Part 7 - Matthew 12:22-37 - BLIND AND DUMB ABOUT DEMONS!
As I walked into the room I had visited only that morning I noticed that some people, had an increased CONFUSION, RESTLESSNESS AND INSECURITY. I met the Asian woman with such beautiful eyes who HALLUCINATES and HEARS VOICES each afternoon. I had a quiet conversation with a woman who, the afternoon before, had thrown a chair across the room, shouting out in OUTRAGE, which was unusual because she is normally so calm, composed and certainly not able to lift a chair of that size.
One man, normally passive and easy to get along with became increasingly MORE DEMANDING and UPSET for no reason at all, SUSPICIOUS of everyone and DISORIENTED, swearing at everyone and abusive to the point of having to be physically restrained by the police and taken to a hospital for sedation.
What am I describing? A DEMON POSSESSED person? Perhaps. A person on DRUGS? (Well yes, but prescribed). MENTAL ILLNESS? I am actually describing what can happen to many people during a time known as SUNDOWNING (in the afternoons and towards nightfall). Many people suffering from DEMENTIA experience SUNDOWNING. The cause of SUNDOWNING is unknown, and so it is treated with ANTIPSYCHOTIC drugs. But I wonder if there is a SPIRITUAL DIMENSION to Sundowning?
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Genesis 3 their sin sparked off a lot of CONSEQUENCES. Romans 8:20-23 (NLT) says "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s CURSE. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious FREEDOM from death and decay. ... for we long for our bodies to be RELEASED from SIN AND SUFFERING. ..." Sin carries an ongoing curse that only Jesus can break.
In Matthew 12:22 (NLT) I read two simple sentences without a lot of details. "Then a DEMON-POSSESSED man, who was BLIND AND COULDN’T SPEAK, was brought to Jesus. He HEALED the man so that he could both speak and see."
I am intrigued because I have many unanswered questions about this verse. HOW did he become demon-possessed? WHY was he blind and unable to speak? Was it BECAUSE of the demon or demons? Obviously not all disability can be linked to demons. How do I determine what is and isn’t? Can all disabilities be healed? Is it only those associated with the demonic? I am not told.
Was he an evil man? Did he have to REPENT first? Did he give his life to Jesus? Did he have to give his CONSENT in order to be healed? I don’t know. One thing is sure - when I am in the presence of Christ I am in a position where I can be healed, delivered and restored.
Somehow this man had opened his life up to EVIL! Demons are evil. But despite this, Jesus heals him. No-one is BEYOND the compassion of Jesus. Jesus BROKE THE CONNECTION with demonic influence. SPIRITUAL WARFARE - a CRUSH-SATAN’S-HEAD kind of victory! He demonstrates power over the enemy by casting out demons and healing this blind and dumb man IMMEDIATELY. The crowd saw an immediate change in his circumstances. When someone who has been blind can SEE AND HEAR again, you pay attention.
Speaking about being BLIND AND DUMB, why is it that in the West we are so unwilling to talk about or acknowledge the possibility of SPIRITUAL WARFARE? Not only BLIND to the things of God but TOO DUMB TO DEAL WITH DEMONS? ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS can’t be the only solution to things we don’t understand. It seems at times I am all too willing to SUPPRESS that which I cannot control. I wonder if drugs leave people even MORE SUSCEPTIBLE to the demonic world? (see messages on Matthew 8:28-34).
Like the man in this verse we all need to be BROUGHT to Jesus. Did someone care enough to bring him or was he FORCED? Did he AGREE to come? Was he sceptical? I am not told, but I do know that I want to be willing to be brought into the presence of Jesus when I need help to see. Blindness and deafness of any kind, demon possession and the most regrettable sins remain as impossible problems until I am willing to bring them to Jesus.
God bless you Church as you are willing to be brought into the presence of Jesus so that you have an opportunity to be healed and restored and set free. God bless you as you look for opportunities to bring others to Christ.
Pastor Ross
