The Illusion of Strange Battle
Have you ever wondered? Are demons and idols real? If they are, how powerful are they? To what extent can they influence a believer’s life? In my two-decade walk with Christ, I have been privileged to be exposed to sound biblical teachings and doctrine. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same of most believers that I have come across. The obsession to exercise authority over evil, demons and occult powers has become a deterrent to their faith rather an empowerment. Everything that seems to go wrong in their lives is interpreted as the work of the devil. Some will not as little as eat food because it’s believed to have been bewitched.
Such was the case of the church in Corinth that Paul wrote to them explaining that there is an alternative reality.
We need to be sensitive to the fact that we’re not all at the same level of understanding in this. Some of you have spent your entire lives eating “idol meat,” and are sure that there’s something bad in the meat that then becomes something bad inside of you. An imagination and conscience shaped under those conditions isn’t going to change overnight. 1 Corinthians 8:7
Paul is making a point here that idols are of no consequence to the new creation in Christ. But some believers still live under the fear of evil and demonic powers.
What do you think about 1 Corinthians 8
- 4 Replies
This is a very interesting topic and also very controversial!
I’ll first like to describe an idol as anything that is worshipped other than God ? Some people make religious practices out of worshiping idols of wood and stone while others have idols in their hearts…… and those idols are real to the people that worship them because of the bondage that they have in their minds about them, and the superstitious believes that accompanies them.
When it comes to Demons / unclean spirits ; I believe that they are real; because part of Jesus‘s ministry was casting out of demons; and the Bible mentions some such as “ legion” I’ve also witnessed many possessed people many times in mental institutions.
In the scripture- sometimes sicknesses were brought on by demonic powers and healing could only happen by the casting out , and laying on hands.
The Bible commands us to cast all this demons but at the same time I see where the pendulum is swinging very far and has become a place where Christianity is obsessed with the demonic mindset because they have not yet been renewed and become new creatures with the kingdom mindset.
I believe that except you are born again, and have A RENEWED MIND you are still a possible host for demonic activity.
Matthew 12:43-45
“43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself 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. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
The Bible also tells us about stories of men who had legions of demons inside of them, Who were cast out into swine; and people who were plagued by spirits of infirmity.
The most interesting passage is the the story of the “seven sons of Sceva “ in the books of acts
13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
The question I have is while we are aware of demonic manifestations as a truth in the Bible , and in today’s modern society , historical society; How does the body of Christ balance this act?
A drunkard who when is overcome with alcohol becomes destructive and kills or shoots his family and vandalized propriety is definitely under the control of an unclean spirit, if this spirit is cast out and this person doesn’t repent from drunkenness through the knowledge of the word, and partake in a process of healing the unclean spirit will become greater and even do worse in the future.
How do we balance the fact and that though there are external forces, however they do not have power over us, once we are born again saved, and covered with the blood of Jesus?
If you consider it closely, you will realize that Jesus instructed us to cast out demons. So, that means you have to be free from the power and influence of demons to be able to stand in authority to cast them out. You are to cast it out from others but not yourself. That means you should be operating with a higher consciousness and awareness of the believer’s authority and be free of every bondage of satan – mentally, physically and emotionally.
Jesus was accused of being possessed of demons and that he cast devils by the power of satan but he rejected the notion and stated that if he did so by satan then that means he’ll was divided against it self. At one point, he said the devil has nothing in him.
So, “Yes”, these powers are real but they are of no effect to the new creation in Christ Jesus.
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