33-34 In the meeting place that day there was a man demonically disturbed. He screamed, “Ho! What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to. You’re the Holy One of God and you’ve come to destroy us!”
35 Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” The demonic spirit threw the man down in front of them all and left. The demon didn’t hurt him.
36-37 That set everyone back on their heels, whispering and wondering, “What’s going on here? Someone whose words make things happen? Someone who orders demonic spirits to get out and they go?” Jesus was the talk of the town.
There are two places do see ourselves in this text: With the people who were amazed or with the man possessed by an evil spirit, who experienced the power of Jesus Words.
We probably see ourselves with the first choice - for we are not demon possessed! Yet it is the demonic who goes home with something. So what might it mean if we stood with him?
It would mean we have our own demons which need to be recognized and confessed. Obvious ones: alcohol, drugs, tobacco, caffeine, money,; less obvious: greed, pride, selfishness, dishonesty, lust for power and prestige. We need to be exorcised, cleansed, changed if we are to “put on the new nature”, that is, if we are to put on “compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, for bearing one another, and forgiving each other, ...putting on love…” Ephesians. 3:12-14
When we confess our demons
and seek healing, they can be “cast out”. And not hurt us anymore.
Then we are free to become loving,
caring people.
cast them out. So I can care and love, much.”
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