Do the Demons Know Your Name?

Have you ever considered how much the demons know about you? Do they even know who you are? Do they know your actions?

Usually when we consider these kinds of questions we think in terms of all the things we have done wrong. We remember the guilt and shame the devil has placed upon about or past mistakes. In many ways we sell the demons short. They know much more about us than we realize. In Acts 19 (vv 13-16) we see an evil spirit saying that he knows Jesus and Paul but he does not know the ones who are trying command him in Jesus' name. This dialog shows us two important things when it comes to demons.

First, if you want to have power over the demonic you must begin by having the right relationship with Jesus Christ. You must acknowledge Him as your Lord and Savior. In the story in Acts 19 the Jewish exorcist did not know who Jesus was. They had never asked Jesus for forgiveness of their sins or proclaimed Him Lord and Master over their life. This lack of relationship allowed the demon to physically overpower them. This is in contrast to the many times that the Apostles were able to simply cast out demons in the name of Jesus.

Second, the evil spirit knew who Paul was. How? I think it is because of Paul's actions against the evil of the world. Simply out Paul had been an incredible force against the forces of evil in the world and as such he was well know to all of the Demons. I think this kind of reputation would be a wonderful one to have within the demonic world. It is my hope and prayer that all of the demons of the world will know my name because I have made a difference for Jesus.

Moral Authority

Do Christians have Moral Authority or Power? The answer to this question depends on who you ask.

If you ask the majority of people in the US they would probably say something like this "Not really. What have they done to earn that authority? I mean look at all of the stuff going on in the Catholic Church and in other churches" From a worldly stand point the Church has lost a great deal of its power to pronounce what is right and what is wrong. So much so that the entire concept of right and wrong has been questioned.

However, the book of Acts tells us something completely different. In Acts 1:8 we are told that when the Holy Spirit comes to us then we receive power. The Greek word used for power is Dunamis. The word Dunamis has many connotations one of which is to have moral power or authority. Simply put then the Church (under the power of the Holy Spirit) has by divine declaration, Moral Authority here on Earth.