in Mark 1 verses 21 to 28; We begin with the story Jesus had just called Simon {Peter}  and his brother Andrew along with John and his brother James the sons of Zebedee to follow Him. The four of them and Jesus entered Capernaum, Jesus goes straight into the synagogue and teaches.

In the writings of Mark he depicts the scribes as teaching the Law though the lens of tradition of the elders. He describes Jesus as teaching the Law pure and simple, getting to the heart of obedience to God’s commands.

The reaction to His teaching is extraordinary wheres the people do not seem convinced by the teaching of the elders, because Mark considers it lacking authority, but the people find Jesus compelling.

Suddenly as Jesus teaches, a demon-possessed man enters. His demon is looking to fight back at Jesus, having made the assumption that Jesus seeks to destroy the powers of evil, which was a correct assumption. it is funny at this point the Demons recognize Who Jesus is and what He came to do, but the religious people didn’t have a clue who He was.

The Demon {evil spirit} is aware that Jesus does not simply want to exorcise the odd demon, but to destroy them all. The demon accuses Jesus of waging war on  the evil hordes of Satan. The Demon identifies  he know who Jesus is Verse 24:

“What do You have to do with us, Jesus Nazarene? You come to destroy us? I {the Demon] know who you are — The Holy One Of God”.

The demon doesn’t really understand He has no power over Jesus, and tries to over power Jesus. but fails. Jesus rebukes the demon, and there is a pitiful struggles by the demon, but he leaves the man.

The Battle of Jesus against the forces of Satan had begun, but the Good News proclaimed through Christ Jesus coming is He has already won the battle, and we now have victory over all the forces of evil.

Isaiah 54 verse 17: “No weapon formed against you will succeed”

Note: They might be formed but they can’t succeed against those IN Christ Jesus, Romans 8 verse 1.

2 Corinthians verse 3 to 5:

V3: “For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way”.

V4: “since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God to the demolition of strongholds”.

V5: “and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every though captive to the obedience of Christ”

The lesson from this story in Mark is about authority of the evil one, but one of his best tactics is as it is told in this story, The demon interrupts the teaching of Jesus. He does not want people to hear, let alone obey them. Jesus suggests as much in the parable of the sower, where Satan comes to take away The Word as soon as it is sown. {Mark 4 verse 15}.

Jesus has conquered Satan on our behalf.

James 4 verses 7 and 8:

V7: Therefore submit to God,  but resist the Devil, and He will flee from you”.

V8: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”,

We have the victory, walk in it.

God Bless.

O F J

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