Demons(deliverance)
Summary
Evil spirits opposed to God and subject to Satan, who afflict human beings but were cast out by Christ and His followers.
☩Nature of Demons
Scripture presents demons as evil spirits, fallen angels who followed Satan in his rebellion. They are personal beings possessing intelligence, will, and malevolent purpose. The Greek word daimonion, rendered 'devil' in the King James Version, properly means 'demon.' They are subject to Satan, their prince, yet tremble before God and acknowledge Christ's deity and coming judgment.
☩Demon Possession
The Gospels carefully distinguish demon possession from ordinary disease, mentioning them separately. Those possessed might exhibit supernatural strength, violent behavior, self-destructive tendencies, or prophetic utterances. The demons could speak through their victims, recognizing Jesus as 'the Holy One of God.' Possession could be temporary or long-standing, affecting single individuals or groups like the Gadarene demoniacs.
☩Christ's Authority
Jesus cast out demons by His own inherent authority, not by incantations or rituals. The demons obeyed His command immediately, and even from a distance His word was sufficient. When accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub, Jesus refuted this absurdity by showing that Satan's kingdom cannot stand divided. His exorcisms demonstrated that God's kingdom had come and that the 'strong man' was being bound.
☩Authority Given to Disciples
Christ gave His disciples power over unclean spirits, first to the Twelve, then to the Seventy. After Pentecost, the apostles continued to cast out demons in Jesus' name. However, the sons of Sceva discovered that unauthorized use of Jesus' name was ineffective and dangerous. True authority over demons comes only through genuine relationship with Christ.
Related Verses77 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Demon," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Demon, Demoniac," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).