Driving Out Demons

"But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you." Luke 11:20

How many of you have struggled with yo-yo dieting? I can name several times in life that I've lost significant amounts of weight, only to gain it all back again and then some. After doing the South Beach Diet and stopping when I got pregnant with my first son, I gained back more weight than I had lost, leaving me heavier than ever. UGH!And I can't blame the pregnancy - for after gaining over 60 pounds, I gave birth to a little guy who weighed just slightly more than 3 pounds. 

Why can't I stay on task and keep with what I know is right? As I've been studying God's Word and pondering this thought, I read the following verses that Jesus spoke in Luke 11:24-26: "When an evil (or unclean) spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." When I read these verses, I'll admit that I was horrified. It dawned on me that this may be happening to me.

I think in the present age, we don't think so much about 'spirits' that enter us. Maybe our culture doesn't make it 'fashionable' or 'hip' to think that demons could be possessing us - that's for horror movies and non-fiction, right? But as I've been reading the New Testament, driving out demons is often how Jesus' healing was described. I have a great friend who struggles with seizures, and I just read in Luke how God rebuked the demon who had been possessing a boy who had various seizures (Luke 9:37-43). When God healed a man who had been mute in Luke 11:14, He did so through driving out the demon. Jesus drove out an evil spirit on the Sabbath in a synagogue in Luke 4:31-37. He would also say things like "your sins have been forgiven" when he healed folks. For me, I know that overeating has been a sin in my life. But, have I left the door open in committing these sins for actual evil spirits to enter? I shudder at the thought.

Then I read the story of "the Healing of the Demon-possessed Man." I remember this story well, for I did Bible quizzing when I was in high school and we were to memorize the first half of the book of Luke and be quizzed on it. I wasn't completely committed to the quizzing as some of my friends were, but I did enjoy learning this way and remember much of what I read from those days. In any case, I remember Jesus meeting a man who called himself "Legion" because many demons had gone into him (this story is found in Luke 8:26-38). "A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and He gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned." I almost giggled at the irony. What do pigs represent in society? Typically, if we call a person a piggy, it means that they eat too much. Could my demons be sent into a herd of pigs that they would die rather than me? That is my prayer! I would rather the demons not wander around aimlessly and come back into my cleaned-up life and settle in with seven of their friends. Rather, I'd rather be done with this sin once and for all!

After this man was healed, he begged Jesus to go with Him. But Jesus sent him away saying "Return home and tell how much God has done for you. (Luke 8:39)" I think this is a crucial step to our healing, too. I boast not at the fact that I've lost weight. For honestly, this has been a struggle for me almost my entire life. If I had discipline to begin with, I wouldn't even be writing this for you (and the public at large) to read. Rather, it's humiliating to talk about something that society looks down on and is truly sin in my life. But, in saying that, I've lost over 60 pounds and it's only been through God's amazing grace. For, I don't have willpower or discipline on my own, but God has been showing me His extravagant love for me and His desire for my well-being. Please pray for me, and I will continue to pray for you. It's only through prayer and God's work on the cross that we'll ever be set free from sin!

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are holy. We can praise You and magnify You even on days that we don't feel worthy for You are ALWAYS worth of honor. Father, we thank You for Your Word today. God, we pray and ask right now that You would drive out the demons in our lives by Your very finger so that the kingdom of God would come to us. Lord, I'll be honest and admit that I don't understand a lot about demons. I don't fear them, for You alone are to be feared. Instead, I ask You to drive out any evil spirits that we've allowed to enter our lives. And, please don't let them wander, but we ask that you instead send them into the pigs that they may die and we might have life more abundant. God, we don't want to leave room for even more evil spirits to come into our lives. God, guard our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our souls and our actions. Lord, we ask for the Holy Spirit to protect us as only You can. Please mold our bodies and hearts as You intended when You created them. Don't allow sin to enter our lives and destroy Your creation. May our bodies glorify You, as we long to display Your splendor for Your honor. God, help us admit where we've been wrong and tell others what You alone have done for us. It's not by our work, Lord, but by Your very finger that we are healed. We thank You and praise You, Lord Jesus. Have Your way in our lives! In Your Name we pray, AMEN!