During
my reading of Scripture this morning in Luke chapter 4, I noted the word
“rebuke” being used by Luke to describe Jesus’ response to different
situations. Two instances are related to demons, which he “rebuked” and
commanded to depart. The third instance was the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law,
which Jesus also “rebuked.” Luke says, So
He stood over her and rebuked the
fever, and it left her.
I was reminded of the
time when I was in Bible school and seemed to be under an intense attack from
the enemy. As I walked across the campus this particular day my head felt as if
it was being squeezed in a vice that was being tightened with ever increasing
pressure.
As I walked along I “rebuked”
the demons that were attacking me and commanded them to leave. Amazingly, the tension
and pressure immediately dissipated, and my mind came into a state of clarity, freedom
and peace. I did not need a counselor or psychiatrist in that situation. I
needed to exercise my authority in Christ and “rebuke” the attack of the enemy.
The word “rebuke” in
the New Testament is a translation of the Greek word timaow. According to Thayer’s
Greek-English Lexicon, it means to “reprove” or “censure severely” in order
“to curb one’s ferocity or violence.” There is, of course, an implied authority
of the one who administers the rebuke.
I recall another
incident shortly after Sue and I married. We were staying in her parent’s home
until we could get settled in our own place. Her father, who was a retired
detective, had a very incessant cough that seemed never-ending.
One morning I was alone
in our room and kneeling in prayer. I could hear my father-in-law in
another room coughing incessantly. Suddenly, I heard the Holy Spirit speak in
my heart, “That is a demon.”
Upon hearing those
words I quietly “rebuked” the spirit that was causing George to cough and
commanded it to leave. I was amazed at what happened. The coughing immediately stopped.
As I knelt by the bed I kept listening and listening for another cough, but
that was the end of it. Amazing!
I am not suggesting that
every unpleasant thing that happens in your life is a demon, for that is not
the case. But, on the other hand, we must realize that there is a spirit world with
which we must contend, and everything we encounter in life cannot be explained
as the mere product of natural and psychological forces. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, Paul said in Ephesians 6:12,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places.
Is there something happening in your life today that calls for a rebuke? You have the right as a son or
daughter of God to rebuke the enemy and put him to flight. Remember the words
of Jesus in Luke 10:19, Behold, I give
you authority to trample on serpents and over all the power of the enemy and
nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is an author, historian and Bible teacher. He is the founder/director of Revive America, which is dedicated to laying the Biblical and historical foundations for anther great Spiritual awakening in America and around the world. You can learn more about his ministry be going to his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
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