Monday, February 23, 2009

Casting Out Demons?

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons;
(Mark 16:17 – ESV)

You don’t see Paul teaching Timothy or Titus how to cast out demons or how to teach others to do it. You don’t see it taught in the epistles of Paul, Peter, or John. You only see it demonstrated in the narratives of the gospels and the book of Acts. Surely, something of this seemingly important magnitude would be covered in more detail; it would be outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18, or 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, etc., if it were to be our standard operating procedure.

It isn’t.

Paul mentions to Timothy about people who are ensnared by the devil, but he tells Timothy not to go down the rabbit trails but to correct with the truth, hoping that God will give them repentance. He says that Timothy will have to be patient and endure the evil, not cast it out (2 Timothy 2:23-26). He was to engage the enemy behind the behavior by bringing the truth to the encounter. The power and authority of the Word IS the power and authority of the believer, it doesn’t require an exorcism. If this is not the case, and we are supposed to “take our authority” and cast out demons, then why is there such a lack of teaching in the scriptures about it?

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

19 comments:

Even So... said...

Your thoughts?

Your experience?

Your biblical opinion, with verses, perhaps?

In light of the verse in Mark, what do you think?

Only for the Apostles?

Or only for the Apostles and those whom they saw converted in the first century?

The fact that "Mark 16:8-20 is a disputed passage" anyway?

"Perhaps for today, but nowhere near the prevalence we see espoused in certain circles"...?

"Hey, yeah, I never thought about the fact that it isn't mentioned in the epistles as a teaching before"...?

Even So... said...

How about, "Your wrong, pastor, because this one time someone I know...."

or even,

It happened to me, etc.

Let's talk, if you want to...

Even So... said...

I am afraid too many get their "demonology" from Frank Peretti, or similar stories or anecdotes...

Dan said...

Well, I have witnessed people that appeared to have a demon inside of them and I have witnessed what appeared to be a release of some sort. Although it is all very cloudy for me. Emotions and presuppositions can play funny tricks on the mind and make things seem as though they are not. Do I think it is possible? Yes, but I am positive that it does not happen as often, if any, as some would believe. Besides I think that the way that it would happen if it does happen is explained in the passage in Ephesians that you mentioned. The Word of God, Not by just saying words but by putting it on, learning it, living it, loving it and breathing it. Who are we to command the spirits except by the power of Jesus Christ? Jesus needed only to be present for the demons to start squirming. It, IMHO, is not what we say so much as is, is Jesus really within me. If casting out demons is the focus of my ministry then I am focussed on the wrong thing anyway. Maybe it does still happen today, maybe it doesn't. I lean towards the doesn't more than the does. But in witnessing the practices of some claiming to be able to do such a thing, I know that in those cases it did not glorify God in any way that I saw and in some cases were actually what I considered to be anti-biblical.
Wow, I didn't mean to ramble like that. It just kind of spilled out. Oh well, you asked for thoughts!

Even So... said...

Much appreciated ramblings, Dan...

Even So... said...

Times in NT scripture that someone other than Jesus or the Apostles cast out demons:

The 70 (Luke 10:17)

Mark 9:38-39

Luke 9:49-50

Phillip (Acts 8:7)

Even So... said...

Also we see that certain Pharisee's and other itinerant Jews must have been exorcists in passages such as Matthew 12:25-28 and Acts 19:13-16...

Even So... said...

Does anyone think that casting out demons is what scripture is addressing when we see the admonition to resist the devil in James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:8-9, or is casting out demons what is being taught in Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, or 1 John 4:1-4?

Even So... said...

I most certainly believe in what is known as "positional truth", that is to say, the truths about who we are and what we are in Christ.

Having said that, exercising authority and exorcising demons are not necessarily the same things...

Even So... said...

Demons can and do inform false religions, and try to infiltrate Christian camps by infusing false doctrine...yes...

Demons can and do oppose the universal church and local bodies of believers (Revelation 2:24)...yes...

Demons can and do oppose believers...yes...

Demons can and do use unbelievers (Ephesians 2:2-3), and they use unbelievers to oppose believers...yes...

It would seem that God can and does use demons or those controlled by them to somehow further a believer in Christian growth as they learn to lean on Christ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)...yes...

Demons were defeated at the Cross (Colossians 2:15), we do not have to obey them...yes...

JoyfullyHis said...

The more I think about it, the more instances I can find in my 'Christian upbringing' that doesn't have much to do with the Bible or Jesus and has a lot to do with finding power. Who am I, Harry Potter? I have my book of prayers and if I say some or all of them, they will automatically infuse me with the power to have a successful and plentiful life. This is a false and egocentric ideology. We are supposed to deny the flesh and say no to self. It is supposed to be Jesus-centric. Suffering is supposed to be normal. Coasting and avoiding bumps in the road, trying to be 'comfortable' at all time, being politically correct, these are not things that we are commanded to do. I wonder what people would do if more pastors actually read more than 2 verses out of the Bible and challenged others to read even more. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Reading the Bible for myself and asking questions, this is the real way I will grow. Not being caught up in emotions and avidly seeking signs and wonders. It's time to get internal; that's where the real wonders happen.
Sorry for the ramble; didn't realize I had all that to get out...

Even So... said...

I am thrilled, Mandi...

T said...

Perhaps the reason there is very little teaching on casting out demons is because that is not really our department.

So many valid points have been made already...

If we are Jesus centered and Spirit filled in a Biblical way then we do not need to be Harry Potter like....the demons who are suppose to flee to bring glory to God will do so as you speak God's word. Like it has been discussed before, scripture is not a magic book and we have nothing apart from Jesus Christ. So, it is only His presence that will cast anything away or out or however you choose to say it.

Wow there is something about this post that provokes rambling.... I am just another victim of the phenomena apparently.

Even So... said...

I am very glad for the ramblers...it was what I was looking for, your extended thoughts...

Even So... said...

Yes! I know what to do...cast out that demon of rambling...!

Seriously, though...maybe the proliferation of products in this area for the Chritian market we see despite the lack of biblical instruction is in itself a "doctrine of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1)...

Even So... said...

Here is something related (occult and paranormal) that is worth looking at that was posted today (2-24-09) over at Triablogue...

http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2009/02/bell-book-candle.html

Even So... said...

Steve Hays over at Triablogue has followed up with another post of insightful material on this topic
(2-25-09)...

http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2009/02/things-that-go-bump-in-night.html

This one is short and extremely practical...

The Maze Monster said...

demons are fake

Even So... said...

Sometimes the scenarios supposedly involving them are indeed the product of our imaginations...