Dealing with DEMONS #7
TOTAL VICTORY IN CHRIST
Many years ago - back in the days of the old west--during a
revival meeting, the worst drunkard in town was gloriously
converted. Night after night he testified of his salvation and
many rejoiced. But a few days later when he passed the saloon, he
was tempted to return to his old ways and drinking. He wrestled
with the temptation, but finally went in and ordered a drink. He
realized if he took this drink, the blessings of the Lord would
depart and his testimony would be ruined. Then, just as he was
about to put the glass to his lips - about to take the fatal step
- he looked out of the darkened saloon. Right across the street,
in the brightness of the noon-day sun, was a sign: "Buttermilk -
All You Can Drink For a Nickel." (This must have been years ago!)
Suddenly he dropped the booze and ran across the street to get
some buttermilk. "Quick, give me a glass of that buttermilk," he
hollered. He gulped it down and asked for another. And another.
He kept drinking buttermilk until he was full. Then he asked for
one more glass. By stretching and moving around, he was finally
able to drink about a third of the glass. He could hold no more.
Then what do you suppose he did? He walked back over in front of
the saloon and declared: "Let's just see you try to tempt me now
Devil. I'm so full of BUTTERMILK I don't have room for BOOZE!"
Then he shouted "Hallelujah," and marched on down the street.
The Bible puts it this way: "Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). Surely if one is filled
with good, there is no room for evil. If one keeps busy for God,
he does not have time for the devil. If one keeps full of God,
there is no room for the devil to get in.
Jesus made the same point concerning demons. He spoke of how
an unclean spirit, having gone out of a man, may later decide to
return. "And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and
garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other
spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell
there: and the last state of the man is worse than the first"
(Matthew 12:43-45). Instead of this man filling his life with
good things - being full of the Holy Spirit - the evil spirit not
only returned, but finding the house empty, brought company and
they all moved in!
Demons, as Jesus explained, seek to make their "home" within
the human body which, as David expressed it, is "fearfully and
wonderfully made" (Psalms 139:14). The body has 263 bones, 600
muscles, and 970 miles of blood vessels. There are 400 tiny cups
on the tongue for taste and 20,000 hairs in the ears to tune in
sounds. Each square inch of skin contains 3,500 sweat tubes.
There are 600 million air cells to the lungs that each day inhale
2,400 gallons of air. The heart beats 4,200 times an hour and
pumps 12 tons of blood daily! The various parts of the body are
connected by a complex network of 10 million nerves and branches,
along which electrical impulses run at speeds up to 200 miles an
hour! The brain itself - the leader of the whole system -
contains 10 billion nerve cells and houses that great human
computer known to us as the mind.
I think it can be said without any fear of scriptural
contradiction: the entrance by which demons seek to enter man is,
in most cases, the mind. Evil spirits attempt to find a place in
the thoughts of an individual - and after gaining this ground,
seek to take over. Thus Paul warned against "enemies in your
mind" (Colossians 1:21). If our enemy is the devil (1 Peter,
5:8), then "enemies" could certainly be devils--demons finding a
place within the thinking patterns of man. More battles are
fought in the minds of men than on the battlefields of the world.
This does not mean, of course, that a wrong thought coming
to the mind - a temptation - is, in itself, a sin. Even Jesus
Christ "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin" (Hebrews 4:15). He did not sin, because he did not yield to
the temptation. We should not assume that being tempted to do
something is just as bad as doing it. Not realizing this, one
young man, a new Christian, was tempted to go to an X-rated
movie. He thought to himself: "Well, I'm tempted to go. It is
just as bad to be tempted as to do it." So he did it! But a
tempting thought in the mind is not sin in itself. It is when we
allow wrong thoughts to find a place in our thinking, that we
follow the downward path. We cannot stop birds from flying over
our heads, but we can keep them from building nests in our hair!
The Bible says: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor.
10:5). It is up to us! If we truly want to live for God, when
wrong thoughts come, we should cast them down immediately. If
they are not allowed to take root, they cannot mature. If we
refuse to allow evil thoughts in our minds, we will have
automatically stopped evil actions. We have blocked demonic
invasion.
Picture a man eating a dried out sandwich for lunch. He
thinks to himself: "I sure wish I had some strawberry shortcake."
He keeps thinking about it. Each day as he eats that dry
sandwich, he keeps thinking: "I want some strawberry shortcake.
I'm hungry for strawberry shortcake. I've got to have some
strawberry shortcake!" Need we explain what is about to happen?
Sooner or later - one way or another - he is going to get that
strawberry shortcake!
This principle can work in a good way or a bad way. The
person who allows evil thoughts to remain in his mind and refuses
to cast them down, sooner or later will do evil. But one who
maintains good, honest, and pure thoughts will experience a life
in accordance with these things! Paul put it this way: "Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoeverthings are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and
if there be any praise, THINK on these things" (Phil. 4:8).
I believe this principle of having our minds in subjection
to God is one of the greatest secrets of living a successful,
overcoming Christian life. This is not to say, however, as some
"mind" religions teach, that everything is in the mind - thus
denying reality! In her book "Science and Health with Key to the
Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy denies the reality of demons. Verses
in which the Bible says, "Cast out devils" (Matt.10:8, etc.), are
changed to read: "cast out evils."
A woman who was obviously very sick collapsed on a sidewalk.
A man ran to a nearby house to get help. There he was met by a
member of the Christian Science religion who told him: "She is
not sick; she only thinks she is sick." About a half hour later
he returned to the house with this report: "That woman who
thought she was sick, now thinks she is dead!"
Such "Christian Science" is neither Christian nor science -
it is like the breakfast cereal Grape-Nuts - neither grapes nor
nuts! True positive thinking is not ignoring reality, but facing
and dealing with those principalities and powers against which we
wrestle.
Jesus said to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy MIND" - not just part of it
(Mark 12:30). There are those who "enjoy" evil thoughts in their
minds. One woman, every time her husband kissed her, pretended he
was a certain movie star. Some become obsessed in their minds
with thoughts of lust and sin. By allowing such thoughts to
remain in their minds, they are greatly hindered spiritually. In
some cases, this could even open the door to evil spirits.
Paul wrote: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your MIND, that ye may prove what
is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God" (Romans
12:2). The person who does not have a renewed mind can never
serve God in a good and acceptable way. Our actions will
ultimately be no better than the thoughts we allow in our minds.
A good mental attitude even in every-day things is
important. Are you depressed? Discouraged? Defeated? Let me
recommend that you "delight yourself in the Lord" (Psalms 37:4).
Ask God to brighten your thoughts, to flood your mind with his
sunshine, to give you his joy for the spirit of heaviness. Seek
ways to improve your condition. Seek ways to make your life more
pleasant. Seek for the happiness that God can give. "Seek," Jesus
said, "and you shall find" (Luke 11:9).
Even the right kind of music can have a soothing effect. We
have the Biblical case of Saul, troubled by an evil spirit, who
obtained relief when David played his harp (1 Sam.16:23). This
incident raises a question. Can people who are troubled by demons
be helped through natural means? Can psychologists help people
who are troubled by demons?
We do not believe psychology is the total answer or the
best, but there is no need to discount the possibility of help
through such channels. Suppose a person was afflicted by demons
in such a way that he was suffering intense pain. It is easy to
see that a pain killing drug could numb the body and bring
relief, even though the demons were still present. Is it not also
possible, then, if a demonic spirit is working within the realm
of a person's mind, that this person can circumvent the demonic
suggestions by getting his own thoughts right? A good example of
this would be alcoholics who by human determination become
alcohol free, even though the former urges remain. You see, a
person has a will too. If that will is strong enough, he can
counter the demonic will. In such cases, psychology might help,
even though it does not heal. The real healing comes on spiritual
grounds. Demons must be cast out and the life of the individual
filled with God. One must build his life on the solid foundation,
Jesus Christ.
In this book on dealing with demons, we have gone into the
devils' den, as it were, exposing those principalities and
powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world. We believe this
venture has been important - Christians must be informed
regarding the Devil and his demonic army. But we do not remain in
this den, for the life we live, we live in the sunlight of the
Son of God. We are not seeking demons, but Jesus. As was voiced
to Philip many years ago, "Sir, we would see Jesus" (John 12:21).
We would see Him who is the great Deliverer from demons. We would
see Him who upholds all things by the word of His power. We would
see Him who was, is, and is to come. We would see Him - a child
born, a son given, whose name is Wonderful, Counsellor, The
Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah
9:6).
We would see Him who is the great theme of the Bible. The
Old Testament types and shadows point to Him. In the New
Testament, He is mentioned in the first verse. He is mentioned in
the last verse. He is "alpha and omega, the beginning and the
end" (Revelation 1:8).
He left heaven where rivers never freeze, winds never blow,
frosts never chill, flowers never fade, where there is no
sickness or death. He put on humanity that we might put on
divinity. He became the son of man that we might becomes the sons
of God. He who was infinite became a tiny infant, so small a
woman carried Him in her arms. When He was born there was no room
for Him in the inn. But since that time millions have made room
for Him in their hearts.
"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the
world knew Him not.... But as many as received Him, to them gave
He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
His name" (John 1:3-12).
He grew up in obscurity. His relatives were inconspicuous
folk living in a rural community. Yet in infancy He frightened a
king; in boyhood He puzzled the doctors of the law; in manhood He
defied the law of gravitation by walking on the water. He spoke
peace to a raging sea and it carried Him as gently as a mother
would take her child. He healed multitudes without medicine and
made no charge for His services. He fed a hungry multitude with
the lunch of a small boy. He broke up funerals. He gave life back
to those who were dead.
Great men have come and gone. He lives on! Herod could not
kill Him. People at a religious service could not stone Him.
Satan could not tempt Him. Demons could not deceive Him. Death
could not destroy Him. The grave could not contain Him! He
ascended into heaven and is now "King of kings and Lord of lords"
(1 Tim.6:15).
Salvation is found only in Him (Acts 4:12). He is the way,
the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Deliverance from demons is
in His name (Mark 16:16). A life of peace, joy, and total victory
is found in Him - JESUS CHRIST! (John 10:10).
.....................
NOTE:
Thank you Ralph Woodrow for not only the study on the subject of
demons, but the important truth that through Christ Jesus there
is VICTORY!!
Keith Hunt
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