Demons - One Year of Dinner Table Devotions and Discussion Starters

Demons

God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.

2 Peter 2:4

We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Colossians 2:15

Sometimes in movies or TV shows the hero is confronted by an enemy who has brought along plenty of backup. The hero is seriously outnumbered and out-weaponed, and it looks like he will be defeated.

When it comes to our spiritual battle, we could easily think the same thing about ourselves. Satan is not alone in his efforts to destroy and devour us. He has thousands of cohorts—demons. Demons are angels who were once servants of God until they rebelled against him and lost their place and privilege of serving him. Now they work continually to bring about evil in the world. Demons use lies, deception, and every other kind of destructive activity to try to cause people to turn away from God and bring themselves to ruin. Demons try to keep people in slavery to things that separate them from God. They also try to damage the witness of Christians by using temptation, doubt, guilt, fear, confusion, sickness, envy, and pride to trip them up.

But as members of God’s family, we don’t have to be afraid of demons. We are not outnumbered or out-weaponed. The truth is, the Spirit who lives in us is greater than the spirit who lives in the world (See 1 John 4:4). We can resist the devil and he and his demons will flee from us (See James 4:7) because of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

What is the difference between an angel and a demon?

One of the weapons that demons use is unforgiven sin. How did Jesus take that weapon away at the Cross?

What does it mean to resist the devil? What’s one specific way you can do that this week?