The Power in Being Unknown

We come back to the theme of lifestyle choices a lot because the Bible not only describes who we are, and to whom we belong but subsequently how we are to live. One of the things that is so fascinating in scripture is the interaction between Jesus and a demon that identifies him as the son of God. In Luke 4:31-36 it reads, “Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching because his words had authority. In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power, he gives orders to impure spirits, and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.”

The first point that stands out in this scripture is that Jesus traveled, taught, and did deliverance on Sunday, the opposite of what the Sadducees would have approved. The second thing that stands out is that the impure spirit, the demon, is the first to vocalize and identify who Jesus is and to whom he belongs. The demon also misrepresents Jesus’ authority by stating "Have you come to destroy us" to create fear in those around watching. What Jesus did in turn was deliver the man gently. He shows us how we are to live and how to squash the lies of the enemy. We are the sons and the daughters of God. We belong to Christ. We are called to walk in the power and authority of God, our Father. And we are to silence those who misrepresent Christ by showing love, compassion, and humility. We are to discern and separate from impure spirits that try to attach to us with impure motives. Jesus silences the impure spirit because the spirit was not of God. In his authority, Christ binds and casts out the demon and restores the man possessed- healed and whole! In the same light we too as walking vessels of Christ are to walk with the wisdom and discernment to know the spirits upon which one operates and to not get wrapped up in the weaknesses of our ego or desires to be known. We are to silence, bind, and cast out demons that harm our brothers and sisters, including ourselves. That is why we are to shut every door in our lives that pull us away from our identity and call so that we can walk in the powerful authority of Christ. Jesus knows who he is and to whom he belongs and to what level of authority and power he has been given. We too do not need others to call out who we are to know who we are to whom we belong and to what level of authority we walk in. How many times have you met people who see the things of God in you and on you that they insidiously or jealously wish to twist, misrepresent, and ultimately destroy in you? Many of Christ's sheep get swept up and hurt by those who do not have their best interest. They call themselves your friends, your family, your significant other. They call you by your identity in Christ, yet over time try to redefine your identity. Yet, with a discerning spirit one who walks with the Holy Spirit can discern when a person's words come from an impure spirit or the Holy Spirit. When we can discern between the two, we can protect our identity in Christ and set others free just as Jesus shows us in this scripture. We can powerfully operate out of this identity without telling a soul. We do not post on social media or need to tell people who we are, we simply need to walk intimately with God and live it out in our daily lives. Allow God to show the world through your humility and obedience to who he calls you to be. Watch the power and authority of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit work in you and through you in the most pure and powerful way everywhere you go. This is how we are to live our lives, quietly, purely, wisely, humbly, respectfully, and powerfully. Amen!