Luke 4:31-37
Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 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.
Reflection:
Again as Jesus went Capernaum, he went into the synagogue and was given the opportunity to teach. Importantly he taught as one who had authority. The authority came from the Word of God being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. When the Word is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, people are convicted of their sin and led to repentance. And in this case the power and authority of the Word confronted a man who was possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. Demons are spirits that have fallen from the holiness of God and as we say, "they have gone to the dark side".
The authority of Jesus, which convicted the people who listened, also confronted the dark power that had creeped into the synagogue. After all, what better place to be for a demon to possess a man than the place where God's people meet for worship. The devil hates it when we worship God, and he would as he tried to do with Jesus, rather have us bow down and worship him. But in this case the demon knows he is in trouble for "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world".
But then we notice something interesting. Instead of trying to make a last ditch effort to harm the man he had come into, the demon throws the man down without further injury. He submitted to Jesus' command. Again the people in the synagogue are amazed this time not by his words, but by his works. With power he preached the word, and with the same power and authority he rebuked the demon who obeyed, left, and did not harm the man.
We can be certain that if we are looking to follow Jesus and advance His kingdom here on earth, there will be resistance. Resistance from not only men, but principalities and powers of this present spiritual darkness. (Ephesians 6). But the Good News is, like Jesus, we have the power of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. With the same authority Jesus used, we also can wield the authority of the Word. It is not our power, but God working in us to defeat all of Satan's schemes and leaving us unharmed.
Praise God we have nothing to fear. If God is for us who can be against us! Amen.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 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.
Reflection:
Again as Jesus went Capernaum, he went into the synagogue and was given the opportunity to teach. Importantly he taught as one who had authority. The authority came from the Word of God being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. When the Word is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, people are convicted of their sin and led to repentance. And in this case the power and authority of the Word confronted a man who was possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. Demons are spirits that have fallen from the holiness of God and as we say, "they have gone to the dark side".
The authority of Jesus, which convicted the people who listened, also confronted the dark power that had creeped into the synagogue. After all, what better place to be for a demon to possess a man than the place where God's people meet for worship. The devil hates it when we worship God, and he would as he tried to do with Jesus, rather have us bow down and worship him. But in this case the demon knows he is in trouble for "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world".
But then we notice something interesting. Instead of trying to make a last ditch effort to harm the man he had come into, the demon throws the man down without further injury. He submitted to Jesus' command. Again the people in the synagogue are amazed this time not by his words, but by his works. With power he preached the word, and with the same power and authority he rebuked the demon who obeyed, left, and did not harm the man.
We can be certain that if we are looking to follow Jesus and advance His kingdom here on earth, there will be resistance. Resistance from not only men, but principalities and powers of this present spiritual darkness. (Ephesians 6). But the Good News is, like Jesus, we have the power of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. With the same authority Jesus used, we also can wield the authority of the Word. It is not our power, but God working in us to defeat all of Satan's schemes and leaving us unharmed.
Praise God we have nothing to fear. If God is for us who can be against us! Amen.
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