Matthew 8:16-17 - My Spiritual Battle For A Panadol - Matthew 8 - Part 6 Series

Matthew 8:16-17 - "MY SPIRITUAL BATTLE FOR A PANADOL" - Matthew 8 - Part 6

Demons! There was a time when I told the Lord that I would do whatever He wanted me to do EXCEPT CAST OUT DEMONS and do weird stuff like that with the occult. I now realise that Jesus power and authority far exceeds that of demons. Oh yes, I believe that demons exist! You don't want to talk about it? Well, that's how I felt too, but it's no use trying to bury your head in the sand. We are, as many Christians say, involved in a Spiritual Battle. If all we are battling is having a bad day, and a headache, then hello? We have missed the point! That's not a Spiritual Battle! Today, I fought off spiritual forces of darkness who tried to thwart my every step as I battled to get a panadol! Get a life!

On the other hand, on one occasion I found myself praying that demons would stop oppressing a friend who had been male witch and had become a Christian. He knew the reality of demons. Am I to do that everyday? I hope not. That was a battle!

I was at Borders the other day (which reminds me that I must visit Koorong bookstore soon) and I noticed that most of the young adult best selling books had occult themes ranging from mythological warewolves to ghosts. And of course I can't not mention other demonically associated characters like vampires who fall in love with humans ("New Moon", etc and yes, no matter how much you cried over the books as they fell in love, we are still talking about figures traditionally associated with demons) but lets see what the Bible says in Matthew 8:16-17.

"That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and He healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, "He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.""

Now this is interesting. Demon possession, evil spirits cast out, people being healed and a prophecy from the distant past saying this applied to Jesus.

A couple of things catch my eye, and strike my interest, and I have all kinds of questions. Who were these demon-possessed people and how did they get demon-possessed? Can a demon actually possess someone, as in OWN THEM? Can someone really be so controlled by demons that they no longer have any control, eyes roll back, and they become super strong and scary? Is this just talking about mental illness and attributed to demons? And who are these demons anyway? Fallen angels, or some other weird spirit like ghosts and things conjured up by mediums and wigi boards? Should Christians read novels about demons? (I just read the Twilight series. Sorry to disappoint those who said the answer to that question was "No!")

And I have other questions. Jesus healed ALL THE SICK. Why isn't everyone we pray for today healed? Especially if the prophecy says that that is what Jesus came to do?

Jesus believed that demons existed. He cast them out with a single command. He had authority over Satan. And yes, Jesus believes Satan exists! That's good enough for me. I believe too. Demons exist. They can plague someone's life. People who have them can obviously make choices to come to Jesus to get rid of them. And they can be cast out simply by Jesus. Jesus can heal anyone. He didn't turn away anyone. He "healed all the sick". There is no sickness that is beyond His ability to heal.

NOT EVERYONE IS HEALED TODAY WHEN WE PRAY FOR THEM, HOWEVER. Why?

Yeah, I know that there were those who stayed at home instead of going to Jesus, even though they needed to be healed. They had a choice to come or not to come. We live in a world where people desperately need Jesus but not all want to come to Him. He seeks them. They don't always seek Him. Luke 19:10 (NLT) says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." He has come for those who come. BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME TODAY AND DON'T GET HEALED. What is that about? Does Jesus heal today? That's the million dollar question because if He does, why not "ALL" who come to Him?

At one stage Jesus despaired at those who did not come. In Matthew 23:37 (NLT) He says "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let Me.

Demons, Devil, Sin, Sickness. All words we bundle together at times. Just read Job. 1 John 3:8 (NLT) says, "...when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." If Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and this is true then why aren't all people healed today? I can't avoid these questions.