How Do We Fight the Devil?

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man - Mark 5

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

In chapter 5 we again see the pure power of Jesus over disease, demons and even death itself.  The story above is probably the most detailed story of demon possession we see in the bible. It reminds us that demon possession is real.  Demon possession should be distinguished with the battle we all face with demons.  As believers though we battle against the evil one and his minions, we can't be demon possessed.  But the man Jesus meets is possessed by not one but many demons.  A legion was 6,000 soldiers.  It is not that the man literally had 6,000 demons, but the idea is he had many.  

There are many facets of this story that helps us to understand the nature of demon possession.  The man had been possessed by these demons for a long time.  He lived among the tombs.  The tombs were the place of the dead and this man was tormented by these powerful spirits and not allowed to live in the community. The demons gave the man supernatural strength.  He even ripped through the chains people tried to use to restrain him.  The demons were bent on destroying the man.  When the demons saw Jesus, the caused the man to fall down at Jesus' feet and call him the Son of the Most High?  Demons had power but it was limited.  They realized they were confronted by much stronger power.  

Later in the chapter after Jesus' cast out the demons and sent them into a herd of swine, the man returned to a right state of mind and sat dressed properly.  You can only imagine the reaction of those who had only known him as the uncontrolled madman of the tombs.  It says, "they were afraid".  It also says the owner of the swine were worried about their financial loss due to the pigs being drowned.  Instead of rejoicing with the man who was no longer tortured and controlled by evil spirits, they were more worried about themselves.  

You might ask why Jesus did not completely obliterate these demons?  I think that is a good question.  We do know that when Jesus died on the cross he defeated the power of sin, death and the devil forever. Colossians 2 says it this way, "In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."

But we also know that the final defeat of Satan and his dark angels will be finished when Jesus returns.  Until then we also fight the power of demons and their desire to control us.  The devil and his demons main goal is to destroy our relationship with God.  Since the devil was cast out of heaven he has wanted to take as many with him to hell as possible. Finally, and probably most importantly, the same power and authority that Jesus used to cast out these demons lives in us through the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, we do not need to be afraid of demons, but we mustn't be naive either.  Paul says in Ephesians 6, "Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of this present darkness."  He also says God has equipped us with weapons to fight this battle.  

Most importantly God has given us the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.  God has also give us the power of prayer and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  As Martin Luther said in the 16th century, "Though hordes of devils fill the land, one little word subdues them."Though we may not meet a demon possessed man, we can live a life that the devil can't touch.  

As we live in the power of the Holy Spirit we must be reminded of the promise John write his letter to the early church. In chapter 4, he makes this promise to them regarding the Spirit that is within them as they confront false prophets, 

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.