August 23 Unchained

Luke 4:33-37 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits, and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
 
ONE aspect of the gospel teachings is Jesus’ encounters with demons. We don’t understand this as we do sin and various physical and mental illnesses. But we must know that demon possession is real. The apostle Paul writes a very definitive summary of Jesus’ victory over spiritual warfare in Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    Demons hold captive many people throughout the world as they draw people into the dark chains of materialism, animism, witchcraft, Satanism, astrology and many man-made religions. My wife and I have witnessed demonic forces “throwing down” a woman in Kenya during a time of preaching there in 2015. Many ministers and missionaries I know speak of sobering accounts of demonic influence.
    Jesus’ work here is one way he lived into his anointing purpose declared in Luke 4:18 “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…to release the oppressed.” In his power, the Holy One of God broke the demon’s imprisoning, oppressing chains over the man’s body. As the demon confesses Jesus’ true identity, it must obey. It knows who is Lord. As Paul wrote, nothing can resist the Living God’s authority.
    There is another form of possession here. Note that this healing is in Capernaum’s synagogue, inferring this ocurred on a Sabbath. Luke four times records Jesus healing on the Sabbath day. Surely there were more. These Sabbath healings are one way Jesus persistently moved throughout his ministry to release his people from the bondage of religious rules. Then and now, Christ’s church too easily becomes possessed with rules, preferences and worship formulas. Our Lord knows such “religious chains” prevent us from experiencing “the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
    Yes, God’s Word commands an appropriate order of worship and humble, loving approach to him. But we must not be so fettered with religion and form we forget Jesus’ love and grace. Remember, the Holy One of God is a term that refers to Jesus’ special relationship with the Father in the Spirit’s power. Be truly amazed! Know the Triune God has come in his fullness to command sin, “Come out of him!” His word unchains his own forever.
 
Prayer: Unchain my heart, Lord, from anything that binds me from truly worshiping you. Thank you, Jesus, for delivering me from evil. Amen.