From the first moment of creation, we see how the serpent or demon began his work of temptation cheating our first parents. He made them distrust the Word of God, tempting them to be like gods. This is what led them to sin, to be expulsed from Paradise and to suffer death.
God in his great design has allowed the devil to be near us, in order to prove our fidelity to His Word and to demonstrate the great Power of His Infinite Mercy.
The devil can not make us sin, he can only tempt us to
sin, so that finally we are responsible for our actions before God.
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but our redemption and salvation is
found in the Grace of God, that gives us forgiveness and eternal life in Christ
Jesus (Ephesians 2:5).
Jesus came to the world to die for the forgiveness of our
sins and to give us eternal life, he also came to give us his testimony as the
Son of God so that believing in Him, we can be saved and enjoy the gifts of God
the Father. (John 3:16).
Jesus also came to demonstrate the supernatural power of God with His miracles:
transforming water into wine, the multiplication of loaves and fishes, giving
order to the storm to be calmed, all the physical, mental and spiritual
healings, the expulsion of demons, the resurrection of the dead, his own
resurrection and the promise of our resurrection.
A last miracle, but the greatest is the gift of his flesh and blood, in the
bread and wine consecrated by his apostles and followers, which we must eat and
drink if we want to be saved.
Jesus had his first encounter with the devil after receiving his baptism in the
Jordan river and after fasting for forty days and nights.
Jesus was tempted by the three enemies of the the soul: the world, the
devil and the flesh.
The devil tempted him using the Word of God written in the Bible in the following
manner:
In the flesh, he suggested that he could transform stones into bread
in order to appease the hunger of his fast, but Jesus said to him: "It is
written, man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the
mouth of God."
The devil took him to the highest part of the
temple suggesting him that if he would throw himself from there, the angels
would protect him, but Jesus answered him: "It is also written you shall
not put the Lord to the test". Finally the devil tempted Jesus with
all the riches of the world in return for his worship but Jesus rebuked him
saying "Be gone satan, it is written: You shall worship the Lord your God
and serve Him only "
This was the first exorcism of Jesus, casting out the tempter out of his life and
demonstrating his power. This power of resisting the devil has been given to all
of us by nature, because we have the option of being tempted and fall into sin or
we can resist evil by the grace of God and our own will.
Our objective as we treat this subject, is to learn how to pray with humility and
in obedience to the Church, in order to unleash the power of God and to obtain
the expulsion of evil spirits from our lives and of those who suffer their
dominion.
Exorcism, Deliverance and Healing are the results of the same process of repentance, prayer and surrender to Jesus. No one can be exorcised, delivered or healed of the influence of the devil except in the name of Jesus and by his power. No one can receive any divine favor except through the goodness and grace of God in response to prayer.
Exorcism is the act of giving order to the devil or to evil spirits to come out of a person, a place, object or situation, adjuring them in the Holy Name of God the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, the Son of God or God the Son, has all the
authority of the Supreme God, power that he used during his ministry of three
years, which he delegated to his disciples, apostles and believers.
Deliverance is the result of the work of God in a person through prayers
or through an exorcism, which frees him from the evil influence.
Physical healing is the miraculous result of the prayers done in great faith
that manifest a miracle of God.
Spiritual Healing is the result of renouncing sin, of giving oneself totally
to Jesus Christ and of receiving the gift of Peace.
The
Work of God
www.theworkofgod.org