Tuesday, January 19, 2010

DEMONIC POSSESSION IN THE BIBLE

In the Old Testament we have only one instance, and even that is not very certain. We are told that “an evil spirit from the Lord troubled” Saul (1 Samuel 16:14). In New-Testament times, however, the phenomenon had become very common.” According to the American Standard Bible, King Saul requested that the deceased prophet Samuel be summoned by channeling, even though he had been admonished by God not to allow such practices in his kingdom. He used a woman possessed by a “familiar spirit” – the Witch of Endor – for this purpose (1 Samuel ch. 28).The New Testament mentions several opportunities in which Jesus drove out demon from diseased persons, believed to be these entities responsible for those illnesses.

• Matthew 4:23-25: Demon-possessed persons are healed by Jesus (also Luke 6:17-19.

• Matthew 7:21-23: Many will drive out demons in Jesus’ name (also Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17; Acts 5:16; 8:7).

• Matthew 8:14-17: Jesus healed many demon-possessed (also Mark 1:29-39; Luke 4:33-41).

• Matthew 8:28-34: Jesus sent a herd of demons from two men into a herd of about two thousand pigs (also Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39, both referring to only one man).

• Matthew 9:32-34: Jesus made a demon-possessed and mute man speak, the Pharisees said it was by the power of Beelzebub (also Mark 3:20-22).

• Matthew 10:1-8: The Twelve Apostles given the authority to drive out evil spirits (also Mark 3:15; 6:7; 6:13; Luke 9:1; 10:17).

• Matthew 11:16-19: “this generation” said that John the Baptist was possessed by a demon (also Luke 7:31-35).

• Matthew 12:22-32: Jesus healed a demon-possessed blind and dumb man (also Luke 11:14-23; 12:10; Mark 3:20-30).

• Matthew 12:43-45: Jesus told an allegory of nasty spirits coming back home, that is to the human body where they have lived before (also Luke 11:24-26).

• Matthew 15:21-28: Jesus expelled a demon from the body of the daughter of a Canaanite woman (also Mark 7:24-30).

• Matthew 17:14-21: Jesus healed a lunatic by driving out a demon from him (also Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-49).

• Mark 1:21-28: Jesus expelled a nasty spirit from a man (also Luke 4:31-37).

• Mark 9:38-40: A non-Christian is seen driving out demons in Jesus’ name (also Luke 9:49-50).

• Mark 16:9: Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary Magdalene (also Luke 8:2).

• Luke 7:21: Many people are cleansed from evil spirits by Jesus.

• Luke 13:10-17: Jesus expelled a spirit of disease from the body of a woman on the Sabbath.

• Luke 13:31-32: Jesus continued to cast out demons even though Herod Antipas wanted to kill him.

• Luke 22:3: Satan entered into Judas Iscariot (also John 13:27).

• John 7:20: A “crowd of Jews” that wanted to kill Jesus said he was demon-possessed.

• John 8:48-52: “The Jews” said Jesus was a Samaritan and demon-possessed.

• John 10:20-21: Many Jews said Jesus was raving mad and demon-possessed, others said he was not.

• Acts 5:3: Satan filled the heart of Ananias.

• Acts 5:16: The Apostles healed those tormented by evil spirits.

• Acts 8:6-8: At the teaching of Philip the Evangelist in Samaria, evil spirits came out of many.

• Acts 8:18-19: Simon Magus offered to buy the power of Laying on of hands.

• Acts 10:38: St. Peter said Jesus healed all who were under the power of the devil.

• Acts 16:16-24: Paul and Silas were imprisoned for driving a future-telling spirit out of a slave girl

• Acts 19:11-12: Handkerchiefs and aprons touched by Paul cured illness and drove out evil spirits.

• Acts 19:13-20: Seven sons of Sceva attempted to drive out evil spirits by saying: “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” But because they did not have faith in Jesus, they were unsuccessful and were actually driven from that house by the possessed.

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