Mike,

Have you written anything on evil spirits?
How should we deal with them?
THANKS,
J____

Hi J____,
1Jn 4:1 says:

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

False prophets bring false, evil spirits, which is what iswasandwillbe. com tries and exposes by simply shining the light of Truth.
The man who came to spend the weekend with Sandi and me was in tears several times while he was here, in gratitude for the evil spirits that we being cast out of his heavens.
If you are asking whether I have written anything on exorcisms this link is about a much as I have written on that subject:
http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Influence_ of_ evil_ spirits. php
I have prayed for people with epilepsy in the past, when I was a Pentecostal. I have never been asked to do so since that time, but if I were asked, I would certainly do so. It just would not be with that “command ye me” attitude I had as a Pentecostal.

Isa 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

Yes, Christ did command the evil spirits to come out of people He prayed for, and so did Paul and Peter, and they came out in the presence of all. It is an evil spirit which causes every affliction, so that every healing is actually the casting out of an evil spirit.

Mar 9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
Mar 9:26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

Deafness and dumbness are called a “foul spirit”, and it appears from this account that there is a very deep- seated attachment to the flesh which produces the “rent him sore” in the process of coming out which we see in this account.
I have never personally witnessed such a thing, but the Lord is not limited and can still do anything He pleases, including having us to leave our friends sick when He decides not to give us our petitions for healing.

2Ti 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

So many today think “try the spirits” means ‘look for miracles’, and anyone with that attitude will be a sitting duck for the miracles which are granted for the very purpose of deceiving the multitudes:

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

The Greek word ‘semeon’, translated as ‘wonders’ in verse 13 is the very same word translated as miracles in verse 14, and it is also the very same word translated as ‘sign’ in these verses:

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

So our Lord’s emphasis is on “do[ ing] the things which I say”. Both Mat 12 and Rev 13 give us a very strong warning against emphasizing signs, wonders, and miracles, over trying the spirits to see whether they are of God. It would be wonderful to come to Christ rejoicing that “spirits are subject unto [ us]”, but it is much more desirable to have “[ our] names written in heaven”.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

As you know the natural inclination is to apply all this power outwardly, in a manner which takes our eyes away from trying the spirits and false doctrines which are within us. It is completely natural to place the emphasis upon outward signs and miracles which bring glory to the person praying for that miracle. Television is full of ministers who boast of and promise answered prayers for healing and financial improvement. They just can’t catch the miracles they claim on video, and they have no interest in trying spirits to see whether they are of God. The fact is there are many who literally despise anyone who mentions doctrine as anything of significance. Now the spirit which tells us that doctrine is of no significance is an evil spirit which needs to exorcised with this verse of scripture from anyone who is afflicted with such a spirit.

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

I know you are familiar with all the verses which reveal that those in whom Christ dwells are “Jesus of Nazareth”.

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Act 22:7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Those verses being true, these words also apply to us:

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

So we have nothing to fear from the spirit realm which, as the book of Job and the sum of God’s word demonstrate, are nothing more than instruments who are doing what God Himself has sent them to do. (Isa 45:7).
I hope this is of some help to you.

Your brother in the Christ,
Mike