We noticed yesterday one of Mark’s obvious theme: “immediately.” There’s another theme that we may tend to gloss over. See what you think:

• And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And 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.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” (Mark 1.25, ESV)
• And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. (Mark 1.34, ESV)
• And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1.39, ESV)

He “cast out many demons.” Satan is alive and well and is our enemy:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.11, 12, ESV)

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3.14, 15, ESV)

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 12.17, ESV)

Maybe we ignore him at our peril. After all, who is the antagonist in the story of Job that we are reading?

And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1.12, ESV)

When things are going badly, resisting Satan and his demons might not be a bad idea.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4.7, ESV)

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (1 Peter 5.8, 9, ESV)