• exercising Spiritual discipline within the church,
• teaching Christ’s Truth faithfully.

The authority comes from Christ—not from human power.

Peter’s Use of the Keys

The book of Acts shows Peter using these keys in a remarkable sequence.

1. Jews (Acts 2)

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preaches.

About 3,000 people believe and are baptized.

The Kingdom is opened to Israel.

2. Samaritans (Acts 8)

Peter confirms the inclusion of the Samaritans.

The long-standing division between Jews and Samaritans begins to disappear within the church.

3. Gentiles (Acts 10)

Peter is sent to the house of Cornelius.

The Holy Spirit falls upon Gentiles just as He had upon Jewish believers.

The Kingdom is now clearly opened to the nations.

Notice Peter never claims personal ownership of the Kingdom. He simply opens the door by preaching Christ.

Binding and Loosing

Immediately after mentioning the keys, Jesus says:

“Whatever you bind…whatever you loose…”

In first-century Jewish language:

• bind often meant to forbid or declare something prohibited.
• loose meant to permit or release.

In the church this authority includes:

• declaring God’s Truth,
• forgiving sins through the proclamation of the Gospel (not by personal power),
• exercising church discipline according to Christ’s teaching.

Importantly, Jesus gives similar authority to all the apostles in Matthew 18:18 in the context of church discipline, suggesting this authority was not exclusive to Peter.

Peter represents the apostles and, in a broader sense, the church’s ministry of proclaiming the Gospel. The “keys” belong to Christ but are exercised by the church under His authority.

Who Ultimately Has the Keys?

The New Testament ultimately says that Jesus Himself possesses the supreme keys.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what he heard and saw in Revelation chapter 1:

17 When I saw Jesus, I fell down at his feet as good as dead, but He laid His Right Hand on me and I heard His reassuring Voice saying: Don’t yield to fear. I am the Beginning and I am the End,

18 the Living One! I was dead, but now look—I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys that unlock death and the unseen world.

This passage reminds us that all delegated authority belongs first to Christ.

Practical Meaning for Believers Today

The keys of the kingdom remind believers that Christ has entrusted His church with the responsibility to:

• faithfully preach the Gospel,
• invite people into God’s Kingdom through faith in Jesus,
• teach Biblical Truth,
• exercise Loving church discipline when necessary,
• proclaim forgiveness to those who repent and warn those who reject Christ.

The church does not create salvation or decide who is saved. Rather, it announces the terms established by the King.

To Summarize:

The “keys of the Kingdom” represent Christ’s delegated authority to open the Kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel and faithful administration of His Truth.

Peter first exercised this authority by opening the Gospel to Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles in Acts. Yet the ultimate authority always belongs to Jesus Christ, Who alone holds the highest keys over Life, death, and God’s Kingdom.

The keys given to us, are not about ruling over people but about advancing Christ’s Kingdom through Truth, the Gospel, and obedience to the King.

Jesus gave us power and authority over the devil and his demons!

Jesus is our Perfect Example of what it means to walk in Spiritual maturity.  We must not disregard His ministry to set the captives free and this is done through the ministry of deliverance that Jesus operated in… and so should we.  However, we must focus on being fully led by The Holy Spirit as He was in His earthly ministry.

The ministry of deliverance is the Biblical practice of setting people free from the influence, oppression, or possession of demonic spirits through the authority of Jesus Christ. Throughout the New Testament, it is presented as an important part of Jesus’ ministry and the mission He entrusted to His disciples.

Let us summarize the past writings:

1. Jesus Made Deliverance a Major Part of His Ministry

The Gospels repeatedly show Jesus:

• Preaching the Kingdom of God.
• Healing the sick.
• Casting out demons.

One of His first public acts in Mark 1 was delivering a man in the synagogue from an unclean spirit.

Jesus explained the purpose of His ministry as He declared in Luke chapter 4:

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Deliverance demonstrated that the Kingdom of God had arrived.

2. Deliverance Demonstrated God’s Kingdom

Jesus said:

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
(Matthew 12:28)

Casting out demons was not merely an act of compassion—it was evidence that satan’s kingdom was being defeated by the reign of God.

3. Jesus Gave His Disciples Authority

Jesus did not reserve this ministry for Himself.

He commissioned the Twelve:

• to preach,
• to heal,
• to cast out demons.

(Matthew 10:1, 7–8)

Later He sent out seventy-two disciples who returned rejoicing:

“Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.”

Jesus replied:

“I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
(Luke 10:17–20)

Their authority came from His Name, not from personal power.

4. Deliverance Continued After the Resurrection

The ministry did not end with Jesus’ earthly life.

The apostles continued casting out demons throughout Acts.

Examples include:

• Philip in Samaria (Acts 8)
• Paul delivering the slave girl in Philippi (Acts 16)

Deliverance remained part of proclaiming the Gospel.

5. The Purpose of Deliverance

The goal is freedom, not spectacle.

Deliverance aims to free people from:

• demonic oppression,
• bondage to fear,
• spiritual torment,
• deception,
• influences that hinder faithful obedience to Christ.

The objective is that people may Love, worship, and serve God with greater freedom.

6. Deliverance Is Centered on Christ

The New Testament never portrays deliverance as a technique or ritual.

It depends on:

• the authority of Jesus Christ,
• the power of the Holy Spirit,
• faith in Christ,
• submission to God.

No human minister possesses independent power over demons.

7. Deliverance Is Part of Spiritual Warfare

Believers are instructed to resist the devil and stand firm in God’s armor.

(Ephesians 6:10–18)

Deliverance is one aspect of the broader spiritual battle, alongside prayer, Truth, righteousness, faith, and the Word of God.

8. Discernment Is Essential!

The New Testament emphasizes testing spiritual claims.

Not every physical illness or personal struggle is attributed to demonic activity, and Scripture calls for Wisdom and discernment rather than assuming every problem has a spiritual cause.

Deliverance ministry should therefore be exercised humbly, Biblically, and with care.

9. Life After Deliverance

Jesus warned that simply removing an unclean spirit is not enough if a person’s life remains spiritually “empty” (Matthew 12:43–45).

Scripture emphasizes that lasting freedom is nurtured through:

• repentance,
• faith in Christ,
• obedience,
• prayer,
• fellowship with other believers,
• being filled with the Holy Spirit,
• renewing the mind through God’s Word.

Deliverance is meant to lead into discipleship, not stand alone.

The Summary

From the New Testament, the ministry of deliverance can be summarized in these points:

• Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
• He regularly cast out demons as a sign that God’s Kingdom had come.
• He gave His disciples authority to continue this work in His Name.
• The apostles practiced deliverance as part of proclaiming the Gospel.
• The purpose is to bring people into freedom and deeper devotion to Christ.
• Deliverance always points to the authority and victory of Jesus—not to the power or reputation of the person ministering.

Taken as a whole, the Gospels show that Jesus’ public ministry consistently included three interconnected works: preaching the Kingdom of God, healing the sick, and casting out demons. These were not separate missions but complementary expressions of His work to restore people under God’s reign.

Jesus gave us power and authority over the devil and his demons!

Jesus fully exposed the devil and his devices.  With deliverance being roughly a third of Jesus’ ministry, we must not neglect this aspect of ministry.  We need to know our enemy and his devices!

Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 4:

23 Jesus ministered from place to place throughout all of the province of Galilee. He taught in the synagogues, preaching the wonderful news of the Kingdom and healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people.

24 His fame spread throughout all Syria! Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing—epileptics, paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed!

And in Matthew chapter 8:

14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.

15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. 16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a Word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

And in Matthew chapter 12:

22 Then one was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 If satan casts out satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27 And if I cast out demons by beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

This passage is one of the clearest teachings of Jesus about His authority over demons and the arrival of God’s Kingdom.

A man was brought to Jesus who was:

• Demon-possessed
• Blind
• Unable to speak

This verse demonstrates an important Biblical principle: sometimes physical affliction has a spiritual cause. However, Scripture does not teach that all sickness is caused by demons. Jesus healed many diseases that were not described as demonic and also cast out demons when they were the cause.

In this case, after Jesus cast out the demon, the man’s sight and speech were restored immediately.

The title “Son of David” is a messianic title.  The crowds were beginning to wonder:  “Is this the Messiah we have been waiting for?”  Why?

Because the Old Testament foretold that when the Messiah came He would:

• Heal the sick
• Open blind eyes
• Deliver captives
• Demonstrate God’s Kingdom

Jesus’ miracles pointed directly to those promises.

Rather than denying that a miracle occurred, the Pharisees accepted that the demon had actually been cast out. Their accusation was about the source of Jesus’ power.

Jesus exposes their logic to be false.

His argument is straightforward.  Demons do not wage war against themselves to destroy satan’s kingdom.

This is the key verse.

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Everything hinges on the word if.

Jesus presents two possibilities:

• Either satan is defeating himself (which makes no sense), or
• The Holy Spirit is empowering Jesus.

If the second is true—and Jesus says it is—then something profound has happened.

The Kingdom of God is no longer merely a future hope.  It has arrived in the person of the King.  Every demon expelled demonstrated that satan’s rule was being invaded by God’s reign.

This passage reveals several important Truths:

1. Jesus has complete authority over demons.

There is no struggle or uncertainty.  The demons obey Him immediately.

This fulfills prophecies such as Isaiah 61, which foretold that the Messiah would proclaim liberty to the captives.

2. Deliverance is evidence that God’s Kingdom is present.

Jesus did not perform deliverance merely to relieve suffering.  Each deliverance was a visible sign that God’s Kingdom was overcoming the kingdom of darkness.

His miracles authenticated His identity as the Messiah.

4. Spiritual warfare is real.

Jesus treated demons as real personal beings, not merely symbols of evil.

His ministry consistently included:

• Preaching the Kingdom
• Healing diseases
• Casting out demons

These ministries often worked together as signs of God’s redemptive work.

Jesus attributes His ministry to “the Spirit of God.” His authority is exercised in perfect union with the Father and through the Holy Spirit.  Our authority is derived from Christ, not self-generated.

The emphasis of Matthew 12 is not on techniques for confronting evil spirits but on who Jesus is. His power over demons is evidence that He is the promised Messiah and that, through Him, the Kingdom of God has broken into the world.

Every deliverance in His ministry points to His ultimate victory over sin, satan, and death through His cross and resurrection.

Jesus gave us power and authority over demons!

How many pastors are teaching this aspect of the Great Commission?

The believer’s primary mission is to do what Jesus commanded.

The ministry of casting out demons was a significant part of the disciples’ ministry. In the Gospels and the book of Acts, it is presented as a demonstration that the Kingdom of God had come and that Jesus Christ had authority over satan’s kingdom.  Jesus did not reserve this ministry for Himself. He intentionally delegated His authority to His followers.

Jesus commanded in Matthew chapter 10:

1 Jesus gathered His twelve disciples and imparted to them authority to cast out demons and to heal every sickness and every disease.

Notice several important truths:

• The authority was given by Jesus, not earned.
• It was authority over unclean spirits.
• Casting out demons was listed alongside healing the sick.

And in

7 And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s Kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’

8 You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to Life. Freely you have received the power of the Kingdom, so freely release it to others.

This was part of their normal ministry.

Later, Jesus expanded this authority beyond the Twelve.

Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 10:

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His Face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.”

Jesus viewed deliverance as evidence of God’s Kingdom

Jesus explained why He cast out demons when He spoke in Matthew chapter 12:

28 “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you.”

Every deliverance demonstrated:

• satan’s authority was being broken.
• God’s Kingdom was advancing.
• People were being set free.

One of Agape Love’s primary missions is to set people free!

The disciples sometimes failed due to their unbelief.

One example is the boy with epilepsy-like symptoms and a demon.  The disciples tried to cast the demon out but failed… they were surprised by their failure.

Matthew  recorded by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 17:

14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,

15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

The father’s request most assuredly was based on what he saw when the disciples were ministering deliverance from demons else he would not have brought his sone to them.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”

18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

The lesson was not that Jesus had withdrawn authority, but that effective ministry required dependence on God and faith. Jesus doesn’t withdraw authority but instead, He expands authority so that the Kingdom of GOD will fill the earth!