[Welcome back to Part 5] - As Jesus was wrapping up a lengthy list describing the distressing things that would for sure be coming upon the earth leading up to the days of His return (Matt. 24:3)...He added this warning as well:

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the ‘thief’ would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.” (42-43)

We know from previous teachings of Jesus that a ‘thief’ comes to ...”steal, kill, and destroy”, (John 10:10). Would you read those three words again, slowly?

Now, take a look at Matt. 12:43-45 where Jesus talks about what happens when an ‘unclean spirit’ goes out of man. You know, He sure talked an awful lot about demons and unclean spirits and such, even spending much time removing them or casting them out of people. When did this cease to be a ‘problem’ for humanity that no longer needed attention?

And why did Peter say we better remain vigilant and clear minded? Did he not warn us that ‘our enemy, the devil, goes about like a roaring lion...seeking to devour whom he may”?(1 Pet. 5:8) Would that not be the same ‘devil’ whom Paul admonished us to ‘give no place to’? (Eph. 4:27)

Do you think it’s possible...that God was kind of serious about issuing us so many sobering warnings throughout His word? Care to guess why He gives us such warnings and pertinent information? It’s because He loves us and doesn’t want us to be ‘destroyed’. (2 Pet. 3:9; Luke 13:3,5; 1 John 5:18)

Don’t we, as parents feel the same way about our own children and we want to protect them from all the bad things out there in the world? How many young parents today are apprehensive when they hand over a new ‘smart phone’ for the first time to their young teens (or younger) knowing the potential harm they may experience. How many horror stories do we have to read about where young kids are abducted by strangers on the internet and other social media outlets where they are taken ‘captive’?

There are plenty of things we can do...to prevent such loss and harm, both for our kids and ourselves, and not just in the ‘natural realm’ either. I’m talking about spiritual issues here. God made it quite clear...if we fail to heed what He says, our kids can be taken ‘captive’.

We can sure easily become so incensed when we hear about parents neglecting their children and then something horrible happens to the kids...and our anger rises up against those parents. Guess what...many sincere parents today, even ones who consider themselves to be ‘good Christian people’...have found themselves in agony over things they have witnessed happen to their children. How many parents have wept painfully, seeking ‘answers’ as to what happened to their kids and why did they ‘turn out this way’? Is it possible...that just maybe we ‘missed’ some things that God has been trying to communicate to us...since the beginning of time? (Gen. 2:17; Hosea 4:6)

So what if...there really are spiritual entities...spirits of darkness and evil that can come in and ‘demonize’ or take control and inflict spiritual blindness and bondage in/on us...would it not be to our benefit to understand what they are and how they find access into our lives?

Maybe those struggles you have been having...or the ones seemingly affecting your children or those loved ones close to you...have actually been ‘spiritual’ in nature (Eph. 6:12)? Maybe that would explain why ‘therapy’ and ‘meds’ have proven to be unfruitful. Suppose it is not ‘faulty DNA’ or ‘hereditary issues passed down through blood lines’ that have kept you and previous generations bound and addicted; maybe there are spiritual components at work here.

How many of you are ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’...of not being able to master and overcome various areas in your life that have kept you in condemnation and guilt and shame?

Here’s the good news: The same Jesus who was ‘anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and power and went about doing good...healing all who were oppressed/bound by the devil’ (Acts 10:38)...is still doing that today. And I don’t care what the struggle is that has tormented you; God has not changed and is still setting captives free. But I have a pretty good idea why maybe some, if not many...have failed to find that freedom....yet. We’ll examine that more closely tomorrow...Lord willing.