May 11, 2016 - As we read our New Testaments we find an abundance of accounts of demon possession. For example Mary Magdalene had seven demons (Lk. 8:2), the demon possessed man in the temple (Mk. 1:23-26), the demon that the disciples could not cast out (Matt. 17:14-16), and who could forget “legion” (Mk. 5:2-9).
We also read that Jesus had given the apostles power to cast out demons. “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matt. 10:5-8).
With these things in mind it is evident and a Biblical truth concerning demon possession. But is there demon possession today? As Jesus sent out the seventy and upon their return He said, “...I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Lk. 10:18). And when Jesus was being charged with demon casting by the power of Satan He said, “And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Mk. 3:23-27). So you see, Satan has been bound and his personal and direct power over people has fallen and he is bound by Jesus.
Jude tells us, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). And Peter says, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” (2 Pet. 2:4).
So you see, the devil and his demons are chained up in darkness awaiting the day of judgment. So if they are chained they are not free to roam around and possess people today. Satan does work however but he works through the avenue and medium of sin. John writes, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 Jn. 3:8).
The devil controls us today when we let him through temptations and sin. He no longer has the power nor the ability to take possession of people as he once did. Remember he is now chained up (Jude 6).
And James said that we can resist Satan and when we do he will flee (Jm. 4:7). The only power Satan has today is that in which people give him through temptations. As Paul said do not give the devil an opportunity (Eph. 4:27) and we defeat him by putting on the whole armor or God (Eph. 6:11). Which also indicates that no supernatural demon casting is required today.
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