The Devil's Defeat

"He is the power that sends devils packing."

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)

THE DEVIL HAS many faces and can turn whichever one he needs toward your ear. He’s like one of those cartoons from the 1930’s, some fat-faced old man with two mouths speaking at once. This is why Jesus asked the demon which possessed the Gadarene demoniac how many were there. Because it could have been one using many voices. But in that case, there were many demons, a legion. My pastor used to say there isn’t one demon behind every bush, there are ten.

We don’t think about this as we go through daily life. We may consider it during a sermon, make a joke about it, then move on. It’s not a subject for continual study. But we must be aware that they exist, and we can see this in the gospels where, when Jesus passed by, the demons couldn’t shut up. And it seems the people were more aware of them, then, than most people today. The Syrophoenician woman sought deliverance for her daughter from a devil. A father brought his son to the disciples seeking deliverance for his son. Both knew that’s what it was. On multiple occasions, we are told Jesus healed those possessed with devils in the crowds which followed Him.

“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:” (Matthew 8:16)

“And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.” (Mark 1:34)

“And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.” (Luke 4:41)

The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out devils by the prince of devils, a stupid remark that Jesus corrected saying, A kingdom divided will fall. He also said to them, “By whom do your children cast them out?” (Matthew 12:27) Meaning, they were familiar with demonic activity. Mary Magdalene, mentioned in the gospels, had been freed of seven devils. My point is, there’s a reason it is mentioned so often. Modern society has clothed them and given them psychological names. They look better wearing a shirt and tie. The church pushes people troubled by them off on worldly doctors, for the most part, shaking their heads and walking away.

I say “for the most part” because there are some who are not afraid. Our best effort with the mentally ill and anyone oppressed or possessed by demons is prayer. When the father could not get deliverance for his son from the disciples, when they did not know what to do, he brought his son to Jesus, and Jesus cast it out. His disciples asked Him in private, later, why they could not do so, and Jesus replied, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29).” Minister Bill Johnson points out that Jesus neither prayed nor fasted in that moment. He lived that way.

Prayer must be a daily part of our lifestyle and seeking the Spirit’s leading is a must for our every action. He is our Guide and Teacher and the power that sends the devils packing. He also is not beyond making sure they go nowhere to hurt anyone else. We are not given Jesus’ name and authority in order to rearrange the kingdom of darkness, so demons are hurting this man but not that one. When the demons left the Gadarene, they went into the deep (the abyss), the very place they’d begged not to go (Luke 8:31).

We must also teach the importance of following the Shepherd, of reading the Word of God, and changing our thought-patterns. When we recognize God’s Word, then we will not be tempted by the devil’s. We must encourage the baptism in the Spirit. The enemy cannot understand our prayer in tongues, God’s heavenly language. To leave people standing at the cross without teaching about Pentecost and the strength of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is to send them back into the world unarmed.

“Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.” (Matthew 12:22)

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” (Luke 10:17)

We must be longsuffering and compassionate. NOT FEARFUL. Jesus defeated the devil and took from him the keys of death and hell. He gave the authority of His name to the church, saying we would tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, which is what He did when His body was in the grave, before He was Resurrected. He died on the cross physically and was then alive in spirit, as God’s eternal life. The apostle Peter tells us Jesus preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19). That word “preached” is very interesting. In the original Greek, it means ‘to be a herald” and implies “formality, gravity and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed.” (G2784, Thayer’s) This was no defeated God, no crushed Savior. This was the King of Kings who triumphed over the devil openly (Colossians 2:15).

The devil’s defeat was Jesus’ reason for laying down His life and for rising from the dead. We are to be like Him.

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20)

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)

“For I am absolutely convinced that God is totally on our side and nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the past nor present nor future, nor any power in the universe;” (Romans 8:38, Remedy)

Image by Mo Farrelly from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com