Nothing to Fear

Luke 11:14-26

While my parents were having our Bible college for training Navajo pastors, a missionary was sent to assist in the teaching. A few weeks after he arrived he told my mom that the previous night they’d had some ‘visitors.’ The way he expressed it seemed odd, and she asked who it was, assuming it was some of the Mormon or Jehovah Witness missionaries. “Oh no, they were not from this world.”

He went on to explain they’d heard thumping noises on the outside of the trailer, and babies crying but when they went outside there was no one around. I’d lived in the same trailer for a while, and when I heard similar sounds, had discovered that it was some feral cats making the noises, but he was convinced it was demons. Nothing we said or did changed his mind.

An emergency forced my folks to be gone for a few days and Dad asked the missionary to preach while he was gone. When he returned, the people asked that he not allow that man to preach any more. As one lady put it, she grew up around the beliefs in all those evil spirits and living in fear. When the Lord saved her he took away the fear and their power over her. She didn’t come to church to learn about demons. She came to learn about the Lord.

A few days later, Mom saw the missionary go into the college building as she drove up to the church, and since she’d picked up the mail and some was addressed to him she took it up to him. He’d locked the frond door, which struck her as strange but was no problem as she had a key and assumed he probably had forgotten something and just gone on through and out the back door. She decided to just leave the mail on the desk in the office, but the door was locked. She could hear someone inside so she knocked. When he opened the door, he explained that the demons had been bothering him and he had to keep the doors locked to keep them out. Mom asked him if he really thought doors could keep demons out. He became so focused on demons Dad had to ask him to leave.

The Bible does speak about demons, but most beliefs about them are not in accord with biblical teaching. Most people see evidences of demonic control regularly, but their idea of demons is based on the world’s ideas, and they are unable to correctly identify them. For example, during Prohibition, there was a great deal of emphasis on “Demon Rum.” Alcohol is not a demon. It is just a chemical compound, and can be used for good or evil.

Such misunderstandings about what demons are and do has led to a great deal of false teaching about how we should deal with the problems that arise. One preacher told us that he was so troubled by demons that he couldn’t sleep unless he left a Bible lying open by his head. An “Evangelist” taught that when you felt oppressed you should start repeating “The blood of Jesus over and over.” those ideas aren’t much different than the Medieval superstition about wearing a piece of garlic on a chain or buying a special fetish or memorizing a special spell to keep the demons away. They are based on superstition, rather than biblical teaching, and lead to confusion. I Corinthians 14:33 tells us, “For God is not the author of confusion…”, and such teachings are not from God.

The Jews had a number of people who purported to cast out demons, such as we find described in Acts 19:13. Like most making similar claims today, their results were inconsistent at best. This is what made Jesus’ power so amazing.

“And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.” (Luke 11:14)

That the man had a speech impediment and was unable to speak intelligibly was obvious to everyone. That Jesus simply spoke to him and he was healed was also obvious. Some wanted to discredit Jesus and began to accuse him of having a deal with the devil. Others wanted more signs as proof he really came from God.

“But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.” (Luke 11:15-16)

As Jesus points out, Satan would be pretty dumb to make such an agreement. Their claims are base solely on their own desires rather than any evidence. If it were true, Satan would be destroying his own power base.

“But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.” (Luke 11:17-19)

In addition, if Jesus got his power from Satan, then it was probable that the other exorcists they accepted as being from God were also acting out of a league with the Devil. Such a position brought their own beliefs into question. On the other hand, if Jesus was acting out of the power of God, then there was no question as to the validity of their belief in God.

“But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” (Luke 11:20-23)

That the power behind Christ is greater than that of Satan is obvious because he can take people from Satan‘s power. As I John 4: 4 states, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” There is no reason for a Christian to fear Satan’s power because God is more powerful than Satan. As Jesus declares in John 10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” Demons cannot take possession of God’s children.

Not wanting to acknowledge Jesus power came from God the Jews credited his power to Satan. Sophisticated modern man would say that the possessed man had a psychological blockage, and that Jesus enabled him to overcome it in their effort to accomplish the same thing. As I discussed in the study of Luke 8:26-39 and Luke 9:37-42, demons gain possession because the person allows them to control their mind. Many so called psychological problems are the result of demonic control or possession. Jesus addresses the reason why programs to cure such problems have such a high rate of recidivism, why they fail to produce permanent cures.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke11:24-26)

The person can retake possession of their own mind, but they become so accustomed to allowing demonic power to have control that they lack resolve to do so. Most programs use motivational techniques, drugs, and isolation to stop the person from yielding to psychological problems such as alcoholism, drug addiction, or bulimia, and accomplish a temporary relief. Unfortunately, they depend on the person’s self control to maintain their freedom. It is relatively easy for demonic influence to be reasserted, since the person has been accustomed to allowing the control.

When a person receives Christ as savior, however, he gives up control to Christ, who protects their freedom to make their decisions. As a result Satan can never take full control. Human programs do not provide such a defense. Unfortunately, some religious “experts” on the subject are even less cognizant of the problems than secular psychologists.