TRUTH ABOUT LUKE 11:24–26 & MATTHEW 12:43–45 (KJV)
Luke 11:24–26 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and garnished. 26 Then goes he, and takes to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, most people have taught that this means when the demon is cast out. I used to think that was what it meant also. But by revelation and the help of Dake’s Study Bible, I see the truth in this verse.
The word “gone” used here is exerchomai in the Greek (Strong’s G1831), meaning to go out or depart at their own will. It is not the same as “cast out.” The Bible uses a totally different word when it speaks of demons being driven out by authority. That word is ekballō (used in Mark 16:17), meaning to forcibly expel. See the difference? In Luke 11:24 the demon isn’t cast out by authority—it chooses to leave on its own.
This also makes sense when you look at the context. Jesus had just been accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub (Luke 11:14–23). His response was to show them that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Then He gave this illustration about an unclean spirit leaving a man. He was warning them of the danger of being neutral—having a life “swept and empty” but not filled with God’s Word. He wasn’t warning us against deliverance, but against leaving people unguarded after the demon departs.
Matthew’s Gospel records the same teaching in almost the exact words:
Matthew 12:43–45 (KJV) 43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Notice how Matthew adds the words “Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” That shows Jesus was addressing the nation of Israel who were rejecting Him. He was warning them about their spiritual emptiness without Him—not telling us to avoid deliverance.
And if you read just a few verses after in Luke 11:28, Jesus makes it clear what protects a person: “Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it.”
That means after deliverance, the key is holding onto Jesus’ Word, walking in obedience, and sharing what He has done. This is what maintains freedom.
Think about the man who had the legion of demons in Mark 5. After Jesus delivered him, he wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit yet. But Jesus told him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19). That obedience and testimony was enough to keep him free.
So yes, being filled with the Holy Spirit is wonderful and powerful—but even if a non-Christian receives deliverance and hasn’t yet been filled, they can remain free when we, by faith, command the demons never to return, and when they choose to walk in the Word they’ve been given.
Lots of people have been put off even doing deliverance on a non-believer because they have taken this scripture out of context. They think maybe after the person is delivered from demons, the demon will just go and get seven more demons more wicked and re-enter the person and make them worse.
So they will avoid deliverance on anyone they think is not close to God. This is sad because most people who are non-believers or are not close to Jesus need deliverance to help them believe! Many people are struggling with demons controlling their minds, preventing them from believing or drawing closer to Jesus!
At least after being delivered, they will have the chance to come close to Jesus! They will have the choice now to make God’s Word the standard for their lives! But before deliverance, the demon would have been preventing them!
You’re probably thinking, can a demon get tired and leave someone without being cast out? I can testify to this because in my teenage years, a demon troubling me by keeping me from eating left me after a year, and I was okay in that area of my life.
I wasn’t a Christian at that time; I had a strong will to fight this problem on my own, and it left me. Yes, because I was not a Christian, I ended up with demons worse than that, causing me to do very sinful things.
I thank God He opened my eyes to Jesus and delivered me and saved me! Who have you passed by not willing to deliver them because you think you will just make them worse?
We stopped and prayed for a demon-possessed man on the street in Zambia and couldn’t communicate with him because he was mad, but we believed God and commanded him to be delivered in Jesus’ Name! Today he is free and in his right mind—glory to Jesus!
So don’t let fear stop you from setting captives free. Jesus never told us to hold back deliverance—He told us to go and cast out demons (Mark 16:17). His Word and our faith in His Name are more than enough to keep them free.
Understanding God's Word
