What About Rebuking Demons?

As I wrote last time, spiritual warfare is all about controlling one's thoughts and debunking the nonsense which opposes God's wisdom. But there are some Christians who figure they can cast out demons and use Jesus' name like a magic wand. These ideas are false and must be confronted.

Regarding rebuking Satan, Jude 1:9 (Bible in Basic English) makes it clear that even angels didn't dare to do that. "Now when Michael, one of the chief angels, was fighting against the Evil One for the body of Moses, fearing to make use of violent words against him, he only said, 'May the Lord be your judge.'"

Those fools who assume they can chase demons out of people must make them howl with laughter. I believe such people assume that they can do so because Jesus' disciples did so. But look at what he said to seventy of his disciples who were thrilled at using his power to exorcise demons. Luke 10:20 (BBE) says, "Do not be glad, however, because you have power over spirits, but because your names are recorded in heaven."

And as I've shown before, Only Jesus has the power to send out demons and to heal people. Matthew 8:16 and 17 (BBE) says, "And in the evening, they took to him a number of people who had evil spirits; and he sent the spirits out of them with a word, and made well all who were ill; So that the word of Isaiah the prophet might come true: 'He himself took our pains and our diseases.'"

Fake healers have never grown back withered hands or given eyesight to people and neither have they genuinely delivered people from demons. But Jesus did both. Mark 5:15 (BBE) tells us of a man freed from a legion of demons by Christ. "And they came to Jesus, and saw the man in whom had been the evil spirits seated, clothed and with full use of his senses, and they were full of fear."

I love the story John MacArthur told about a demon-possessed woman who entered his office and even threw a desk across the room. John and some elders did that rebuking thing but it never helped. Then they spoke to the woman about the gospel. She surrendered her life to Christ and the demons departed. That incident alone shows what we should always be doing.

If Christ doesn't return by Saturday, I'll feature a song about a man coming home from the war and the excitement he felt. May we all be elated at the prospect of Christ ending this age-old spiritual conflict.