Stubborn religion vs casting out demons
Religion is very stubborn… just look at the Pharisees! They saw signs and wonders that they’ve never seen before, and beyond a shadow of doubt, nobody that wasn’t sent by God could do such things. Yet they still hardened their hearts and refused to accept anything other than their religious theology. Even though scriptures pointed to Jesus to make things unmistakable, the religious people held to their doctrine of dead religion.
What kind of people do we come against so many times when we’re out preaching a good and loving God, who desires to bless, free, and heal His children? That’s right, we find ourselves being opposed by the religious people of our day. They refuse to believe that a person has a demon, but they themselves are unable to help or do anything about it. Even when we’re seeing signs and wonders follow us as we preach and act upon the Word of God, they still refuse to believe that what we’re doing is of God. They think that we’re of the devil because we go around casting out demons. Guess what? This is exactly what was happening 2,000 years ago in Jesus’ day! Jesus went about casting out devils all while the religious people of His day stood there and had the nerve to say that He was casting out demons, because He Himself had a demon!
Matthew 9:32-34, “As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.”
Jesus even said that those who cast out demons are not on Satan’s side, for a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.
Mark 3:22-26, “And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.”
Then the disciples found a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name, but after telling Jesus about how they tried to stop him, Jesus rebuked them and said that he who is not against us is for us. Jesus rebuked the disciples for trying to stop people from casting out demons!
Mark 9:38-40, “And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.”
I wonder how many people today are forbid to cast out demons in their churches and Christian groups?