It was a new day. Demons who had destroyed people’s souls were done. If they met Jesus, it was over.
Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Go away! 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!”
“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area,
It’s interesting that the people did not always know the identity of Jesus, but the demons did. And they wanted nothing to do with him. Because they knew that Jesus had authority over them.
In the Western world today we forget that there is even a demonic world. Yet the forces of evil are real. They can influence people to do awful things. So many people who have committed violent crimes have talked about “the voices in their head.”
In Jesus though there is authority over the demonic. They must submit to him and leave. He is the power.
And that’s our challenge to us.
- Acknowledging that the demonic world is real
- Taking authority over demons in the name of Jesus when we see it
Jesus had power to heal and power over demons. Now as Christians, “little Christs,” we can facilitate his power to do the same.