Spiritual battle

In today’s Gospel in the first chapter of Mark (1:21-28), the Devil makes his first appearance. One of Satan’s followers has taken possession of a child of God and cries out in panic at Jesus’ approach:

“’What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy one of God’. But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be Quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said’, with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.”

This is what John Bartunek in his book The Better Part says about evil:

“The devil is real, and he is interested in counteracting the work of grace. In one sense, accepting this fundamental truth, and keeping it always in the back of our minds, can comfort us tremendously: it helps us make sense of all the unpleasant influences at work in and around us...we are engaged in a spiritual battle. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we also believe in the devil - doomed as he is, he would love to take as many souls as he can along with him...how many souls are enslaved to sin unknowingly under Satan’s evil spell - confused, depressed, headed for destruction?”