Demons are popular. At least in the movies. Who can forget The Exorcist series or the myriad of other possession based films. It’s a multibillion dollar industry. We’re fascinated with the demonic as fiction but what about as reality?
What do you do with Mark 5? Was the man that called himself “legion” just a wack-o that nobody could control? Did Jesus just symbolically send spirits out of his body into a group of pigs so they could jump off a cliff? Was this man demon-possessed, demon-oppressed, or did he have dissociative identity disorder?
Many believe demonic possession ended with apostolic age. Other camps believe demonic possession is alive and well. Today, regardless of what your demonology looks like, it is important to remember that we are both physical and spiritual beings...and spiritual evil exists.
Genesis 2:7 - Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. We are both physical (from the ground) and spiritual (from His breath).
The point: not to be scared of demons or demonic possession - we are in the hands of a Savior that took charge of demons then and will do the same now. The point: to not live in denial of the spirit realm or of spiritual evil. When we deny our own spirituality, we open ourselves up to spiritual attack.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He’s not an escaped zoo animal that you might encounter during your day - he’s a real adversary that works in the spiritual.
The armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) isn’t physical armor you keep in the closet; it’s spiritual engagement with God the Spirit that prepares you to walk through everyday life. The spiritual war is an everyday reality.
Ronald Rolheiser says it like this, “We are distracting ourselves into spiritual oblivion.” God’s warning to us, through passages like Mark 5, 2 Thess. 3:3, 2 Cor. 10:4-5 and many more, is to BE AWARE that the conflict isn’t of skin and bone, but one of the spiritual. When we sideline engaging life spiritually (prayer, meditation, contemplation) - we are sitting ducks for attack.
This week, WAKE UP! Engage God. Try something new. Sit in silence. Memorize a verse and repeat it to yourself throughout your workday. Write down some prayers. Don’t let your spirit man sleep…walk alive in the Spirit of God.
And if you need someone to pray for your spiritual walk, I’m your huckleberry. Send me a prayer and I’ll commit to lifting you up this week.