Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

There was a great war in heaven with Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon or Satan and his angels who were not strong enough and Satan and his angels are thrown down to earth to deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:7-9). So we can see that at one time Satan and his angels were with God in heaven, but, like us, have the free will to make choices and they chose the evil way and are now chained to the earth and will also be judged at the end of time (2 Peter 2:4).

God's power of chaining Satan can be loosened as we see in Revelation 20:7 which would allow Satan more power to show his lying signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12).There is no doubt that before the coming of the Messiah that Satan and his demons were allowed more power upon this earth specifically concerning demonic, possession, as we shall see, that as Jesus walked this earth, it is an accepted fact of their lives for some to be possessed.

Matthew 9:32-34 And as they were going out, behold, a dumb man, demon-possessed, was brought to

Him. And after the demon was cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the multitudes marveled, saying,

"Nothing like this was ever seen in Israel." But the Pharisees were saying, "He casts out the demons by

the ruler of the demons."

So the charge went out by many of the rulers that Jesus worked by the power of Satan, the ruler of the demons. These possessions are not illusions, diseases, or insanity as some teach (Mark 1:32), but is actual possession by demonic spirits!

Again in Luke 4:36 after Jesus cast out a demon the people marvel and say: "What is this message? For

with Authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

Many teach today that we just believe that Jesus is the Son of God to reach that heavenly home. While this is a good thing I want you to consider this:

James 2:19 You believe that God is one? You do well; the demons also believe and shudder.

Even the Demons believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Remember, they were in heaven with Him before the great war with Michael and his angels who obey God. The demons even confess Him upon this earth:

Mark 1:21-24 And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the

synagogue and began to teach. And they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one

having authority, and not as one of the scribes. And just then there was in their synagogue a man with an

unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you

come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God!"

So for our answer to today's question of why demonic possession was allowed by God during this period of time. To Mark chapter five we go to see a man possessed by many demons named Legion who cry out:

"What do I have to do with you Jesus of the Most High God? I implore You by God, don't torment me!" (Mark 5:7)

Jesus then casts them out of him and at their bidding into the swine nearby which number about two thousand who then run headlong into the sea and drown. When the people come to see what has taken place and see the man who was once demon possessed sitting down with clothes on and in his right mind, they are frightened. For who has had such power given to him by God? But the man who had been possessed recognizes the greater good before them and asked Jesus if he could follow Him. But Jesus says:

Mark 5:19-20 And He did not let him. But He said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them

what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you." And he went away and

began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone marveled.

So by this example we can see that the ability of our Lord to cast out demons demonstrated the power of God over Satan himself working within Him and helped the people recognize Him for who He truly is: the Son of the Most High God! Just as the demons professed. Jesus asked them to be quiet though. For it was to be people that were to recognize this by the powers he wrought and the words that He spoke.

Do you recognize this very fact? If not, your time is always opportune. Confess Him before men, repenting of your sins and walking as He walked, to be born of the water and the spirit in baptism and to walk in the newness of life for everlasting life!

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or

persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For thy sake we are being

put to death all the day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in these we

overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor

angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor

any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our

Lord.