Unclean Spirits

In the world we live in we deal with all kinds of stuff.  I was reading through the book of “Mark” and found that Jesus dealt with “unclean spirits” about 20 times.  This got me to thinking.  Maybe I can blame my problems on a unclean spirit.  Maybe I do have an unclean spirit and like it.  Maybe I have no idea what an unclean spirit is.

So I started doing research.  I found a book that lists all the names and ranks of both demons and angles.  It looked like a great book, but I want to know how to deal with them, not get to know them personally.  Someone might need to know all their names, height and “demon style” but I figured that if Jesus just called them “unclean spirit” I would give that a try.  I can’t remember all the names of the people at church, how am i…. (is that an unclean spirit?)

Well, here is the part I wanted to say.  After my research of both the modern ideas and the historic ways of dealing with stuff of the spirit, we (I)  need to….

• Take action when we come to realize a thought, behavior or emotion is not in agreement with Father God.
• Here is a little blessing.  We do not need to constantly seek to fix ourselves, but can trust more in God to convict us of our sins and unclean spirits.  Rather than living in fear of being wrong we get to live in faith, trusting in God’s intervention.
• Once I know something is out of step with God (actually I think this part works at the same time but it is hard to type an outline that has “same time” in it) we take PERSONAL RESPONSBILITY.
• No matter what I got, what I have, who I am or who has me, I am responsible.  This is great grace.  For if I am responsible then I can do something about it.  I can turn to God for all the help I need.
• Get what you need.  What we tend to need in this unclean spirit stuff is ..
• An encounter with God that transforms me.  This transformation may be fast or slow, but I know He is working in and on me for His glory.
• Isolation and hopelessness is broken, even if the battle goes for years, I still live in the reality of God’s love for me that looks like the ongoing improvement of my thoughts, will and emotions.

God is an all consuming fire.  Even if there is bad stuff in my life, God is burning it off, if I allow Him to.  In the love that God has for me, I am being set free from all evil.  It is just like Jesus is still here today.  Only now He is living on the inside.