did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons..?

 

When I was in Atlanta in 2004, there was an open air preacher one day and I stopped to listen to him. A while into this a woman started heckling him. He told her to leave but she would not. It frustrated me, so I told her to leave and she left. She came back again and he told her to leave and she would not, then I told her to leave and she left. Then she came back one more time and I told her to leave and not come back and she left (and did not come back)... but, I noticed a smile on her face as she turned to leave. I then realized this was a play targeting my pride (I did start to like the ability I seemed to have). I realized I had no power. I was duped. Just for a short time, but still duped. I swallowed the pride I allowed myself to have because of this play, and am glad God let me see her smile (it was a true blessing) and I am so glad God let my heart see what really happened, so He could teach me this.

 

At this time, in 2004, I was saved but backslidden and not able to cast out demons (I’m not sure if I even could now, as I update this in December of 2008), though this pretender wanted me to believe I could make her behave, when a preacher could not. Satan was appealing to my pride.

 

I could take this a step further and imagine a man with a demon in him, and a modern day preacher saying “in the name of Jesus, leave him” and then it appearing as if the demon had left. This demon possessed man is an actor (just like that woman above). He may have a demon in him but it never left. He is an actor (Psalm 26:4, Galatians 2:4, Matthew 13:26, Jude 1:4). The preacher who thought he cast out a demon was being used as part of a play put on to deceive him... a deception of Satan’s, and probably, so the man would think he was saved and not look further for the Truth, or he may be saved but backslidden (or possibly even tricked, like I was above. I had Christ in me then but I don’t think I was equipped for that yet).

 

Matthew 7:21-23  21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

 

Just because someone uses the name of Jesus, it does not mean a demon will leave (Acts 19:13-16). If Christ is not in you, you cannot cast out demons. If there were demons in these people, described in the verses above, they did not leave (even though the people thought they did) because here, Jesus never knew those who claimed they cast out demons. Mark 3:24 "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

 

Notice, in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus did not say they cast out demons. The people said, “did we not… cast out demons?” It’s a question.

 

If you live like the devil and think you cast out demons, you have been mislead. If you are proud and think you cast out demons, you have also been mislead.

 

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

 

Come to Jesus!

 

If you are saved and believe you have been mislead or are being mislead, repent of your sins and you will be restored and refreshed (and even empowered, but in God’s time). Trust in Jesus, not in yourself.