Forgive the bluntness of the title, but we live in a time where we cannot mince words…
Matthew 12
43“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
I’ve been thinking about these verses lately. Thinking about the prospect of demonic house guests. Thinking about the fact that Jesus spoke these words to the “Pharisees and teachers of the law.” In other words to the very religious and pious of the day, the elite members of the church so to speak. We might today claim to follow the law “religiously” but of course that is not humanly possible. We might take pride in our religious fervor where none is founded. We might, like the Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign, dictating terms to Him as if we were in any position to do so.
And then Jesus gives this very vivid example of spiritual warfare. Although we may be lax in our discipline, demonic spirits will never be. Although cast out of a particular soul, the spirit keeps looking for a new victim, even returning to its old host to see if the way is guarded. And imagine his glee when he sees the door left completely open, wide enough for him and seven other hobo spirits he picked up along the way.
Only Christ will be sufficient. Only the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and filling. Only this will scare the Hell out. And his seven demonic brothers with him.
Amen.
A Sinner's Diary 