A cornerstone of personal safety and security is the admonition to ‘know who you’re dealing with.’  If you do not, you may be taken advantage of and suffer serious loss, up to and including life itself.  

Bad actors (and bad liars) may make self-serving or accidental disclosures that unwittingly give them away.  Should anyone suggest that you’d be wise to be on your guard around them, you had best believe them and act accordingly.  Guilt over those they have victimized in the past and their intention to do the same to you, may have compelled the caution, even if issued in jest.  Persons offering unsolicited explanations for their behavior that are inconsistent, unlikely or false, should be treated as objects of healthy suspicion.  In fact, you’re a fool if you don’t.  

Aggressive characters are best avoided entirely.  Narcissists for example, will often try to impress and intimidate others by loudly warning, “You have no IDEA who you’re dealing with!”  The obvious implication is that when you don’t know information as basic and as critical as that, you are out of your league and quite possibly, out of your mind.  For no one in full possession of his or her faculties would leave themselves open and vulnerable that way.

The Bible contains fascinating glimpses behind the curtain of another dimension—the realm of the spirit.  Would it surprise you to learn that in that world, as in our own, knowing who you’re dealing with is absolutely essential?  The behavior and utterances of the inhabitants of that domain are intriguing and instructive; especially, as it turns out, when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ.  Let’s look at a few examples.

Mark 5:1-20

“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.  And when he [Jesus] was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.  [What an awful reality—a soul-crushing existence so pointless, so intensely painful, so utterly miserable, so abjectly piteous…and with no hope of relief!]

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure [beg] thee by God, that thou torment me not.”

[This scene shows that evil spirits encountering Jesus already know who they are dealing with.  They recognize Him because they have seen Him before, from long ages past.  It also reveals that:

1. Demons make obeisance to Christ, despite their fear of Him (or perhaps because of it—“ran,” “worshipped,” “cried with a loud voice”).
2. Demons recognize Christ.  They know His person (“Jesus”) and His position (“Son of the most high God”).  
3. Demons expect Jesus to “torment” them (implying their belief that He has power and authority to do so).
4. Demons may invoke God the Father in an effort to forestall torment from His Son (‘I beg you by God…don’t torment me’).

Matthew’s gospel records that in addition to the man who immediately confronted Jesus, there was a second demon-possessed man, who also lived there, in the tombs (Matthew 8:28): “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”  Matthew’s account also adds this illuminating detail: “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (8:29, emphasis added)]

5. Demons expect that at an appointed time in the future, Jesus Christ will come here (to Earth), and commence their torment, proving that they know exactly who they’re dealing with.]

Mark 5:1-20 (continued)

“For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.  And he asked him, What is thy name?

And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.  And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.  And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.  And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.  [They knew that the entire event had been supernatural in origin.]  And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.  And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.  And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis [a region known as the ten towns] how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”

Luke 4:31-37

“And [Jesus] came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.  And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.  And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.  [Jesus’ word trumps all.  The demons cannot withstand it.]

And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.”

[Once again, a demon instantly recognizes Jesus, calls Him by name, and exclaims, “I know who You are!”  Like the legion of others, this demon is terrified to encounter Him.  New elements are added: familiarity with the fact that Jesus is associated with lowly Nazareth, and the amazing admission that Jesus, whom at that point Satan still hoped to corrupt, so He could not qualify as humanity’s sin-bearer, is in fact, “the Holy One of God.]” 

Luke 4:40-41 [Later that sabbath, at the home of Simon Peter, in Capernaum…]

“Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.  And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.” [No need for inference—Jesus consistently prohibits the demons from speaking about Him “for they knew that he was Christ.”  Boom.  Jesus Christ, the Son of Almighty God, does not need or want help from demonic sources in proclaiming who He is.]

James 2:19 (emphasis added)

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

James here makes the point that knowing about God and knowing God personally are two very different things, resulting in entirely different outcomes.  Do you know Jesus, or do you know about Jesus?  Do you truly understand who you’re dealing with?  Good for you!  Even the demons know that—and the thought of what awaits them absolutely terrifies them.  Here’s one more illustration from scripture of the importance and urgency of knowing who you’re dealing with.

Acts 19:13-17

“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom [the Apostle] Paul preacheth.  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”

These men did not know Jesus at all, but thought there might be some occult power in using His name as an incantation.  They discovered to their horror however, that the name of Jesus Christ is not religious mumbo jumbo, no magic words, no rabbit’s foot.  It was not (and is not) a talisman, a spell or a curse.  It offers no advantage or protection to those who would misuse it.  They played with fire and got burned, a lesson they would not soon forget.  I wonder if they ever stopped to consider the mercy of Jesus in not administering on the spot the full justice that they deserved for their blasphemy.  Though I hope so, I doubt it.

If you don’t already believe in, follow and serve the Lord Jesus, I trust that by now, you have a much clearer picture of who you’re dealing with…the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace, the Light of the World, the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, the Savior, the Messiah.  My advice?  Don’t ignore Him, write Him off or underestimate Him, not ever.  Instead, turn to Him and trust in Him, now.  Here’s how.

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)