Jesus trained His disciples in spiritual warfare. He taught them many lessons that apply to us today as well. One was about what happens when demons are commanded to leave the person they indwell.
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).
LESSON FOR TODAY: Where do demons go when cast out of a person? Where should we command them to go? Here Jesus says they go to “arid places” (Matthew 12:43-45; Job 30:3-8). Other times they are said to be “sent away” (Mark 5:12-13), go to “destruction” (Mark 1:24), or go to “torment” (Matthew 8:29). Eventually they will all be sent to the lake of fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:10 – 21:8). Whatever term you use, God will decree where they are to go. You can command them to “go to the place where Jesus sends you.” It is important to forbid them to return, forbid them to go into any other family members, and forbid any new demons to come to take their place. Don’t just send them out, leaving them free to continue their evil work wherever they choose. Command where they are to go, at least commanding them to go where Jesus would send them.
LESSON FOR TODAY: Jesus’ words also show the extreme importance of being filled with God’s Spirit when the demons are sent away. If one does not turn to God’s Word and live a life of holiness to God, the door that was closed will be immediately open again and more and worse demons will enter to work against the person. When praying to have demons removed also pray for God’s Spirit to fill the person and remove all the work of the enemy. Pray for them to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, mentioning each fruit one by one (Galatians 5:22-25). Ask God to remove all the work and effects of the demons in the person’s life and to heal them from it. Ask God to send angels and/or His Spirit through their life to remove every work of the demons and anything any demon might try to leave behind to continue their work. Ask God to fill each and every part of the person with His light and glory, His Spirit and presence. Then dedicate the person to God as a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).
LESSON FOR TODAY: The purpose of deliverance from demonizing is so a person can grow spiritually. Often that comes slowly and by stages because all growth comes that way. It is often more of a process than a one-time event. Each lesson we learn and step of progress we make must become part of us as we fill that part of our lives with His presence and bring it under His control. Freedom from demonizing is not a one-time event where God does everything for us, but a series of steps whereby we grow in faith and become more like Jesus. It is very important to stay close to Jesus and grow spiritually when seeking to be delivered from demonizing. This includes prompt repentance from any and all sin (Ephesians 4:26-27; Genesis 4:7), doing all we do out of a motive of love (1 Corinthians 13:5), living a life of disciplined thoughts and actions (Philippains 4:8), and implementing God’s principles into daily family life (Ephesians 5:22 – 6:4).
(If I can answer questions or offer personal counsel, or if you would like a free copy of my Spiritual Warfare Handbook, email me at Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org or download it from http://sw.christiantrainingonline.org/. My next book, Spiritual Warfare in the Bible, which is a more advanced treatment of spiritual warfare, is also available there for free.)