You’ve Been Served With An Eviction Notice
We have a couple of rental properties, and we’ve been so lucky to have had good renters. I’ve heard many horror stories about renters who destroyed property, didn’t pay the rent, and refused to vacate the premises. The landlord owns the property but doesn’t have the right to remove people without good cause. That usually involves litigation and the police; it can be months before anything is done.
Did you know that Mary Magdalene was sick when Jesus met her?
Luke 8:1-2
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
Mary was tormented by SEVEN demons or evil spirits. Can you even begin to imagine her anguish and torment on a daily basis? It would be bad enough to have one demon living in you causing havoc, but having seven must have been a total nightmare. It is no wonder Mary Magdalene became a devoted follower of Jesus after He cured her of the demons.
It was Mary’s body, and I doubt she invited the demons to live inside her. But, by herself, she couldn’t evict her demons, but with the help of Jesus Christ, she was cured.
The Bible doesn’t say what demons possessed Mary. I’ve heard lots of different versions of what the demons were, but since the Bible doesn’t mention them, there is no real way of knowing.
When I got to thinking about Mary, I started to think about the “demons” we all may have living in us. We don’t think of them as demons, but I was listening to a sermon talking about the spirit of Jezebelle. Since Jezebelle was a beautiful woman, I assumed that the spirit of Jezebelle was a siren or a seductress, but I think there was a lot more to it.
Demons and Spirits We Need to Evict
The Spirit of Discouragement. The word discouragement comes from the root word courage. The prefix dis- means “the opposite of.” So discouragement is the opposite of courage. When we are discouraged, we lose the motivation to press forward. The mountain seems too steep, the valley too dark, or the battle too fierce, and we lose the courage to continue.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
The Spirit of Negativity. Negative people tend to focus on others people’s faults (or their own faults). They point out shortcomings with their comments, attitudes, and frowns.
“Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed?” Max Lucado
Proverbs 12:18
18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
The Spirit of Comparison. Comparison opens the door for lies to steal our confidence and cause us to feel less than others. Social media has exasperated the situation since most people only tend to share the highlight reels of their lives. We watch others who have more money, a bigger house, a successful career, or a loving family, and we don’t feel we measure up.
Galatians 6:4-5
4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load.
We all have demons and evil spirits inside us, but like Mary Magdalene, Jesus can rid them from us. Jesus gave us all the authority to overcome the power of the enemy, not by our power, but by His.
Luke 10:19
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Take a little time to evaluate what demons or spirits you might have, and then evict them in the name of Jesus. Kick those suckers to the curb; they do not need to be in your body. You don’t have to call a lawyer or the police or wait months to rid yourself of unwanted guests. Call on the Holy Spirit and ask HIM to guide you and show you what needs to be done. I know we will all feel much better and lighter, and be a devoted follower of Jesus after He cures us of “our” demons.
To GOD Goes The Glory!
Have a Blessed Day!
Right on the mark today! Thank you for such great reminders!
Love today’s message. We all have our “demons”. Thanks be to God for His power to free us.
Good message Tanis, God Bless you and your WHOLE family
today and forever.
Roeli
Angel network. The Choosen season 1 has a good episode about this. FREE download.
Great message, needed the nudge.
Amen! Excellent message!
Good morning, happy Sunday.
Your words this morning reminded me of a Director, I had 30+ years ago. I was a young Mother and first year teacher, at a Presbyterian school. I being Catholic, my whole life, was never taught to pray out loud, unless it was in Mass with the entire congregation saying the same prayer. At this school, the teachers gathered each morning to pray out loud together, which was an incredible way to start our school day. My Director explained that it was our job as parents & teachers to discipline, but to teach a lesson when we did it. Just like Jesus taught his Disciples, because that is where the word began.
So I looked up the words:
Disciple (pronounced “dee-sigh-pull”) is a noun. It means an adherent and follower of a specific leader’s teaching. For example, in Christianity, Jesus had 12 such followers. Disciple can be a verb, as in to teach or make someone a student, but it’s not a common, popular usage.
Discipline (pronounced “diss-uh-plihn”) has multiple meanings.
As a noun, it can mean a school of thought or subject matter.
As a noun, it can mean regular regimen intended to build good habits, good character, or both, for example, a drill.
As a noun, it can mean punishing or reprimanding someone in order to get him/her to improve their behavior.
The following story uses both words correctly:
I am a dedicated disciple of Weight Watchers & Tania’s blogs. I appreciated the health and the self esteem that those disciplines have instilled in me, since I started three years ago. At first, I didn’t like changing my lifestyle or closet choices, but I stuck with it. As I lose weight and feel better in clothes, I am pleased with myself.
Thank you for your constant reminders that I find in my inbox daily. I also have to discipline myself not to buy too many items, buy quality clothes and stay within my budget.
Karen
Thanks for encouraging words from the bible.
What a great message for us! Thank you for sharing this with us.
I love this! Very helpful. God bless you.