Spirits

23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." (Mark :23-27)

After calling his first disciples, Jesus began his ministry teaching in the synagogue. Those in attendance noticed that he taught with a different authority than the scribes. As Jesus taught, a man possessed by an adversarial spirit entered the synagogue and questioned Jesus - correctly recognizing and acknowledging the holy nature of Jesus' spirit. The spirit in this unnamed man wanted to know if Jesus was going to interrupt the current order. Jesus answered by commanding the spirit to be quiet and release it's hold on the man. The unholy spirit was not destroyed but it's power was disrupted.

Disease and disorders - be they mental or physical - are not sinful or demented, but spiritual forces impact our lives rather we acknowledge them or not. By our praying and our living, we determine the spirit that has authority in our lives. Jesus' authority still overthrows the destructive spirits that threaten to overtake us. The negative spirits within us and in the world will always exist, but Jesus has the authority to put them in their place - subject to God's merciful justice.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:12-17)