First off let me acknowledge that this is an opinion piece straight out of the gate.  I realize that some people don’t believe in the paranormal and others do.  Let me point out though that if you believe in what the Holy Bible says, then paranormal should be something that you’re familiar with.  God, the entire focus of the Bible, is in His very nature, paranormal.  So with that disclaimer let’s get started.

Mark 1:21-28 CSB
[21] They went into Capernaum, and right away he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. [22] They were astonished at his teaching because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes. [23] Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out,  [24] “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” [25] Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” [26] And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him. [27] They were all amazed, and so they began to ask each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” [28] At once the news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

Jesus has an encounter with a demon and the first thing he does when it shows up is to shut it up and then drive it out.  Now we’ll get into the lessons here starting next week but I do want you to go into this knowing there is a very practical reason that Jesus first tells the demon to be silent.   In that day Jesus is still relatively new on the scene.  His message is that He is the Gospel, the Kingdom, the Messiah.  He needs people to come to that conclusion using their free will.  If they are told who He is by a lesser being than God Himself, but one they still consider superior to themselves?  Well the possibility of a coerced worship exists or a resentment towards God and that is not what God desires.  There are other reasons that Jesus does this too but I believe that is the primary one at the time.  I’ll mention one other reason here for the purpose of this post.  Demons lie to us repeatedly.

I want to look at the fact that the demon is there at all and talk about that for a time.

Do you believe in the paranormal? Maybe you don’t consider the paranormal at all.  Maybe it’s a taboo subject.  I am here to let you know that they existed then and they exist now.  Whether or not we acknowledge the fact of their existence is paramount because I assure you, most of us if not all of us have had interactions with a demon.  We may have not realized it and perhaps still don’t but they are involved in the attempts of Satan to usurp God.  As God’s people or potential converts, demons are all up in our business.

Revelation 12:7-12 CSB
[7] Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, [8] but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. [9] So the great dragon was thrown out — the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him. [10] Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. [11] They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death. [12] Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short.

Satan and his fallen angels (demons) are here.

Now before we panic there are some things we need to know.

For the Christian.

A true Christian cannot be possessed.  However they can be oppressed.  The Holy Spirit inside of you prevents possession because He gives you power over demons.  Free will though gives the possibility of oppression because you may choose to allow it. Even if you don’t realize you’re doing it.  Demons lie to us repeatedly and most often discreetly.

A true Christian has the power.  The power for deliverance.  We need to use it.

For the non Christian.

Possession is a real threat.  Oppression may be a current reality.  However they don’t have to be.  Jesus came, lived a sinless life.  He died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins against a God who gave you the ability to choose whether or not to follow Him, to love Him.  He rose again defeating death itself and now sits at the right hand of God.  If you choose to follow Him, He will fight this battle for you.  The choice is yours.  I beg you to choose Jesus today.

Christians.  A practical guide to dealing with demons.  Prayer for deliverance.  Reading the word onto the demon even from a distance (the power of God is not hindered by distance).  I will never tell anyone to confront a demon directly because that’s between you and Jesus.  But He is in you and He has the power.  Pray for protection for yourself and those around you as well as your family and friends.  If he can’t stop you directly he will use any means possible.  Pray for the demon to be silent and come out of the possessed.  Demons lie to us repeatedly and most often discreetly.  Pray for Holy intervention.  Most importantly though…

Invoke the name of Jesus!

Demons flee and cower at the name of the…

HOLY ONE OF GOD!

That’s my opinion.  You decide.

Love in Christ,

Colby