Is Demonic Activity Increasing?

As the end times approach, is Satan ramping up his actions on earth?

At my church in Oklahoma, I have recently been preaching about “close encounters” Jesus had with a variety of people, including the demon-possessed man in Mark 5:

Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he*said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”—Mark 5:6-9

Reflecting on this dramatic story got me thinking about the outbreak of demonic activity Jesus saw in the first century. The arrival of the incarnated Son of God kicked Satan into high gear, which is why there are so many stories about Jesus dealing with demons—or being tempted directly by Satan—in the Gospels. The devil was trying to thwart what Jesus was doing.

The Bible makes it clear that a similar outbreak will happen surrounding the Second Coming. Remember, Satan is a created being. He is not omniscient. But he does know the Bible and he can read the signs of the times just as well as we can. He sees the Rapture, Tribulation and the return of Christ drawing near—and he is again ramping up his activity on earth.