Demons

I was reading Luke 11 today and remembered that a big part of Jesus’ ministry was dealing with demonic issues in people’s lives.

I’m not talking about some pre-modern misunderstanding of mental illness, but real demonic bondage. The reason I can’t shrug it off is that Jesus actually talked about the fact that people needed to be delivered. In fact, deliverance from demonic oppression was a core part of the gospel of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached.

But I don’t make it a core part of the gospel I preach. I talk about the need to be free from sin. I talk about grace. I talk about living a Spirit-full life. I talk about healing. I talk about community and justice. As a Pentecostal I’ve learned to talk about the full embrace of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

So why don’t I talk about the need to deal with demons? I certainly believe demons exist. And I think they influence, bind, oppress, and even possess people today. I’ve seen and dealt with demonic manifestations. But I don’t really preach about it. Why?

I think because I don’t understand like I should. And, I think, because our culture is suspicious. Though I know there are dark powers, I don’t want to be one of those guys who goes around pointing out the demonic influence behind things and calling—and casting—them out.

Except for one thing: Jesus was one of those guys. If I am saved by Jesus and full of the Spirit and preaching the gospel, I see no option but to actively deal with the demonic. Not just to recognize that it exists, but to do something about that fact, too.