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Jesus in the Wilderness

The first picture we see of Jesus as an adult is when He is coming forth from His baptism to be "tempted of the devil in the wilderness" (see Matthew 3:13-4:11; Mark 1:9-13; Luke 3:21-22, 4:1-15). We see Him tested and tempted with "all that is in the world," as John put it in 1 John 2:16: the lust of the flesh (bread to eat), the lust of the eyes (the spectacle of overcoming gravity), and the pride of life (the power and glory of worldly kingdoms).

When Jesus resisted on these three major ports of entry, the evil one left for a season (Luke 4:13) while He was strengthened by angels (Matthew 4:11). He came forth from the victory of the wilderness (the trackless waste assigned to the evil spirits) in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). The battle was on.

Confrontation of Kingdoms

Like a host of tanks storming over the desert, Jesus comes into Galilee proclaiming the time is at hand, the Kingdom is now, change your heart and lives, and commit to the good news (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14). When Mark records His coming into the synagogue in Capernaum, immediately we see the confrontation of kingdoms. The demons recognize Him and cry out, but Jesus commands them, "Be muzzled and come out of him!" And they left! Convulsing and crying with a loud voice, the unclean spirit departed the nice, religious man in the synagogue! The people were amazed!

He commanded the demons with authority! No magic formula, potions, coaxing, conjuring. A command! (See Mark 1:21-28.) He had demonstrated His submission to the Father in the desert, and now He resisted the devil's kingdom and they fled the authority of One under authority (Matthew 8:9). The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Here we discover the key to Jesus' success in dealing with evil spirits. He cast out demons by the Spirit of God, God's finger (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20). He loved righteousness and hated lawlessness (Hebrews 1:9). He didn't come with independent activity, to do doing "one's own thing," to seek one's own glory (John 5:44; 7:16-18; 8:48-50). He had come not to do His own will but the will of Him who sent Him (John 6:38). And He was sent with a task. John again records in 1 John 3:8, "The Son of God was manifest for this very purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil!"

Summary of Jesus' Dealing with Demons

A. Characteristics of Demons as Described in the New Testament:

1. They have the three basic elements of personality:

a. Knowledge – Mark 1:24 "I know who You are."
b. Will – Matthew 12:44 "I will return to my house from which I came." (Compare this with satan's rebellious self-will in Isaiah 14:13-14: "I will" is spoken five times.)
c. Feelings, emotions. They shriek in terror (Mark 1:26, 5:7, 9:26). They tremble (James 2:19).

2. They prefer to inhabit human bodies than wander without a body (Luke 11:24). They would prefer the body of an animal to be without a body, but their preference is human beings (Matthew 8:31). Note: These are to be distinguished from fallen angels who do not seek to inhabit human flesh, but are content with their own bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40).

3. They have assigned territories. They call the bodies they inhabit "my house" (Matthew 12:44; Luke 11:24). They prefer to stay in the country they currently reside in than to be banished (Mark 5:10). Compare this with the designation of spiritual princes in Daniel 10:13 – they are assigned to certain kingdoms.

4. They are ranked according to levels of wickedness. "He...takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself" (Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26).

5. They are commonly named by the way they defile, afflict, tempt or torment, not by names of people Biblically. Jesus used the common designation of foul or "unclean spirits" (Matthew 10:1, 12:43; Mark 1:23, 26; 3:30; 5:2; 7:25; 9:25; Luke 11:24). This term was used for demonic spirits in general, covering everything from a "legion" of demons (Mark 5:2, 8), to spirits causing sickness (Luke 9:42), to spirits of war (Revelation 16:13-14).

Other names were dumb spirit (Mark 9:17), deaf and dumb spirit (Mark 9:25), and spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11). Paul the apostle spoke of a spirit of divination (Acts 16:16), a spirit of bondage (Romans 8:15), the spirit of the world (1 Corinthians 2:12), seducing or deceitful spirits (1 Timothy 4:1), and a spirit of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). John spoke of "the spirit of antichrist" (1 John 4:3).

6. One of the key marks of demonic activity is restlessness; Matthew 12:43 reveals the demons going about seeking rest.

7. They are stubborn at times and must be overcome with proper preparation and steadfastness (Mark 5:8; 9:26-29).

B. How Jesus Expelled Demons

Notice the variety of methods employed to expel the demons:

1. Command of faith – Mark 1:25; 9:25
2. Laying on of hands – Luke 4:40-41
3. Anointing with oil – Mark 6:12-13
4. The presence of Jesus caused them to manifest – Mark 5:6, 9:20
5. Believing the word of Jesus – Matthew 15:28; Mark 7:29; 2 Corinthians 4:13
6. Prayer and fasting – Matthew 17:21

Note: Jesus' ministry was birthed in prayer and fasting (Matthew 4:1-2); He also expected His followers to do it regularly (Matthew 6:5, 17; 9:15).

The Victory of the Cross

What put the finishing touch on overcoming satan and his legions was not the liberation of individuals alone from demons, but the destruction of the very base of the satanic rule. Lucifer's base had been established through pride, rebellion, disobedience, deceit, darkness, and destruction. Now he was contending with the King of Glory walking like a man (Philippians 2:8), humble (Philippians 2:7), in submission to the Father (John 5:19, 30) and natural authority (Luke 2:51), in every point obedient (Hebrews 4:15), full of exposing truth (John 8:45-47), shining brightly as the light of the world (Jn. 1:4-5, 9; 8:12), not destroying but saving, healing, and restoring lives (Acts 10:38; Luke 9:56).

His sidetracks in the wilderness were seen and overcome with the Word of God (Matthew 4:4, 7-10). Finally, the time had come. Jesus, speaking of that hour, said to His disciples on His final night with them, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." John notes, "This He said, signifying by what death He would die" (John 12:31-35). He said, "This is your hour, and the power of darkness," to the hostile mob come to arrest him (Luke 22:53). To His disciples at the Last Supper He revealed in John 14:30, "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me."

He voluntarily yielded to the hands of sinful men inspired by satan and his demons to bring suffering and mockery to the Holy Son of God (John 10:17-18, Mark 14:65; 15:16-32). What the prince of darkness and his hosts failed to discern was that for every drop of Blood they caused to drop from the Savior's veins, untold thousands were being released from the domination of this proud, twisted creature (1 Corinthians 2:8; Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 1:13-14).

This is the altar of sacrifice where He destroyed the works of the devil. The sin and sickness, the suffering and torment, the rejection and shame, the poverty and abandonment were all taken by the Son of Man on that tree where in exchange the human seed, before bound to the strong man, were now freed to receive by faith all that belonged to the eternal Son of God
(Isaiah 53:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9).

When He cried on Calvary's Cross, "It is finished" and surrendered His spirit, it was more than the completion of His life on earth (John 19:30). It was the completion of the old regime. Darkness had lost. The light had prevailed. Heaven's veil was rent in two. God and man could again enjoy Paradise. The guard to the tree of life was now able to admit all that repented and believed (Revelation 22:14).

Jesus was risen, exalted and glorified (Acts 2:32-35), installed at the Father's right hand (Psalm 2:6; 110:1-2), constantly pleading our case as Advocate (Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1), secure as God's Son waiting until all the remaining rebels are brought into subjection (1 Corinthians 15:20-28), as a result of the reverberation of His triumphal death and resurrection resounding throughout the heavens and earth through the Church (Ephesians 3:10).

In appearing to His disciples after His resurrection, He says, "All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go, therefore..." (Matthew 28:18-19). No longer does it belong to satan. The Worthy One regained the earth from the prince of the world system. And He sent His disciples into the world as the ambassadors of Heaven to proclaim and reveal His Lordship (Mark 16:15; 2 Corinthians 5:20). The first thing He said would happen as a sign of those who believed and went proclaiming was that they would cast out demons in His name (Mark 16:15-17). O, the victory of the Cross!

Now let's do as Jesus did!

Exercising Our Authority in Jesus!

How to Stay Free

The offensive way to stay free of satan's snares is to practice forgiveness regularly (2 Corinthians 2:6-11; Colossians 3:13), walk in humility as a servant (1 Peter 5:5-9), overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21), focus your thoughts on the things of God and Christ, on the things that are holy and edifying (Colossians 3:1-2; Philippians 4:8-9), and live an obedient life (Titus 3:1-3; Romans 13:1-2).

Consistent praise, prayer, rejoicing and thankfulness enable the faith shield to be steady (Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 13:15). The armor of God – the girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shield of faith, shoes of the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:13-18) – has been consistently shown to protect your front side, but not your back. We are never to run from the enemy. He pictures two weapons there – the spoken word of God in combat with personal attacks and the "weapon of all – prayer" as Wesley called it. This enables us to go on the offensive all over the world led by our Guide, the Holy Spirit. Paul also spoke of the armor of light (Romans 13:12). Simply walking in the open light with Christ and the Body of Christ is one of the greatest defenses against demon activity (1 John 1:7).

Warnings on Continued Watchfulness

That the enemy could regain ground if due vigilance was not exercised is repeated throughout the New Testament by Jesus and the Apostles. Jesus warned of the unclean spirit returning to his former house and finding it neat but empty, then reentering with seven others more wicked than himself – a clear warning not only to get demons out but to have them replaced with the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the virtues of Jesus (Matthew 12:43-45).

Paul spoke of the Galatians being bewitched by legalism (Galatians 3:1). Regarding this, he spoke to the Romans of a spirit of bondage leading to fear again (Romans 8:15), and of being in bondage to the elemental spirits of the world to the Galatians and Colossians (Galatians 4:3; Colossians 2:20 RSV); these legalistic spirits resulted in the fruit of sinful patterns reemerging (Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5-9).

Again, he warned of deceitful, seducing spirits coming with doctrines of demons to accuse Believers to depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1-3). He also warned the Corinthians against receiving a different spirit or a different Jesus than they had originally received (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 19-20).

James spoke of Believers having bitter envy and self-seeking in their hearts. He said this wisdom was demonic in its source (James 3:14-15).

John spoke of the spirit of antichrist that would try to lead them away from Christ (1 John 2:18-24; 4:1-3).

All of these illustrate the fact that the beginning is not enough. We must, as Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

In short, demons have authority to operate in the realm of darkness. Once delivered of demons, if Christians go back to walking in the darkness of sinful patterns, they open themselves again to demons having legal access to their lives.

The call of the Apostles was to "stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage"(Galatians 5:1). Once a person is set free, he is to stay free by putting into practice the life of the Son of God.

The letters then, in a very practical way, teach us how to occupy the land we have taken from satan through our Lord Jesus and see it bear fruit for God. Each of us then becomes a soldier in His army, participating in His Love and bringing many others from the "authority of darkness to the Kingdom of God's beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13).

The Power of the Lamb: Overcoming in Revelation

The Lamb's Victory Over Satan

We come to the end of Scripture with one of the strongest and most encouraging pictures of victory in the entire Bible: the Lamb's final victory over satan. Regarding demons in Revelation, we can see several key areas that continue to be emphasized in the early Church understanding of demons.

1. Demons were worshipped in the guise of idols – Revelation 9:20.
2. Pagan religions were manifestations of satan – Revelation 2:13.
3. False teachings were inspired by satan – Revelation 2:24.
4. The devil motivated the persecution and martyrdom of the Christians – Revelation 2:10.
5. Satan was the ruler behind the scenes for the antichrist – Revelation 13:1-14; 19:19.
6. Demons were released to torment men – Revelation 9:2-11.
7. Demons were behind war – Revelation 16:13-14.
8. Demons had filled the religious and political system called Babylon – Revelation 18:2 – a type of the World System organized independent of God with satan at its head.

The Power of the Blood

What caused satan, the fallen angels and the demons to be overcome is found inRevelation 12:11: "And they overcame him (satan) by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." It is first all the Blood of Jesus Christ shed for our sins in His atoning death of Calvary. This is the Blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24). It cries for mercy for us, not judgment. It is by His Blood that we have been redeemed from satan (Ephesians 1:7; Psalm 106:10). It is by His Blood that our sins have been forgiven, thereby removing satan's base of accusation (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13).

It is by His Blood that we have been justified (Romans 5:9-14), as Derek Prince says, "Made 'just-as-if-I'd never sinned.'" It is by His Blood that we have been sanctified, made holy, set apart to God (Hebrews 13:12). It is by His blood that Heaven has been opened, the very throne of the Father, for us to come and have intimate fellowship with Him (Hebrews 9:22-24, 10:19-22).

The Word of Testimony

Secondly, it is the word of our testimony. The word for witness is "martyros" in Greek, from which we get the word martyr. It implied being one who will testify of Christ, His Word, His Blood, even if it cost him his life. The example in Revelation was Antipas known as, "My faithful martyr" (Revelation 2:13). John the Baptist was such a witness (Mark 6:14-29). Stephen was such a witness (Acts 7:54-60). All of the apostles were such witnesses (John 21:18-19; 2 Timothy 4:6-8). Paul spoke of the word of God as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17); it is when the Believer courageously speaks his faith that the powers of darkness are pushed back.

Not Loving Our Lives Unto Death

Thirdly, it is not loving our lives, even unto death. Closely linked with the first two points, we find a most necessary prerequisite in spiritual soldiers – the willingness to die. When Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit, He said,"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be My witnesses (martyr/witness, witnesses unto death)" Acts 1:8). The power to be a witness living the life of a martyr-witness enabled the early Church to so quickly expand and de-throne the demonic strongholds (Acts 8:1-8). The writer of Hebrews had spoken of Jesus releasing those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15). Once a man considers himself dead with Christ, he is truly free. Paul said, "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31). He said he didn't count his life as dear to himself (Acts 20:24). This is the way of the Lamb lived out in His Church.

It is especially the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus that precipitated the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 17:6, 24). From this, we see that the Blood of the Lamb that speaks in Heaven also flows through His Body on the earth.

When a martyr is slain, it is Jesus' Blood that is flowing afresh. The judgments of God are loosed against the demons whenever they cause a saint to die. God's weapons are the disciples fully yielded to the Holy Spirit, with no other agenda than doing the will of Jesus.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we find this is a book in the making that already has an ending. Satan has been judged (John 16:11). His ending is the lake of fire along with all his legions (Revelation 20:10, 14-15; Matthew 25:40-41). The submissive Bride becomes part of the victorious army to return ultimately with the Lamb/Lion of God, where He sets up His never-ending Kingdom. Glory be to God and to the Lamb forever.

This week in our Global Prayer Storm, let's apply these lessons in our hour that changes the world. Take the teachings above and exercise the triumph Christ purchased and enforce the victory of Calvary. 

There is victory in Jesus!