#5. Demons tremble in the presence of Jesus. (Mark 1:21-28; 5:1-20)
“One with God is a majority.” You’ve heard that phrase many times, but have you really ever stopped to ponder what it really means? Here, we see thousands of demons trembling in the presence of Jesus. According to the commentary from the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, ‘At full strength, a Roman legion numbered 6,000 men. The name had come to signify a well-organized group possessing great power.’ The demons, of course, may not have been exactly 6,000 in number, but they were probably uncountable. They were surely more in number than the physical number of Jesus and His disciples put together. But, you see, it wasn’t just Christ and His disciples who were there at the time. The power and supernatural presence that accompany Christ or His followers are like the stars in the sky – they are too many to count.
Elisha said to his assistant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” – 2 Kings 6:16-17.
Jesus knew and understood that then, we should know and understand that now too. We are Christ’s followers, and we carry the Spirit of Christ everywhere we go. We can exercise that authority Christ has given us, over sicknesses, diseases, difficult situations, and even over principalities, powers, demons, and the dark forces of this world. (See Luke 10:18-21; Matthew 10:8; Ephesians 6:10-18.)
Does God Always Heal?
At this juncture, I would like to point out that we must not, however, always interpret the above scriptural references literally. The intent of the gospel of Jesus gravitates towards the healing of man’s sick soul and raising those who are dead in sin, rather than raising dead bodies and healing sick bodies. Therefore, having this knowledge, we must always pray from the position of God’s will which is first and foremost geared towards the deliverance of the soul. Of course, that is not to say that God is not interested in healing people of their sicknesses. However, the primary purpose for which He sent His Son is found in John 3:16 (NIV)- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus also said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Once you have eternal life and God’s kingdom secured, then you can move over to the secondary – healing, prosperity, etc. This does not, however, suggest that God has a fixed mode of operation, where He always moves from the primary to the secondary. However, He relates to everybody in the best way suited to winning them over to His side. This is why we must consult Him each time in order to know how He wills to lead us each time. In the Bible, we see Jesus sometimes healing people without even caring about whether or not they believed in Him. At other times, He asks them first whether they believed. You can read the 7th miracle lesson in this series to have an insight into the principles of God’s MO.
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I was around 5 when, I am strongly convinced, I first heard the distinct voice of God. But, not until I was 11 (2002) did I have a personal encounter with Him. I was in my room that night, about to pray before bed, when I saw a revelation of how filthy my heart was. I didn't argue with God that I was too young to have such amount of filth ('cause I believed I was a 'good boy,' by human standards, at least). I simply cried uncontrollably in brokenness of heart - "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God" (Psalm 51:17) - and He didn't.
Still crying uncontrollably, I left my room and went to the living room, where my parents were watching the nightly news on TV. After I managed to tell them about the revelation I saw, my sweet mum took me to her room and led me to Christ. I got saved that night. And 6 years later, I discovered my purpose and assignment on earth, which is raising up men and women to be godly, and teaching them the simplicity of Christianity. More than a decade later, I am still fulfilling that purpose to His glory. Hallelujah!
