Casting out Demons: Origin of Demons

Despite it's centrality to Christ's ministry, casting out demons has seemed to have taken a back seat in our society. I feel I must emphasize that is only in our society that it has taken a back seat. In the rest of the world, demons, their influence, and combating demons is a way of life for many Christians.

Christ told His followers to cast out demons as part of their ministry. He himself delivered many people from demons. He said in Mark 16:17 that casting out demons would be one of the signs of a believer. After Jesus' resurrection, the book of Acts records the casting out of demons as a major ministry of the early church.... Why should it be any different today?

I believe that one of the enemies most effective tactics, is to convince us that he and his evil forces do not exist, or are of no significant threat. It would be a grave mistake for us to buy into this deception. Just as it was a mistake for America to not believe that Osama Bin Laden and a few nomads living in the desert could "declare war" on the most powerful nation in the world....  So I am doing a blog series on demons, and I would like to start with their origins. After all where did demons come from?

First off, I would like to correct the misunderstanding that demons are fallen angels. They most certainty are not angels of any kind. There are two main reasons for this. For one, the Bible says that the fallen angels have been locked up in "prison"(2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6). Secondly, Jesus tells us that demons need a physical body to inhabit(Matthew 12:43-45). Angels, whether fallen or not, have no such need.

Many people believe that demons are actually disembodied spirits. There are basically two different theories for this. The first one suggests that demons are the disembodied spirits of the pre-flood Nephelim(Genesis 6). This would be plausible since although the Nephelim were half angel, they were also half human. So likewise, their immortal soul would be a half angel half human hybrid. After the Nephelim perished in the flood, their souls lived on as what we know today as, demons.

Another theory suggests that demons are the disembodied spirits of a pre-adamic race... weird, I know. Genesis 1:2 plays into this theory in a big way. Genesis 1:2 says that at some point after the earths creation, before God said, "Let there be light!" the earth became barren, empty, and a desolate wasteland. There are additional verses that suggest this was a result of God's wrath on the "inhabitants" of the earth(Jeremiah 4:23-26)...... What inhabitants? This was all between, Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

Since the Bible tells us that the earth was perfect on the day God created it, Genesis 1:2 declaring, "The earth became formless and void" makes sense. How could the earth be a barren desolate wasteland as described in Genesis 1:2, if it was "perfect" on the day God created it? Something happened in between the earths creation and its desolate state described in Genesis 1:2. Something cataclysmic happened that brought this destitute state on the earth. Some believe that Satan was in charge, the "anointed cherub" over the Pre-Genesis Earth. Since he is described in Eden, walking, and ministering on the earth before his "fall"(Ezekiel 28). This theory suggests that Satan's rebellion and war in heaven is what caused this cataclysmic event. It also killed the pre-adamic race but their souls lived on as demons.

These are all just theories. Regardless of their origin, there is a troubling trend in the Body of Christ to ignore demons. Some consider demons, and the casting out of demons as irrelevant for our times. How does that even make sense? If Satan and his demons are real, and if they desire to wreck havoc on the human race, and if they seek to influence people, families, communities, governments, nations, and even churches then they are very relevant.

But we need not fear. Jesus has given us the power to cast out demons and over all the power of the enemy. God's Word promises that greater is He that is in us, than he who is in the world!

Church Planting in a Post-Christian America

    Planting churches has historically always been the most effective way to reach the lost. That was the strategy of the Apostle Paul. Everywhere he went on his missionary journeys, he planted churches. Even today, newer churches reach more lost people than established churches. One study found that churches over 15 years old only win an average of 3 people to Christ per year for every 100 members. That same study found that churches under 3 years old win an average of 10 people to Christ per year for every 100 members.

    Even though church planting has always been the most effective way to reach the lost, the strategy of church planting has changed, especially in the 21st century. Some believers from previous generations resist these changes at times. It is not that we want to leave our history and tradition behind, there is simply a different spiritual climate in America that must be understood and addressed.

    Twenty to thirty years ago, everybody went to church. To the point that no businesses were open on Sundays! This was a Chistian nation. When you built a church back then, you built it for church people. Since everyone went to church your goal was to convince people to leave their home church and go to yours. So your church had to have all the trappings and trimmings of church. It had to look like a church, feel like a church, sound like a church, even smell a like church. In fact, if you wanted to succeed, your church had to be more "churchy" than the other churches. In short, in previous generations, you planted a church for church people.

    But America has changed. A survey came out last May that showed that 20% of the American population identify themselves as non religious. In Clayton only 35% of people belong to a church. In Garner only 43% percent. About 4,000 churches in this country shut their doors every year. For every 5 churches that closes, only 1 opens. 4 out of 5 churches have either plateaued or are declining. 85% of churches are the ones declining Out of the 15% that are growing, 14% is because of people changing churches. This is no longer a Christian nation. In fact, it is now being called a Post-Christian nation by historians.

    As a result, our strategy has to change. Where as in the past we planted churches that church people would want to go to, now we must plant churches that unchurched/dechurched people want to go to. This is going to take a dramatic shift in the way we do "church". We must throw away everything we know and go back to the drawing bored.

    This has huge implications. Now our job is even more critical. Not only are we planting a new church(lower case), we are also building a new Church! We are going to have to change everything we do when it comes to ministry because our audience has changed from the churched to the unchurched.

    We have no intention of leaving the "older" generation behind. Their wisdom, experience, and guidance is not only needed, but valued. Yes, the Joshua generation must lead God's Army, but the Moses generation must also keep their arms raised in order for there to victory(Exodus 17). These two generations must be in Alignment. Lets come together as the next generation of Spirit Filled believers.