Billy Ray Parrish
Studying scripture a few days ago reminded me of how real demonic possession is. This is an area of life that many people do not give any credit to which is very dangerous because demonic possession is real and demons do work overtime regardless of what time of the year it is. While I agree that a Christian cannot be possessed by a demon, they can be burdened by one especially if they are entertaining people and things that are demonically possessed.
NFL great Troy Polamalu made the following observation: “A demon, in a way, is a test of your faith. Because if you’re doing God’s work, there’s no reason for any demon to do anything to you.” This perspective is important for Christians to remember because we are always being challenged because Satan does not take a day off and he tries even harder when we, as Christians, work harder but Satan and his demons do not have the power and abilities of God as God is everywhere but Satan, well, he cannot be which is why he relies on his henchmen.
Think for a moment about Satan and what he does. He does not come to bring good joy for all but rather, to take away joy and happiness from the world. Scripture is clear that confusion comes from Satan, not God (1 Corinthians 14:33) and he is here to take all that he can from this world: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly” (John 10:10). Sadly, despite what we know of Satan, this world lies in awe of him and his ways: “[And] we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19).
The good news is that we do not have to succumb to Satan. Most Christians know this but too many, I have found, truly believe that Satan has all power, like Christ, and they sin because Satan made them but this is contradictory of what scripture speaks of. First, we know how to get rid of Satan: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7) and this is significant as Satan and his henchmen roam this Earth looking for prey to feast on: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8).
As a Christian, when we are being burdened by a demon, we need to seek God and remember it is He where victory begins: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). We must never forget that we are to always pray and seek God in all things especially with Satan and his henchmen as they believe in God just as much as any true believer: “ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
These same demons that hinder each and everything that they come across know who God is and what their future holds. They know that there is coming a day when they will be locked away but before then, they will cry out the name of Christ: “And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God” (Mark 3:11). Despite all the false claims that Satan is able to control all people and do all things, we have control over Satan as he is only capable of doing as much as we allow him but defeat them through Christ: “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]” (Ephesians 6:11-12).
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