What is the meaning of Jesus casting out devils? - Part 6

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What is the meaning of Jesus casting out devils? - Part 6

 

And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's

mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever; and they made request of him on

her behalf. And standing over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her; and

she immediately arose and waited on them. (Luke 4:38-39)[1]

 

(p.406) When one acts according to the influence of conscience or good

qualities, he creates good tendencies and good habits which automatically draw

him toward God. Whenever an individual acts evilly under the influence of evil

habits or evil qualities, then automatically he is drawn toward Satan,

ignorance, and satanic ways.

 

This explanation of good and evil is to point out that man is not responsible

for being 'tempted' to do evil under the influence of anger, greed, or fear, or

other evils, implanted in him by Satan, but he is responsible if he chooses to

'act' according to the temptations of the evil forces. Such temptations appear

in man as evil impulses and inner promptings to do wrong. When the evil forces

are successful, obsessed man feels compelled to act out those urges.

 

Human beings thus succumb to evil not only through the influence of their

prenatal or postnatal tendencies and bad habits, but also because they are

consciously pushed by the satanic entities residing in the brain. When the evil

entity of an obsession is dislodged from the brain by higher meditations,

self-controlled right actions, and the help of one's guru, then a soul really

becomes free. Jesus healed Mary Magdalene from seven devils, visitations of the

evil forces.[2] Great masters, like Jesus, can transmit their light of

spirituality into the mind of a person obsessed with an evil intent and thereby

dislodge the specific evil force causing the affliction.

 

If a man sits in a room full of light, beholding beautiful objects, to him light

exists. If another man sits in the same room with eyes closed, to him darkness

exists--albeit self-created. Similarly, there are two kinds of people in this

world. One kind have their spiritual eyes of wisdom open; they see God and His

goodness existing everywhere, in everything. The second kind have their

spiritual eyes closed; they experience creation as rife with Satan and his

evils.

 

Man is responsible for harboring the darkness of evil if he does not cultivate

the true perception of wisdom. Devotees are those souls who obey the wishes of

God to keep their eyes of wisdom open and focused only on good; and deluded

persons are those who heed the voice of evil and keep their eyes of spirituality

closed, thus courting the darkness of misery, sickness, and the whole host of

Satan's evils.

 

God is alluring His devotees by all good things to come to Him; and Satan, by

the allurement of false promises of happiness, is coaxing people deeper into his

pit of ignorance and misery. Man should consider the whisperings of his

conscience and good tendencies as the call of God within him. Conversely, he

should recognize and resist the promptings of evil thoughts and urges as the

lure of Satan.

 

If man continuously listens responsively to the whisperings of his conscience

and nascent virtues and gets used to better ways of living, he ultimately

discovers the eternal good within the God-image of his soul, and through this

Self-realization becomes liberated. Because Satan breaks his promises to give

lasting happiness to his followers, they will all finally turn away from him to

God.

 

Satan's devils, the originators and pioneers of evil working through evil

tendencies in man, should therefore be cast out from ignorance-haunted souls.

Spiritualizing one's life through righteous behavior and especially through

God-communion in deep regular meditation is the way to expel the evil entities

and open up the latent perceptions of heaven within. To rid the consciousness of

obsessing evil forces is the real metaphysical way of freeing a soul forever

from the influences of Satan's devils that have carried on their misery-dealing

work through incarnations in one who chose to misuse his power of reason.

 

Jesus, being omniscient, had full knowledge of how Satan and his evil forces

worked in torturing human beings. (p.408) Thus, he knew the metaphysical art of

casting out those devils, as did his specially ordained apostles. The art is

known to all masters, who then teach other souls how to be free forever from the

innate influences of evil entities, by consciously establishing within

themselves the preeminence of God.

 

Great masters can heal the ignorance in truth-seeking devotees by contact with

the Christ Consciousness and transmitting to them that spiritual power. I have

seen how my guru, Swami Sri Yukteswarji, cast out devils from obsessed beings

and healed so-called incurable sicknesses and preached through his exemplary

living. Masters who are entirely free from evil show others thereby how to be

likewise free.

 

By the contact of God through advanced concentration and meditation, as with the

Self-realization techniques, and by spiritually developing oneself with the help

of the guru, devotees can actually dislodge the originator of evil, Satan and

his obsessing entities, from within the sacred sanctum of their body temple.

 

Illumined saints have declared how the spirit entity of evil takes shape and

leaves the body permanently, after highest spiritual attainment. When the evil

entity departs, the cleansed consciousness of the devotee becomes not only

absolutely impervious to evil but cannot see evil in anything anymore. He sees

God everywhere.

 

In summary, the lesson to be drawn from the dramatic demonstrations of Jesus in

casting out devils is not that one should concentrate on and fear possession by

tramp souls (a rare actuality) or obsessions by Satan's evil entities (innate in

the human psyche). Rather, one should have a working knowledge of and healthy

respect for the ever-present delusive satanic power and thereby keep oneself

wholly immune to evil influences.

 

Listen to the voice of God echoing in your good thoughts. These are strong

intimations from God and His angelic spirits to guide and help you. Satan also

is exerting his influence with his own kind of contrary mental instigations.

Every time a bad thought or impulse comes, cast out that devilish entity; then

Satan cannot do anything to you. Why remain a mortal captive, oscillating

between good and evil? Escape into the heart of Spirit where Satan and his horde

will be unable to reach you.

 

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ Within

You) Volume 1, Discourse 24, pg. 406-408

Paramahansa Yogananda

Printed in the United States of America 1434-J881

ISBN-13:978-0-87612-557-1

ISBN-10:0-87612-557-7

 

[1] Cf. parallel references in Matthew 8:14-15 and Mark 1:29-31.

 

[2] Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9.