Demonic Possession and Mark 9

So I really like what I just read in my quiet bible study time. I was reading Mark 9:38-41 which says:

38"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40for whoever is not against us is for us. 41I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

I like how Jesus rebukes division in His Kingdom here. Jesus is plainly talking about UNITY here. His disciples think that the only way the the LORD works is by the way that they have been taught and seen, but the LORD clearly tells them that "whoever is no against us is for us." I mean, how much more clear can it get than Jesus saying, "don't stop him?" Haha. Jesus says that no one that does a miracle in His name, can in the next moment not be of Christ.

Of course, we have to take into account here other verses that say, "test everything" and that "some will call Him 'Lord Lord' and not enter the kingdom of heaven." BUT, whoever does miracles in HIS NAME is our ally. Sometimes even miracles divide us? Can you believe that?!?! Someone comes and heals someone in the name of Jesus and we as Christians act like today's version of yesterdays' hypocritical and legalistic pharisees! Man! The Devil is smart and like I said in a previous blog, the Devil's main weapon of destruction towards the Church is division.

I have come to know 2 maybe 3 different ways of casting out Demons. And these 2-3 ways sometimes do not agree with one another. I mean, I've even talked to the founders or pro toge's of the founders of these different praxis and they go as far as saying that the other people casting out demons are doing it wrong... CAN WE ALL SAAAAAY - - "ignorant disciples?" I was too an ignorant disciple at one point just because I only knew of one way and I was taught by one of the founders of one of these praxis. But thank you LORD for opening my eyes to see!

I hope that we can love the LORD our God SO much that we can put ourselves humbly before Him in order to do what He desired for us most found in John 17: for us to be 1 just like the Father and Jesus are 1.

We should be saying this:

OH! You be thrown down on some Demons too! TIGHT! OH! You do it differently but in Jesus name? TIGHT! It's a WHOLE new strategy!! Let's see HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER!!!

I think our sinful nature makes us selfish and prideful and "me-centered" people! YUCK! Let's become people after the will of the Father! Meaning not "we" centered people, but HIM centered people. There's a big difference! We're centered people is NOT about HIM :) And we-centered people leaves a huge lane open for sin and mistakes and for missing the mark when it comes to what HE wants!

Man, I can keep going but then people won't read this... hahaha... I'll just end with a prayer:

LORD teach me and everyone that is part of your Church how to live out John 17 so that we can ALL be unified in You and act as one church instead of a whole bunch of wandering body parts. Teach me LORD, open my eyes, open my ears as well as all your Church! I want this SO bad. I want this because You want this!