How do we apply Matthew 12:25
Upvote:1
Analogical place in Luke (11:14-28) have this context:
24 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”
That's the fruit of casting demons out without Jesus, or without accepting Jesus by the exorcised person. They may leave, but they will return and everything will be even worse. And often they will go even to the would-be exorcist. It is possible to cast out a demon without Jesus, but not for long.
My testimony should demonstrate the trickyness of fighting demons without Jesus Christ. Before my conversion, I used to be an occultist. Near the end of my occult period, I met a group that was cursed - several people felt strangling, without any apparent reason. One qirl among them broke this curse several times, but always someone else was cursed soon - the demons of the curse were just moving from one person to another, not really leaving. I become a target of this curse too, and tried to protect myself against it. I thought for a long time that I have been succesfull - only sometimes a weak sensation of touch on my neck appeared. Later, when I became Christian and realized my former "ways to God" like reiki were bad, this strangling curse awakened to full strengh. Thanks be to God - all demons are out now, after two years of infrequent exorcisms, and some are too far away to try to return. And what's best - I grow stronger and stronger in Holy Spirit, so the demons have no chance to return, despite temptation and haunting :-)
Upvote:2
In context, the Pharisees are talking about Christ casting out a devil, not a healing.
Matt 12:22,24 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub [Satan] the prince of the devils. (emphisis mine)
So the people at the time understood this man to be blind and dumb because of the devil and he was healed of that by casting out the devil. Hence why Christ talked about a divided house against itself since He was accused of casting the devil out by the power of Satan.
Satan has real power, and can counterfeit the works of Christ, especially when it comes to healing and the like. Which is why the context of being healed by the casting out of the devil is so important here. So just be aware of anyone that claims to heal and watch their fruits. Not just the big public displays like healing. Do they heal to bring people to Christ? Or for financial gain, or fame or something else? Do they preach of Christ and urge all to come unto Him? Do they claim to heal in Christs name or their own? These are some important questions to ask about anyone who claims to have any spiritual gift.
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