WHY DEMONS 'COME TO CHURCH'

                                         IF YOU CAST IS OUT

Ever wondered how come evil spirits could stand entering a church in a demon possessed person? Ever wondered how come they don't flee or give up before approaching the presence of God? Then we must ask yet another question; how come the evil spirits in the two demon possessed men could stand the approach and presence of Jesus Himself (Mathew 8:28)? When those spirits saw Jesus, they knew they've met their doom. What they saw when they looked upon Jesus was the embodiment of torture, yet they didn't flee for dear lives, that is, if they have any dear life. Instead they said to Jesus, 'if you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs'. There were pigs feeding nearby the area where Jesus met them. Jesus hadn't even said a word yet when they begged Him to send them into the pigs 'if you cast us out'. The fact they were already 'writing their will' even before Jesus have spoken a word shows that they knew the inevitable. Jesus was going to send them where they belonged-hell. But now they had an option. They could escape to those herds of pigs feeding nearby or they could just escape and go look for other 'homes'. But they didn't. They didn't because they couldn't! Leaving the souls they were tormenting is an act of good and demons lack the capacity for good even if they wanted to. This is the reason evil spirits 'come to church'. The same reason the legion could not escape before Jesus dealt with them. Instead they said, 'if you cast us out'. They needed to be cast out.  They have the capacity to enter and torture but lack the capacity to leave and set free. They have the nature to pull down, steal, kill and destroy but lack the power to build, restore, revive or heal. I mean, even if they wanted to (which is impossible), they cannot. Evil spirits are in a sorry state and Jesus teaches us to put them where they belong. At Gadarenes when the demons sighted Jesus, they knew their time was up because

1. The authority was coming toward them.
2. The authority (Jesus) wasn't ignorant but knew who He was.
3. The authority (Jesus) will definitely and without fail out them back to where they belonged.

So according to scripture, as soon as they saw the authority they screamed! They were trapped in the mens bodies they inhabited, paralyzed before the authority and couldn't even flee. This is how an evil spirit could 'come to church'. Scripture says the spirits begged. They were at the mercy of the authority standing in front of them in the person of Jesus. When demons 'come to church', they are at the mercy of the authority in the person of the people of God. Do unclean spirits come and go unperturbed where you worship? The spirits begged Jesus, if you cast us out', they said, 'send us into those pigs'. In other words, they had the guts to ask the authority (Jesus) for a favor. Desperate people, they say, do desperate things. Desperation is not a mark of God's Spirit; it is an attribute of satan. Importunity and desperation are two very different things. No one is more desperate than saran himself because he knows his time is short (revelation 12:12). When you lack the control of God's word and Spirit you could succumb to desperation. Desperation is a striking sign of infidelity. In faith, there's no room for desperation. In God's Spirit there's rest, there's peace and there’s faith (Hebrews 4:10, Philippians 4:7, Galatians 3:26). The demons were desperate, 'if you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs', they cried. They needed the authority to force them out because they were 'cripples'. They couldn't leave on their own. They couldn’t do anything that leads to happiness. Just as those demons could not save themselves, lies cannot save you. Sin is evil and evil cannot bless. Many go to satan in search of all sorts of things. Satan cannot help even if he wanted to. No matter how much you are willing to pay me, even if I wanted to, I could never provide you original rocks harvested from planet mars or Jupiter. I simply can't but perhaps Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong can. In the same way, what evil offers is deception. Children from satan will end in childlessness. Money from satan will end in situations beyond money. Reprieve from satan will rob your peace. Evil cannot help because it is evil and cannot help! God does; God is good.

Scripture do not say that Jesus was in foul mood when He arrived at Gadarenes. Scripture didn't say He was agitated on His way to Gadarenes due to some issues He recently handled. But when He addressed the spirits which possessed those two men, scripture reports that He commanded them. 'Alright, go!', He commanded. The quotation mark at the end of the command means He raised His voice. The demons needed to be commanded. That's the language they understand. They understand that they are lower than slaves and servant and are subject to authority. That's how it works. 'If you cast us out', it was Jesus who should kick them out. That's how it is; how it works. They can't leave on their own; 'send us into those pigs'. They dreaded going 'home' though, so they asked Jesus for a favor. How ridiculous! Interestingly, Jesus said, 'alright go!’ Off they went and entered the unsuspecting animals grazing nearby. And what happened next? The pigs plunged down the hill and drowned in a lake. Now that the demons have unwillingly lost their second 'home', where else is left for them to go? Home, bitter torturous home. Did Jesus do them a favor? Surely not!

There is a nollywood movie where a man came to see his friend and was met by a security man at the gate who informed him that 'oga' have been arrested for drug dealing. ‘I don’t believe this', replied the visitor. The security man retorted in pidgin English, 'you no believe am? Me too no believe am until dem carry koboko wire my back, na im I come believe am'. In the same way that only koboko 'whip' guides the fool, only authority puts evil where they belong. The demons waited for Jesus to do what should be done; and He did! So should we.