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If the title of this study sounds a bit like the one from a few weeks ago, “The Exorcism of A People,” that is not coincidental. This may be seen as something of a follow-up to the ideas presented there, in which we saw that there are two types of “evil spirits.”
There are personalities, complete beings, that are spiritual in their composition, and these are either the angels who remained loyal to Yahweh at the beginning of The Great Controversy, or those who fell during Lucifer’s rebellion. This latter group are the “evil spirits” that trouble mankind and tempt them to sin. At the same time, humans are creatures of both spirit and flesh. We have the physical composition of the animals that our Father created, but we have spirits that are like Him; thus we are created in His image, and after His likeness. We were designed to be the representatives of the Most High within the material universe, and the salvation that we receive through Yahshua the Messiah restores us to that privilege and that grand responsibility.
We know, though, that “few” find the way of life, (Mat 7:14) and most of mankind is, if not actively evil, infected by the triumph that Satan won over the flesh of humanity. As Paul says, from the perspective of one who is now redeemed, “when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” (Rom 7:5) By inducing Adam to fall, Satan forever tainted the flesh that was created from the dust of this world, of which the Scriptures call him the god. (2Cor 4:4) Everything that is of this world is Satan’s by right of conquest. What he could not forever taint, however, is the spirit that comes from our Father.
If that were the end of the story, salvation would be a simple thing. We would just need new bodies, into which the spirit could be re-inserted. By nature, however, we are both flesh and spirit, joined together inseparably, and so it is possible, because our spirits are truly free, that the flesh may corrupt the spirit making it – by definition, an evil spirit. The consequence of all this is the situation we have now; as powerful as he is, Satan cannot force a human being to sin, because the spirit is Yahweh’s in origin; however, because it is free, it can choose to transgress the divine Law, and so, through the flesh, Satan has made for himself a world of people with evil spirits.
Because we are free, because sin is the result of a human’s decision, we are accountable for the deeds done in the flesh, and so every person in the world needs the Savior. Because we are born in ignorance, we have been given the opportunity, unlike the rebellious angels, to be born again, to be purified in the spirit and mind, and thus subdue the flesh until the controversy is finally ended, and even flesh may be glorious once again. Those of us who have accepted the priceless gift of Yahshua’s own life have received a Holy Spirit, His Holy Spirit, in place of the corrupt, evil one, and are restored to harmony with our Father and His Law.
This is the great Plan of Salvation, and it is our great work to be messengers of this Good News, that our Father has seen our condition, as He once saw the slavery of His People in Egypt, and has provided for us the Way of escape. Unfortunately, the work itself has largely become corrupt through the same process, the flesh of those who would be champions of Yahweh has overcome their spirits, and so practically all who call themselves evangelists, messengers, prophets, teachers, servants of God, teach a message of falsehood. “Yes,” they say, “the flesh is corrupted, and God has made us a way of escape, but the way is not a true escape, because even though we are called to leave Egypt, and have walked out of the gates, we are still Egyptian in nature. We take Egypt with us,” they say. “We still worship the same idols. We still bow to the same heretical ceremonies. We still practice the way of the Egyptian, or at least, the way of the Egyptian slave.” Isn’t that the message of modern Christianity? Isn’t that the teaching, that Christ has set us free, but we are all still miserable sinners, hopelessly subject to the overwhelming power of the fallen angels and the corrupted flesh?”
The true seeker must ask, “Where is the God of Elijah?” That is a quote from the Old Testament. Here is the passage: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, ‘My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.’ And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, ‘Where is Yahweh, God of Elijah?’ And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither, and Elisha went over.” (2Kings 2:11-14)
This is the demand of faith that parts the waters, and shows the way to salvation. Where is the God of miracles? Where is the God of healing? Where is the God that casts out evil spirits, both the fallen angels, and the stony heart that is in man? Those who ask that question, doubting nothing, will see the waters part before them, and they will go over unto life everlasting. They will inherit the mantle of the prophet, and become messengers of the Most High God. But they must see Elijah; they must see the Eli-Yah people, doing the work of Yahweh, praising the gift that they have received, and when they see us taken up into Heaven (I speak metaphorically for the moment, of the experience of the new birth) they will believe, and then they will have faith to be freed from those things that trouble them.
If someone says, “God does not truly save you out of your sins,” the reply should be, “Where is the God of Eli-Yah? He is not with you.” Remember the priests of Ba’al, who called on their god from morning until the time of the evening sacrifice, and he did nothing. The Christian, the nominal Christian, prays and sings songs, and gives testimonies, from morning until evening, but He does not save them out of their sins. James tells us why; it is because they have been deceived by Ba’al in his modern disguise, the god of “Salvation in sin.” James tells us just why, writing, “Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain. Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” (James 4:2)
The people who believe they are Yahweh’s do not know to ask Him to free them from their sins. They do not believe that He can, or will, and so they do not even ask. In truth, they tend to attack those of us who have the arrogance, as they perceive it, to suggest they do such a thing, that the promises really do apply to us, and that if we ask our Father in Heaven for a fish, He will not give us a serpent. If we ask Him for bread, He will not give us a stone. If we ask Him for the one gift we most need, freedom from the power of the flesh, He will not refuse it, saying, “Wait until the end of your journey, then I will heal you.” That is not the God of Eli-Yah, or the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible gives us what we need from the beginning of the journey.
We have read that when the Israelites left Egypt, the shoes and clothing that they wore lasted forty years in the desert without wearing out. (Deu 29:5) We read, again of Elijah, “And the angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, ‘Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee.’ And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1Kings 19:7, 8) We need the unleavened bread, the shoes and clothing, the life free from sin, and our Father sees that we get it before the journey, so that we may last the forty years, or the forty days, the symbol of the entire duration, between the life of the sinner on earth and the life of the saint in glory. Those who believe that victory over sin comes at the close of probation, at the end of the journey, have not understood the Scriptures as they ought, nor the power of the One whom they claim to worship.
Our Father sees that for the journey we are given everything we need, and we are cleansed of all that we need to be cleansed of. There are two kinds of spirits that the Word of Yahweh calls “evil,” and there are two kinds of exorcisms to cast them off. The first is the simpler, and we read of these several times during the ministry of Yahshua.
“Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.” (Mat 12:22) “And His fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy, and He healed them.” (Mat 4:24)
Even to His Disciples, Yahshua gave this authority, and so we read, “And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Mat 10:1) It is very interesting to me that Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention that Yahshua called twelve disciples together, and gave them the power to heal others – and each of these Gospels mentions casting out evil spirits first of all, before diseases of the body and mind. (cf., Mark 6:7, Luke 9:1) Obviously, it was a very important part of the Christian ministry, but nowadays when Christians, even Adventists, speak of the health message, it is mostly about the body, little about the mind, and even less about the spirit. The devils have largely changed their tactics; they already have the world, so why would they draw attention to themselves? But even here, in these Scriptures, we see early signs of this subtle change.
For example, there is one incident that stands out from the others with regard to this particular gift, and we read it here: “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down to Him, and saying, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatick, and sore vexed; for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not cure him.’
“Then Yahshua answered and said, ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me.’ And Yahshua rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour.
“Then came the disciples to Yahshua apart, and said, ‘Why could not we cast him out?’ And Yahshua said unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.’” (Mat 17:14-21)
There are a few questions that this passage might raise, and questions that I asked myself for some time. For example, why did Yahshua rebuke His disciples for unbelief, when they had been casting out other demons than this one, and certainly believed they had the power to do so? What made this case unique? Why did He say, “This kind goeth not out by prayer and fasting,” and yet He cast out that very demon without fasting or prayer on either His part or the victim’s? Another question may arise if we read the parallel passage in the Book of Mark, which includes this detail: “And He asked his father, ‘How long is it ago since this came unto him?’ And he said, ‘Of a child.’” (Mark 9:21) Why would the length of his affliction matter at all?
These things are all connected. We read, and especially of the last days, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Rev 12:9) In another place we read, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.” (Rev 13:3) The whole world, especially after the papacy, is deceived by Satan and his influence on mankind. This is just a continuation of his victory over the flesh of humanity. He has little need to damage or actually destroy anyone, because the entire world is lost, except for the small remnant that believes in Yahshua and is saved. Most possessions, then, do not need to be very dramatic, or to last a very long time. They are for some specific purpose, and when demons do reside in a human for a while, it is for rest and comfort, and so it is not in their interest to draw attention to their presence. We know that being cast out of a human is unpleasant in its occurrence and in the aftermath, (Luke 11:24-26) thus they prefer to stay in the flesh, and that without much notice.
What we find in the passage I have quoted, though, is a long term residency in this young man, to the point that his soul had been greatly damaged. Perhaps you have wondered why the demons such as this one, and Legion who was with the man in the Gadarenes, (Mark 5:1-17) would cause such chaos and make so much noise, if they wanted Yahshua to leave them alone. That doesn’t make much sense, if they wish to remain undisturbed as long as possible, and yet, we find them running rampant, to the point where the people around them run away, or chain them up for their own safety.
It is because the condition of possession is entirely unnatural. Yahweh places a spirit in man, it is written, and he becomes a living soul. (Gen 2:7) That is the order of nature. We are not given a lot of information on this in the Bible, but we know that Satan and his angels, being pure spirits, are able to reside in the flesh of a human being, displacing the spirit from Yahweh that belongs there by creation. Even a sinner’s spirit was placed there by Yahweh, in the hopes that it might hear the Word and be redeemed, but if another spirit should overcome it, a tension arises that is not stable. Over time, the spirit is damaged, and in its attempts to reclaim the body, that body goes out of control. We know this for certain, because we read of events like this one: “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, Thou Yahshua of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art; the Holy One of God.’ And Yahshua rebuked him, saying, ‘Hold thy peace, and come out of him.’ And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.” (Luke 4:33-35)
The man was in the synagogue – not a place where the possessed normally spend their time. He approached Yahshua and cried out in His presence; again, not something that someone fearing torment and destruction would do… you would go in the opposite direction. The man himself was clearly seeking help, healing, but none in the Jewish Church could help him, and when He came across Yahshua, he had no power to ask for help in a normal way… all he could do was cry out in the words given to him by his devils… he had no control to do anything but this, and yet, Yahshua understood. Yahshua had pity on him, and healed him, because he had faith that, despite his condition, he was standing in the presence of Yahweh’s love.
It is notable that both the young man whom the disciples could not heal, and the one possessed by Legion were described as having been in that condition for a “long time.” (Luke 8:27) That is important; the spirit had been corrupted, and the demon had become deeply linked to the person himself.
Why is this important? The kind of spirit that does not come out, except by prayer and fasting, is the kind that has resided so long with the soul that it has become a part of the person, practically speaking. This also addresses something much more fundamental to salvation, and it is this: justification is the act of a moment, while sanctification is the work of a lifetime.
Justification is being healed from the immediate effects of sin. When one is born again, diseases may be healed, and demons may be cast off, with but a word from the Savior or one of His servants. Corruption of the spirit, though, whether that be the long term effects of demonic influence, or defects of character severe enough to allow devils to master one’s spirit over and over again through constant backsliding, require more than just a prayer and a command.
Now, yes, with the Faith of Yahshua, any condition may be healed immediately. Remember, Yahshua was able to cast off the young man’s long-term demonic companion that very moment… but before that He had to establish a connection with the individual himself. He asked his father about him. In Mark’s version we find a longer conversation: “Yahshua said unto him, ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.’” (Mark 9:23, 24) The sufferer must truly believe, beyond just a proclamation of faith, that he will be healed by the Master, and it was important for the possessed one to hear this conversation, and to hear his father’s declaration of faith, before He would trust Yahshua enough to receive His gift. That is the mystery of this passage… that the young man must come to have a relationship with the Savior, short as it may be, before he could be cleansed of the spirit that afflicted him.
These are matters for deep consideration. They are not the milk of the Gospel, but Yahshua is preparing His people to do a work in these last days that will not be less glorious than in the days of the apostles. These are things we need to know. Because we are called to help humanity, which has fallen victim to the snares of an Enemy much more experienced and subtle than he was in the time of Yahshua’s earthly ministry, we must be led to this knowledge by the Spirit of Yahweh. What that last-day work will look like, with so few who are faithful, I do not know… but I know that those who walk in faith today, and ask for understanding of these matters today, will walk with Him tomorrow. These things were written to the Church for our edification, and even if the world does not understand it, including the many preachers of the false Gospel, we who are faithful will, and we will use it in the service of others.
There are evil spirits, fallen angels, over which Yahshua gives His people power. When that spirit is entrenched, though, or when the character of the human is demonic, that requires something more.
The deepest of possessions, and the most damaging defects of character, these do not simply go away. They are healed within the context of a relationship. And ultimately, that is the point. They are cast off as the mind and spirit are restored to the Christ-likeness for which they were created. They are put away by the recovering soul, as it enters and remains in the atmosphere of Heaven, surrounded by the Faith of Yahshua and those that carry it. We are the ones who are blessed with providing this relationship, this atmosphere of Heaven, for others. Truly, we are not saved for ourselves, but to help others come to know, and trust, the Savior, so that all manner of disease and affliction may be cast away.
But to do this, we must teach the world a truth that it, and modern Christianity, are being trained by Satan to stubbornly resist. It is the idea that relationships are important. We find that, in these last days especially, the forces of evil are arrayed against relationships, marriages, family values, and so on, because the Devil knows that these are the places, these are the environments, in which the damage he has caused to humanity may best be healed. Covenants are important. Membership, belonging, to a people, is important. So often we hear the words of Scripture, and of Ellen White, cruelly misused to reject and belittle the idea of true Christian fellowship, of orderly, disciplined, unity. There is a Church, which is not a building, or a great cathedral, but a people, that is nevertheless called, and named, and sent into the world together, of which it was said by Yahshua to His Father, “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” (John 17:23) This is the balanced point. This is the proof that Yahweh so loved the world that He sent us His Son… our unity with Yahshua, and with one another, is the proof that Satan cannot overturn.
We have been learning about communication for our last few studies, both those presented by Bro. L., and myself. It is going somewhere. It is leading up to something, something against which even the devils cannot stand, but must flee or be cast out. It is giving us the message we need to share, that Creation Seventh Day Adventism, the true Christian Church, and the true Gospel, is about relationship, about a covenant built on loving communication and fellowship in the spirit. This is the sign of our veracity, of the truth of our message, and this is what gives us the power to heal the sick, to cast out devils, and to raise the dead.
There is no Church but the Bride of Yahshua, that has victory over sin, teaching the Faith of Yahshua and the Commandments of Yahweh, showing the world what it means to be taken up to Heaven as Eli-Yah was, to be translated into the Kingdom of His Dear Son. We do this so that, seeing, the world may believe, and hearing, the world may confess its need for genuine faith. We pray that they will give heed to our testimony, that they will trust in Yahshua, and submit themselves to His healing gift, so that they should be free from sin, and therefore free to live the life, the life without end, that He intended for them all along.
David.
An Enduring Witness
“Evil spirits, in the beginning created sinless, were equal in nature, power, and glory with the holy beings that are now God’s messengers. But fallen through sin, they are leagued together for the dishonor of God and the destruction of men. United with Satan in his rebellion, and with him cast out from Heaven, they have, through all succeeding ages, co-operated with him in his warfare against the divine authority. We are told in Scripture of their confederacy and government, of their various orders, of their intelligence and subtlety, and of their malicious designs against the peace and happiness of men. Old-Testament history presents occasional mentions of their existence and agency; but it was during the time when Christ was upon the earth that evil spirits manifested their power in the most striking manner.” [The Great Controversy (1888), p. 513]
“And as they went forth preaching the kingdom of God, power was given them to heal the sick and cast out evil spirits. In God’s work, teaching and healing are never to be separated. His commandment-keeping people are to be one. Satan will invent every device to separate those whom God is seeking to make one.” [Testimonies for The Church, Volume 8, p. 165]
“For a moment, Jesus permitted the evil spirit to display his power, that the beholders might comprehend the deliverance about to be wrought. The multitude looked on with bated breath, the father in an agony of hope and fear. Jesus asked, ‘How long is it ago since this came unto him?’ The father told the story of long years of suffering, and then, as if he could endure no more, exclaimed, ‘If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.’ ‘If Thou canst!’ Even now the father questioned the power of Christ. Jesus answers, ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ There is no lack of power on the part of Christ; the healing of the son depends upon the father’s faith. With a burst of tears, realizing his own weakness, the father casts himself upon Christ’s mercy, with the cry, ‘Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.’” [The Desire of Ages, p. 428]