For years, I had read this somewhat strange passage and wondered what it meant—

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry 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 takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

I struggled to understand if a saved person could be possessed by demons (the answer is “no”).

But this time, I dug deeper. I went to commentaries and my Enduring Word app.

Finally, I have come to understand these verses tie back to the previous context. (Another reason it is so important to read God’s Word in context and not just pull out a verse or two, “willy-nilly”.)

If we look back, Jesus had just healed a mute person possessed by a demon (Luke 11:14).

Notice, it does not say this person surrendered his life to Christ. This person had merely been freed from the demon.

Oswald Chambers once said, “There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.”

This is another reason the prosperity gospel is so dangerous. It sets people up to treat God like a genie in a bottle and when He doesn’t perform as expect they end up in a worse position than before.

Chambers goes on to say, “ If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means.“ He says, “you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself.”

How many of us have seen folks, we know and love, make a profession of faith only to fall away, to an even worse place, when things don’t go as they expect, when God does something they don’t like or doesn’t immediately give them everything they want?

But those who truly come to the end of themselves and surrender their lives to the Lord, who seek His way and His glory over their own, walk in peace far greater than any worldly circumstance could ever bring.

Let me say that again—those who truly come to the end of themselves and surrender their lives to the Lord, who seek His way and His glory over their own, walk in peace far greater than any worldly circumstance could ever bring.

There is no room for demons to inhabit their hearts because Christ truly resides there.

We must all ask ourselves, is it truly God we want or just what He can do for us?

Has there been a time in your life where you’ve surrendered all of yourself to all you know of Him?

Do you continue to seek to know His ways, through His Word, and die to yourself daily?

Is Jesus the Lord of your life and does He influence every decision you make?

Yes, He loves you.
Yes, His plans for you are good.
Yes, He is peace and hope.

But He is not a genie in a bottle! He is the King of Kings! He alone is worthy of all honor, praise and glory!

He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.“ (Matt 16:24)

Surrender.

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Are you following Him? Or still trying to rule your own kingdom?

Jesus goes on to say, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28)

Blessed are those who surrender!

For years, I had read this somewhat strange passage and wondered what it meant—

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry 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 takes with himseven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”