“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!”Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!”37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.” Luke 4.33-37
How can it be that demons know who Jesus is while the world is still making up its mind? I realized I touched on this recently, but it’s too good to pass up. The spiritual realm is real and all around us. Jesus sees a different plane. He looks into a different dimension. We fail to see God’s Kingdom, which is all around us. The floor of heaven could be the ceiling of our homes, yet we cannot see into eternity. But the demons and angels can, and they could when Jesus walked this earth.
Again, Jesus is in the equivalent of our church, and he’s facing demons. Let me say that again—Jesus confronts demons in church. It reminds me of the Michigan church shooter this past Sunday who killed several people and set fire to a Mormon church. And you don’t have to commit murder to act like a demon in church. If this spiritual realm contains thousands of angels and demons, perhaps millions, then we are being influenced both for good and for bad. It’s why Jesus put his Spirit inside us and called us his Temple. It’s why the Word of God is a seed planted inside our bodies of flesh. It’s why Paul, in Ephesians 6, instructs us to pray the armor of God over our entire being.
We are not merely susceptible; we are under attack. And yet, we have a Master, a Messiah, a Savior who defeats and casts out demons as easily as saying two words: “Be quiet.” Jesus said this in a stern voice. (He said the same thing to the wind and the waves.) “Be quiet. Remain still.” If we allow him, he will do the same for us. He will calm our internal winds and our external ways. He will silence the storms that rage within our minds and help us return to seeking praise, prayer, and holy living.
I love the image of Jesus on the bow of the ship with arms upraised, riding a huge swell of a wave right before he calms the storm. He IS the storm. He is the not-to-be-tamed Lion of Judah. He is the one who will return riding on a white horse, bringing salvation to all who believe.
Just as Jesus cast out the demon from the man in the synagogue, he still sets people free. He is our source and our hope, our shield and our defense. He is the One who has all things under control.
Let’s return to him today. Call upon his name. Seek his face. Know that the God who loves you can live within your mortal body, giving life to those running from death.
“Jesus, come now, Holy Spirit, reign supreme. Cover me with your shield, be my protector. Help me run to you and from the temptations of this world. Set us free to live in abundance. Pour out your Spirit upon us. I love you, Lord, and praise your name. For you are good, and your love endures forever.” Amen