Jesus had authority over demons.
Wherever Jesus went, crowds gathered. Demoniacs were often healed in those crowds.
In some cases, the demons became disruptive (see Mark 3:10-11 and Luke 4:41; see also Acts 8:7, where demons shrieked in Philip’s large meetings as they were driven out of people).
Most of the time, Jesus commanded the unclean spirits not to reveal His identity:
“When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was” (Mark 1:32–34, NASB).
Regardless of the behavior of the demons, Jesus drove them out with as little as a single word (see Matt. 8:16). He also healed people who were “troubled by evil spirits” (Luke 6:18, NIV). This seems to imply a lesser degree of demonic influence—”affliction” or “oppression,” as opposed to “control” or “possession.”
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