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Day 114

Luke 9: 37-45 "ANOTHER ENCOUNTER WITH A DEMON"

Day 114 – Luke 9

Text: Luke 9: 37-45

ANOTHER ENCOUNTER WITH A DEMON

Right from the start, the Lord Jesus had to deal with the problem of demons attacking human beings. Some have dismissed these mentions of demonic attacks as nothing more than accommodation on the part of the Lord Jesus to the superstitious ideas of the common people.

However, as we study the Gospel narrative carefully, we have to reject this view. Luke has proven himself to be an astute observer of details. He carefully distinguished between those who had physical diseases and those who were demonized.

With reference to the physically ill, we have this statement:-

“When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick
with various diseases brought them to Him;
and He laid His hands on everyone of them and healed them.”
Luke 4:40

Luke however also made the following observation,

“And demons also came out of many,
crying out and saying,
‘You are the Christ, the Son of God!’ “
Luke 4:41

This distinction between those who suffered from physical diseases and those who were attacked by demons, was carefully maintained.

This leaves us with only one conclusion. There is such a thing as demonic attacks! It serves no purpose to dismiss the Biblical record of the Lord dealing with people who were attacked by demons. On the other hand, it would be wise to pay close attention to how the Lord Jesus dealt with such problems. Many deep lessons can be learned when we pay close attention to what Jesus sought to teach His Disciples.

THE VICIOUS NATURE OF DEMONS

When the Lord Jesus came down from the mountain with His three disciples, He met a man with a desperate need. He said,

“Teacher, I implore You,
Look on my son, for he is my only child.”
Luke 9:38

He continued telling the Lord Jesus the agony he felt as he looked upon the helpless estate of his only son,

“And behold, a spirit seizes him,
and he suddenly cries out;
It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth,
And it departs from him with great difficulty,
Bruising him.” Luke 9:39

Luke could not have described the nature of demons more accurately. They will attack anyone, even a child! They have no sense of mercy, they will attack an only child too. They are vicious in the way they can harm a child physically. They will brutalize those they attack if it suits their fancy!

THE FAILURE OF THE DISCIPLES

The Lord selected three Disciples to be with Him up in the mountain. The other Disciples were not on vacation! They were given work to do. The kind of work that they were supposed to do was highlighted by the man who appealed to the Lord Jesus for help.
This man had come to the Disciples for help. He said plaintively,

“So I implored Your Disciples to cast it out,
but they could not.”
Luke 9:40

The Lord had left work for the Disciples! They were supposed to minister to people who came to Him. Unfortunately, they had failed – at least in this particular instance!

“O FAITHLESS AND PERVERSE GENERATION” Luke 9:41

The Lord Jesus uttered these words with a deep sense of sadness. Had He not performed enough miracles to inspire great faith? Had He not taught plainly enough to cause them to know and to believe deeply?

This work of rebuke was meant for all concerned. The pitiful father who could not do anything better than lodge a complain; the Disciples who had been disappointing in their ministry. However, they were not the only ones who were blameworthy! The whole generation was just as “faithless and perverse”!

Did they not know that the Lord Jesus would not always be with them? “How long shall I be with you and bear with you ?” (Luke 9:41). Even as He said these words, He must have thought of the fact that soon He must suffer, and be killed by His enemies (Cf Luke 9:22).

“THEN JESUS REBUKED THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT…” Luke 9:42

The wickedness of the unclean spirit was well captured in these words,

“And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down
and convulsed him.”
Luke 9:42

The Lord Jesus knew that He had to deal firmly with this wicked, unclean spirit. He rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child. He then returned the child back to his father, fully cured!

Let us be deeply challenged to love and appreciate the Lord Jesus deeply. Does not our heart also long for such spiritual authority to help those who are in desperate plight, such as the young lad we read about in Luke’s Gospel narrative?