Deliverance of the Demoniac in the Synagogue

Mark 1:21-28, Luke 4 :33-36

21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24" 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!"

25"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

The evil spirit:

This event, the first miracle in Mark, is about Jesus and a man possessed by an evil spirit. The man is healed by Jesus.

The Bible has over 300 quotations of Satan and demons and always present them as individuals, persons, as beings, not just as emotions or bad habits...

Satan, Lucifer: The leader of the rebellious angels... God's adversary, expelled from heaven for rebelling against God (Rev.12:9, Ez.28:13-15, Is.14:12)).

Satan means adversary or tempter... Lucifer ("shining one") means angel of light.

Devil: Means accuser; calumniator... an upper level evil spirit working for Lucifer. (Beelzebub, among many, the right hand of Lucifer )

Demons or "unclean spirits" are the other angels that fall from Heaven with Satan, evil entities hostile to humans. A lower level evil spirit working for Lucifer (Rev.12:9).

Satan can perform signs and wonders. Ex.7:9-11; 8:17-19; Deut.13:1-5; Mat.24:24; Mk.13:22; 2Thes.2:9; Rev.13:13, 14; 16:14; 19:20

The book of Job starts with Satan... God gave Satan permission to tempt Job with all kind of sufferings:

In chapter 1:The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."(Job 1:12)

In chapter 2: Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life (Job 2:4-6).

Temptation, Compulsion, Possession:

There are three ways the devil can attack us, in this event of Mark it is "possession".

1 Temptation:

Even Jesus Himself was tempted... we are all going to be tempted, like Adam, and Davis, and Peter and Jude... we all need deliverance, and we have in Jesus Christ.

It is going to be constant, up to the last minute of our life on earth, and we will always can stand it, as Jesus did, because "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."(1Cor.10:13).

So, we have to be always sober, and watchful, as Peter says, resist him, firm in our faith... (1Pet.5:8-10)... and be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, putting on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the devil's attacks (Eph.6:10-12).

Jesus fought back to the 3 temptations of the devil with 3 quotations of the Bible, and the 3 times quoting the Book of Deuteronomy:

In the first temptation: Dt.8:3, "Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt.4:4)

In the second: Dt.6:16, "Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Mt.4:7)

In the third: Dt.6:13, "Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Mt.4:10).

2 Compulsion, obsession, oppression:

This is not just a sin, but a compulsion to do often a special kind of sin, it is a bad habit, a craving to lie or steal or to drink alcohol or to take drugs... it is homosexuality, or masturbation... it is an obsession or oppression of the devil.

How to fight back?:

3 Possession:

This is the worse kind of results of the attack of the devil. In the Bible they appeared as heretics, with the power of divination, or with convulsions, deafness, dumbness, blindness, demented, severe infirmities... (Jn.9:44, Act.16:16-18, Mark 1:26; 9:17-29, Luke 9:42, 11:14, 13:11, Matthew 12:22, 9:32-33, 17:14-21).

How to deal with it?: We are told that this kind of diabolic attack can only be dealt with prayer and penance... the disciples could not cast out the devil in Mat.17 and Mr.9... this is the special Exorcism practiced in the Church by experts..

On a Sabbath, in the Synagogue:

Did you notice? This event of Mark occurred on a Sabbath, and in a Synagogue, on a sacred day in a sacred place... the influence of the devil is all over. Jesus was tempted in the desert and when he was praying and fasting for 40 days. Adam and Eve were tempted in Paradise, Judas and Peter during the Passion of Jesus...

And Jesus delivered the man on a Sabbath, things are changing with Jesus since the first miracle of the gospel of Mark... to do good unto others is not a job anymore, but a sacred and glorious duty.

The Possessed knows who Jesus is:

24"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!"

The disciples often didn't know who Jesus was... but the devil always knows, the Holy One of God!

In Luke 4 Jesus cast out many devils, and they were crying out, Thou art Christ the Son of God... And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking (them) suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.(Lk.4:41)

The Deliverance by Jesus... by you and I:

The possessed man was disturbing the Synagogue and Jesus healed him in a very simple and easy way... there is power in Jesus Christ:

25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

It was not just epilepsy or schizophrenia, but a man possessed by an evil spirit, that's how the Bible reports it, and the Bible is the only account we have of this event.

And it was a miracle, a wonder, 27 The people were all so amazed, by the miracle and by the way Jesus taught, with authority!, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

If you are a Christian, you must also teach with authority... you must cast out demons, and heal the sick!

These are the words and promises of Jesus to all who believe:

"These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; (Mark 16:17).

These are the usual demons in our midst: The Demons of Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, Smoking, Gluttony, Homosexuality, Masturbation, Fornication, Pornography, Adultery, Lies, Stealing, Anger, Pride, Hate, Avarice, The Occult: Horoscope, Witches, Magic, Spiritism, Errors, Heresies...

Are you a believer in Christ?... did you cast out any demon last month in the name of Jesus?...

If you are a Christian, you should cast out demons, or drive them out, as other bibles translate... it is the first of the five signs that will accompany any believer in Jesus, any Christian, "These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons". (Mark 16:17-18).

This is always "in the name of Jesus", says the Bible... and I like that!... Paul says that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in Heaven, on Earth, and in Hell (Phil.2:10)... so, when I say "Jesus" all persons in Heaven and in Hell bend their knees... all demons, and Satan himself, kneels to God when I pronounce "Jesus"... so I like to repeat it... Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus... and every time all the demons kneel!, praise the Lord!... the persons in Heaven do it continually with great joy, and each one of us will eventually do it always, either in Heaven or in Hell... it will be good if all of us to start to do it now on earth.

We already mentioned some kinds of demons who hurt people with Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, Smoking, Gluttony, Homosexuality, Masturbation, Fornication, Pornography, Adultery, Lies, Stealing, Anger, Pride, Hate, Avarice, The Occult: Horoscope, Witches, Magic, Spiritism, Errors, Heresies...

You and I should cast them out, and doing so, we can be of great help to many of our neighbours!... it is our glorious privilege and duty as a Christian!...

Again, the great problem is that most of us Christians do not do it!... when was the last time you drove out a demon?...

Lets do it!... in the name of Jesus!... When you meet an alcoholic or a liar or a heretic, do it!... he needs your help... and do it to yourself!... we all have some demon bothering us!... we all have some bad habit!

A hint again: Jesus does not say that the demon will be cast out right away, or in a month, or in 10 years... and does not mention the way it will be done, by an instant miracle, or by the care or compassion of many... that's God's work!... let him do it the way he wants and whenever he wants...

... The Book of Exodus is a model of deliverance, and it took 430 years of prayer of the Israelites to be delivered from the slavery of Egypt... may be the deliverance you do will take less than a month!.

Instant miracles may occur, but the usual way is a struggle... a struggle with the wicked demons of the air (Eph.6:12)... and it may be a great battle for weeks or months, or even for years... that's why we will deal specifically with each one of the many demon oppressions: Alcohol, drugs...

... Our glorious duty is just to cast out demons in the name of Jesus... always Jesus is the focal point, not the demon... and always trust in Jesus to do it His way!... the name of Jesus should always be in our mouth, the demons kneel every time we pronounce it!, praise the Lord!... if the deliverance has to be repeated, always keep on repeating in the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus... until the demon gets sick of it and takes off, praise be Jesus!.

If you meet an alcoholic or a drug-addict or a homosexual, cast out his demon, in the name of Jesus!... that's the greatest help you can do to that person... you and I have the glorious honour and duty to do it as a Christian.

And what happen if the alcoholic keeps on drinking?... you just do it!... the next step is the job of Jesus... but Jesus needs you and me to take the first step... and most of the time we don't do it... let's do it!, in the name of Jesus!.

Next time you meet someone who claims to be a Christian, but denies that Jesus is God, don't argue with him, that's got to be a work of a demon, just cast out the demon... that's the problem of the Jehovah's Witnesses...

If a Christian is talking bad about the Mother of Jesus, don't argue with him, just cast out the demon is oppressing him, only a demon can say I love Jesus but I hate his Mother!... I have seen demon obsessions that could not even say the words "Virgin Mary", but the instant they said it, they were delivered!... in the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...

Christian, whoever you are, start practicing yourself the work of casting out demons and healing the sick... it is a great work you can do to yourself, to your relatives and friends... it is one of your glorious rights and duties as a Christian!.