Demons are expelled and diseases are healed in the name of Jesus Christ.
This is driving demons out from people’s bodies. When you do this - if you are devoted only in healing the body, it is easy to ignore the sickness in the rest of the person, the heart.
Sickness in the heart causes sickness in the body, and even leads to corrupting the spirit. According to the Bible, people who were healed by the Lord’s grace did not simply rejoice that their bodies got better. They were grateful for the Lord’s grace (which forgave their sins) and they rejoiced that God’s love came on them because their hearts were now at peace.
Driving out demons should not be used to show how superior and excellent a person’s faith is. Since driving out demons is a saving act that begun by the Lord’s compassion, it should stem from being touched by the Lord’s love and the aim to preach this love to others. Without having compassion on people oppressed by demons or considering the situations they have experienced, it is not wise to mechanically drive out demons.
Demons’ activities do not stop with disturbing people’s bodies. They estrange people’s hearts from the church and lead them to cause trouble in the church. People oppressed by demons lose their confidence before God. But if we consider the fact that demons exceedingly hate it when we are at peace, this is clearly to be expected. To overcome this, the sureness that the Lord is with us and the peace which comes through Him must govern the church.
The Lord’s interests do not stop merely with healing sicknesses. The Lord of compassion wants us to be saved as a whole. In other words, He wants to free our spirits, hearts and bodies completely from the enemy’s hands. If we understand the Lord’s love and compassion - we will not boast about our ability to drive out demons, our hearts will no longer be influenced by the enemy, and we will not cause trouble for the Lord’s church.
Jesus entered the region of the Gerasenes and drove demons out of a certain person. They entered a nearby herd of about two thousand pigs and drowned in the sea. But the reaction of the villagers (who later learned of this) was unexpected. They asked Jesus to quickly leave their region. Their hearts were bound by the power of sin and were sick. Though they saw the Lord’s power, they did not accept His compassion.
Demons can resist and oppose the Lord’s work like this, even with His power before them. So no matter how much power the church has, this alone cannot free those who are swayed by demons. It is God’s tender love and compassion that can save them entirely. The church should have this element as its priority. The Lord said to the person who had the legion of demons, “Go home to your friends, and tell how the Lord has had compassion on you.” Let’s not be deceived by the enemy but become mature believers who convey God’s compassion.
(Lord’s Day Service on May 30, 2021)
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