Monday, July 23, 2018
Restless demons
Matthew 12:43
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
In many circles today, talk about unclean spirits is frowned upon. Given out modern societies and everyday technology that was only recently the subject of science fiction, we have no place for spirits in our discourse.
In other instances, some are prepared to accept the activity of spirits, unclean or otherwise, if this is happening in societies that we still consider backward or primitive. The view often shared is that backwardness lends itself to a belief in spirits and the like but when enlightenment comes all this belief in spirits and demons would go away.
There is also a tendency in many contemporary churches to ignore demonic activity. Churches are leaning more and more on clinical interventions for the disorders being encountered among people. There is, of course, an important role for clinicians as we seek to teat persons with disorders, but this should not be at the expense of spiritual ministry. The assumption that if you have psychiatrists you don’t need a minister is a false one. Discernment is the key, we have to know when the person needs therapy and when they need a demon driven out.
Sometimes Christians behave as though when Jesus left the earth so did all the demons that He used to encounter during His ministry. The images of Jesus like the one in Mark 9 would really bother many Christians and churches today. “Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.” Mark 9:20.
This was not a pretty sight, but it was necessary for the deliverance of the young man who was affected an afflicted by the demonic spirit. Some of the struggles we have today are directly linked to demonic activity that many are unwilling to acknowledge, and fewer still willing to engage.
Others, however, have sought deliverance from the afflictions of the demonic spirits that have plagued their mental, emotional, and physical health, that have undermined their finances and economic well-being, and that have wreaked havoc in their family and social life. Not every obstacle and challenge is demonic but many are.
As important as seeking spiritual intervention for deliverance is the matter of securing that deliverance once it is received. In the passage we are looking at today, Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus issues a dire warning for those who experience deliverance from demonic spirits.
So many people come to church, receive ministry, and find deliverance from many things caused by unclean spirits – un-forgiveness, bitterness, hurt, hatred, anger, rage, vexation, evil speaking, and sin of all kinds including jealousy, selfish ambition, dissension, lust, improper passion, and sexual promiscuity.
The challenge we always have in these situations is to maintain out deliverance. We must avoid giving place to these unclean spirits again so that we don’t quickly return to the same condition we were in before we obtained our deliverance.
It is no secret that we have seen people who are always receiving ministry for the same things over and over, and the same demons are being cast out of them repeatedly. Every time some preacher or minister visits the respond to the invitation for prayer at the end. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what the minister spoke about, they are just waiting for the time to head to the front.
There is a lady that I happened to run into at a few different special ministry meetings. The first time I encountered her in one of these meetings I watched as she wailed and doubled over before falling to the ground. She was afflicted by many things and many prayer was offered for her deliverance. I felt so much compassion. I know her professionally and would have never imagined that she had these issues. I was happy to see that she had found a place of prayer and ministry to get past this. However, a few years later I saw her at another place with a different minister and the scene was almost identical.
I haven’t talked with this lady about what I observed but it does seem, from a distance, that she is a serial candidate for deliverance ministry. Jesus said five things about spirits cast out in deliverance that we should take heed to quickly.
One, unclean spirits, when driven out, go somewhere, they do not die. Two, restless demons roaming arid places have to make a decision about accommodation. Three, cleaned out but unoccupied familiar premises are best. Four, unclean spirits clearly like company, more than that, they do not like being evicted, company helps them hold territory. Five, returning spirits, bringing likeminded but stronger company, creates in a person conditions that are worse than before.
In prison ministry one of the things we struggle with is the risk of recidivism, prisoners returning to lives of crime on release. Often, it breaks your heart to see a young promising prisoner get out only to commit even worse crimes and to be returned to that prison for a loner and harder prison time. This is not a parallel situation to spiritual deliverance, but it helps make the point.
Deliverance without replacement leaves opportunity for the return of the unclean spirit. In this scenario, people seem to get worse, not better.
Think on these things:
- Have you ever had to be taken through deliverance from any unclean spirit that might have affected or afflicted you?
- Do you believe that deliverance ministry is a valid activity, or do you believe that this should be replaced with modern clinical psychotherapies?
- Does your church practice deliverance?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would be open to the ministry of deliverance, that we would have the spirit of discernment to know when the case requires therapy and when it requires ministry.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex
