Know Who You Are

That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.

-Mark 1:32-34 NLT
Why did Jesus not allow the demons to speak? I believe Luke 4:33-37 provides some insight.  
Once when [Jesus] was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon - an evil spirit - began shouting at Jesus, "Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One sent from God!"

Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet! Come out of the man," he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.

Amazed, the people exclaimed, "What authority and power this man's words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!" The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region.
Later on Jesus heals a man with leprosy in Luke 5:12-13. In verse 14, he instructs the man not to tell anyone what had happened. Verse 15 "But despite Jesus' instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases."

Simply put, Jesus did not want to be mobbed. He did not want to be surrounded by a lot of people who just want to see him for their own self-centered reasons, but not be moved to draw closer to God. He knew that if he allowed the demons to speak then they would rally large crowds to gather around him and potentially stop him from accomplishing his divine purpose.

Yet did you notice the amount of respect the demons still gave him? Did you also notice how much more authority he had over the demons that they had no other choice but to obey him? They knew who he was. Do they know who you are?
A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
-Acts 19:13-16 NLT

I pray that your faith becomes so big and strong that the demons know who you are. May they cower in fear around you because they know you have authority over them, and when you command them to leave they have to flee. God believes in you so much that He wants to give you that kind of power. If you just believe in Him in return. 

I pray that you possess that amount of faith. 

Amen 🙏 

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