Posts Tagged ‘evil spirit’
Scripture reading for February 27th: Mark 9:1-29, Psalms 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18
Jesus was a man who spoke with authority and was not afraid to rebuke demons or His own disciples! Mark records an incident in which a man had brought his son to the disciples. The son had an evil spirit that often tried to kill the boy by throwing his systems into symptoms of a seizure or stroke. The disciples tried to cast the spirit out but were unsuccessful. (Mark 9:17-18)
“O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” (Mark 9:19) Jesus rebuked the people and especially the disciples for their unbelief. Jesus had demonstrated their authority to cast out demons and they had been sent out and also had experienced people getting delivered. (Mark 6:7, 12-13) The problem was not with the evil spirit, but with those who should have had faith to see it leave!
When the boy’s father brought his son to Jesus, he asked Jesus to help him if He could. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” “Immediately the boys father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”" Jesus again corrected the father’s doubting request with a question. “If” is a word indicating doubt, not faith in the possibility! According to Jesus, there is nothing that is not possible for the person who will believe! This man cried out spontaneously for help with dealing with the unbelief! This was an honest prayer and Jesus answered by rebuking the spirit in the boy. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mark 9:25b)
When they left this family, the disciples wanted to know from Jesus why they could not drive out the demon.
“He replied, “This kind can only come out by prayer.”‘ (Mark 9:29) Some manuscripts added “fasting” after the prayer. Our power comes only from God through faith in Him and His ability to do anything. These disciples were encouraged to focus on prayer as they dealt with situations like this. Only prayer will drive out unbelief and enable us to successfully confront Satan’s power.
Take some time to pray today for help with driving out your unbelief. Jesus wants His disciples to walk in authority and power that comes through faith in God! (Mark 11:22-24)
Scripture reading for March 12: Judges 9-12
All authority come from God and the Bible declares that God places people in authority. (Psalm 75:6-7) When God places someone in authority, His anointing and counsel guide that person. The person must stay under God’s anointing and follow His directions closely. As we have observed the various leaders so far in Scripture, we see how God has placed them where He wanted them and used them as they followed Him.
For example, Gideon was a man placed by God in a position of leadership. Gideon interacted with God to be certain of what to do and how to do it. He certainly was not perfect and made some glaring mistakes, but brought peace to the land for a period of time. He had 71 sons and a large family. When Gideon passed away, a leadership crisis arose. The Israelites went back to idol worship and one of Gideon’s sons sought to take over.
Abimelech arose to take over his father’s place. Abimelech was the son of a slave girl. He had 70 brothers who were produced through his father by other mothers. He went to his mother’s town and relatives and proposed to take over leadership. They paid him some money from an idol temple and he hired mercenary soldiers. They then killed 69 of his seventy brothers. Jotham, the youngest, was the only one who escaped. Jotham spoke a word of prophesy from Mt. Gerazim at Abimelech’s coronation ceremony then quickly escaped. He basically pronounced a judgment on Abimelech’s leadership and those who followed. (Judges 9:7-21)
The Scriptures state that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. God did this to avenge the shedding of innocent blood of the seventy brothers. Abimelech and the citizens of Schechem had conspired to commit that murder and now they would become enemies themselves! (Judges 9:22-24) This evil spirit would destroy them both and was God’s judgment on a self-appointed leader and those who joined with him in rebellion!
What can we learn from this today? God does place people in leadership for our good, protection, and blessing. When a leader follows the Lord, the people and leader are blessed. When someone tries to place themselves in leadership by his own power, craftiness, or manipulation, then both the leader and those who scheme with him come under God’s judgment! We must be vigilant today in our country. Politics and media are always at work trying to manipulate people. Politicians use religion and try to destroy their rivals. In the workplace, people scheme and plot to get advantage. In the church at times, people seek to appoint themselves. Beware– God’s judgment will come on those who appoint themselves!
Shechem’s punishment: “So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire over the people inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.” (Judges 9:49)
Abimelech’s punishment: “Abimelech went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. Abimelech had his armor-bearer kill him so he did not die at the hands of a woman.