Storms and Demons
Day 23
I don’t like demons. They smell bad. Unclean, you know. Jesus didn’t like demons either. Jesus never met a demon that He didn’t didn’t like. I like what John Osteen used to say: “If I were God, the first thing I’d do is kill the devil. Then I’d invite all the demons to his funeral, and kill them too.” Well, that’s not exactly God’s plan, but something not too far from it will happen in the end. In the mean time the solution is the forceful advance of the Kingdom of God. Wherever the Kingdom advances it displaces demon power. This happens on both a personal and societal level. Jesus was a master at casting out demons. In the healing ministry of Jesus you really see His compassion, but in His deliverance ministry you really see His authority. Demons are terrified of Jesus — and they are terrified of people full of Jesus. As well they should be.
In Luke 8 and 9 we see seven major miracles…
1. Calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.
2. Casting out the legion of demons from the man in the Gadara.
3. Healing the woman with the issue of blood.
4. Raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead.
5. Feeding the Five Thousand.
6. The Transfiguration.
7. Healing the demon-possessed boy.
There are also five references to demons being cast out…
1. Jesus is said to have cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene.
2. The Gadarene
3. The Disciples are commissioned to cast out demons.
4. The demon-possessed boy.
5. Others are said to be casting out demons in the name of Jesus.
All these demons being cast out just thrills me. Like I said, I don’t like demons. And I absolutely hate the devil. Demons are not human. Fallen angels. Spirit beings which have become entirely corrupt and more malevolent than we can imagine. Even the most wicked and depraved human, still have some vestige of humanity. I assume Hitler at least loved his dog. But demons are different. They have no humanity; nothing redemptive or redeemable. The fall of angels is different than the fall of man. They transgressed with eyes wide open knowing fully what they were doing and fell with an utter finality. There is nothing to be done with demons but to wage war upon them and their works. That means setting people free by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the unique Kingdom manifestation of displacing demons. Every human vice and mental torment is a haunt of demon power. These things usually begin apart from direct demon power, but like jackals attracted to a wounded and dying animal, demons are attracted to human vice and misery.
We can only imagine what led Mary Magdalene to become vexed by seven demons and how can we imagine the nightmarish road the Gadarene with his thousands of demons walked? But Jesus set them free. And He commissioned His followers to do the same in His name.
I like what Martin Luther used to say, “I was born to battle devils.” Amen!
By the way, you don’t have to go looking for demons like you’re on a snipe hunt. Just follow Jesus, love people, learn the power of God, and you will have opportunities to set people free from demon power by the authority of Jesus’ name.
And this is for Satan…
REVELATION 20:10!!