The Priest-Martyr Gregory, Bishop of Great Armenia (284-305).
1 Corinthians 15:39-45; Luke 4:31-36.
Read Luke 4:31-36
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In most cases of possession by the evil spirits described in all four Gospels, Jesus does not speak to the evil spirits first. They reveal themselves as soon as he approaches the possessed person. The evil spirits cannot outlast holiness in the same way as darkness disappears in the presence of light or as the morning dew vanishes as soon as the sun rises.
Sometimes we are trying to fight evil in our lives by various methods and techniques instead of developing our relationships with the Lord who alone obtains the power to cast away any demons. That is why it is much wiser instead of directly confronting evil spirits influencing our lives to concentrate on our growth in holiness making us able to overcome evil by good.
In the ancient times people considered themselves blessed if a hermit made his home near the village. They knew that because of his holy life, prayer, and very presence, they would be spared from earthquakes, floods, and other disasters. As the age-old saying states: “Save yourself and hundreds will be saved around you.” The life of the Holy Spirit in us can radiate such a powerful light that no evil spirit can withstand.
Jesus’s contemporaries could see evil spirits and their influence everywhere. They also developed numerous ways of expelling them by the recitation of various spells and using some tools such as magical rings or roots. The exorcism was also a lengthy process which could last from several hours to several days. That is why people were so amazed to see that Jesus did not need any of these methods. He acted as someone invested with “full authority.” His presence and short command was sufficient for the healing of a possessed person. Even the prophets of old used to rely on higher authority. They would always begin their prophesy by saying: “Thus says the Lord.” Their authority was merely a delegated one, while Jesus needed no authority on which to rely. When he spoke, he said, “I say to you,” and it was enough, for he was the authority incarnate.
We cannot do the same by ourselves, but we can rely on Him. God and his angels have already prevailed over evil before we were even created. Jesus ultimately conquered death and nailed evil spirits to the cross at the time of his crucifixion. The gates of Hades are destroyed by His resurrection. Therefore, if we want to be victorious in our unseen warfare, all we need to do is to fight on God’s side and to accept this victory. We also need to believe that if we fight with God and in Jesus’s name we have already won.
Bible References