Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

As the boy was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground and shook him with convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
Luke 9:42 (emphasis added)

When someone is having an epileptic seizure the proper thing to do is to stay calm and remain with the person. Keep them safe and protect them from injury. Place something soft under their head and loosen any tight clothing. After the seizure is over, roll them on their side (if they have food or fluid in their mouth, roll them onto their side immediately). When someone is having a tonic-clonic seizure (formerly known as grand mal seizures), do not put anything in their mouth. Turn them onto their side. Make sure the area around their body is clear of objects that could hurt them. Either kind of seizure can be frightening for those around the victim. They can be violent. They can be startling. The boy in today’s verse was showing the symptoms of a violent seizure and everyone but Jesus froze.

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17). As such, He was often told information He did not know in His natural self – I know He was fully God AND fully man, but Jesus emptied Himself (Philippians 2:6-7) to be like other men. Jesus was in the same boat as WE are. A man able to hear supernatural things (revelation knowledge) from the Holy Spirit. Here, Jesus KNEW that this was not a purely MEDICAL condition. Regardless of ANYTHING else going on here, this boy had a demon. Jesus did not deal with the CONDITION, Jesus dealt with the SOURCE. I don’t know if the demon’s presence was causing the issues or whether the demon was taking ADVANTAGE of the issues. Either way, the demon was the source of the PROBLEM – sickness is NEVER a problem for Adonai.

Notice that Jesus didn’t pray. He didn’t start a ceremony. He didn’t burn incense. He didn’t talk to the demon. He did nothing religious. He did nothing human. He had authority (Matthew 28:18). He used it. He REBUKED the demon. He didn’t ask. He didn’t cajole. He didn’t debate. He didn’t beg. He rebuked. To rebuke is to to criticise sharply, to serve as a rebuke to, and/or to turn back or keep down. To rebuke is to give an expression of strong disapproval. It is a DEMAND from one able to issue it. A parent can rebuke. An acquaintance cannot. A sibling cannot. They can complain. They can order. But they cannot rebuke, because to rebuke is to disapprove sharply from a position of authority.

Jesus completely shut that demon down. He closed its mouth. He stopped its show. It was doing its best to hurt that boy, cause fear, and turn everyone’s eyes onto IT and off the possibility of TRUST. Think of it as either a con man trying to keep you from noticing the con or a child throwing a tantrum looking to break everyone’s toys because they’re being told ‘no’. This was NOT a powerful entity flexing its muscles. This was NOT a battle in the spiritual where Jesus had to wrestle this boy back from the Abyss. This was NOT Hollywood. This was a rebuke. Short. Sharp. Simple. Remember, demons are fallen angels and angels are created servants. Think of a human servant. There they are serving you in your home. They have some authority behind the scenes to make things happen. But then you fire them. What power or authority do they have now? They can yell at you. They can throw rocks. That’s about it. This was a fallen servant with no role, power, authority, or anything. Throwing rocks and yelling.

Jesus shut it up. Stopped it cold. THEN He healed the boy. Whether that was healing the boy from the demon (spiritual sickness), or the condition causing the seizures (for example epilepsy, tonic-clonic seizures, or whatever), or both. It doesn’t say. It DOES say Jesus REBUKED the demon and HEALED the boy. He did both the SAME WAY. He used His authority. He SPOKE. He USED WORDS. And then He gave the boy back to his father. That is what Jesus came to do. Give us BACK what has been taken from us. To give us BACK our children. To give us BACK our lives. To give us BACK our relationship. To give us BACK our health. To give us BACK to our Father. “But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:23-24).

Why would Jesus want to give His Father a broken gift? Why would He act worse than a natural parents? We never WANT our kids sick, hurt, damaged, or broken. Jesus talked about this from the Father to us point of view. “Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11). It works both ways. Jesus is looking to give the bestest, purest, healthiest, wealthiest, shiniest, blessingest, everythingest gifts to His Father. Now, He’ll meet us where we are. He won’t violate our free will. But He WANTS to make you the best you that you can possibly be before He turns you over. And WHY would WE want to be anything LESS?

Jesus has ALL authority. “Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:8). Jesus’ Name has authority. “As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth— every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus’ Blood carries it. “But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). And WE have been given the right to wield that authority according to the Word and IN Jesus. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Demons put on a big show, but they are NOTHING compared to Jesus. The world puts on a big show, but it is NOTHING compared to Jesus. It doesn’t matter what comes our way. The storm is wild and wooly, but we are in a boat made of the Father’s hands and Jesus is right there beside us. ABOVE the storm, not IN the storm. Safe and secure, not tossed and lost. “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world”” (John 16:33).

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 22:22

“I will declare your name to my countrymen. In the middle of the assembly I will praise you.” The suffering servant was going to SUFFER. But Messiah was prophesied NOT to STAY in suffering. Messiah would rise ABOVE it. Messiah would not stay in that place, but be able to walk amongst His countrymen praising the Father. “Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”” (John 20:17). Jesus was not bound by His suffering. His suffering enabled Him to un-bind US. He did not stay in the grave. He did not stay in the tomb – and the angels rolled the stone away to prove it to us! Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b