“When the unclean
spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking
rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And
when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and
brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell
there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first” (Lk 11:24–26).
Jesus demonstrated His power and authority
over demons and unclean spirits. In today’s reading He adds depth to His
teaching about deliverance from spiritual enemies. He revealed the desperate
character of the unclean spirit that is compelled to seek a home in the life of
a human being. Unclean spirits and demons seek rest in dry, deserted, empty
places. They cannot stand to be in watery, life-filled places. They often
return to their former abode in order to take up residence there, bringing
along other dark spiritual forces with them. But they will not settle unless
the soul of their former host remains empty, dry, and lifeless. Jesus was
pointing the way to an indispensable step that must be taken to secure lasting
victory over the devil’s allies. Only the soul that is filled with the Holy
Spirit’s living water will enjoy the state of true deliverance.
Jesus had just demonstrated His absolute authority
over demons… “Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the
demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled” (Luke
11:14). The man could speak because he was free and his life was put in order.
Jesus shares His authority over demons and unclean spirits with His true
disciples… “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the
demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them… ‘Behold, I have
given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power
of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you’” (Luke 10:17-19). Earnest
disciples can discern the presence of the enemy and exercise Christ’s authority
in our own lives as well as the lives of other victims as the Holy Spirit leads
us to them. But to make deliverance complete and lasting we must understand and
apply the Biblical truth about demons and unclean spirits whenever we encounter
them.
The Holy Spirit teaches through the pen of the
Apostle Paul that demons are the powers of this present darkness… “For we
do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians
6:12). They are disembodied spirits of the Nephilim that once had bodies
but lost them. God destroyed their bodies in the great flood of Noah’s day. This
explains why they hunt for bodies to inhabit… “The Nephilim were on the
earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the
daughters of man and they bore children to them” (Genesis 6:4). It also
explains why, as in the case of the Gerasene victim who was possessed by a
legion of demons, they seek rest in dry, desert, waterless places… “He
was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the
bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert” (Luke 8:29). A
life that is delivered from demonic oppression and set in order can still be a
dry, attractive place for a presumptuous demon like this one. He even
boastfully called the poor victim my house from which I came! For
the life that was delivered to become a life that is permanently off-limits to
further demonic attack, it must be possessed and overflowing with the new life
of Christ through the Holy Spirit!
We are saved and delivered to become the home
of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s living water, meant to transform
our desert lives... “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and
streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my
blessing on your descendants” (Isaiah 44:3). When we are filled with
the Holy Spirit demons and unclean spirits are repelled by the life of Christ
and the holiness of God in us that the fullness of His Spirit produces and
maintains. He makes and keeps us holy as we learn to let Him fill our hearts to
overflowing with His life-giving living water… “’Whoever believes in me,
as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’
Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to
receive” (John 7:38-39).
As we grow up into Christ and we are
filled with the Holy Spirit we enjoy and impart to others…
The State of True Deliverance.
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