Daily Devotional for Sunday November 25, 2012
Driving Out The Demons - Part 2 of 2
(Matthew 17:14-21)
***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, I believe that there is a devil and demons. I know Jesus cast out demons. People tell me 'there are no demons', 'they are just dead souls who haven't gone to the light yet' and so on. My reply is Jesus cast out demons, Paul did the same, so when did demons stop their dirty work on earth?
ANSWER: One of satan's greatest scams is to get people to believe he is just a mythical figure, that he doesn't exist. Satan is VERY REAL, and so are demons, the third of the angels who got booted out of Heaven with him for their rebellion! Until God ends this world as we know it, satan and his demons will continue, but we already know their fate, the Lake of Fire for all eternity. That is why it is so sad when a person dies rejecting Christ. They end up in the same place, a place that wasn't created for man, but satan and his demons.
DRIVING OUT THE DEMONS PART 2 OF 2
Yesterday in the Devotional I talked about "wanting to," and "being serious" about driving out the demons in your life, whatever they may be. Once you get to that point, then it becomes an issue of how to do it. Don't ever forget, this is a war. A war for your soul. Once you accept Christ, it then becomes a war for your life.
Never lose sight of the fact that Satan's goal is to "kill, steal, and destroy." Once he loses your soul to the Lord, his next objective is to destroy your life so that you are ineffective as a worker for God. Most people allow those demons in their life to totally incapacitate them from serving God in any way, thus helping Satan accomplish his goal.
To be totally effective, you have got to drive out those demons in your life once and for all!!!
When you go into any war, you must have a battle plan. You just can't go in without any kind of plan of attack. The same is true when your goal is to drive out those demons in your life.
YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN!!!
Let me give you a perfect example. Many men I counsel dealing with a demon of pornography, especially on the Internet, have been given this battle plan: Pray to God for strength. Then, get a small New Testament Bible and put it in your pocket. Have that Bible with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When the pangs of lust come upon you, pull out that small Bible, open it to any page, and just read for 2-3 minutes.
The Word of God is powerful and will quench those lustful thoughts immediately. Does this mean you've driven out that demon? NO!!! You must keep fighting. Daily. Eventually the lust attacks will slow down and you will get back in control of that area of your life. Not a complicated plan but effective. The point is, no matter what demon you are fighting, you must put together a plan to gain victory!!!
I love you and care about you so much. The Bible tells us that the Lord will never tempt us beyond that which we are able to bear. that He will always prepare a way of escape. Our problem is that we often refuse to take the avenue of escape provided.
God will help you and show you a battle plan to conquer your demons. You have to be ready to implement the plan and see it through. You cannot take this lightly. This is literally a life or death struggle you are in. Be confident. Be bold. God is on your side and if God is for you, who can be against you? He already has won the victory. Now we must walk in that victory He was already won for us.
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller