Demons are No Match for Jesus Christ

This week I have had the subject of demons on my mind. On Monday, I read about this man’s young adult son who was doing well at college, academically and in music, then he was diagnosed with a mental disorder and took a turn for the worse. The father thought the son may do some self-harm so he took the son to a mental health facility but there was no room for the son. They went back home where the son proceeded to write in his journal about killing his father and he tried to do just that and then killed himself. Right away I thought that there was probably demonic influence in the son’s life, whether he realized it or not. Yesterday, I was ministering to an online student who is concerned about a demonic statue being proposed for a government location in Oklahoma. This morning, on the way to work, I pulled up behind a black car with the word ‘legion’ on the vanity license plate and there were two skulls on the back dashboard (creepy). I don’t know if that driver, car, and license plate is directly associated with any demonic influence but that’s what I thought about.

The truth is, according to God’s Holy Scriptures, there are real spiritual creatures known as demons (fallen angels). They were created Holy angels and chose to become evil. The devil, Satan, is the lead demon. They are powerful spiritual enemies who seek to do what is contrary to the character and will of God. They seek to corrupt and harm people and prevent people from being true worshipers of God, from obeying God, and glorifying God. Jesus said, “the devil is a murderer and the father of lies.” John 8:44. Peter wrote this to Christ-followers, Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV). On the origins and fall of the devil/demons, consider also Isa. 14:12-17, Ezek. 28:11-19, Matt. 25:41, Rev. 12:1-14.

Mark, in his Gospel of Christ account, emphasized Jesus’ encounters with demon influenced people pointing out that Christ cares about such people, Christ is greater than demons, and Christ healed many people from demonic bondage.

Let’s consider some verses from Mark 5:1-20 ESV (I encourage you to read and study the entire passage, but for the sake of space and scope here I’m highlighting key verses) about Jesus’ encounter with a demon-possessed man.

Jesus was traveling with His disciples when a man with an unclean spirit (i.e. evil spirit, demon) came up to Jesus (Mk. 5:2).

5:3-4 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind £him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 

Efforts had been made to confine this man, but all hope by the local people to bring this man under control had been abandoned. No one could subdue or contain this man because he had supernatural strength given to him by the demonic power controlling him. Luke added that this man was naked. Matthew wrote that no one could pass by that location because of his violence.

5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

This was one scary dude. He was violently crazy all the time. He was amazingly powerful. He was running around naked. He was screaming night and day. He was cutting himself with rocks. One translation uses the word ‘gashing’ so he was probably bloody. This man terrorized people from up close and afar. His condition must have seemed hopeless to him and to anyone who knew about him.

5:7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

The demon was saying to Jesus something like, “What do you and I have in common?” It is kind of like, when we would say, “Oh no, what are your doing here?” The demon speaking was aware of both the human name Jesus and His deity, although this as it appears was his first encounter with Jesus. Such knowledge indicates that the man was not merely crazy, he was indwelt by demonic powers who know the true identity of Christ. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! James 2:19 ESV

Then the demon begged Jesus to not torment the demon (see also Mt. 8:29, Lk. 8:31, 2 Pet. 2:4, Jude 1:6). According to Scripture, demons not only know who Jesus is but they also know the handwriting on the wall, so to speak (see Rev. 20), about God’s final judgment upon them. Demons live in constant dread of the day when Jesus will eternally punish them.

5:9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 

The name ‘legion’ was given to a division in the Roman army at that time. It typically consisted of 3-6000 soldiers. So, the implication was that there were several thousand demons present in that man’s body. Wow! I can’t imagine the torment and experience in that man’s life.

5:12-13 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And £at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

This is surely a vivid, visible, and powerful lesson on the immensity of the evil from which the possessed man had been delivered.

5:19b-20 “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

What happened to this demon possessed man is truly an amazing grace healing of God and then he went from maniac to missionary for Jesus. This man went beyond the call of duty, being so enthusiastic about Christ and what he had done, that he shared his amazing story with people beyond his friends and family and local town into the nearby ten Greek cities. People marveled at the work and message of Jesus.

It’s interesting to note that people are not delivered by Christ from their bondage to evil and sin merely for their own comfort and well-being, but so that they may give testimony to others concerning their divine Deliverer, to glorify God!  What great things has God done for you and who are you telling about it?

This Bible event shows us the reality of demonic influence in someone’s life, that Jesus cares about demon inflicted people, that Jesus is greater than demons, and in this case, Jesus healed the man being controlled and possessed by demons who went on to proclaim the good news of Christ to many people.

Jesus Christ is awesome and amazing and as I ponder the reality of spiritual warfare and demonic influence in this world it comforts me to know biblically and by faith that all the demons together are no match for Jesus Christ! Jesus is the eternal risen glorified Son of God, the One who has all authority and power, God Himself (i.e. Heb. 1:1-4, Col. 1:15-19).

I don’t know what you believe about demons and their influence in this world but God’s Word has much to say about these things. The key for you and me is Jesus Christ, who He is and what He did on the cross, dying for our sins, and resurrecting in victory over sin and death. By God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, you can have an eternal relationship with your Creator and trust Him for victory over the spiritual enemies of God. I trust Christ, how about you?

What are your thoughts?

Mike

The Currency of True Greatness is Humility

Dr. Jerry Sheveland, a pastor and President of Converge Worldwide, wrote, “In the economy of God’s kingdom, humility is the currency of true greatness.”

Christians know this, right? God’s Word is clear. In both the Old and New Testaments we are told: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6

But even the closest followers of Christ can allow pride into their lives and ministry. In Mark 9 and 10, Jesus addressed this issue. Early in Mk. 9, we read about an incredible transfiguration moment where only three of the disciples were invited. What were the other disciples doing during that time? We read that a man brought his demon possessed son to them and here is what the man said to Jesus about it afterwards; 18b … “I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” What followed soon after was Jesus confronting a pride problem among His closest disciples.

In vs35 Jesus asked the disciples what they were discussing. Here’s what came next:

Mark 9:34-35 ESV But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. ³⁵ And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Then, we jump over to Mark 10:35-41 where James and John asked Jesus if they could sit at the right hand of Jesus in His glory and the other ten disciples were very displeased about their request. Here’s what happened next:

Mark 10:42-45 ESV  And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus confronted their pride which was at the heart of their dispute, anger, and desires. This is a sin of arrogance. A prideful person has a swollen puffed up ego, basically trying to position their self into an ‘I’m better than you’ spot in life. They think they are better than others, smarter than others and more deserving than others. Pride is self-exaltation and we know from Scripture; Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 14:11

What triggered the prideful dispute among the disciples in Mark 9? Probably because only Peter, James, and John got to go with Jesus on the mountain for His amazing transfiguration moment and the other nine disciples were experiencing spiritual failure in the valley. At any given time some of us Christians are enjoying a measure of spiritual success, while others are dealing with disappointment and discouragement. Comparing ourselves with each other in a jealous worldly sense is an invitation to pride.

Imagine their conversations, “You got to do this and we didn’t. Jesus likes you more than me. I’m better than you. I’m just as important as you are. I’ve got this privilege and ability and you don’t. I’m the greatest among us.” We are all tempted by pride, thinking thoughts like, “There are always people lower than me on the totem pole of life and I deserve to be where I am because I’m better than those other people. I want to be great! I am great.” and so on.

Here is a simple example of pride in ministry life today. Imagine a ministry team gathers for a meal time and one of them has these thoughts, “As I look around this place, I’m the VIP here. I deserve to go first and sit at the head table. I deserve to be seen and heard here today. I expect several people to come talk to me, ask what I think, and get my opinion on things around here. I better not be ignored because I’ve done a lot for this ministry and they’d really miss me and my contributions if I left.” Those are prideful thoughts.

Jesus doesn’t just confront and convict His followers about our pride. Jesus wants to cultivate His greatness of humility in us.

In our culture most people think of being first and top ranked as most important and most valued. The winners come out on top. They are the best. They’re #1. They’re first. But Jesus says ‘if you would be first, you must be last.’ What? In major sports competition the last place is thought of as the worst of the bunch, the bottom of the totem pole. We live in a culture that loves to rate and rank and compare and elevate value to the top people and top things.

Prideful ambition says that if anyone desires to be first, then get yourself in a position to be served by all. Jesus however, speaks counter to our culture by basically saying, “In my kingdom, if you want to be first, you must be last of all and servant of all.”

Being humble, serving others in God honoring ways is essential to being great in God’s kingdom.

Here are some simple examples of this in church life and Christian living. We gather for a fellowship meal and instead of rushing to get your food quickly, you look around and find out who could use some help. Maybe there is an elderly person, a special needs person, a woman with a young child to help, etc.. And you are willing to let everyone else go before you. My wife is classic at doing this at mealtime. Many times, Kym has prepared dinner for our family of six and then at the table she wants to serve up everyone else’s plate before her own plate. She is often the last to begin eating and she has often been the last in the kitchen cleaning up at night. This is changing however as the boys and I try to serve her plate first and clean up afterwards.

Our best example of humble greatness was modeled by the incarnated Christ.  The eternal Son of God greatly humbled Himself by becoming flesh, becoming a servant to needy people (including you and me), teaching, feeding, and healing people, washing His disciples’ feet, ultimately dying for our sins.

The closest disciples of Christ still had much to learn about applying the teaching and example of Christ-like humility in their lives and we probably do as well. We are all imperfect people who know what it’s like to struggle with pride and selfishness and all sorts of sins, which is why we all need the grace, truth, love, mercy, and help of Jesus Christ.

These Bible passages should cause us to pray, “Lord, search me and reveal to me if there is any pride in my life and if there is, show the specifics to me, forgive me and transform me that I would be more humble in your eyes.”

I remind you of what Jerry Sheveland wrote, “In the economy of God’s kingdom, humility is the currency of true greatness.”

What are your thoughts on this?

Mike