When Jesus encountered the powers of darkness oppressing a person, the oppressing spirits would often speak or identify themselves, recognizing the presence of His authority over them. St. Mark writes an eye witness report of spirits speaking out of a man from Gerasenes and the extra human strength they exerted through him. The man was drawn toward Jesus in his humanness, and, at the same time being, repelled away from Jesus because of the oppression of darkness at work within Him. He ran toward Jesus, cutting himself at the same time. He fell on his knees in front of Jesus, and at the same time …show more content…
Knowing that darkness is a master of lies (John 8: 44), I said, “Will that stand as truth before the living God?” The spirit said, “No, there are others.” “Why did you tell him that you fool?” a second voice asked the first! A discussion in the spirit world between these two started but ended abruptly as I continued, “In the name of Jesus and by the finger of the Living God, I pry you lose and command you to break your hold in this person’s life. Go now to the place appointed for you by the Lord Jesus never to return. GO NOW IN THE NAME OF THE RISEN LORD JESUS TO YOUR APPOINTED PLACE. GO! YOU CAN NO LONGER OPPREESS THIS PERSON BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER HAVE AUTHORITY HERE!” She coughed and growled and spit up flem as if an internal war was taking place. The truth was that the battle had already been won at the cross, and she had given us permission to claim it on her behalf! Slumping over on the couch where she had been sitting, she emitted a huge sigh and became very still. Within a few moments, she was lucid and conversing feely with us and suggesting we go out for something to eat. She was starved! Two and a half hours had gone by in the blink of an eye. I marvelled at the new freedom she had as we sat at supper, and, as I thought about the events of the evening, I had to pinch myself to make sure I had not been