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Casting Out Demons

  It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. (John 6:63).

Is flesh, including the sense that sees it and the thought that confirms it, a demon to be cast out? Yes! What is causing this flesh that profiteth nothing? It has no cause. Flesh is a belief that there is a moment when infinite Life gives finite matter the power to live for a short while; it is a picture of our persistent conviction that we are gods. For flesh to be real, that which has no cause must exist alongside infinite cause. Are there limited minds and infinite Mind, wanton desires and all-encompassing Love, deaths and eternal Life, conflicting so-called facts and Truth? The illusion of a mortal's mind is what we call brain consciousness, and this so-called brain appears to validate the material universe. If this fleshly mind "profiteth nothing," mortal man needs to be educated out of it - out of the mistaken supposition that there are two contrary powers (good and evil), which are forever at war and in balance. The problem is that mortal mind has no inclination for spiritual education since true knowledge would necessitate this mind's demise. Error would forever repeat the lie that 'I am your life' if it were not for our innate Christly conscience. The fact is, we are conscious of more than what mortal mind claims, and this is the means by which the Spirit quickeneth.

Jesus' method for reeducating mortal mind was by prayer and fasting. Prayer directs us to conscience, and fasting starves all reaction to fleshly inclinations. When he was tempted with worldly means for fulfilling his mission, Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan," removing the demonic influence by denying mortal mind permission to address his consciousness (Matt 4:10). With temptation dismissed, there was no mortal mind present with which to react: only God's angels ruled his consciousness.

If we are not entertaining God's angels, we are being entertained by demons. There is no substitute intelligence in the universe of Mind, but from a human vantage point, either Christ's presence is inspiring us with unconditional goodness or sentient thoughts are constraining us to limited resources and fatal flaws. The good that mortal mind offers looks promising and is borrowed from Soul, but it is presented as a specialized good that the brain and senses can feel and see rather than as infinite intelligence directed and maintained by Mind. Truth includes neither good nor evil demons, but dissolves these lies without knowing what the lies are. Conscience is ever at work, urging us to correct and refine our inclinations.

Jesus said of Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much" (Luke 7:47). What was she conscious of that impelled Jesus to forgive her? She must have admitted her need of cleansing and turned from whatever evil was once in her thought, wholly appreciative of what Christ had already done for her. Mary's outpouring of gracious human affection toward Jesus both preceded and confirmed her spiritual baptism, and her unfeigned love of Jesus proved her healing to be complete. She washed and anointed his feet, was last at the cross, first at the tomb, first to see the risen savior, and first to repeat the angel message that would revolutionize the world - "He is risen" (Matt 28:6). Christ gave her the prize that she deserved, and with it she comforted her brethren.

In order for divine Love to reign and prove itself to be our only Mind, we must turn away from selfish ambition, envy, greed, malice, and our hidden hatred of truth. As we recognize the all-forgiving nature of Christ, the heavy weight of sin dissolves; our affections are ready to be practiced in Spirit, where all our neighbors are exquisite.

All beliefs of sin, sickness, and death must vacate thought to make room for the divine presentation of Life, for "whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (II Cor 5:6?8). Casting out all devils (evils) requires absolute confidence in our plea. To admit that flesh has no sensation aids in destroying false pleasures, pain, and sickness. To understand that there is no mortal mind to project these beliefs is the scientific fact that destroys a diabolical mental state, leaving Mind alone to guide and govern His perfect image and likeness.

We do not live here, in a flesh-limiting world, and never did. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. Love places mentality outside the control of mortal mind and sees infinite good holding us there.

'Behold, my Son; he is very good!'

George Denninger ©

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