WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
AUGUST 14, 2026
TOPIC: RETURNING DEMONS
BY T. O. BANSO
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’” (Luke 11:24 New King James Version).
One of the features of Jesus’ earthly ministry was casting out unclean, evil, or demonic spirits. Such people, who were possessed by unclean spirits, were thus delivered to live normal lives.
One of them was the man with unclean spirits in Gadara who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no one could bind him. After Jesus delivered him from the unclean spirit, he begged Jesus to allow him to be with Him as He got into the boat. However, Jesus did not grant his request. Rather, He told him to go home to his friends and tell them the great things the Lord had done for him, and how He had had compassion on him. The man departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and all marvelled (Mark 5:1-20).
The demons cast out of this man entered about two thousand swine, ran violently into the sea, and drowned there. There is no record that the demons cast out repossessed this man.
However, in Luke 11, Jesus said, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’” (verse 24 New King James Version). Jesus didn’t say here how the unclean spirit is cast out or expelled.
Jesus continued in verses 25-26: “And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (New King James Version). Matthew 12:43-45 also records similar words of Jesus about a returning demon.
The important thing to note here is that casting out an unclean spirit is not enough. Any casting out of unclean spirits by a name other than the name of Jesus and without a genuine relationship with Christ is superficial. Furthermore, self-effort in sweeping and putting one’s heart in order without dependence on the works of Christ on the cross cannot stop a demon from returning to claim ownership of the place it left.
Any supposed deliverance from unclean spirits not through Christ will only give temporary relief, not permanent victory. Satan must be dethroned in the heart, and Jesus enthroned. The person from whom an unclean spirit is cast out must be possessed by the Holy Spirit and be filled with the Word of God. Otherwise, an unclean spirit, seeing that its former home is empty because Jesus is not enthroned, will return with seven more wicked spirits and possess the person. The person’s case will then be worse than before.
Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). Her heart was thoroughly cleansed. She became a follower of Jesus. She was the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection. This shows her love for Jesus and devotion to Him. She and the other women had gone to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1). Then they discovered that He had risen.
The demons cast out of Mary Magdalene couldn’t return to possess her because she was set free by Jesus, and the demons’ former house was not vacant. Jesus had taken possession of Mary, and she was fully devoted to Him. Nobody would have believed that seven demons had been cast out of her. She was committed to Jesus even after His death.
Compare Mary Magdalene to Judas Iscariot, the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry (John 12:6). Satan entered Judas, and he went to confer with the chief priests and captains about how he might betray Him to them (Luke 22:3-6). He eventually betrayed Jesus but committed suicide thereafter (Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:18).
Demons can only be genuinely cast out in the name of Jesus. Luke 9:49-50 says, “Now John answered and said, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side’” (New King James Version).
However, in Jesus’ day, the Jewish exorcists expelled demons from people. In Luke 11:19, He said, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges” (New King James Version). Jesus did not condemn or approve of the practice of these exorcists but only pointed out the hypocrisy of His accusers. He implied that if they did not accuse their exorcist sons of casting out demons by Beelzebub, they were inconsistent to accuse Him of this. That would amount to a double standard. But Jesus declared that He cast out demons by the finger (power) of God (verse 20).
Furthermore, during the time of the apostles, Jewish exorcists cast out demons by calling the name of Jesus. Acts 19:13 says, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches’” (New King James Version).
The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were also doing this. They tried to cast out an evil spirit, but it humiliated them. It leapt on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them. They fled out of the house naked and wounded (Acts 19:14-16).
Demons can only be genuinely cast out in the name of Jesus. In Luke 10:17, the seventy disciples returned with joy and told Jesus that even the demons were subject to them in His name. According to Jesus, one of the signs that will follow those who believe in Him is that, in His name, they will cast out demons (Mark 16:17).
Victory over demons is only in the name of Jesus and not by reliance on self-effort or any other power outside of Jesus. When a demon is cast out of someone, he must fill his heart with the Word of God. He must be transformed by the renewing of his mind (Romans 12:2). He must also be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; 4:31; Ephesians 5:18). The person must not be entangled in what he had escaped from so that his latter end will not be worse than the beginning (2 Peter 2:20). A demon cannot return to his former house when Jesus is enthroned there. However, if it is empty and unoccupied, the demon will return with seven other spirits more wicked than himself and dwell there. Consequently, the person will be worse off than before.
Those who are delivered from demonic possession must, therefore, take heed lest they allow the demons to return. They must soak themselves in the Word of God and live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. They must live a holy life, not in the legalistic sense, which is impossible and will only make them miserable, but as the fruit of grace and life in the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:16; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7). Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life—your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I pray that all those who are victims of demonic possession or oppression will be delivered. They will devote themselves to the Word of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Unclean spirits shall not possess them again. Their deliverance shall be permanent in Jesus’ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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