Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Luke

Luke 
Day 
Day 276

Luke 22 : 1- 20 "THE FEAR OF BEING POSSESSED"

Day 276 – Luke 22

Text: Luke 22 : 1- 20

THE FEAR OF BEING POSSESSED

When you read about how people were possessed in the Gospel of Luke, were you afraid? When you read about how “Satan entered Judas”, were you frightened? There are some who do not believe in possession by demons at all. There are others who believe that anybody and everybody can be possessed, including believers! What does the Scripture actually teach concerning demonic possession?

THE CASES OF DEMON POSSESSION MENTIONED IN LUKE

The Gospel of Luke reflected his theology, even as it revealed his knowledge of the faith believers held dear. In that faith, in that theology, Luke had recorded that unequivocal fact that demons can and do possess people!

Right at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, He met with demon-possessed individuals. Let us do a quick review of the times Jesus had to deal with demon-possessed people. Luke highlighted four instances where Jesus healed people who were possessed by demons.

1. Healing of a man who had an unclean spirit (Capernaum)

“Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon.”Luke 4:33

“Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ ” Luke 4:35

2. Healing of a man called Legion (Gadara, opposite Galilee)

“There met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time…” Luke 8:27

“Then the demons went out of the man… ” Luke 8:33

“Then they… found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind” Luke 8:35

3. Healing of a young lad (Location not designated)

“Look on my son, for he is my only child. And behold a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth…”
Luke 9:38-39

“Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child and gave him back to his father.”
Luke 9:42

4. Healing of a Mute (Location not designated)

“And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute.”
Luke 11:14

Luke was a trained physician. As he did his research, he was careful to note the difference between the way Jesus healed the sick and those possessed by demons! Luke’s theology led him to write down the fact that demons can and do possess people. His theology also led him to note that Jesus had great power and authority. He was far stronger and could command demons (Cf. Luke 13:15-23)

THE CASE OF SATAN ENTERING JUDAS

It must be said that right from the start, Judas was never a believer! When Jesus invited Judas to be one of the Twelve, Luke made this comment, “Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor” (Luke 6:16; Cf. Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; for a similar observation).

On John’s Gospel, Jesus hinted to His Disciples that He knew that one of them was not a true follower. We read,

“Jesus answered them,
‘Did I not choose you, the twelve,
And one of you is a devil?’
He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon,
For it was he who would betray Him.”
John 6:70-71

John in his Gospel noted the timing and occasion of Satan entering into Judas. It took place at the Passover meal. John wrote,

“Now before the Feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that His hour had come
that He should depart from this world to the Father,
having loved His own who were in the world,
He loved them to the end.
And supper being ended (more correctly, “during supper”)
The devil having already
Put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son,
To betray Him…”
John 13:1-2

“And having dipped the bread He gave it to Judas Iscariot,
the son of Simon.
Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him…
Having received the piece of bread,
He then went out immediately. And it was night.”
John 13:26-27,30

The “Permanent Passover” that the Jews celebrated was a rather long and fairly complicated dinner affair. It wasn’t a simple and straightforward meal at all. At one point in the meal, Jesus gave a piece of bread to Judas. That was a specially loving gesture. Judas left the Passover celebration that the Twelve were enjoying with Jesus.

Two movements may be noted. The work of Satan had already begun in Judas some time back. The thought of betraying Jesus was already in Judas’ mind! Satan entered Judas to galvanize and goad him to take the final step of betrayal!

Obviously, the work of Satan in the life of Judas was dissimilar to the other cases noted by Luke. Judas was not a mad man. Neither was he a mute. For all wants and purposes, he was a normal person! Nevertheless, Satan entered him.

POSSESSION IS NOT THE ONLY WEAPON SATAN EMPLOYS

Many fear being possessed by Satan. Few realize that he does not need to resort to possession to fulfil his wicked plans. Possession by Satan is a terrible thought to comprehend. It could result in illnesses, loss of mental health etc. However, in the case of Judas Iscariot, there was no illness or insanity that could cause us to pity him. Satan’s entering into Judas appears to be even more deadly than that of “possession”.

We are reminded of a solemn observation the Apostle Paul made in his letter to the Ephesians…

“And you He made alive, who were dead
in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked
according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves
in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
the children of wrath, just as the others. “
Ephesians 2:1-3

Paul observed the following:-

1. Before people come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they may be described as being “dead in trespasses and sins”.

2. Worse, they walked according to the ways of the world.

3. The course of the world is directly influenced by Satan, “the prince of the power of the air”.

4. Paul included himself as one of those the Devil influenced if not controlled to do his evil work.

AN IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE

God has to come into our life. He has to make us come alive in Christ. He has to deliver us from the kingdom of Satan and receive us into His kingdom!

If we do not receive the salvation the Lord Jesus offers, then though we may not be possessed, and though we may not have Satan entering into us, we are still not that much better of. We are still dead in our sins, and we are still the children of wrath, instead of being called “the children of God”.

Have you trusted Jesus as your Saviour? Has He delivered you from the power of the Evil One? Take that one step towards freedom from the power of the Devil. Turn to Jesus as your Saviour and be freed from the grasp of the Evil One today.