Let the Signs Follow Us Again!!!

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Today's Passage: Mark 5: 1-20
Memory Verse(s): Mark 16:17

In our world today, we've seen some very crafty moves by the enemy to put to sleep what should be a vital part of our churches.  Even in spirit-filled churches, the idea of casting out demons and dealing with demonic possession seems to have become politically incorrect.  Somehow, we have come to a place where we're simply only comfortable with great services, even if no-one leaves delivered.

But in a study of the gospels, it is evident that Jesus' ministry includes deliverance.  He is concerned about the spiritual well-being of His people.  This means that we should be, also.  Here's what I think are key things to be sensitive about when desiring to have a vibrant deliverance ministry.  First and foremost, we must be willing to accept the spiritual fact that there are demonic forces at work all around us.  They use generational curses passed on through families to enter the spirit of an unsuspecting person, oppressing and eventually controlling that person's will.

Secondly, we must be mindful of things in the lives of God's people that don't line up with who they are in Christ-even if it's in our own lives.  In the passage, here was a man who was living in a place no human being should be: among the dead.  The Bible says he had an unclean spirit among others.  He also had a spirit that manifested itself through shouting out and cutting--do we see any parallels here?  Many of the inconsistencies that should not be a part of our lives has been quietly categorized as "illnesses" in our society.  Addictions, sicknesses in which people have fits of rage and profanity, self- mutilation-- the list goes on and on.

In addition to acknowledging the issues that breed spiritual oppression, we must be willing to walk in the same power of the spirit that Jesus did.  How do we do that?  Keep our lives free of the sin that tries to weigh US down.  Acknowledge, expose it by confessing it to the Lord and to one another, and fall out of agreement with it.  Then, when we come into contact with demonic oppression in any form, we will be able to stand and command those spirits to come out in the name of our resurrected Jesus.  This power is available to ALL who call ourselves BELIEVERS.  Let's ask for the signs to begin to follow us again.

Prayer: Father, we repent of having our understanding darkened by the many distractions and other things that may have stood in our way before.  But now that we have seen a closer glimpse of Who You are and what Your church should look like, we deeply desire to walk in the anointing to cast out demons.  You are alive and well in us, and so we declare that we shall walk in ALL the power of Your Spirit.  May we be sensitive, ready, and waiting for the signs to follow us like never before.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.