“In My name they will cast out demons …” (Mark 16:17, NKJV)
The absolute (and only) condition for the handling of the demonic realm is your position in Christ.
Not without reason does Jesus have the following to say in Mark 16:17: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.” Dealing with demons should be a normal part of your everyday life. It should however have the correct focus of (un)importance in our lives. In Luke 10:17-20 we read of the seventy disciples who happily returned from their travels and said to Jesus: “’Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.’”
As was explained Day 711-712, this context has nothing to do with Satan’s pre-history, but clearly with the spiritual authority of the disciples over demonic spirits. While the seventy disciples “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b) in the Name of Jesus Christ, Jesus sees Satan falling from heaven. Satan literally falls from his position of authority and is made the footstool of Zion (Heb. 10:13), when we – like the seventy disciples – come into the correct spiritual position.
But if one knows this, and you are aligned in Christ, how do you handle “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age … spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12)? One needs to firstly understand the distinction between the different demonic types:
- Principalities or authorities work with countries, governments and the corporate
- Powers work in all spheres.
- World rulers bring about darkness, veiling and spiritual blindness in the kingdom of the world.
- Evil spirits have specific mandates in people, environments and animals.
The believer has access to two weapons in dealing with these elements:
- “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matt. 12:28) ALL DEMONIC POWERS, of whatever kind, can ONLY be driven out by the Spirit of God. No strange rituals, no secret esoteric knowledge or acts can bring that about.
- The spiritual gift that is given to all Spirit-filled believers, is the gift of discernment of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10).
In the following teachings we will examine the 14 spirits specified in the Bible, and unpack their doings in practical terms.
- Selah: Do you have the two weapons mentioned?
- Read: 4-6
- Examine the OT-typology: 4:4 (Tip: Ex. 20:11; 31:17)
