Matthew 17:15

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.”

This simple verse summarizes the job description given to demons, and one way we can identify demonic activity is by watching out for these two things. First, demons are sent to make us suffer severely. Their work is not just to bring pain, but also to make pain as severe as possible. Whether emotional, physical, mental or spiritual, they are specialists at causing acute pain. Secondly, demons are assigned to us to make us fall. Irrespective of the type of fall, they want to ensure that our fall is repeated and painful; that’s why the boys’ fall had to be into the fire or water. Demons are merely out to inflict pain and bring destruction.

Thankfully when they brought the boy to Jesus, He rebuked the demon, and the boy was cured instantly. Just as demons have a work assignment, Jesus’ task is to set men free from the oppressions and pains of Satan. As His hands, feet, and voice, we need to go where men are oppressed and speak His Words of deliverance over the lives of men. This is our job description in the stead of Christ.

“Father, in the name of Jesus, use me to bring freedom to those oppressed by demons. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear the cries of the oppressed. And by Your authority and in Your stead, use me to crush the works of darkness in the lives of men. In Jesus name. Amen.”