Luke 8:1-3 Seven Demons
These demons keep playing with my mind, heart, soul and will! There are seven in total. Seven demons with seven names: Faithlessness. Despair. Fear. Deception. Emptiness. Indifference. Resentment. St. Paul refers to these in 1Cor 15:12-20.
Faithlessness
“For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; you are still in your sins.” The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin against the Holy Spirit. That is, the unwillingness to approach the Lord in the Sacrament of Confession. Although he calls me, I do not go. I am chained down by my demon, cast aside by my faithlessness and thrown into a bottomless pit by my pride. Faith is required for salvation. The faith the size of a mustard seed will suffice.
Despair
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then we are the most pitiable people of all.”
How pitiable I have become. The strongest I should be! What kind of Christian I have become? Despair is the demon that dispels the Cross that comes and goes with Christ. Why do I mock Christ’s words to me, “If you wish to follow me, pick up your cross and come after me?” Hope is the remedy of the blind man who came after Christ even though he was only able to see darkness. Hope is seeing Christ in darkness.
Fear
“Those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”
I cower over suffering and death. Fight or flight? My demon prefers flight and mocks me in every step I take. Who am I but a vulture who feels secure only when searching out the dead. Fear is the demon that taunts me to search for the living among the dead. He is not here. He is Risen!
Deception
“We are false witnesses to God.”
This demon reminds me that there is a great barrier between sinner and saint; between Hell and Heaven. I cannot overcome the obstacles in my life! They are too great! But the Lord reminds me every single day, “Without me you can do nothing. With me, all things are possible.”
Emptiness
“If Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.”
The demon of Emptiness confuses me, trips me up, binds me down and holds me hostage. “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” He has not. He has loved me since the dawn of creation! “It is finished.” Yes, when the Lord had nothing else to give; when he was squeezed dry to his bones, he died. My emptiness is easily filled with the love of God. It is His love that filled his Son and raised him up!
Resentment
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised."
This demon is a Hollywood producer. He is the expert in special effects. I re-live over and over and over again the real hurt that once occurred in my life in an imaginary way. The demon of Resentment is an auto-intoxication – self produced and self-inflicted. The only cure is forgiveness. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!” I can say this pray with faith and courage for the Lord experienced what I have experienced: horrific pain and suffering.
Indifference
“How can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?” If there is no resurrection, then there is no meaning in life, no purpose in trials; no redemption in suffering. How can I live my life without meaning and purpose? As Mary Magdalene, Suzanna and Joanna lived, so must I live, “They provided for Christ and the Apostles out of their resources.” I can cast out this demon in one single decision: I can choose to love.
“These demons keep playing with my mind, heart, soul and will! There are seven in total. Seven demons with seven names: Faithlessness. Despair. Fear. Deception. Emptiness. Indifference. Resentment. St. Paul refers to these in 1Cor 15:12-20.”
ReplyDeleteOh My God, these are them, the puppet masters of my life! I gave them free reign for over four decades. I fed them, clothed them and gave them a dark place to stay. I freely invited them in and welcomed their friends. I allowed them to control my thoughts, my words, my actions, the way I felt about myself and everyone else.
Reading this today sickened me because it named them, made them real and unveiled who and what I’ve been freely entertaining and brought the reality of their evil into the light.
Thankfully, I have been cleaning house for months now and they still slip in but not like before. And that is only by the Grace of God. He swooped in and pulled me out of the pit I willingly shared with them. I am taking full responsibility right now to fight them tooth and nail from here on out. And each time they show their ugly heads, I will call on Him, because He alone can save me!
Even though I feel sick right now, I can see the progress that I have made and knowing specifically who the enemy is, I believe I can more easily maintain the front line in the battle for my very soul.
This post made me emotionally and physically sick on Friday. I am glad you have named them and brought them to light! Remember, today is a new day!
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