THE EXORCIST – LUKE 11:14-26

(i) Satan is real

An angel, but fallen

 ” You sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.” (Ezekiel 28:16-17)

 ” How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)

 “ …There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (revelation 12:7-9)

 ” You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

 “ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)

  

(ii) What about demons?

Probably the angels that followed Satan…but the Bible doesn’t say definitely.

” In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.” (Luke 4:33-35)

 

(iii) Christians can’t be possessed by demons

“the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”(1John 4:4)

 

(iv) The devil can influence Christians

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1Peter 5:8-9)

 

  

(v) Isn’t this all just psychological or an excuse for bad behaviour?

“After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “”Ephphatha!”” (which means, “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly” (Mark 7:33-35)

 “Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. ” (Luke 11:14-18)

 

1) Who ya gonna’ call?

“Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” (Luke 11:19-20)

 

 “All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals. The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” (Exodus 8:17-19)

 

“perfect love drives out fear,” (1john 4:18)

 

2) We’re gonna’ need a bigger dude!

“”When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils” (Luke 11:21-22)

 

 

” … there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses …Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword …On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

 

 

3) Freedom needs a guarantor

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:24-26)

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome [evil], because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1Jn.4:4)

“Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17)

 

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I want to know more:

• To Discuss: book onto Alpha www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/courses
• To Read: Frederick S Leahy, Satan Cast Out – A study in Biblical Demonology (best bible-based book on the subject by a mile)
• To Read: Wimber, John, Power Healing. (Biblically this is a weak especially on whether Christians can be possessed. )
• To Read: Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (http://gracegems.org/Brooks/precious_remedies_against_satan.htm)
• To watch/read, “Do you believe we should cast out demons today?” (John Piper), http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/ask-pastor-john/do-you-believe-we-should-cast-out-demons-today