WWUTT 2391 When the Evil Spirit Returns (Luke 11:24-28)

Jesus talked about an evil spirit that tried to go back to the person that spirit had previously possessed and brought seven other spirits more powerful than itself and the condition of that person was worse than before.

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Here once again is Pastor Gabe.

Luke 11:24-28 and the Strong Man’s House

Thank you Becky.

In our study of the Gospel of Luke we come back to chapter 11. We just read about Jesus casting out an unclean spirit and here he's going to tell a parable about an unclean spirit and what one must do after hearing the word of God.

This is Luke 11 beginning in verse 24. I'm going through verse 28. Hear the word of the Lord. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person it passes through waterless places seeking rest and finding none it says I will return to my house from which I came and when it comes it finds the house swept and put in order.

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself and they enter and dwell there and the last state of that person is worse than the first. As he said these things a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed but he said Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

So we come back to verse 24 and as I said in the beginning this is right after Jesus has cast out an evil spirit. There was a demon that made a man mute and when Jesus cast out the demon the man was able to speak again.

The people marveled at this. Some said that he casts out demons by Beelzebul and then others wanted to see a sign from heaven. They wanted some other confirmation that Jesus could be the Messiah that they were waiting for.

They've seen him do all these other miraculous things but a sign from heaven would really seal it. Well Jesus rebukes those who said that he was casting out demons by Beelzebul because how can Satan cast out Satan?

But then he also makes the point that when the strong man is bound when a strong man who's guarding his own house is bound and he's not able to defend his own house then someone can come in and plunder his goods and this was supposed to be a picture of what Christ was doing.

The strong man is Satan and he's been bound and now Christ is plundering his kingdom and winning souls who had been ensnared by Satan into the kingdom of God through the preaching of the gospel and he would commission his disciples to go out and do the same of course after Jesus' death and resurrection and his ascension away from them.

Then they were going to be commissioned to go out and preach the gospel in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth and in preaching the gospel as said at the end of Jude it would be snatching people out of the flames as Jesus said about the church in Matthew 16 I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it so we're going to be breaking down the gates of hell and winning souls out of the trap of Satan into the kingdom of God and this happens through the preaching of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit to change the lives of those who hear and believe of course the Holy Spirit is even regenerating the heart of the person before they believe that's how they come to faith because the Holy Spirit acted upon the person's heart first that they could hear and understand the gospel and be convicted of their sin and put their faith and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

The Need for Real Heart Transformation

So Jesus is casting out this evil spirit. He gives this metaphor or even this parable as you might want to call it regarding the strong man and then plundering his house and then still along the same lines as he's talking about these things he says this parable about an unclean spirit in verses 24 to 26.

Now this is about how a person needs to be obedient to God it is more than just having your sin forgiven. If the person doesn't change their behavior after that you're forgiving their sin. You're forgiving your sins.

When a person confesses their sin before God he will forgive as said in 1 John 1 .9 if we ask forgiveness if we confess our sins it says then God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But.

If a person goes from there to continuing to do the same evil works that they were doing before then nothing really has been accomplished in the forgiveness of their sins. They're still making themselves vulnerable to attacks by Satan.

In fact they're even they're even doing what the devil wants it's as if they're saying devil what do you want me to do? And then they go out and do it. If a person who has been forgiven their sin doesn't turn from their sin but instead goes right back to it so Jesus is pointing this out here that a person who has been cleansed but then goes back to doing the wickedness that they were doing before their situation is going to be worse off than if they had not even been forgiven in the first place.

It's really as if they had never been. They had never received that forgiveness at all. So verse 24 when the unclean spirit has gone out of a person it passes through waterless places seeking rest and finding none.

It says I will return to my house from which I came. Now if Jesus is saying this in the hearing of all the people who are there these are the same people who had just seen him cast this unclean spirit that was causing this man to be mute.

Jesus rebuked the spirit and he was cast out of him. So they've witnessed this they've seen Jesus exercise a demon. And so Jesus might be saying here about that same unclean spirit or in any of these occasions where he has cleansed a person of unclean spirits.

When the unclean spirit has gone out of him then it passes through waterless places. This is a reference to domains in which demons would dwell and desert places those places that have become as the Old Testament says a haunt for jackals that's a reference to a place that demons would inhabit.

Evil spirits are there. So this demon goes to the place that it inhabited before before it had entered into a person and possessed them. So it's passing through waterless places seeking rest. But it finds none finding none.

It says I'll return to my house from which I came. So looking for places of rest. Most likely that demon is looking for someone else to possess. But since it's out in a deserted area a waterless place somewhere that people do not inhabit it's not able to find another person to possess.

So it says I'll go back to the house from which I came. In other words I'm going to go back to the person that I was cast out of in the first place. And when it comes when it comes to that person it finds the house.

Swept.

Cut.

And put in order so again. This is a picture of a person.

Who's been.

Forgiven their sins and they turn from their sin. Perhaps they might try to live an improved life compared to where they were when they were under the oppression of this evil spirit but their hearts have not really been transformed.

They're not really seeking after God. They're probably under their own power just trying to do better. Or maybe they're still dabbling in the sin that they were doing before just not in as great a quantity or something to that effect.

But the evil spirit comes back and sees the house swept clean. This person's really trying to make an improvement for themselves but there's been no real genuine heart transformation. This is not a person who has now turned themselves to God and is desiring to do what is honoring of Christ.

They're still in and of themselves a righteous person. Or wanting to claim that that's self-righteousness. I can just be a better person I can be good. And look I'm not falling into the same errors that I was doing before.

So what does that evil spirit do? It goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself. Seven is the number of completion in the Bible. So you're talking about a totality of evil spirits. One that would be so powerful mounting such an attack against this person that they won't be able to fend it off.

So seven other spirits more evil than itself come in and dwell there. They enter into that person and live there. And the last state of that person Jesus says is worse than the first. They're worse off than if the demon had not been cast out at all because at that time it was just one demon.

Now it's seven more.

Even more powerful.

Than the previous demon and the condition of that person is worse than it was before the exorcism had taken place. Now if you've been a long time listener of this broadcast then you've heard this story before.

But this goes with what we're reading here in Luke chapter 11 several years ago this was while I was still a pastor in Kansas there was a young man who came into my church who was looking for an exorcist and he came to me and he says I need somebody who will cast out an evil spirit.

And I said alright. And the guy said I've been all over town I've been to other churches they said they don't do exorcisms. I even went to the Catholic church and they told me they don't do exorcisms anymore.

And the possibility there was that maybe there was a lawsuit or something like that. So that particular Catholic church said we're not going to do this anymore. But I know that there are still Catholic churches out there doing these exorcisms.

So anyway he comes to me and he says I've talked to so many different people and so I'm wondering if you could help me out. I said well I've never done an exorcism before but why don't you tell me why you think you need an exorcist.

And he said well I've got these two friends this boyfriend and this girlfriend who are living together and the girlfriend is experiencing something that I can only describe as being an evil spirit or demonic possession or oppression or something like that.

He told me that he grew up in church he hadn't been attending church for a number of years but just through his church background he had the suspicion that maybe this is some sort of demon that was making things difficult for her.

She just had this overwhelming sense of dread even thoughts of suicide. She felt like something was watching her constantly. And even when this young man and her boyfriend would show her that nothing was there it just made the problem worse for her.

It just meant well this thing is elusive and it's not going to show itself. She said it would whisper things to her in dreams though she couldn't remember what it said when she would wake up. Just that she had this overwhelming sense of dread this oppression by this other entity that was in the room.

And they've been to doctors and nothing would help. They went to therapists they did therapy. There was even some drugs that would be prescribed to her. But the drugs only seemed to make the problem worse.

It did not make the problem go away. So this young man said to his friends would the two of you be willing to consider that this might be something religious. Maybe this is a demonic spirit and it will have to be cast out by a religious man.

Would you be willing to do something like that. And they said we've tried everything else and it seems to fit. You know what we've heard about demons and stuff like that. So yes let's try that go see what you can find.

And if somebody can cast out this evil spirit for us. And he said to me do you believe my story. And I said I have no reason not to believe. You can I show you something first. And he said okay. So we went into the sanctuary because we were kind of outside in the foyer area.

And I went in there and grabbed a bible and I opened it up to Luke chapter 11. And I read this account here verses 24 to 26 there's an unclean spirit that's cast out of a person passes through waterless places seeking rest says I will go back to the house from which I came.

And when it comes it finds everything swept clean and put in order. The demon was cast out. The person seems to be in pretty good condition. With the demon cast out so it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself.

They enter into that person and dwell there. And Jesus says the last state of that person is worse than the first. And I looked at this young man and I said you say that you haven't been in church in a long time.

But let me ask you this. Would you agree with me that your two friends this boyfriend and girlfriend are living in sin. And he said do you do you mean do I think that that with them living together. And I mean essentially fornicating together that they are sinning against God.

And I said right. And he said yes. I would have to admit that.

I said okay.

So here's what can happen. I can come and pray over the house. We can anoint the place.

With oil.

I can lay hands on her I can command the evil spirit to come out of her. All of that may work and you will see a drastic improvement the next day. She has a cheery disposition. She does not feel that presence upon her anymore and it will look to you as if everything has been solved has been taken care of.

But the fact that they're still living in sin makes her susceptible to another attack and the next attack that comes upon her will be worse than before. Maybe that evil spirit will come back or it will be other evil spirits.

More powerful.

Than the one that was cast out and they will oppress her and her situation will be worse than if I had never done anything at all. And he seemed to be pretty stunned by this. And I said let me show you something else.

And so we look back at the passage Luke 11 verse 27 as he said these things a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him blessed is the womb that you bore and the breasts at which you nursed.

But Jesus said blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it. I turned a few pages back to Luke chapter 9 and verse 23 where we read. If anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself. For whoever is ashamed of me and my words of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of his father and of the holy angels.

And I said to this young man here's what I want to tell you you are actually capable yourself of trusting in the word of God of turning from your sin to Jesus Christ and asking him to save you and forgive you of your sins.

And he will do it. You don't need me for that you can do that on your own. And then you can tell your friends that they too must turn from their sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I promise you.

If they do that.

It will drive this evil spirit right out because the Holy Spirit will come into your life and he will ransack the place. And instead of of the sins and the desires that you've been chasing after that have made you susceptible to this attack the Holy Spirit will live in your heart and will not only ward off these evil spirits but will unite you to God.

As you can read later in James chapter 4 that to flee the devil we need to draw near to God and he will draw near to us resist the devil and he will flee from you. So you must turn from your sin you must encourage your friends to turn from their sin.

And whoever hears the word of God and keeps it is the one who is blessed. Is the one who will be protected from the schemes of Satan. I didn't say all of that in exactly those words but it was something to that effect.

And this young man was amazed at what I had just said to him and what I had shown him. And he said can I take that Bible with me as though that one was different than any other Bible. And I said certainly you can.

I gave him that.

I may have given him another book or two as well. I never saw him again but he did come back. He came back on a day that I wasn't at the church. My secretary was there however and she took the message from the young man.

I don't even know that he was from my community. He could have been from another town but he said and he left the message with my secretary. Tell Pastor Gabe thank you for everything that he said and did and that it worked.

And so I hope that the result of that was that my sharing the gospel with this young man convicted his heart and he turned from his sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he goes to his friends and tells them here's what we need to do.

And they were convicted of their sin and came to the Lord Jesus Christ moved out from one another. Or maybe they got married whatever happened there. But I would like to believe at least based on the message that he left with my secretary that they turned from their sin to Christ and were saved by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and doing what God has told us to do.

Mary, Prayer, and Mediation Through Christ

Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it again. Verse 27. The woman in the crowd raised her voice said to him blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed. Well that's Roman Catholicism isn't it.

Or even Eastern Orthodoxy worshiping Mary praying to her. You've got the rosary that the Roman Catholics practice in which they're praying 50 plus times to Mary. The same repetitious prayer over and over and over again.

They've got statues of Mary in their house. They bow down to them. You've got Latin America that has Our Lady of Guadalupe is practically a national symbol in Mexico. It's all over everything. They worship Mary more than they make any mention of Christ at all.

I have had Roman Catholics tell me that demons are scared of Mary. I said no they're not. They love Mary. They think it's great that you pray to Mary. They have no fear of her whatsoever. Well Mary teaches us to pray to Christ.

Yeah it doesn't matter if you're praying to Mary and you're also praying to God. The demons are just fine with that syncretism. That's the devil's playground. He loves that. That you have all these different pagan sort of beliefs that you bring into one system and claim that it's Christianity.

But it doesn't look anything like Christ commanded in the Bible. And so here's this woman attempting to bless Jesus' mother. Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast at which you nursed. But what's Jesus' reply?

Yes you will be blessed because you blessed my mother. That's not what he says. Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it. And there's nothing in the word of God about praying to Mary that won't get you anywhere.

She's not listening. Those prayers don't come before God. We can go straight to God the king of the universe he who created all things and sits enthroned on high. We are able to have access to the Father through Jesus Christ who died for us who rose again who ascended into heaven who is seated at the right hand of God who is interceding on our behalf as our advocate as said in 1st John meaning he's speaking favorably of us before the Father.

1st Timothy 2 .5. There is one mediator between God and man and that is the man Christ Jesus. He brings our request to the Father. He is the one who speaks favorably on our behalf. You can go straight to God again from James 4 draw near to God.

And he will draw near to you resist the devil and he will flee from you. Why don't we finish there with prayer. Heavenly Father we thank you for what we have read and I pray that we would indeed desire to honor Christ with our whole lives for he gave his life for us that by believing in him our sins would be forgiven and we would have everlasting life.

But having received that forgiveness may we not deceive ourselves into thinking well I prayed a prayer once and now I can go live my life however I want. We're going to make ourselves susceptible to attacks from the evil one.

And we will not find ourselves actually standing on the side of Christ on the day of judgment. For we may have said something for a time but our heart was really not with him. As Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees.

They acknowledge me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. May we have a heart that is filled with your spirit and draw near to Christ and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and God protect us from the schemes and the snares of the evil one.

It's in Jesus name. We pray. Amen.

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Join us again tomorrow as we continue our Bible study When We Understand The Text.