Open Heavens 22 September 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Demon Possessed?

Topic: Demon Possessed? [Thursday 22, September 2016]
Memorise: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. – Acts 10:38
Read: 1 Samuel 16:14-23 (KJV)
 14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
 15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 4-6, Psalms 66:1-9
MESSAGE:
 The use of the term “demon possessed” in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God’s presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument. I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word.
 As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognise the presence of God and they can’t be at rest in His presence. Even in church, while God’s anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:12-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God’s vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God’s presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.
 Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the dose of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God’s Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus’ name. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point: Father, please let your presence and the power of your Word fill my life completely in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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