In the following verses, and others that may come to you, comment on how you understand the methods and desires of Satan can be expressed around us.
Acts 19:13-16, Matthew 17:15-20, Job 2:7 Mark 4:15, Luke 10:18, Acts 5:8 and John 8:44. I John 4.4, James 4.7
Mark 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
18 "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
22 "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
Jesus refers to this demon as ‘this kind of demon …’ What kind is it? Stubborn? I am not sure why one demon requires fasting and prayer to cast it out while
another would not. ‘This kind’ of demon is destructive and hurtful to the boy and was called a ‘deaf and dumb’ demon by Jesus. It is as though it takes some particular pleasure in causing deafness, but as we have read, it caused a lot more hurt than just affecting his hearing.
This scripture describes an obvious (at least to them of Bible times) case of possession. To us we might call this a ‘standard epileptic seizure’. I would describe
this as ‘overt’ or obvious.
2Corinthians 11:13 -15, These verses talk about Satan appearing deceptively as an angel of light. Then it describes false apostles and ministers as doing the same thing. It does not come right and say that false ministers are demon possessed, but it is showing the similarity in behavior with that of Satan himself.
I think we should expect that demonic activity may not always be overt or open, but at times might appear as counterfeit.
The passage in Job gives us the most insight to ‘behind the scenes’ Satanic activity of any other place in scripture. Here Satan is seen as one who has access to the throne of God and appears there as an ‘accuser of the brethren’ (Rev. 12:10). Apparently he still has access to the throne of God and still is called ‘the accuser’.
That will come to an end half-way through the coming seven year tribulation period.
Luke 22:31, Satan desired to ‘sift’ Peter – as though he were wheat. Satan and his demons are bent on destruction and will use any and all means at their disposal to be able to do that. Satan’s antagonism is against God, more than against us. The reason is easy to understand … it was against God that he originally
rebelled and it was God and his army that put Satan down to the position he now has. Satan’s aggression is against God. In order to attack God, realizing he cannot do it directly, he attacks the creation of God. This includes attacking humans, God’s masterpiece of creation.
It especially includes attacking believers, God’s new creation. If you think about it, Satan has attacked and is attacking every area of God’s creation. If God has done something, or said something, Satan and his demons counter it.
God has described correct and aberrant sexual orientation, what marriage is, the roles of husbands and wives, how to encourage and correct children etc. And Satan’s pleasure is to vent his anger against God by distorting and changing God’s work whenever he can.
Click here to go back to THE JESUS THAT PAUL PREACHED study
Acts 19:13-16, Matthew 17:15-20, Job 2:7 Mark 4:15, Luke 10:18, Acts 5:8 and John 8:44. I John 4.4, James 4.7
Mark 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
18 "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
22 "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
Jesus refers to this demon as ‘this kind of demon …’ What kind is it? Stubborn? I am not sure why one demon requires fasting and prayer to cast it out while
another would not. ‘This kind’ of demon is destructive and hurtful to the boy and was called a ‘deaf and dumb’ demon by Jesus. It is as though it takes some particular pleasure in causing deafness, but as we have read, it caused a lot more hurt than just affecting his hearing.
This scripture describes an obvious (at least to them of Bible times) case of possession. To us we might call this a ‘standard epileptic seizure’. I would describe
this as ‘overt’ or obvious.
2Corinthians 11:13 -15, These verses talk about Satan appearing deceptively as an angel of light. Then it describes false apostles and ministers as doing the same thing. It does not come right and say that false ministers are demon possessed, but it is showing the similarity in behavior with that of Satan himself.
I think we should expect that demonic activity may not always be overt or open, but at times might appear as counterfeit.
The passage in Job gives us the most insight to ‘behind the scenes’ Satanic activity of any other place in scripture. Here Satan is seen as one who has access to the throne of God and appears there as an ‘accuser of the brethren’ (Rev. 12:10). Apparently he still has access to the throne of God and still is called ‘the accuser’.
That will come to an end half-way through the coming seven year tribulation period.
Luke 22:31, Satan desired to ‘sift’ Peter – as though he were wheat. Satan and his demons are bent on destruction and will use any and all means at their disposal to be able to do that. Satan’s antagonism is against God, more than against us. The reason is easy to understand … it was against God that he originally
rebelled and it was God and his army that put Satan down to the position he now has. Satan’s aggression is against God. In order to attack God, realizing he cannot do it directly, he attacks the creation of God. This includes attacking humans, God’s masterpiece of creation.
It especially includes attacking believers, God’s new creation. If you think about it, Satan has attacked and is attacking every area of God’s creation. If God has done something, or said something, Satan and his demons counter it.
God has described correct and aberrant sexual orientation, what marriage is, the roles of husbands and wives, how to encourage and correct children etc. And Satan’s pleasure is to vent his anger against God by distorting and changing God’s work whenever he can.
Click here to go back to THE JESUS THAT PAUL PREACHED study