Season 4 Podcast 112 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 12:22-50, “The Temple of the Holy Ghost”

Season 4 Podcast 112 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 12:22-50, “The Temple of the Holy Ghost”Christ performed a variety of miracles, particularly healing. We seem to learn something new from each miracle. The following is the story of one possessed of a devil.22 ¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?Devil possession perhaps has always been controversial. I think that silly Hollywood horror movies have so distorted the meaning of devil possession that some dismiss the concept altogether. However, Satan and his angels are real. They are spirits. All spirits, even our own, are made of matter too refined to see. The only difference between our spirits and the spirits of devils is that we have a physical body in the form and shape of our spirit. The only way evil spirits can have a body is to enter the bodies of those who have a physical body. The Bible says a third part of the host of heaven followed Lucifer. Christ said.LUKE 12:17-18“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”One of the curses of Satan and his angels is that they were denied a physical body.  We know that Satan and his angels fell to earth. What then do they do with their time? John the Revelator answers that question.Revelation 12:7-137 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.It is clear from the writings of John that the devil is persecuting the Christians. It takes many forms. The weapons used to combat Satan are unconventional. John records, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.”  That is also how the war in heaven was fought. It was not through contention. It was through testimony. The spirits in heaven who rejected the testimony of Christ followed Lucifer and were cast out of heaven with Satan. We know from the scene in the country of the Gergesenes that evil spirits were able to enter into the bodies of swine.