Scripture to Read: Luke 11:24–28
Jesus wanted the crowd to understand that spiritual warfare is real. God had Luke record this in Luke 11:24–26, “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” Jesus showed the crowd that being freed from an evil influence was not enough. If the freed person remained empty/unfilled, the evil could return and bring them into a worse condition than they had been in before being set free. Jesus warned people that deliverance alone is not enough. There must be a spiritual transformation including confession of sin, repentance (turning to Christ as Lord), and being filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Then, God had Luke record this in Luke 11:27–28, “While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.’ 28 But He said, ‘On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’” Jesus noted that those who are blessed are those who hear and obey. Obedience reveals that a person has truly been transformed by the power and Spirit of God (James 1:22–25).
Challenge & Application
Why is a physical or emotional healing from God not enough for a person to remain free indeed?
Why are those who hear God’s Truth and choose to obey God’s Truth truly the ones who are blessed?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!