**Be Smarter than Evil Spirits

        In today's Gospel reading from Mark 1, Jesus came to Capernaum. He entered the synagogue and taught. A man with an unclean spirit was there; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come our of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 
          The unclean spirit knew exactly who Jesus was and obeyed him. On the other hand, many of us do not obey Jesus because we don't know who he truly is—this is most unfortunate. In Philippians 2, Paul wrote, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord." Be smart and recognize and accept who Jesus truly is, then no evil spirit will be able to touch you.