Spiritual Geography

Luke 11:24-26 – “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

These words of Jesus, recorded in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, have always fascinated me. Before I dive into their more subtle implications, let’s be sure we understand the context and the main reason Jesus said them. He had just exorcised a demon from a man, something he often did in his ministry. These words are a warning that once the demon is out, he may return, bringing more demons with him, making things worse than before. In other words: Get the house filled with something good. If you have been exorcised, invite Jesus to dwell with you. The absence of evil is not our ultimate goal as much as the full presence of good.

Although Jesus did not tell us everything we might like to know, he gave some insight about demons and how they function: 1) They are located within set geographical locations (“it passes through waterless ­”), 2) They desire dwelling places (“seeking rest”), 3) They are in relationship and able to communicate with other demons (“it brings seven other demons”), 4) There is a hierarchy of evil (“more evil than itself” – Read C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters), 5) They prefer to occupy people, 6) They can reoccupy people, and 7) They can be cast out.

To most in the Western World, demons are fine in movies, but we do not give much thought to their reality. Yet, they are a real force that can affect people in severe ways. Please make sure your house is not just cleaned, but also filled with the Spirit of God.