Thursday Rhapsody Of Realities - Our Authority Over Devils

…What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man… (Luke 8:28-29).

There’re those who seem to have questions about what happened in Luke 8, when Jesus cast the devils out of a certain mad man in Gadara. Jesus had asked the devils to come out, but they didn’t; rather, the man ran to Jesus. Why didn’t the devils come out immediately, rather than the man running to Jesus? Let me explain.

First, you need to understand that every human being has to run his own life; you can’t cast the devil out of someone who doesn’t want the devil to go, except the person places himself under your influence. This mad man at Gadara, the Bible says, was possessed by demons for a long time. He wore no clothes and lived in graveyards and caves. He was so maniacal that he cut himself with sharp stones, night and day, and anytime he was bound with chains and fetters, he broke them (Luke 8:27-33).

However, when he saw Jesus, he ran towards Him. Now, something happened before he ran towards Jesus; when Jesus was still a distance away, the devil in him cried out with a loud voice; that’s what we read in our opening verse; this happened when the Lord first commanded the devil to come out of the man. So, even though the devil didn’t leave the man, he couldn’t stop him from running to Jesus.

Until the man in question placed himself under the Master’s influence, by running towards Him, he couldn’t be helped. It’s the same way today.

We have authority over demons and the cohort of darkness in the Name of Jesus. If there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, and you can perceive that Satan is the one responsible, cast him out. You don’t have to shout or come out of your room to do it; there’s no distance in the realm of the spirit. Call him by name and tell him to stop his operations and maneuvers; it doesn’t matter where he is in this world, he’ll hear you.

However, remember, when it has to do with casting him out of a person, it works best when that one places himself under your influence.

PRAYER: Thank you Father for the ability to cast out devils in the Name of Jesus; I will exercise that dominion today, and frustrate the influence and manipulations of Satan in everything that concerns me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 18:28-19:1-16, 1 Chronicles 14-16

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 14:66-72, Deuteronomy 2