Why do we underestimate the power of the devil today?

When Jesus came out of the synagogue, he entered into the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law suffered from a high fever, and they begged him for it. He stood over her, ordered a fever, and she left her. She got up immediately and served them. After sunset, all those who were ill for various ailments brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and healed them. Evil spirits also came out of many, crying out, “You are the Son of God.” He threatened them and did not allow them to speak, for they knew that he was the Messiah. And they came to him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them: but he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for I am sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Judah.

Little is said about Christians underestimating the existence of the devil. Only Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus does not reveal the future to anyone. However, Jesus acts vigorously in contact with the devil. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus has the power to cast out evil spirits and thus free man from their influence. The devil himself cries out from the possessed: “You are the Son of God. What about you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God “(Mark 1:24). It is enough to say to Jesus,” Shut up, and come out of him “(Mark 1:25). Jesus does not need a crystal ball, today a computer, various pendulums, pyramids, sessions, diplomas, which we can see in psychotherapeutic surgeries. Jesus does not need advertising, supposedly scientific and professional education, awards, knowledge from para psychological seminars, and meetings. It is necessary to know that many people possessed by an evil spirit lived as they do today in the time of Jesus.

What does it mean to be possessed by the devil? This means that the devil already controls the human heart, the will, the sense of emotion, that man does evil without fighting it. We tend to say it much more softly; we say it is a bad passion. And that can be different. A person can be passionately addicted to alcohol, sex, lies, slander, theft, drugs or slot machine games. The doctor will say that he is a sick person. It is a serious situation from which we cannot get out on our own. We can say one more action of the devil, and these are various movements and sects, where opium is subtly presented, which destroys gradually, sometimes very quickly, and man becomes a slave.

Let’s think about the genesis of how the devil takes over the human heart. It is necessary to say immediately that the devil does not seize a person at once. The devil is a tactician. First, he recognizes the weaknesses of man. Like Eve in Paradise, at first, a terrible idea is offered as a good idea. You are a free man. You have the right and the obligation to try it once. He admits that it is against God’s commandment, but it is an idea where one can know, experience something pleasant, extraordinary, strange … At first glance, temptation does not seem like something bad. Whoever engages in conversation can flirt with temptation, admire others, compare himself with others, launches the second stage, which is already a harbinger of something great evil. One is prone to make things easier. What can happen to me so badly if I do? At this stage, a person ceases to judge correctly, see things, evaluate the state, and take a critical attitude. I’m right; I have to avenge the insult …? One cup of me won’t put a guy down. Then follows the stage of combat. Just a thought, a look, one-act, and the devil catches his prey. How hard it is to fight then. Resignation begins, giving up the fight, concessions are being made, and the wrong idea has already settled in my mind that he no longer wants to and does not want to go out.

Temptation. When a person weakens, the harder it is to fight against him, and the temptation returns, stronger, grows. .