Several times in the New Testament it is recorded that Jesus cast demons out of people. There were people who had a single demonic spirit cast out of them on several occasions, and there is mention of one man who had a “legion” of spirits cast out of him. But, there is one person who had a specific number of demons mentioned … “Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out SEVEN demons.” (Mark 16:9) Why is that specific number mentioned? I’d like to offer a very plausible answer to that question.
Jesus taught his disciples one day about what happens when evil spirits are cast out of a person. The following is the passage from Matthew 12:43-45…“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my HOUSE from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it UNOCCUPIED, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Notice that he said “SEVEN other spirits more wicked than itself.” I’m just speculating here, but is it possible that there was a time when Mary Magdalene had one evil spirit cast out of her, but because she didn’t let the Holy Spirit come in and OCCUPY her house (her spirit) she gave the devil an opportunity to come back into her life with SEVEN more wicked spirits?
Jesus tells us an important truth from the passage above in Matthew. Even though God can clean us up and deliver us from demonic influence, we must not leave our spirits UNOCCUPIED or we will end up giving place for more evil spirit influence than before. The truth is, if a person just wants God to come and clean up their life and take the pain away, but aren’t willing to have Him come in and take up residence within them, they might be better off just having ONE evil spirit residing within them instead of the SEVEN that will eventually come in if they refuse to let the Holy Spirit come and OCCUPY them.
In the passage above, a person’s spirit is called a “HOUSE.” It can be a HOUSE for an evil spirit or the Holy Spirit. But, one way or another, it will be OCCUPIED.
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our HOME with him.”
