Throughout the Bible there are many accounts of unclean spirits or demons possessing people. In the New Testament there are many times that Jesus casts out demons that are within people. The following scripture tells of Jesus driving out demons from two demon-possessed men.
Matthew 8:28-34 (CSB)
When he had come to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, “What do you have to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” A long way off from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding. “If you drive us out,” the demons begged him, “send us into the herd of pigs.” “Go!” he told them. So when they had come out, they entered the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. Then the men who tended them fled. They went into the city and reported everything, especially what had happened to those who were demon-possessed. At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
We see from the above scripture that demons are capable of speaking through the person they are possessing and making that person behave in a way that is violent. We also see that demons have to obey Jesus. There was just one word spoken by Jesus, the word was ‘Go,’ and the demons had to leave the two men.
Matthew 8:16 (CSB)
When evening came, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
Luke 4:41 (CSB)
Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.
There are many people, in the world, who do not believe in demons possessing people. Other people do not want to even think about such things, possibly because it frightens them. But, this is not just the stuff that horror films are made of, demonic possession is real, it really happens. I have had encounters with demon-possessed people in the past and I have made sure I have prayed for them.
We are in spiritual warfare and we must be ready for these times. I believe these things are happening even more now, and we must not be afraid. Jesus has given us strength to deal with such things.
Luke 11:14 (CSB)
Now he was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed.
Mark 1:23-26 (CSB)
Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out, “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.
Jesus has authority over all demons, they have to obey Him.
Mark 9:17-29 (CSB)
Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.” Then it came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”
Ephesians 6:12 (CSB)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
The solution, as stated in Ephesians 6:13, is to put on the full armor of God. When we do this, we are able to resist the evil that is out there and we can stand firm. Please read my post called ‘Put on the Full Armor of God.’ It can be found by going to the menu, click on ‘Rise above the Enemy’ and scroll up to find.
Mark 16:9 (CSB)
Early on the first day of the week, after he had risen, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons!
Matthew 4:24 (CSB)
Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics and the paralytics.
Matthew 10:1 (CSB)
Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
Mark 16:15-17 (CSB)
Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues.
As a child, I remember going with my mum and nana to see a travelling preacher who had the gift of healing. I witnessed healings take place during the services. The preacher travelled about the country, holding his services in halls big enough to hold quite a lot of people. My mum had also been to other services of this kind too. On one occasion a neighbour had gone with her who suffered from deafness. My mum told me that after going forward to be healed her deafness was cured, but because she wasn’t a strong believer and didn’t progress with a Christian life afterwards, her deafness returned. What I understood was that if she had invited Jesus into her heart and was filled with God’s Holy Spirit, then her belief would have stopped her deafness from returning.
Jesus said –
Matthew 12:43-45 (CSB)
“When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. Then it says, “I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”
Jesus was referring to the Pharisees in this parable, who by refusing to accept and believe in Jesus and the gospel, were putting themselves in a far worse position than they had been in previously. When Jesus enters into a person’s life, the devil is cast out.
Acts 16:16-18 (CSB)
Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” She did this for many days. Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away.
Please read my post called, ‘Sorceries and Magic.’ It can be found by going to the menu, click on ‘Overcoming Sin’ and scroll up to find.
Acts 19:13-16 (CSB)
Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this. The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul – but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.
This scripture tells us that demons know who are believers and followers of Jesus Christ and who are not. The demon knew Jesus and recognized Paul, but these Jewish exorcists who were using the name of Jesus to try and cast out the demon, had no belief in the name of Jesus.
As we look around the world now in 2023, we know what is taking place. It is a spiritual battle for our souls. As everything becomes more evil, more crazy and more twisted we can, with eyes that have been opened, see past what the world sees and we know demonic possession has taken place. The devil is getting people to do his evil work.
There is always hope though. People need to repent, believe in Jesus and return to God. Without God, they leave themselves open for the devil to enter in. If they are filled with God’s Holy Spirit, the demons will stay away.
James 4:7 (CSB)
Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Malachi 3:17-18 (CSB)
“They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies, “my own possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
When God says ‘the day,’ it is a reference to His coming Judgment Day.
1 Timothy 6:12 (CSB)
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
As Paul said –
2 Timothy 4:7 (CSB)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Onward Christian Soldiers 