WHERE DID THE DEMONS GO?

by Thomas Nowack
http://ReviveAmerica.us

And these signs shall follow those that have believed: in my name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they should drink any deadly thing it shall not harm them; they shall lay hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.
  (Mar 16:17-18)

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
 (Zec 4:6)

For many of our Bible church, Baptist, and other Christian brethren, the days when Holy Ghost power healed the sick, cast out demons, and performed wonders through disciples of Jesus are long past. “God doesn’t do that anymore” is the often heard refrain from pastors, teachers, and church leaders, who often refuse to teach on large portions of Scripture dealing with these topics. To focus on one form of missing ministry in particular, the ministry of deliverance from demons is no longer practiced or believed to be relevant by a large majority of Christians. This begs the question: If this is true, where did the demons go?

The fact that Jesus and the early disciples expelled many demons by the Spirit’s power thereby freeing people from bondage and even spoke of battling satanic powers and principalities as necessary to advancing God’s Kingdom on earth prompts another question: Since we still see evil powerfully at work in the world and it therefore seems obvious that Satan and his fiends haven’t lost any of their influence since Bible times, how can it still be held that spiritual deliverance and spiritual warfare aren’t necessary weapons for today’s Christians? Jesus even equated deliverance from evil spirits to “the children’s bread” - a most basic from of provision, in His exchange with the Canaanite woman recorded in Matthew 15:22-28!

Persistent bondage or emotional distress of Christians which doesn’t yield to intercessory prayer is often attributed to bi-polar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or some other so-called “psychological problem” (for which medication is most often proposed as the cure...!?). This approach flatly denies what the Bible states, that “…seeing as (Jesus’) divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue…” (2Pe 1:3, emphasis added), indicating that solutions to all of life’s problems are to be found in Holy Scripture!

And yet another question arises: If it isn’t true that the days of Holy Spirit power are long past but continue in our day, in what jeopardy does this place those who are, then, ignorantly following a false doctrine of “men” or “demons” in denying it? The words of Matthew Henry the respected Bible commentator provide light:

“Some build upon this foundation gold, silver, and precious stones (1Co_3:12), namely, those who receive and propagate the pure truths of the gospel, who hold nothing but the truth as it is in Jesus, and preach nothing else. This is building well upon a good foundation, making all of apiece, when ministers not only depend upon Christ as the great prophet of the church, and take him for their guide and infallible teacher, but receive and spread the doctrines he taught, in their purity, without any corrupt mixtures, without adding or diminishing.

Others build wood, hay, and stubble, on this foundation; that is, though they adhere to the foundation, they depart from the mind of Christ in many particulars, substitute their own fancies and inventions in the room of his doctrines and institutions, and build upon the good foundation what will not abide the test when the day of trial shall come, and the fire must make it manifest, as wood, hay, and stubble, will not bear the trial by fire, but must be consumed in it.

… The great day will pluck off all disguises, and make things appear as they are: He whose work shall be burnt will suffer loss. …This intimates that it will be difficult for those that corrupt and deprave Christianity to be saved. God will have no mercy on their works, though he may pluck them as brands out of the burning.” (emphasis added.)

A last question: Have the Bible, Baptist, and other Christian churches, by the often rigid formality and regularity of their services and spiritual lives, ruled out the unexpected, thereby nullifying demonstration of much-needed Holy Ghost power in and through the end-times Church?

If revival is to come to our spiritually needy generation as many pray it will, a return to the teaching of the unadulterated Word of God regarding the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit will be necessary for us. Denominational mindsets and soothing “teachings of men” must be discarded in our search for the pure and life-giving Truth of God's word, which alone sets free!

God’s best to you in your great quest!