S144P5 – When worlds collide: a revelation of real authority
Lk. 8:30-33
Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
When I was a kid, I loved to watch professional wrestling. What I remember most about that sport in those days was that there was a clear distinction between the good guys and the bad guys. There was even a Saturday morning cartoon that pitted one group against the other, and the good guys always prevailed. That was not always the case in the ring, but more times than not good conquered evil. If a villain was doing too well, one of the good guys might come out from backstage, fly into the ring and rescue his comrade. Some of the good guys were so good that they never lost. No matter how defeated they seemed, they always came back and won.
Jesus is the ultimate good guy. I do not say this because He is inherently good or loving or compassionate or holy. I say this because He always wins. Even when it looked like He had lost on Calvary, He actually won. His interaction here with this poor man is all about his power and authority. Those demons had taken possession over that man, but they knew in an instant that their authority was nothing compared to that of the One they faced. That is why they groveled. They knew that He had the power to do with them whatever He wanted. They also knew that they deserved to be cast into the abyss. No matter what kind of authority they exercised over that poor man, the appearance of Christ rendered them powerless.
The spiritual powers of darkness in this world only have the authority permitted and granted by God. There is an end point to that authority. There is a limit to what the devil and his demons can do. Evil does not have complete and free rein in this world. Jesus has been given all authority [Mt. 28:18], and He lives today. He works through us. That is the only reason we can pray for the sick and see them be healed. It is the authority of the Lord putting a stop to the work of the enemy. When those two powers meet, there is no competition and no question who will be the victor. Father, help us to walk in a way that lets your authority manifest through us to defeat the enemy’s schemes before our eyes.