Luke 11:24-28

Last week we looked at the time when Jesus was accused of working for Satan while casting out a demon. He responds to the Pharisees and townspeople for the rest of the chapter, and today we will be looking at a key principle of spiritual warfare and Jesus’ definition of a blessed life. Open your Bibles to Luke 11:24-28 and your copy of Take Every Passage to Prayer, Volume 2- The Gospels by Charles Wagner to pages 214-218.

Reflecting back on verse 23, we are reminded that we can either stand with the Lord, or against the Lord. Jesus continues this conversation about how Satan can take advantage of this by discussing demon possession. When someone has been freed from possession, but has not yet received Jesus, her soul becomes “waterless” or vacant (Luke 11:24 ESV). After leaving the person, a demon goes looking for vacant souls to inhabit. Our souls are always looking for something to fill it. We crave meaning, purpose, and work as humans made in the image of God, and if the Lord isn’t inhabiting your soul, demons see that as an opportunity to use those inherently divine cravings against you. Your soul is either with the Lord, or against it; inhabited by Jesus, or barren and searching for meaning. Unlike the Pharisees’ accusation, demons are unified by their common enemy, prowling around souls to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10 ESV). Although Jesus’ statement in verse 23 seems harsh and exclusive, it is a warning for the people of God to unite against the enemy. Jesus is encouraging us to make the decision to accept Jesus, so that the ‘vacancy sign’ in our souls turns off. This is an act of spiritual warfare, declaring that you are no longer supporting the enemy.

Jesus goes on to explain when our ‘vacancy sign’ is turned on, notifying demons that our soul is not being nourished by the living water, they will come back to ruthlessly pursue your soul. They will even bring their friends, viewing your soul as a room that they may occupy and use for their mission. Putting myself in the crowd’s shoes, I would be feeling pretty scared at this point! What can I do to accept Jesus? How do I avoid demonic oppression and possession? Is there a solution? I believe these questions may have also been plaguing the woman in the crowd, who exclaims, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” (Luke 11:27 ESV). Jesus calms these fears by replying, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28 ESV).

Wagner explains the connection between the topic of spiritual warfare and the blessed life by comparing the soul to a tree. He says, 

“If a tree is bad, it cannot possibly yield good fruit. If the heart is wicked, rejecting the gospel with fervor, it cannot do good deeds to please the Father. The mouth can only speak what the heart tells it to. If the heart is wicked, the spoken words can only be wicked” (Wagner 217).

Living out God’s word and will is a way to accept Him into your soul. The blessed life is one that bears good fruit, which is only produced by a heart that is aligned with the Lord. When we accept Christ into our souls, it purifies us, pushing out demons residing in our vacant room, and renews us, filling our cravings and yielding good deeds. Let us pray for our own souls, and other’s, to accept Jesus and turn off the vacancy sign. 

Father,  You are our God, and we are your creation. You knit us together in our mother’s womb, and you intimately know our thoughts, feelings, and desires. We desire for you to fill our souls, purifying and renewing our hearts, so that we may fight against the enemy. We are for you, and not against you. Lord, we also pray for our vulnerable brothers and sisters whose vacancy signs are turned on, advertising their availability to the enemy. We ask that you put a hedge of protection around them, displaying your peace and mercy to those hurting from demonic oppression and possession. Fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit, that they might experience your love and accept you into their souls. In your Son’s name I pray, Amen.