Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at the ways evil spirits invite other evil spirits into the lives of their victims. We saw how they operated and how anger, sin, pornography, unforgiveness, bitterness, tattoos, etc. can serve as doorways for them. Even though the Bible teaches us that we have great power over evil, many of us do not live our lives this way. Today, we shall be looking out how to deal with Evil Spirits. This topic has many similarities with the topic “How to Deal with the Devil” we treated a couple of weeks ago.
1. BE TRULY SAVED
Christians are invincible in the face of evil only when they are in total submission to God. For those who are in union with Christ, evil spiritual powers are nothing but “caged beasts”, unable to touch us. (Luke 10:19)
Satan’s entire forces can only resort to idle threats or bribes to entice us into entering their cage where they can rip us apart. Nevertheless, Satan is such a supernaturally powerful evil genius that he can end up luring into his cage every living Christian. The only sure thing to protect us is what the Bible calls death. No one, no matter how terrifyingly cunning, can threaten or entice a dead person.
As soon as you die with Christ, you rise with him and begin reigning with him, with your every spiritual enemy under your feet.
2. USE THE NAME OF JESUS
When hoping to cast out demons, some people act as if there is something almost magical about using the words “blood of Jesus”. The sobering truth is that such words are powerless – and demons know this – unless they cease to be mere words but we are actually redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The potency in the use of the name of Jesus is the knowledge we have of the name and the belief we have in Him! John 1:12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Emphasis mine
3. STEP OUT OF SLAVERY!
Slaves do not have authority to cast out their masters! John 8:33-34 says: “They answered him, “We . . . have never been slaves of anyone. . . .” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. . . .”
See Proverbs 5:22, Acts 8:23, Romans 7:14, Titus 3:3
You cannot cast out a demon while you are slave to sin. Mark 3:23 says “So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?”
4. SUBMIT TO GOD!
Instead of making sin our master, we must make God our Master! Unless we keep God as our Master, sin and Satan and his hordes are able to enslave us. This is why “Submit yourselves, then, to God” comes immediately before, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Only when we are in complete submission to God can we expect to successfully resist the devil and his deceptive schemes.
5. OVERCOME FEAR!
Fear will come; and it has torment. We can’t avoid it coming to us, but through Christ we need not bow to it. Isaiah 41:10 says: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” So the choice is ours to make if we allow fear overcome us or trust in the Almighty God’s unfailing promise! The simple way to defeat fear when it comes is by faith in God’s word and His promises. However, faith does not remove fear physically but the effect of fear is neutralized by our faith but love casts fear out! 1 John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
6. CREATE THE RIGHT EXPECTATION!
Expect a fight (Luke 4:13).
Demons leave only with great reluctance. They will continue to pester us to see if we really believe we have authority over them or whether they can bluff their way into staying by pretending to be stronger than us. Don’t be surprised or think it indicates you are weak when demons put up a fight.
When we read, “. . . Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (in James 4:7b), let’s not get so carried away with the final result (him fleeing) that we forget that the key word is “resist”. If we have to resist, it must be because he and his minions will put up a fight.
There is a possibility of return
Jesus spoke of a demon who left a man and then returned in Matthew 12:43-45: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
The man happened to have his defences down and so the demon not only re-entered the man but invited seven other demons to join him. It is typical of demons to keep coming back, checking one’s defences to see if they can re-enter.
7. DON’T CARRY THE ENEMY’S BAGGAGE
In John 14:30 Jesus speaking to the disciples said: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Emphasis mine.
In other words, he has no hold, no power, and no claim over him!
In Zechariah 3:1-3 Satan came to accuse Joshua the high priest because he had filthy garments on him.
8. ENGAGE IN PRAYER AND FASTING
A spiritual battle must be fought with spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” Also in Mark 9:29 where the apostles were unsuccessful in driving a demon out of a boy and afterwards asked Jesus why they could not drive the demon out, Jesus replied and said: "This kind can only be driven out by prayer and fasting."
9. PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD DAILY
“Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:11-13
CONCLUSION
The sons of Sceva attempting to cast out a demon in Acts 19:13-16 is an example of how NOT to deal with evil spirits. That they were sons of the chief of the priests didn’t mean they were truly saved. They knew the name of Jesus but were void of understanding, they also didn’t have God’s authority backing them and were not in submission to God! But we have great power over evil, so let’s arm ourselves adequately and put the devil and his minions to flight!
