Jesus gave us power and authority over the devil and his demons!
Jesus fully exposed the devil and his devices. With deliverance being roughly a third of Jesus’ ministry, we must not neglect this aspect of ministry. We need to know our enemy and his devices!
Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 4:
23 Jesus ministered from place to place throughout all of the province of Galilee. He taught in the synagogues, preaching the wonderful news of the Kingdom and healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people.
24 His fame spread throughout all Syria! Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing—epileptics, paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed!
And in Matthew chapter 8:
14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. 16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a Word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”
And in Matthew chapter 12:
22 Then one was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 If satan casts out satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out demons by beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
This passage is one of the clearest teachings of Jesus about His authority over demons and the arrival of God’s Kingdom.
A man was brought to Jesus who was:
- Demon-possessed
- Blind
- Unable to speak
This verse demonstrates an important Biblical principle: sometimes physical affliction has a spiritual cause. However, Scripture does not teach that all sickness is caused by demons. Jesus healed many diseases that were not described as demonic and also cast out demons when they were the cause.
In this case, after Jesus cast out the demon, the man’s sight and speech were restored immediately.
The title “Son of David” is a messianic title. The crowds were beginning to wonder: “Is this the Messiah we have been waiting for?” Why?
Because the Old Testament foretold that when the Messiah came He would:
- Heal the sick
- Open blind eyes
- Deliver captives
- Demonstrate God’s Kingdom
Jesus’ miracles pointed directly to those promises.
Rather than denying that a miracle occurred, the Pharisees accepted that the demon had actually been cast out. Their accusation was about the source of Jesus’ power.
Jesus exposes their logic to be false.
His argument is straightforward. Demons do not wage war against themselves to destroy satan’s kingdom.
This is the key verse.
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Everything hinges on the word if.
Jesus presents two possibilities:
- Either satan is defeating himself (which makes no sense), or
- The Holy Spirit is empowering Jesus.
If the second is true—and Jesus says it is—then something profound has happened.
The Kingdom of God is no longer merely a future hope. It has arrived in the person of the King. Every demon expelled demonstrated that satan’s rule was being invaded by God’s reign.
This passage reveals several important Truths:
1. Jesus has complete authority over demons.
There is no struggle or uncertainty. The demons obey Him immediately.
This fulfills prophecies such as Isaiah 61, which foretold that the Messiah would proclaim liberty to the captives.
2. Deliverance is evidence that God’s Kingdom is present.
Jesus did not perform deliverance merely to relieve suffering. Each deliverance was a visible sign that God’s Kingdom was overcoming the kingdom of darkness.
His miracles authenticated His identity as the Messiah.
4. Spiritual warfare is real.
Jesus treated demons as real personal beings, not merely symbols of evil.
His ministry consistently included:
- Preaching the Kingdom
- Healing diseases
- Casting out demons
These ministries often worked together as signs of God’s redemptive work.
Jesus attributes His ministry to “the Spirit of God.” His authority is exercised in perfect union with the Father and through the Holy Spirit. Our authority is derived from Christ, not self-generated.
The emphasis of Matthew 12 is not on techniques for confronting evil spirits but on who Jesus is. His power over demons is evidence that He is the promised Messiah and that, through Him, the Kingdom of God has broken into the world.
Every deliverance in His ministry points to His ultimate victory over sin, satan, and death through His cross and resurrection.