Demons are spirits, so to cause injury they have to come dressed in people. Jesus said: “Offences will come but woe unto those through whom they come.” Demons damage people through other people. They offend through willful, and at times witless, human offenders. Demons must themselves be ‘arrested’ to prevent further offences or injuries from taking place through the persons they have used.
The offender may be described by onlookers as having expressed their unruly temperament in an offensive act that resulted in the mental or physical harm witnessed. That may be so. On the other hand, the offender may have been a demonic entity. In a worst-case scenario, the human offender may have been used by an unseen spiritual offender. In either case, authority needs to be exercised.
Authority in NT Greek is “exousia” and Power is “dunamis,” which may also be defined as Ability. Onlookers said of Jesus Christ: “With power and authority he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” Authority and Ability working hand in hand.
A police officer’s authority is visible in his uniform, which is backed up by his physical ability and an array of equipment attached to his belt. His uniform and raised hand can bring the heaviest truck to a screeching standstill. If that doesn’t work, other means are at hand.
In our case, the authority of the name of Jesus Christ in our voices is upheld by the authority of our upraised hand of command. Either one or both or can bring snarling demons to a screaming standstill.
And just as the fingers in the police officer’s upraised hand are held together firmly — no gaps in between that might signal uncertainty — we too must never allow our spiritual authority to ‘slip through our fingers’.
My maxim is: “When it knows that you know that it knows that you know that it must go, it will; usually quietly; maybe noisily — until ordered to “go quietly”. “Must” is not an option — it is an imperative! Jesus did half of his healings through his hands and half through his words. Authority and Power at work, whichever one was required! We should work at keeping both of these in balance.