Tell Them Jesus Said Hush

"And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.” (Mr 1:34 AV)

 It is easy to forget the devil and his helpers are subject to the LORD Jesus Christ.  They can only accomplish that which the LORD allows.  This verse piggybacks off of another passage I read in Judges chapter two.  In that chapter, we learn the LORD left so resistance to Israel in Canaan that He might prove or mature them into the nation He desired them to be.  When we think of the harassment our enemy inflicts, and wonder why the LORD would allow such things when He could simply and permanently remove it, we must remember He permits it for our maturity.  That being said, we are not fatally subject to the harassment of the devil.  We have an advocate who is infinitely strong than he.  The devil knows Jesus very well.  He attempted a celestial insurrection that failed.  He knows his Creator and he also knows he is subject to the authority of the Creator.  When we are pestered by the likes of Satan or his cohorts, we must remember they are subject to the God who made them and all we need to do is resist by the power of prayer and they will flee.  We are not victims here.

Have you ever had such a teacher or authority figure that when they entered the room, the entire room went silent?  Growing up in Catholic schools, this was a very common occurrence.  It was not uncommon to have a class that was a bit rowdy and the Nun had stepped out.  But the second she entered the room, dead silence was the practice.  I cannot remember many of the names of the Nuns that taught us, but I remember two.  There was Sister Mary Martha and Sister Mary Margarette.  The former was younger and more lax.  The latter, not so much.  If you would going to cross one, the former would have been the choice.  Never the latter.  We could mess around a little in Sister Mary Martha’s classroom, but never in Sister Mary Margarette’s.  When she entered the room, her shadow cast fears that were felt to the bone.  It wasn’t that she was abusive.  She never hit us nor raised her voice all that much.  Her demeanor is what drove the fear.  Just how she looked and how her presence spoke of authority.  We knew that when she was in the room, she was in total control.  I’ve spoken of the time we played a practical joke on her before.  She had an issue with paper footballs.  She just didn’t like them at all.  One afternoon, when she stepped out for a bit, as a class we began mass manufacturing paper footballs.  We pilled them on her desk.  We really weren’t being disrespectful.  We just wanted her to laugh.  Or at least smile.  Not so much.  When she came in, we knew the Apocalypse had just begun.  We were looking for Jesus to come back!  When she came into the room, the room was hers!

Something is amazing about the verse above.  Knowing who Jesus is, evokes silence from His enemies.  The same will be true when He returns.  The planet will be humbled at the presence of almighty God and not a word will be spoken.  But here is the encouragement for today.  We do not need to wait until Christ comes back.  The devils are subject to His sovereignty whether His throne is on the earth or in heaven.  It matters not.  Because they know Him, they said not a word.  Maybe one of the keys to freedom from satanic oppression is to remind those filthy creatures who our LORD and Savior is.  Perhaps they would respect the name of Jesus even if they do not respect the people of Jesus.  Our LORD is completely in control.  They cannot harass us without His knowledge.  They cannot torment our minds without His knowing.  He allows it that we might mature.  We need to learn to fight the good fight of faith and the only way to do that is to face adversity.  So, do not despair.  The enemies of the Cross may harass us, but they have no power over us.  All we need do is remind them the One they know is our protector and friend.