Knowing The Word in Luke 11:24-26

Return of an Unclean Spirit

11:24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

Comments

Jesus adds a story to show he is not talking about temporary moral reformation when a demon is expelled but a complete and final defeat of evil. When he says, “has gone out of a person,” the demon has not been expelled but has simply left and will return to the person, who is the “house.” With the evil spirit temporarily gone, the man’s life is better and looks clean. Yet, there was more moral tidying up that was not done. His life was not inwardly devoted to God but only by outward appearance. The demon then returns to live permanently.

When anyone gets rid of an evil spirit but puts nothing in its place, he is in grave moral danger. No one can live long in a moral vacuum. The kingdom of God does not bring a vacuum but a defeat of evil, which is replaced with the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16-17 Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” Later Jesus says in John 14:23, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” The key to giving ourselves to God is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Application

Have you ever experienced the return of an unclean spirit in your life or witnessed it in the life of someone else? It is not a pretty picture and can be very discouraging. I remember a financial fraudster who stole, served time in prison, proclaimed to have come to faith in Jesus and was reformed, came out of prison, and stole again. He damaged so many people. Dealing with evil is serious business.

Prayer

Father, give me discernment to see evil in the world and the wisdom to know what to do about it.