Religious Spirits (#119 of 365+)

“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know
who you are—the Holy One of God!’

‘Be quiet!’ Jesus said sternly” (Luke 4:33-35)

Early on, soon after he was tried and tempted in the desert, Jesus began healing and teaching about the kingdom of God in the most natural place to find a gathering of Jews—in local community and prayer centers called synagogues. People would marvel at Jesus’ authority and knowledge but on this particular occasion there was a troublesome heckler in the crowd. The man was possessed by a demon and it must have had quite a fright when it saw Jesus enter the building. This was the local house of religion, not a place for God’s presence! Surely this could mean only one thing: King Jesus had come to win back his people and destroy his enemies. The evil spirit felt threatened, to say the least.

Once, when Joni visited an ancient cathedral and joined along as a choir practiced a hymn in Latin, a church official told her to stop being a disturbance. She was told that lovely building with arched ceilings and stained glass windows was no place to sing an impromptu praise to God. It was a place for formality and ritualism. Joni sadly reflected, “Evil spirits—that is, religious spirits—feel very at home in some churches and synagogues… where the focus is on rituals and traditions, rather than the vibrant life of the Spirit of Christ”.

In much the same way, I think believers who understand grace and are filled with the Spirit of God will encounter conflict whenever they approach a place or even a soul the enemy has claimed as its own… “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Father, may my family rely on the power of your Spirit to have victory over evil and religious spirits that plague our community in schools, places of business, and even houses of worship. Help us to always remember that we’re always secure in the palm of your hand. Thank you for your eternal grace and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.