Resist the Devil!

There is every indication that if we do not resist the devil steadfast in the faith, so that he flees from us, but rather lend an ear to his voice, then the evil spirits will draw us down into despair and finally take control of our thoughts and words.

Matt. 8:28, 31: “[In] the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce so that no one could pass that way. . . . So the demons begged Him, saying, ‘If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.’ And He said to them, ‘Go.’”

Here Jesus was only dealing with the demons. The people who were possessed by these demons had no say in the matter; they were overcome and had to allow themselves to be controlled.

Mark 1:23-26: “Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.”

At some point, this person had allowed himself to be overpowered by the unclean spirit, which is why it was no longer possible to talk to the person himself. It was only the unclean spirit that spoke.

Acts 19:13-16: “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”

We can see here that the man who was possessed by the spirit leaped on them. The evil spirit was angry and used the man as a will-less instrument in order to get vengeance on the sons of Sceva.

In these days we seldom see anyone who is truly possessed, where evil spirits control them and speak through them and where the individuals themselves have no say. But this is because today we would probably call people like this crazy—insane—and they are committed to some type of mental institution.

People who are possessed by unclean spirits have, in some trial of life, become obsessed with a single issue and have not managed to find their way out of it. Instead of committing everything to God, they have lost control of the situation and have become unbalanced. Something “snapped” within their conscious mind, and they have become like a ship without a rudder, completely under the command of the spirit who managed to make them lose control of themselves.

Even truly upright people have, in utter thoughtlessness, willingly relinquished their own self-control with the intention of becoming more available for God’s Spirit and His promptings. But, in spite of their good intentions, evil spirits have used this opportunity to gain entrance and have even managed to prompt such people to commit the most frightful atrocities.

God’s Spirit always appeals to our conscious mind—our understanding. It will never force itself on someone who is in an unconscious state. On the contrary, God’s Spirit will always seek to convict us, so that with a conscious mind we can let go of what is less good and lay hold of what is better, what is wholesome and sound.

As long as we are here in this fragile earthen vessel, we will be subject to many dangers. Therefore, let us be on guard not to despair in the tribulations which can befall us as human beings, but rather commit ourselves to Him who judges righteously.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Jas. 4:7.