S
spencer2
Guest
Can someone explain if this was a literal demon and why were there more to return than before?
- Status
B
Barbkw
Guest
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.
'When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."
Jesus referred to them as evil spirits.
Which of course in our “modern” day and age, we bristle at the thought of eternal evil spirits
From my own personal experience with compulsive behaviors, I agree that once a person believes they have “conquered” one negative behavior, they better be prepared for the next onslought of all the others that will be equally as tempting to become attached to.
My worst is compulsive overeating, which began after I stopped being a compulsive smoker. Which began after I attempted to control my compulsive fingernail biting. Which began after I attempted to control swearing. Which began after I attempted to control my anger.
On and on it goes. Different series of compulsive behaviors for each person.
Jesus asks us to identify the evil that is at the root of compulsive behaviors patterns that negatively affect our live.
Jesus is also asking us to believe in Him and to remain connected to Him throughout the exorcisms (there will be many).
'When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."
Jesus referred to them as evil spirits.
Which of course in our “modern” day and age, we bristle at the thought of eternal evil spirits
From my own personal experience with compulsive behaviors, I agree that once a person believes they have “conquered” one negative behavior, they better be prepared for the next onslought of all the others that will be equally as tempting to become attached to.
My worst is compulsive overeating, which began after I stopped being a compulsive smoker. Which began after I attempted to control my compulsive fingernail biting. Which began after I attempted to control swearing. Which began after I attempted to control my anger.
On and on it goes. Different series of compulsive behaviors for each person.
Jesus asks us to identify the evil that is at the root of compulsive behaviors patterns that negatively affect our live.
Jesus is also asking us to believe in Him and to remain connected to Him throughout the exorcisms (there will be many).
J
JRKH
Guest
I assume that you are refering primarily to verses 24-26:
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Whether the demon is literal, as in posession, or symbolic as in sinful habits/characteristics/living etc. could be debated I suppose. Personally I have viewed this passage in verses 24-26 as more symbolic.
The meaning is this. If a person purges themselves of sin (demon) but does not replace that sin with virtue (God) then the House (the person’s soul) remains empty AND unguarded. Thus when the person falls back into sin (which he will not having striven for holiness) not only will the old sin return but other sins (demons) will come as well and so, “the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Hope this helps
Peace
James
B
Barbkw
Guest
James makes an excellent point.
"If a person purges themselves of sin (demon) but does not replace that sin with virtue (God) then the House (the person’s soul) remains empty AND unguarded. Thus when the person falls back into sin (which he will not having striven for holiness) not only will the old sin return but other sins (demons) will come as well and so, “the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Compulsive behaviors and addictions continually seek either return or transference into other areas of a life.
The 12 steps of 12 Step Programs require a continual reliance on God, a constant personal inventory, forgiveness from God, confession to another, penance, and prayerful meditation.
•Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable
•Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
•Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
•Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
•Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
•Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
•Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
•Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
•Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
•Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
•Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out
•Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
"If a person purges themselves of sin (demon) but does not replace that sin with virtue (God) then the House (the person’s soul) remains empty AND unguarded. Thus when the person falls back into sin (which he will not having striven for holiness) not only will the old sin return but other sins (demons) will come as well and so, “the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Compulsive behaviors and addictions continually seek either return or transference into other areas of a life.
The 12 steps of 12 Step Programs require a continual reliance on God, a constant personal inventory, forgiveness from God, confession to another, penance, and prayerful meditation.
•Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable
•Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
•Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
•Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
•Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
•Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
•Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
•Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
•Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
•Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
•Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out
•Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
S
spencer2
Guest
Good answers. Thanks
- Status