TOPIC: Exposing Demonic Operations VI
MEMORISE: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7 (KJV)
READ: Luke 11:21-26 (KJV)
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zachariah 13 – Malachi 4
No matter how terrible the demons that possess a person are, the fellow can be free in an instant by the power in the name of Jesus. However, anyone who is delivered of a demon will still be constantly checked on by that demon. The moment the demon sees that the fellow is not filled with the Holy Ghost, he will come with seven demons worse than himself to repossess the person. The state of the victim would then be worse than how he or she was during the initial possession. Failure to constantly study the word and fellowship with the Holy Spirit will open a person to be possessed or repossessed by demons. A word is enough for the wise.
Beloved, it is better to avoid being possessed than to be possessed and then delivered. When you get injured, the injury may heal, but the scar will remain. The mad man of Gadara became free from demons after he met Jesus, but the scars on his body remained. His reputation as the fellow who had been demon-possessed remained. All the years he spent in the cave could not be restored. You must therefore stay away from anything that can cause demons to possess you.
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. – Luke 4:41
In Mark 9:20, Luke 4:41 and similar passages, demons recognised Jesus and were terrified of Him. Philippians 2:9-11 says that every knee should bow before Him and every tongue should confess that He is the Lord. Jesus is the stronger man He talked about in Luke 11:22:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Only through the power of the stronger man can a demon-possessed person be delivered. Jesus lives inside his children, and greater is He that dwells in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). When demons see someone in whom Christ lives, they bow (Acts 19:15). According to the mandate given to us by Jesus in Mark 16:17, as believers, we are to cast out devils in His name. Any believer who is filled with the Holy Ghost can cast out demons from a demon possessed fellow (Acts 16:16-18). Let us put that authority given to us to use.
Lord Jesus, You are the stronger man, Please Lord, send any demon that may be inside me out today in Jesus’ name.
1 Conquerors and overcomers now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory
If the Lord be for us, we can never fail,
Nothing ‘gainst His mighty pow’r can e’er prevail.
CHORUS:
Conquerors are we, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood,
God will give us victory, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood
Thro’ the Lamb for sinners slain,
Yet who lives and reigns again,
More than conquerors are we,
More than conquerors are we.
2 In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,
Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;
Not to us, but unto Him the praise shall be,
For salvation and for blood-bought victory.
3 Unto him that overcometh shall be giv’n,
Here to eat of hidden manna sent from heav’n,
Over yonder he the victor’s palm shall bear,
And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.
Open Heavens 2022 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2022