Words

Luke 4:31-37 (The Message)

He went down to Capernaum, a village in Galilee. He was teaching the people on the Sabbath. They were surprised and impressed—his teaching was so forthright, so confident, so authoritative, not the quibbling and quoting they were used to.

In the meeting place that day there was a man demonically disturbed. He screamed, "Ho! What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you're up to. You're the Holy One of God and you've come to destroy us!"

Jesus shut him up: "Quiet! Get out of him!" The demonic spirit threw the man down in front of them all and left. The demon didn't hurt him.

That set everyone back on their heels, whispering and wondering, "What's going on here? Someone whose words make things happen? Someone who orders demonic spirits to get out and they go?" Jesus was the talk of the town.

Right in the middle of his teaching, the demons that filled a man in the congregation couldn't sit still any longer.

This scene is powerful and mysterious. We watch it unfold, probably much like the people did who were actually in that place as eyewitnesses.

With a mix of shock, horror and fascination.

A demon-possessed man, flailing on the ground, screaming threats against Jesus.

With quiet authority, Jesus handles the situation: "Quiet! Get out of him."

And it did.

The response of the people? This man's words, "make things happen."

As Jesus' followers, ours do too. Somewhere today, we will encounter evil. It probably won't look very "evil" on the surface.

Negative conversation, opportunities to tear down rather than build up...all the ways we humans have of feeding our own personal demons.

Our words could be used for good....for casting out...for raising up.

The next time you're tempted to participate in gossip, slander or negativity, remember this story. Our words have power to make things happen. Especially words like, "Quiet, in Jesus' name," to the demons of our world.

Father God, we pray that today you would show us the path of Christ that heals and casts out evil wherever we may encounter it.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.