INDIVIDUAL HEALINGS OF JESUS
Where Demonic Influence Is Mentioned
Matthew Mark Luke
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Crippled woman 13:10-17
Man with unclean spirit 1:23-25 4:31-37
Gadarene demoniac 8:28-32 5:1-13 8:26-33
Woman with blood 9:20-23 5:25-34 8:43-48
Syro-phoenician's daughter 15:21-28 7:24-30
Child with evil spirit 17:14-21 9:14-29 9:37-43
Dumb demoniac 9:32-33
Blind and dumb demoniac 12:22-30 3:22-27 11:14-26
STUDY NOTES:
The following are study notes on individual healings where demonic influence is specifically identified:
Crippled Woman: Luke 13:10-17
This woman was bound or crippled:
Physically: Her back was bent (satan does this to us so our gaze is down instead of up).
Spiritually: Her gaze was down instead of up.
Mentally: She had been told there was no hope.
Financially: She had spent all.
This woman was attending Sabbath day services and Jesus called her a "daughter of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7). We can assume she was a righteous, God-fearing person, yet a spirit of infirmity had bound her for 18 years.
This case illustrates the importance of discernment in ministering healing. This was a satanically caused illness. In His ministry, Jesus distinguished between normal physical illnesses, which were cured by the laying on of hands or anointing with oil, and cases of demonic affliction.
In cases of a believer being bound from the outside as a result of demonic affliction, the binding spirit was loosed. If it was an unbeliever with physical infirmities resulting from demonic possession, the demons were cast out. Jesus asked, "Ought not this woman be loosed?" (Jesus still asks us, "Ought not the sick be healed?")
The deliverance of this woman occurred during a regular church service. It raised opposition from the spiritual leaders, including the ruler of the synagogue. Dealing with demonic powers still raises objections from many spiritual leaders. Some deny their existence. Others deny their power to oppress or possess.
Jesus laid hands on the bound woman. Immediately, she was made straight and glorified God. In all true ministry to demonic oppressed or possessed, God should receive the glory, not the person used of God in the deliverance process.
Man With An Unclean Spirit In The Synagogue: Mark 1:23-28; Luke 4:31-37
Although this man was present in the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus does not refer to him as a son of Abraham or indicate he was a follower of God. There can be those present in a church fellowship who are unbelievers and demon-possessed. Church attendance does not guarantee a born-again experience or freedom from demonic powers.
Jesus was teaching with authority when the spirit cried out, "What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." (Mark 1:24) The demon actually quoted a Scripture found in Psalms 16:10. This demonic possession was plural, indicated by "us", revealing the presence of more than one demon. Demons work in teams. One demon was the spokesman, however, for he said "I".
When the demon began to speak, Jesus rebuked him saying, "Hold thy peace (be quiet), and come out of him." (Mark 1:25) The demons tore the man, cried out with a loud voice, threw him down, and came out. The witnesses of this event marveled at the authority and power with which Jesus dealt with unclean spirits. They were amazed and questioned, "What is this?" Both reports and rumors spread as a result.
Gadarene Demoniac: Matthew 8:28-32; Mark 5:1-13; Luke 8:26-33
According to Matthew, two men possessed by demons so fierce that no man could control them lived in the tombs. Mark and Luke stress the terrible condition and the deliverance of one of the two, whose condition was perhaps the worst ever encountered during the ministry of Jesus.
Possession here was by many demons. Both men were so affected that they could not live in normal society. They lived in the graveyard. The demons in one man called themselves "Legion" for they were many. They made it impossible to control this man, even with chains. The demons tormented him so badly that he went around crying out, cut himself with stones, and did not wear clothing. It is not necessary to know the name of a demon in order to have authority over it. Your authority is in the name of Jesus.
Note the types of bondage involved in this case:
Physical: Broke chains, cut himself
Emotional and mental: Crying out
Social: Separated from society
Moral: No clothing
Spiritual: Legion of demons
The demons recognized Jesus and asked if He had come to torment them before their time. "Their time" refers to their final judgment in the lake of fire.
That they requested not to be sent out of the country indicates satan may assign demons to specific territories. Jesus permitted them to enter a herd of pigs when He cast them out. This resulted in the death of the pigs. The residents of the city asked Jesus to leave. Pigs were their livelihood and were more important to them than the deliverance of men from demonic powers.
Woman With Issue Of Blood: Matthew 9:20-23; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
This woman had this condition for 12 years. She suffered many things of many physicians and spent all she had, but had grown worse instead of better. She was persistent, because she pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus.
She talked faith to herself and sought wholeness, not just healing. She said, "I shall be whole." It was her faith, not her touch that healed her. Jesus said, "Thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace. Be whole of thy plague."
When the woman touched Jesus, virtue went out of Him and they both felt it. She was whole from that hour and immediately felt in her body she was healed of the plague. She was also healed emotionally as she received release from her suffering. Although Jesus often used discernment, in this case He used natural means. He asked, "Who touched me?"
Syro-phoenician's Daughter: Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
This young girl had an unclean spirit that her mother recognized by outward manifestations. She described her daughter as being "grievously vexed with a devil." Jesus healed the girl because of the faith shown by her mother. The daughter was never in the presence of Jesus, which demonstrates actual physical presence is not necessary for deliverance of those oppressed or possessed by satan.
This and the following incident prove satan can affect children. This incident also illustrates the importance of persistence and the fact that healing is the "children's bread" (it belongs to the children of God).
Child With Evil Spirit: Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-45
The disciples tried to cast out an evil spirit, but failed. Jesus said it was because of unbelief and the fact that this particular type of demon came out only by prayer and fasting. An environment of unbelief may have influenced this situation, for the disciples were surrounded by and in debate with religious leaders at the time.
This story also demonstrates there are different demonic powers, some more forceful than others. The combined descriptions of the boy from all Biblical accounts reveal:
He was a lunatic (mentally deranged)
He was sore vexed
He often fell in fire and water (destroying spirit)
The spirit bruised or injured him
He had a dumb spirit
The spirit would tear him
He gnashed his teeth
There was a general pining away physically
He had had this condition since childhood
One must be careful not to class all deaf and dumb or those with epilepsy as demon-possessed. There are many deaf and dumb who are not demon-possessed. They may have suffered illnesses or injuries that resulted in their condition.
Luke records that as the boy came to Jesus, the demon caused him to have a fit. Jesus rebuked the spirit and healed the child. Matthew records that Jesus rebuked the devil, he departed, and the lad was cured that very hour.
Mark's record of this demonic encounter is more extensive than those of Matthew and Luke. Jesus interviewed and questioned the father as to how long the boy had been possessed. The father said the condition had existed from early childhood.
Jesus stressed to the father the importance of belief, then spoke to the deaf and dumb spirit and told it to come out and enter no more. The spirit cried and came out, leaving him in such a condition that many thought him dead; but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up.
When the disciples asked Jesus why they were unable to cast out the demon, Jesus answered:
"...Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye shall have faith as a grain of mustard seed ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place: and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:20-21)
His answer reveals the importance of faith, prayer, and fasting in dealing with demonic powers. It also proves some demons are more difficult to cast out than others because Jesus said "THIS KIND goeth not out" without prayer and fasting. An interesting note: Men rejected Jesus (John 1:11), while demons acknowledged Him (Luke 10:15).
Dumb Demoniac: Matthew 9:32-33
This man was brought to Jesus with dumbness caused by demon-possession. When the demon was cast out, the man was then able to speak. The crowd marveled and said, "It was never so seen in Israel." The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out devils through the prince of devils.
Blind And Dumb Demoniac: Matthew 12:22-30; Mark 3:22-27; Luke 11:14-26
Possession here included the physical afflictions of blindness and dumbness. Jesus healed this man by casting the demon out of him. He was able to speak and see after the deliverance. It was in connection with this deliverance that Jesus gave His most extensive teaching regarding the casting out of demons. A summary of this teaching reveals:
A divided house cannot stand. Demons call the bodies in which they reside their "house." It is not possible for demons and the spirit of God to exist in the same house.
Satan cannot cast out satan.
Casting out demons is part of the ministry of God's Kingdom.
The Spirit of God casts out demons. - It is necessary to bind the strong man (satan) before attempting to cast him out (spoil his works).
There is no neutral ground in this spiritual battle. If you are not with Jesus, you are against Him.
When an unclean spirit is cast out of a person, it seeks to reenter a human body.
If the person from whom the demon departs does not fill his spiritual house, the demon will return with other demons. The final condition of that person will be worse than in the beginning.
Other Incidents:
In addition to these specific references, the Bible makes general comments regarding the ministry of Jesus to those affected by demonic powers:
In the following references, the term "healed" is used to describe how Jesus dealt with the demons: Matthew 4:24; Luke 6:18.
In the following references the term "cast out" is used to describe His strategy: Mark 1:32-34,39; 6:13
Luke 4:41 simply records that the devils "came out." Luke 7:21 states that He "cured" them. Matthew 8:16 records that He "cast them out with His word."
Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2-3 state that Jesus cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalene.
In large crowds, Jesus did not allow the demons to speak out: Mark 1:32-34.
