Is it crazy to suggest we start casting out demons and raising the dead?
If you think I’m not in my right mind asking such a question, I would remind you that in Matthew 10:8, Jesus instructed His disciples (and presumably you and me) to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons” as an integral part of sharing the gospel message.
It seems to me we’re quick to discuss healing the sick and cleansing lepers. But when’s the last time you heard SDA Christians talking about raising the dead or casting out demons? Will the role of the demonic be included in any of the formal presentations on the church’s first-ever International Conference on “Emotional Health & Wellness!” scheduled to take place October 12 – 15 at Loma Linda University?
I wanted to know, so I called the GC Health Ministries Department to ask. No one was available to take my call. But I did receive a call just at deadline for this piece from a very nice person who told me that the only person in the department familiar with the Conference was out on an extended health-related leave. So no one remaining could answer my question.
By the way, as I’ve researched such mental illnesses as Tourettes, Asperger’s, Autism, and Schizophren-ia, I note that the behavioral science community offers no specific causes for these diagnoses. The same holds true for Bipolar disorder which the authors of the book, Sway, point out came into existence largely through pharmaceutical company marketing of Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. Prozac, by the way, has now been shown to be no more effective than sugar pills.[1]
Is there any reason not to think the demonic might play a role in these illnesses?
Despite Ellen White’s contention that multitudes are under the control of demons today just as they were in Jesus’ time,[2] doesn’t the whole demonic thing seem just plain weird in today’s modern world? BTW, do you think that homosexuality, too, might have demonic origins? Read this letter from a young man to a popular advice columnist and tell me what you think:
“I am a male in my early twenties. I have never had any sexual interest in men. Even though my re-lationships with women have been few and far between, I have always been attracted to them.
“Recently I had a dream that I was with another man. Since then I have been very confused. My sex drive has diminished, and I find that I am questioning my sexual orientation .
“I have no desire to be with a man, but the fact that I had a dream like that has left me flustered and wondering how something like that could have come into my head.”[3]
The columnist had no answer and suggested that he come up with his own interpretation of the dream, perhaps with the help of a therapist.
Now I don’t believe for a minute that all of our dreams are devil produced. But I’d like to suggest that one was. And how devastating such an event must be for the poor soul who doesn’t have a clue what is really going on and concludes, “That must be the way I am.”
In one horrifying sentence, the Bible says the natural man (unconverted, in other words) can be “taken captive by (the devil) at his will.”—2 Timothy 2:26 (KJV).
It’s interesting to observe the increasing number of media personalities—CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon, for example—who are known to be gay (Lemon has announced it). Wouldn’t that make sense if you were the devil, to go after people who were highly visible presenters of the news? What an impact that would have in giving homosexuality an aura of acceptance!
And since Matthew 10:8 references raising the dead, does that only mean those who are dead in their sins? If you think so, please read Greg Rudd’s One Miracle After Another, the story of Pastor Pavel Goia and some of the incredible events of his early life. You’ll be amazed at the story of the boy who died beneath the wheels of Pastor Goia’s car who came back to life after being pronounced dead and his body sent to the hospital morgue over night. What happened the next morning when the keeper of the morgue arrived for work will amaze you. Contact your nearby ABC for this wonderful book.
Despite the craziness that has happened in the past over the demonic (prolonged exorcisms led by church folks attempting to cast the demons of allergies or the demon of chocolate out of someone, for instance), I wish to conclude with an appeal for anyone reading this blog to consider what it might mean if he or she took seriously the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:8.
[1] Sway by Ori & Rom Brafman, Broadway Books, 2008. See pages 96 & 97.
[2] See Ministry of Healing, p. 92. And here’s another interesting Ellen White’s quote in 2Selected Messages, p. 353, “I have again and again met those who have been thus possessed, and in the Name of the Lord I have rebuked the evil spirit.”
[3] From the “Ask Amy” advice column published by the Chicago Tribune, February, 2007, and presented in my book, Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like Praying, 2008, Pacific Press, pages 124-125.
I have often wondered the same ? Why do we not see this happening?
Question comes would I be willing to kneel beside a young person who was a faithful follower of our Master and pray for his resurrection believing that this would benefit our Father’s plan. I believe that this can be done but do not know if I would dare attempt such. Douglas
I posted a reply to your article on my blog, you have a few problems with your interpretations it seems to me.
I am a medical doctor and believe that my son was raised from the dead. I have pronounced many folks dead in my career and the lack of heart activity, breathing, and any response from the patient usually signifies that they are dead. I have seen my son come back from such an episode where there was no sign of life. I commonly see people who are healed of their diseases, sometimes after my surgery and sometimes before, but it’s all by the power of God. Sickness and death are the result of sin. Whether or not one classifies this as demon posesion or not, it reflects a separation from God which first began with the devil. To see the work of God in the world and understand His efforts to counteract the devil’s efforts takes the eyesalve mentioned in Revelation 3. I pray for it and God has been most kind to let me see at least a small part of it, but I’m afraid that were He here, Jesus wpuld probably ask me, as He did Peter in Matt 15:16, “are you still so dull”.
You mentioned calling the GC to ask what material will be presented at a conference sponsored by Loma Linda University and seem surprised that the folks there could not tell you??? It’s not possible for the people at the GC to know the content of every Adventist activity everywhere throughout the world. If you really are interested to know the answer to your question and not just trying to stir controversy, why not call LLU and ask the people who are putting on the conference? Anyway, thatnks for an interesting topic and discussion. steve