DID JESUS EVER BIND DEMONS
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
The Gospels do not record Jesus explicitly using the phrase “I bind you” or “I bind this demon” when casting out demons. However, Jesus did cast out demons frequently and demonstrated “authority” over them, which is often interpreted by some as a form of “binding.”
Here’s what the Bible says:
1. Jesus cast out demons with authority:
- Matthew 8:16 – “He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.”
- Mark 1:27 – “He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
Jesus simply spoke to the demons, commanded them to leave, and they obeyed. There’s no formulaic language like “I bind you” used in any accounts found in scripture.
2. Matthew 12:29 – “Binding the strong man”
This is the closest relevant statement:
“Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.”
This is metaphorical, and most scholars interpret the “strong man” as Satan. Jesus is saying that He has come to bind Satan’s power in order to rescue people (the “plunder”). It suggests Jesus’ authority over Satan, but again, it is not a direct command in scripture of using binding language.
3. “Binding and loosing” (Matthew 16:19; 18:18):
Jesus tells His disciples:
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
This is often misunderstood. In context, it likely refers to church discipline and doctrinal authority, not demonology or spiritual warfare because no where in scripture do you find Jesus or the Apostles “binding” Satan or any demons.
- Jesus did not use the phrase “I bind you” when casting out demons.
- He commanded demons and they obeyed — often with just a word.
- The idea of “binding” demons developed later in Christian tradition, especially in spiritual warfare practices (e.g., in Pentecostal and Charismatic movements), but it is not recorded in scripture when Jesus cast out devils.
How early Christians or the apostles handled demons after Jesus?
Let’s look at how early Christians and the apostles dealt with demons in the New Testament after Jesus’ resurrection. Again, we’ll focus on what Scripture actually says rather than later traditions.
📖 1. Apostles Cast Out Demons in Jesus’ Name
The book of Acts shows that Jesus’ followers cast out demons using His authority, not through a “binding” formula as many do today.
▸ Acts 16:16–18 – Paul casts out a spirit by the authority that the name of Jesus bares.
“Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.”
🔹 Key point: Paul commands the spirit directly in Jesus’ name, with no mention of binding. Paul drove the spirit out with a single command in Jesus name.
📖 2. The 70 disciples cast out demons
Even before Pentecost, Jesus gave authority to other disciples and they returned and reported that demons are subjected to the name which is above all names, the name of Jesus.
▸ Luke 10:17
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
🔹 This shows that Jesus’ name alone carried power, not a special ritual or “binding” language or an argumentative ritual with demons.
📖 3. Warning Against Misusing Jesus’ Name
There’s an example where people tried to cast out demons without a real relationship with Jesus:
▸ Acts 19:13–16 – The sons of Sceva
They tried to invoke the name of Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up.
🔹 Lesson: Authority over demons isn’t in the words used, but in knowing Jesus and being empowered by Him to use the authority of the name of Jesus over the entire kingdom of Satan and all of his demons.
🧭 What About “Binding” in Spiritual Warfare?
The language of “binding Satan” becomes more common in later Christian tradition and prayer. For example:
- Some spiritual warfare prayers include phrases like “I bind you, Satan, in the name of Jesus.”
- These practices are based loosely on passages like Matthew 12:29 and Matthew 16:19, though those texts aren’t directly about casting out demons. There is really nothing wrong with using these terms in spiritual warfare because it does weaken demon power, but the name of Jesus is what drives the demon out when spoken in authority.
✅ Summary
- Apostles and early Christians cast out demons in Jesus’ name, not by saying “I bind you.”
- Authority came from Jesus, not from a formula.
- The idea of binding demons is a later development in Christian practice, not part of the original apostolic method.
Here’s a comparison of biblical casting out demons (as practiced by Jesus and the apostles) versus modern spiritual warfare practices, especially in charismatic or Pentecostal traditions.
🔍 Biblical Expelling of Demons (Jesus & Apostles)
| Feature | Biblical Practice |
|---|---|
| Method | A command or sharp rebuke given directly to the demon. |
| Words used | Short, authoritative statements like: “Come out!” or “I command you in Jesus’ name” |
| Focus | The authority of Jesus and His name. |
| Who performed it | Jesus, His disciples, and apostles (e.g. Paul, Peter, etc.) |
| Preparation | Sometimes includes prayer and fasting: Mark 9:29 “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” |
| Binding language | Never used in casting out demons. |
| Outcome | Immediate or observable deliverance in short period of time. |
| Example verses | Mark 5:1–13, Luke 10:17, Acts 16:18 |
🛡️ Modern Spiritual Warfare Practices
| Method | Combines prayer, declarations, commands, sometimes rituals |
| Words used | Phrases like “I bind you, Satan,” “I loose peace,” “We take authority…” |
| Focus | Jesus’ name + believer’s authority + spiritual “legal rights” |
| Who performs it | Any believer (sometimes deliverance ministers) |
| Preparation | Often involves spiritual discernment, prayer, fasting, renouncing sin |
| Binding language | Common – based on interpretation of Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 binding/loosing. |
| Outcome | Can be immediate, gradual, or inner healing-focused. |
🧠 Key Differences
| Aspect | Biblical | Modern |
|---|---|---|
| Language used | Direct, minimal, always effective. | Elaborate, includes symbolic terms like “bind,” “loose,” or “hedge of protection” |
| Theological basis | Jesus’ authority through relationship with Jesus. | Often mixes Scripture with spiritual principles or teachings outside the Bible. |
| Approach to demons | Confrontation when necessary. | Preventative, strategic, sometimes ongoing “spiritual warfare” lifestyle. |
| Location of the demon | Jesus and the Apostles always cast the demon “out” of the person. | In many churches people are told that a Christian can not possess a Christian so therefore implying the demon is only on the outside of the person oppressing them. |
🙋 So… Is One Better Than the Other?
The biblical way is better!
- Biblically, demons are “cast out” through faith in Jesus, not formulas. The name of Jesus carries authority and demons must obey when a believer commands them to come out.
- Modern practices can be helpful if they are rooted in Scripture, discernment, and relationship with Christ, but not necessary for deliverance because demons only obey the authority given by God to a disciple and they only obey a command to come out in the name of Jesus.
🧩 Final Thoughts
If you follow Jesus and walk in His authority, you don’t need fear or long rituals to confront evil. The biblical model is simple but powerful: know Jesus, walk in the Spirit, and command evil to go in His name.
James 4:7-8
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
If a person is not in right relationship with God they will not have the necessary authority given by God to cast out demons. Not once do we find in scripture Jesus or the Apostles yelling, arguing, or entertaining demons or people while casting out demons – They simply used authority and commanded them to come out. Casting out demons was a major part of ministry and necessary, but their focus was on making disciples and teaching people to obey the gospel and to draw close to God the Father!
Closing Scripture:
Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
I hope you have enjoyed this bible study!