UNCLEAN SPIRITS NEED A BODY AS A HOME. Luke 11:24

GOD planned for the Holy Spirit to indwell us. He graciously intended for His eternal life to possess our bodies. Until sin spoiled all that God had wisely designed.

Paul asked believers in Christ Jesus ‘Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit dwells ( lives ) in you?’ 1 Corinthians 3:16. If so, who lives in those unbelievers? What does the Lord teach about the spirit or person who rules in that life?

In Luke 8:26 the Lord ‘met a man who had demons a long time.’ He cried out, ‘What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg you; do not torment me!’ The all-powerful Lord God of the universe, ‘commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. ‘bound with chains and shackles, he broke the bonds and was driven by the spirit into the wilderness.’ (v29) ‘What is your Name?, asked the Lord. ‘Legion’, he replied, because many demons had entered him.’

The personality of the demons is shown when ‘They begged him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.’ Knowing the ultimate destination of the devil and his (fallen ) angels, ’they begged HIM that He would permit them to enter into the herd of many swine feeding on the mountains.’ In sovereign power, He allowed them. ‘The demons went out of Him and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and were drowned.’

When the inhabitants came out to see the Lord, they found the man from whom the demons, having entered 2000 swine, had departed, sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.’ Clothed, composed and calm. The three C’s of conversion. A miracle of deliverance and release. When this liberated man begged the Lord that he might accompany Him, he was commanded to ‘go home to your people and tell what great things the Lord has done for you.’ (v39)

Is there not a more miserable account of Judas after three years study at the feet of the dear Son of God, as related by Luke the physician (23:3)as he tells that ‘ satan entered into him.’

Remember that a medical authority recorded many of these extraordinary accounts of satan and unclean spirits entering human beings. And that by the Holy Spirit.

Temptation to evil is often stronger than the call of restraint. Even so, the Lord told ’How a stronger than he ( satan or unclean spirit ) comes upon him, and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armour , and divides his spoils’. The stakes are high in spiritual warfare. Scripture gave a simple test, ‘He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Then our Lord gave a remarkable example of self-governing activity of the unclean demon. When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places ( he is searching for living water ) and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ Why did he leave the man in who he lived? Why should he search for water when Christ is the water of life? He is an unclean person, complaining with the pronoun “I” and ‘my’. Demons are invading personalities.

Had some moral clean-up taken place for ‘When he comes, he finds it swept and put in order?’ We should note that reformation cannot prevent demons entering. Sweeping often leaves some dirt behind. God can only move when the heart is renewed and filled with the HOLY SPIRIT. Otherwise, he gives place for the devil.

Just as bacteria breed with exceptional vigour, so evil multiplies when unchecked in a life. Our Lord continued solemnly, ‘Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.’ Ezra blushed, too ashamed and humiliated to lift up his face to you, my God, Our iniquities have risen higher than our heads.‘

Those who prayerfully conduct exorcism ( the driving out of evil spirits ) observe often the great number of demons ( fallen angels ) who bear a specific name, ; eg

Anger, frustration, covetousness, license, sexual abuse, blasphemy, revenge, impurity, impatience; who practise their foul trade in the area of their name.

ROAD RAGE has multiplied on our roads; tail-gating, side-swiping, incessant hooting of horn ; high-beam, intimidating lighting. Recently in our city a murder followed this demonic outburst. Poker machines provide government revenue; but destroy the gambler‘s soul, overcome by demonic powers ; and unable to tear himself or herself from the machine, which gobbles up their resources.

Sexual impurity is increasing as 50% of all marriages are breaking down. Demon forces drive both sexes into physical oneness, void of the holy love, which is in God-blessed marriage. Many confess that lust and covetousness drive them as unseen forces command their lives. Our ethnic pastor claims it is the demonic plague today.

Paul the apostle commanded in his Ephesian letter, Neither give place to the devil,’ a forceful reminder to those believers, who fool around with demonic forces. He further commanded ‘Let not the sun go down on your wrath’, clearly intimating that all married couples should prayerfully settle their differences before sleep. This prevents any bitterness, anger, revengeful attitude or frustration gripping one partner, so exposing that one to unclean spirits. We are in spiritual warfare.

Consider the Horoscope fascination. In one church 75% of the women regularly read the magazines to decide their futures. Fun? They are hooked on the forecasts.

A warning on the danger of Pornography on the internet, came from Charles Colson ( of Watergate fame ) who claimed that 50% of his nation are addicted with demonic possession. An associate of our family slipped out of a stable family life for a ‘friend’ on the internet. Demonic seduction! Broken vows; shattered hearts.

An Asian brother accosted his pregnant wife in our sitting room. He fumed; threatening to send her home to Asia for her confinement. I rebuked him, demanding that he cease this degradation of his sweet wife. I shouted, ‘This is a Christian home, where womanhood is cherished, but he did not hear me for Demonic forces had gripped him. They are Ambassadors or Emissaries of evil.

King Saul in 1 Samuel 28:8-20 tragically exchanged the Holy Spirit, whom he had received when inaugurated as king; for a familiar spirit contacted by the witch of Endor. He indulged in necromancy, calling on the spirit of the ’Dead’ to guide him. .

In the Bali bombing catastrophe when an Australian girl lost her Balinese husband, she sought news of a clairvoyant of her now deceased husband. Tragically, our media presents this, without revealing the demonic evil of necromancy

Dr Erwin Lutzer of Moody memorial church, in Who are you to judge’ and Dr Ed Murphy, ‘’Handbook for spiritual warfare’ give numerous illustrations of demonic invasion; which were strongly and conclusively supported by Scripture.