Driving out an unclean spirit

Posted on May 31, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

Then they went into Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and Jesus immediately went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. The congregation was astonished at what he was teaching them because Jesus was teaching them as an authority, and not merely quoting other people like the scribes did.

There was a man in the synagogue who had an unclean (demonic) spirit. He yelled out “Leave us alone! Why are you bothering us, Jesus the Nazarene? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are – you are the holy one of God!”

Jesus commanded the demon saying “Be silent, and leave this man!” Immediately the unclean spirit made the man convulse, then it shouted with a loud voice and left him unharmed.

Everyone there was amazed and they began to wonder among themselves “What is this message? He is able to command unclean spirits with authority and they leave!” News about Jesus then began to spread throughout all of Galilee.

MK 1:21-28, LK 4:31-37

A Gentile mother’s faith.

Posted on April 16, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

Jesus traveled to the area of Tyre and Sidon. A woman who wasn’t Jewish approached him and kept crying out to him “Have mercy on me Lord, son of David! My daughter is tormented by an unclean spirit.” Jesus didn’t reply to her, but his disciples approached him and asked him to make her go away because she kept following them and yelling for help. Jesus said “I am called to help only the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But the woman came and knelt before him begging him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said “Let the children have their fill first, because it isn’t right to take their bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she replied “Yes, but even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs that fall.” Jesus answered “Your faith is great, woman. Because of how you answered you will receive what you have asked for.”

Her daughter was free of the demon that very hour.

MT 15:21-28, MK 7:24-30

An unclean spirit’s return

Posted on March 11, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

“When an unclean spirit is cast out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest. When it doesn’t find anywhere to rest, it says to itself ‘I will return to the house that I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and gathers up seven other spirits who are more evil than it is, and they enter and make themselves at home in the man. The result is that the man is now worse off than he was before. This is how it will be for this evil generation.”

MT 12:43-45, LK 11:24-26

Driving out demons (a divided house)

Posted on December 27, 2014 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

A man who was possessed by a demon was brought to Jesus. The demon had made him blind and unable to speak. When Jesus healed him, he was suddenly able to speak and see again. The crowds were amazed, saying “We’ve never seen this in Israel. Perhaps this is the son of King David!”

When the Pharisees heard about this they said “This man drives out demons with Beelzebub.” Some, to test him, were demanding to see him perform a miracle. Even his own family thought he was crazy.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said “A divided kingdom cannot stand. No one can enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Thus, if the king of demons drives out demons he is fighting against himself. How can his kingdom stand then? If I drive out demons by the king of demons who is it that your own people drive them out by? Accuse them of the same thing you accuse me of! Now, if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then this is proof that the kingdom of God has arrived among you.”

“People will be forgiven for whatever they do and whatever they say unless they speak against the Holy Spirit. That is unforgivable. Anyone who is not with me is against me, and scatters rather than gathers.” He said this because they were saying he had an evil spirit in him.

MT 9:32-34, MT 12:22-32, MK 3:20-30, LK 11:14-23, LK 12.10

Demons driven out into pigs

Posted on December 10, 2014 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

And they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. As soon as He got out of the boat a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him. He had lived in the tombs for a long time. He wore no clothes and would not stay in a house. He was so violent that no one could pass that way. Many times the demons had seized him and although he was guarded and bound by chains and shackles he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places. And all night and day he was crying out in the tombs and in the mountains, cutting himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance he ran and knelt down before Him. Suddenly he shouted “What do you have to do with me Son of God? I beg you, don’t torment me.” He said this because Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of him.

“What is your name?” Jesus asked the spirit.

He answered, “My name is Legion, because we are many.” The spirit begged Jesus not send him out of the region and asked to be driven into the nearby large herd of pigs instead.

Jesus said “Go!”

Suddenly, 2000 of the herd rushed down the steep bank of the hillside and into the sea and drowned. The men who attended the pigs ran away to the city and told everyone there what had happened. All the people then came to see. When they came they saw Jesus and the man who had been possessed by the demon. The man was sitting there dressed and in his right mind. The people were afraid, and asked Him to leave the area. The man who had been possessed kept begging Jesus to let him follow Him.

Jesus refused and said “Go back to your home and your people and tell them all that the Lord has done for you and has had mercy on you.” So he went and began to proclaim how much Jesus had done for him and they were all amazed.

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MT 8:28-34, MK 5:1-20, LK 8:26-39
Notes – In Matthew there are two possessed men, in Mark and Luke there is only one. The possessed man asked to go with Jesus in Mark and Luke only. The location is alternately spelled as the region of the Gadarenes or Gergesenes or Gerasenes