All throughout the Gospels Jesus cast out demons. Every town He went to He sent those things back to the air they came from. They didn't stand a chance! He did not perform an exorcism, or pray, or fast. He simply said: "Come out of that man!"
And it was so.
Why so much demon possession? Over and over again He encountered people who had a demon, or whose child had a demon. In the Gospels, demons were called 'unclean spirits'. Most Bible teachers say that unclean spirits are fallen angels, while a few think they are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. Why Nephilim spirits wouldn't go right to Hell at death, I don't know. But either way, unclean spirits were rampant in Israel at that time.
Why?
I have no idea. There did not seem to be an overabundance of occult activity or idolatry then. If anything, there was an overabundance of self-righteousness on the part of Israel's leaders. They wouldn't have suffered a witch to live, or allowed magic to be practiced. So if those 'magnets' for demonic activity were not present, why all the demons?
Perhaps perversion paved the way for the fiends. Stepping outside of God's boundaries with one's body is an impure act, hence 'unclean' spirits. Jesus warned about lust and also about divorcing one's wife for any reason. Maybe perversion was rampant in Israel. The Romans could have brought their lewd practices to the land. After all, John the Baptist called out Herod for taking his own brother's wife. . .
It's interesting that demon possession was not mentioned in the Old Testament. King Saul was of course tormented by a spirit, but that's about it. Maybe the Jews didn't recognize the phenomenon prior to Christ's first coming. Or maybe it was a rare thing until Jesus arrived. Demon possession happened to children, too. Satan's way of getting rid of the Messiah? Some of those kids that Jesus helped were being thrown into water and fire. . .
It's also possible that His mere presence drove them into a frenzy. They seemed to get very agitated when He was near. Like when lice get exposed to RID. He drove them out! Sometimes they were terrified, like Legion, who was afraid he would be 'tormented before the time'. And sometimes they were spiteful, like when they tried to point out Jesus' identity before it was time. Other at other times they were unintelligible when they were cast out.
So what does this mean for us today? Could demon possession be rampant now in the world? How many Westerners are being treated for mental illness? Could it be that some of those don't have imbalances, but demons? With the rise of occultism, drug use, sexual perversion, and pride, our culture is becoming a haven for evil, perverse spirits. If we give ourselves to sin, we let the Devil in.
Believe it or don't. But be warned. Lawlessness will increase. It already is! Look at the sick crimes being committed lately. Naked man eats a homeless guy's face? Couple keeps kids locked in cages? Man bites his own son's eyeball out and then chops his own leg off with a hatchet? He was on PCP. That stuff unlocks a person's mind to the spirit world for sure. Open the door and the enemy slides in.
Aberrant behavior is on the rise. Our world has let the Beast in, and he will take as much as he can and cause as much damage as possible before he is locked up. And he has full permission from God, because we turned from Him.
The solution, of course, is Christ. He heals, restores, and purifies.
If we let Him.
And it was so.
Why so much demon possession? Over and over again He encountered people who had a demon, or whose child had a demon. In the Gospels, demons were called 'unclean spirits'. Most Bible teachers say that unclean spirits are fallen angels, while a few think they are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. Why Nephilim spirits wouldn't go right to Hell at death, I don't know. But either way, unclean spirits were rampant in Israel at that time.
Why?
I have no idea. There did not seem to be an overabundance of occult activity or idolatry then. If anything, there was an overabundance of self-righteousness on the part of Israel's leaders. They wouldn't have suffered a witch to live, or allowed magic to be practiced. So if those 'magnets' for demonic activity were not present, why all the demons?
Perhaps perversion paved the way for the fiends. Stepping outside of God's boundaries with one's body is an impure act, hence 'unclean' spirits. Jesus warned about lust and also about divorcing one's wife for any reason. Maybe perversion was rampant in Israel. The Romans could have brought their lewd practices to the land. After all, John the Baptist called out Herod for taking his own brother's wife. . .
It's interesting that demon possession was not mentioned in the Old Testament. King Saul was of course tormented by a spirit, but that's about it. Maybe the Jews didn't recognize the phenomenon prior to Christ's first coming. Or maybe it was a rare thing until Jesus arrived. Demon possession happened to children, too. Satan's way of getting rid of the Messiah? Some of those kids that Jesus helped were being thrown into water and fire. . .
It's also possible that His mere presence drove them into a frenzy. They seemed to get very agitated when He was near. Like when lice get exposed to RID. He drove them out! Sometimes they were terrified, like Legion, who was afraid he would be 'tormented before the time'. And sometimes they were spiteful, like when they tried to point out Jesus' identity before it was time. Other at other times they were unintelligible when they were cast out.
So what does this mean for us today? Could demon possession be rampant now in the world? How many Westerners are being treated for mental illness? Could it be that some of those don't have imbalances, but demons? With the rise of occultism, drug use, sexual perversion, and pride, our culture is becoming a haven for evil, perverse spirits. If we give ourselves to sin, we let the Devil in.
Believe it or don't. But be warned. Lawlessness will increase. It already is! Look at the sick crimes being committed lately. Naked man eats a homeless guy's face? Couple keeps kids locked in cages? Man bites his own son's eyeball out and then chops his own leg off with a hatchet? He was on PCP. That stuff unlocks a person's mind to the spirit world for sure. Open the door and the enemy slides in.
Aberrant behavior is on the rise. Our world has let the Beast in, and he will take as much as he can and cause as much damage as possible before he is locked up. And he has full permission from God, because we turned from Him.
The solution, of course, is Christ. He heals, restores, and purifies.
If we let Him.
Excellent and timely blog. AfteR working with the mentally ill for 16 years, I believe there were some that were possessed. It is scary being in that presence without Jesud
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