OUT OF MY DEPTH
EVEN THE DEMONS KNOW
WHEN JESUS ACTS, THE SPIRITUAL REALM TREMBLES BY PHIL WAGLER
I
attended a youth conference years ago where I was introduced to the demonic for the first time. A young adult came screaming from the side of the auditorium during a prayer time. His curdled voice disrupted the gathering and raised my eyebrows before a few large men dragged him away. I had never witnessed something like that before. Recently a ministry colleague saw two people bow their heads in a restaurant before eating. Assuming them to be fellow believers he introduced himself. To his shock, they were Satanists! When he asked what they were praying, they said it was for the destruction of churches and ministry leaders in the area. Do you believe in the spiritual realm? How you answer that may depend on the culture that formed you. I was raised in a rural, Protestant Christian culture. That could explain why that youth conference was so paradigmshaking for me. What it revealed was what we see isn’t the whole story; what happens in the spiritual realm impacts what we see in the natural realm. And the Gospel of Mark reveals that the spiritual realm knows Jesus! In Mark 1 Jesus steps into view with authoritative teaching in Capernaum. People are amazed, but they don’t yet grasp his full glory. The demons, however, are very aware. A man with an unclean spirit cries out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy
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us? I know who you are — the Holy creation-despising, God-defying One of God” (Mark 1:24). Jesus quickly purposes. The demons are many, a quiets the demons and frees the man Legion, and they have contextualized they have imprisoned. themselves into a geography for A few chapters later Jesus they speak what is understood — not and his disciples cross the Sea of fantastical language — and reveal Galilee. This is the they are working a place first adventure of Jesus THE SPIRITUAL where people live, work, and his disciples into play and call home. REALM KNOWS Gentile territory. And, The demons, however, just as when Jesus was cower before the One! EXACTLY WHO revealed to his native The confluence of evil is HE IS; IT’S Jewish culture — the first reduced to begging and to recognize him is the HUMANS THAT the battle isn’t even fair. demons. The spiritual Jesus is the power! They ARE ONLY NOW may be named Legion, but realm knows exactly who he is; it’s humans there is no other name COMING TO that are only now coming under heaven by which KNOW HIM. to know him. people can be set free A crazy, troubled and made whole. This is man — so out of control that his own precisely what the demons know. people can’t handle him — lived The Gospels reveal a profound among the tombs. He was brash and thought: when Jesus enters a location a self-harmer. He sees Jesus and to redeem people and set up His runs, not to attack, but to fall on his Kingdom, it's the demons who know knees. He rages, “What do you want it’s coming first. What might the with me, Jesus Son of the Most High spiritual realm know about where God? In God’s name don’t torture you call home that you are not paying me” (Mark 5:6-7). The demons invoke attention to? If Jesus is on the move, God’s name to avoid God’s judgement! the spiritual realm is shaking. This They realize — just as the demons did is mysterious, it may mess with your in Mark 1:24 — that a cosmic shaking paradigms, but that doesn’t mean it was taking place. isn’t as true now as it was then. Jesus is on a mission of liberty and deliverance. Everyone else saw this bloke as a problem, but Jesus saw one bearing the image of God. Jesus / PHIL WAGLER is lead pastor of is for the man and he confronts the Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Church, hellish horde that is not for him. The BC. He also serves the Peace and man had become evil’s tool for their Reconciliation Network of the World own fear-inducing, identity-twisting, Evangelical Alliance.
