The majority of our Bible studies in Panajachel have had an emphasis on Demons. When fist told that we were going to be studying demons I had a few pre conceived notions that we were going to be studying distorted troll like creatures that over take your body on a physical and mental level. At the time I didn’t really see the relevance of spending hours on end each night of our bible study learning about this particular subject matter. Needless to say I was not enthused and thought there was no way any of this could pertain to me.
Turns out we all face demons. They may not manifest into the stereotypical ones we think of when watching “The Exorcist” or in other films, but we do have them and they are very prevalent in everyone’s life. It’s what we choose to do with the demons we face that build our character and bring us closer to God. Demons come in many forms and we often times overlook the power they have over us if we are not looking for them. One could easily say they have full authority over their mind and body but may have an anger issue that holds them back or turns them into to a person that is unrecognizable to whom they were before they let anger get the best of them. So who is really in control?
Before scratching past the surface of demonology I think it is important to remember that we do not face demons because we are guilty of sin. We face them merely because we are human and God allows us to be tested by the Devil, however we will never be given more then we can handle. 2 Cor. 12:7
Some may think that the seven deadly sins of gluttony, sloth, lust, vanity, murder, anger and greed are the only doorways that lead us to a destructive lifestyle. But we are tempted in a plethora of ways. A spirit of lying, jealousy, perversion, rebellion, bitterness, fear, hate, and an inability to forgive often times can destroy a person. The transformation of who these demons can turn you into can leave you paralyzed and dysfunctional destroying relationships you once valued.
God does not leave us in the dark. He has made us equipped to fight against the enemy, no matter what form he chooses to attempt to hit our weak spots. We are all given the armor of God. EPH 6:10-20 “…Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the spirit on all occasions…”
It is important for us to hold each other accountable and speak with love. Not necessarily human love, but God love. It isn’t always going to be what we want to hear, but often times what we need to hear. We should not fear to confront our demons or challenge a loved one to confront theirs as well. Remember the power of prayer and that Christ is the force behind our prayer to deliver.
A question that I find to be helpful throughout my day is, whose face am I putting a smile on? God’s or the devil’s?
