And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”(Mark 1:27)
As Jesus began His ministry He taught with authority. He preached easily, effortlessly, truthfully, without fear filled with confidence and compassion that some many of our contemporary media gurus and talking heads unsuccessfully mimic, even those who claim to speak for God. Jesus demonstrated a keen knowledge of God’s Word the likes of which the Jews had never heard even from the mouths of the most learned of the rabbis and scribes, men who were supposed to know the Law and the Scriptures intimately. And Jesus amazed even them for He had no reputation or training as a scholar or teacher.
What was even more amazing was Jesus’ encounter with the demon-possessed man. Unlike the Jews, the demon apparently realized who Jesus was and feared that his time was up. Jesus knew that it was not yet time to deal decisively with Satan and his demons for that would come at His crucifixion. But for now He merely cast the demon out, demonstrating that He had absolute authority and power over Satan. I say merely, but for most believers, casting out a demon would certainly be daunting and frightening though not as dramatic as the media has depicted in popular culture.
With this one act of exorcism, however, Jesus set the whole tone for His ministry, that He had come to free all mankind from the power of sin and Satan. He would do this by His death on the cross and His resurrection. He would continue this work of deliverance through His faithful disciples and us, His Church. His authority and power is given to us via the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. So we who are His disciples today have the same authority to preach the word and break the bonds that hold people enslaved to sin and Satan.