Demons of addiction

At the moment, during my personal devotions, I am reading through Mark's account of the Gospel. Last week I was reading in chapter 5 - the story about the healing of a demon-possessed man in the country of the Gerasenes: a predominantly Gentile area.

As I read, I sensed that the Lord was speaking to me - not about demon possession, but about demonic influence in certain areas. There are private issues involved that I am not at liberty to share, but what I realised was that at least some of what we refer to as "addictions" are the result of demonic influence - and that such influence is as much in need of being cast out as were the multiple demons that possessed the poor man from the country of the Gerasenes. This realisation (dare I call it a revelation?!) has already caused me to pray differently for some of those who are on my daily prayer list, and who suffer from certain addictions!

However, the Lord continued to speak to me, reminding me of a garden analogy. I may clear a patch of ground, rooting out every single weed, regardless of how small it me be. Yet, if I leave it for just a few weeks, I may be assured that weeds will start to grow again! Whether fresh seed be dropped by birds, or blown in on a breeze, the outcome is guaranteed. I then thought of the words of the Lord Jesus: "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." (Luke 11:24-26).

So is there anything that can be done to stop this kind of situation from coming to pass? Thankfully, there is! In the garden, I must immediately plant my clean patch with good, strong, healthy plants - flowers, vegetables, or whatever. They will be established before the unwanted seeds can make an entrance, and the few that do manage to take root, will be starved of nutrition, and be easily removed. So in the spiritual realm. Paul writes to the early disciples of Jesus at Philippi: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phil 4:8). That's what I must do - fill my mind, my heart, my spirit, with that which is good, and upbuilding, and pleasing to Father God. If I do, then those things that cause me harm, that spoil my testimony, that have a negative effect on my life, will be less likely to take root.

Of course, if I am, myself, a disciple of the Lord Jesus, then I also have the assurance, given by the beloved disciple, John: "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4). The devil, we must accept, is stronger, and more clever, than you or me. Praise God, however, he is not more powerful than the Lord Jesus, Who dwells in each of His disciples by His Spirit.

P.S. I have wondered, for some days as to whether, or not, I should share this post! However, I realised that someone may read it, who is labouring under an addiction of one sort, or another. It is my prayer that any such will find help here - and, of course, if anyone wishes me to pray for them, then I shall be happy to receive an e-mail (using either the e-mail address from which you received notification of the post or, if you came to the blog from another direction, then using the address at the top) in which you share your own issue(s). Please be assured of total confidentiality.

One doesn't require formal qualifications!

It is not a boast, but a verifiable fact, that I am fairly well educated. I have also a fair bit of experience of both teaching, and preaching, the Word of God. However, having shared, this morning, on the relevance of the 1st ('Old') Testament to disciples of Jesus, with a group of anglophones, one of the gentlemen spoke with me afterwards.

He reminded me of the record in Mark 4-5 where the Lord Jesus had been teaching a large crowd but, "... when evening had come, He said to [His disciples], "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. And other boats were with Him.  And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?" (Mark 4:35-41) 

The record continues: "They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes.  And when He had come out of the boat, there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me." For He had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he begged Him eagerly not to send them out of the country." (5:1-10).

Many will be familiar with the Lord's agreement to send those demons into a herd of swine, that rushed, headlong, into the sea - much to the chagrin of the herdsmen! I am skipping over a section but pick up the story at v.21, as Mark has recorded it: "And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about Him; and He was beside the sea."

"What," asked my friend," do you take from that?" I looked at him! "I'd want to think about it. What did you take out of it?" "Well," he responded, "I thought of the ninety and nine (Matt.18:12), and that Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee for that one lost sheep - the demoniac."

Now this is a man whom I have known for a number of years. He has no formal theological education or training. Indeed, it is my understanding that he is still very "young in the faith"! However, what I was reminded was that God is no respecter of persons. God the holy Spirit had given this dear brother an insight that had not been given to this ordained, University and Bible College graduate, with more academic qualifications than he has hot breakfasts in a week (and I always have my bowl of porridge!), who has been preaching the Word for more than fifty years. 

It is good to be reminded of this. I am grateful for the education that I have been privileged to receive; for the godly men under whose teaching I sat; and for the opportunities, over the years, to serve in different capacities. But all of that is of neither importance nor help if I am not as open to the prompting of the Spirit as was my brother in the Lord when he was reading that passage.

You, too, may not have a degree in theology, or in anything else! However, if you are a disciple of Jesus, born again of the Spirit, then you have that same Spirit indwelling you - and He will speak to you if you listen to Him.

May that be your experience - for your own good, and that You may be used to bring glory to our Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.