Yesterday my honey and I were talking about a friend of ours who recently revealed struggles with an abusive work situation that had rekindled trauma related to abuse they suffered in their childhood. We were discussing how some people just seem to attract certain types of bad behavior towards them, almost as if they are marked. Looking at this situation with spiritual eyes, we know that people can be afflicted spiritually, and this particular situation seemed to have that look and feel.
A spiritual world view is very common, less so in the western mind-set, but certainly a perspective that is clear in scripture. Jesus regularly dealt with people who were demonized or spiritually afflicted and oppressed. Without getting into a full analysis of all the different stories and the different types, or stages of demon or spiritual affliction, suffice it say that Jesus certainly believed in this, as did the writers of the Gospels and other New Testament authors, in fact the word demon is used 72 times in the NIV version I use, and evil spirits 8 times. An example of a verse follows - Matthew 8:16 NIV: "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick."
If we were to look at all the stories in scripture, there do appear to be different levels of affliction and oppression that are spiritual in nature. This certainly was the world-view at the time of Jesus and that world-view continues to be held in much of the world.
In our conversation we were talking about how certain woundings can be related to types of spiritual affliction. In the case we were discussing it was evident that mental and emotional abuse were commonly experienced by this individual, but others around them who were interacting with the same people were treated completely differently. It was almost like this individual was wearing a "kick-me" sign on their back without their knowledge. I commented that it was like they had a target painted on their back, and as I said that I was reminded of a recent sermon we heard where our pastor described anointing as being painted with oil. This "anointing" or being painted with oil is a beautiful example of how God desires to bless, and make His favor evident.
In the case we were discussing, I saw in this type of situation that the person was experiencing almost the exact opposite, it was like they were painted with defilement (a nicer word than what I actually said). In the military, they speak of painting a target, using a laser or other technique to shine or identify the intended target so that the incoming bullet or missile hits exactly where they want. What we have seen and experienced, like this individual's situation, is something similar, but in the spiritual realm.
We have known many other people who seem to attract bad behaviour to them without any activity of their own, and we do know that for many of these people there was a spiritual component to that attraction. Jesus actually described something like this in the following verses found in Matthew 12:43-45 NIV:
[43] “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. [44] Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. [45] Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
While these verses seem to describe a hopeless situation, Jesus clearly dealt with demon afflicted people regularly and set them free. In other words, when the underlying spiritual situation was dealt with, the attracting of bad actors or spirits ceased. For instance, one women we know was sexually abused as young woman and it seemed that everywhere she went that men would approach her with bad intentions. It was only after dealing with the trauma she experienced earlier, through prayer, walking through forgiveness, and casting out the spiritual oppressors in Jesus' name, that she was set free from the constant affliction and abusive intentions and actions, and no longer has these same experiences. She is no longer marked.
We see an example of dealing with the underlying spiritual issue in the following verses - Matthew 9:32-33 NIV: While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. [33] And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
There are many examples of people with greater and lesser afflictions, of oppressed people being set free by Jesus, and the Apostles. This ministry is one of the identifiers of the Messiah, as prophesied by Isaiah and proclaimed by Jesus, about Himself in the following verses - Luke 4:16-21 NIV:
[16] "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, [17] and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
[18] “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
[20] Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
This morning I am encouraged that Jesus can still set any of us free from that which binds, that which oppresses, that which afflicts and in some cases, possesses. He has all authority and power (Matt 28:18) and demonstrated regularly His ability to cast out the spirits that afflicted the people He encountered. Jesus empowered His apostles and disciples to do the same, in His name, and as His followers, we have this same ministry available to us today.
It is my prayer that all who are so afflicted, oppressed and struggling might find freedom in Jesus Christ, the one who was anointed by God, painted in oil, to set us free!
Amen and Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment