And Jesus said to the demons, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs.
Matthew 8:31
Three things I just want to say about this:
- The existence and influence of demons was a very tangible reality in the lives of people in the gospels, responsible for oppressing people, binding them in sickness, possessing them for their usage, and causing sin and wickedness.Therefore, we should not be foreign to the idea that this dimension is also at work in our time as well. Contrary to the Western thought that “if you can’t see, you can’t measure it”, the Bible reveals a different reality- that the kingdom of darkness is actively working and moving among us, no matter what big name Americans attach to it to try to describe it.
- The activity of Jesus exorcising demons was a very necessary aspect of his ministry. Jesus launches into his ministry proclaiming that “the kingdom of God is at hand.”And when the kingdom of God is advancing, the kingdom of Satan is retreating. Exorcisms were the most visible demonstration of that power and that advancement as these demonic entities retreat at the power and the presence of Jesus. And so, all who were around Jesus can only confess that the kingdom of God was truly here.
- Defeating the kingdom of darkness in Jesus’ name is, therefore, a very real aspect of our Christian practice as we bring the kingdom of God to the rest of the world.And how to do that.. is for another post
