Our Authority In Christ - A Sermon On The Demonic Realm

Today, our culture seems fascinated with death and vampires and witches and ghosts and horoscopes and clairvoyants and numerous other dark pathways to evil. It is disturbing because people feel they can control it. These kinds of choices have consequences and things like Demons are real and not to be played with.

Harry Potter

Angels and Demons – Book and Movie

Horror Movies like Paranormal Activity

New Horror Movies like Insidious

TV Shows. Twilight and Vampire Diaries

Ghost Hunters

Halloween

America’s got talent (Some demonic based acts)

Easter Show Haunted House

Meth – drugs

Ghosts on YouTube

American Dollar Bill

Freemasons and the Knights Templar

Lust – pornography etc – tinder – the hook up culture

Love Island

Jordie Shore.

Gambling – lust for money

1 TIM. 4:1-3 “BEWARE OF SEDUCING SPIRITS”

4 Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

A) Paul here was writing about a “last day” condition … “The Spirit speaks expressly …”

* The Greek word for “expressly” is “rhetos” and means: “In specific terms, in plain words, or distinctly, so that there can be no question about what is being said.” * In other words …

* The Spirit (Holy Ghost) spoke specifically in direct terms of the last days danger.

B) Bible scholars agree that we are now living in the last days, near the time of Christ’s coming!

* This is the period in which seducing spirits will reign … The phrase “latter times” means: “A little later on, not far out in the future.”

* That is, false teachers were to arise within the church almost immediately and continue on

through our day and on to the end of time.

* The point is well made … The church and the genuine believer have to be constantly on guard against false teaching.

(1) WHAT ARE SEDUCING SPIRITS?

A) “Seduce” means: “To lead away, specially from the path of right by flattering promises …”

* “To lead astray into an evil, or foolish, or disastrous course.”

* This world is contaminated with such evil influences.

B) First: Seducing spirits are the powers of the very devil!

* There is a personal devil!

* In his kingdom there are many demons known as wicked or seducing spirits.

* These spirits are everywhere … Their forces and influences are increased in the latter days.

* They work in cooperation with the devil … They are so closely associated with him that sometimes they are referred to as demons or devils.

C) The day John was writing, these dangerous influences had already invaded the church!

* The children of God had overcome them because God within was greater than the wicked

powers of the world.

* Our best protection against seducing powers is God within us! (1 John 4:4)

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

(2) THE SEDUCING SPIRITS ARE INCREASING!

A) They did their work in the early church, but Paul foresaw the day when their powers would be increased and their work more deadly and destructive!

B) First: When you read your Bible you can see that they worked in the early church!

* Judas was persuaded by the seductive influence of the devil to betray the Lord.

* Ananias and Sapphire were deceived by the same power and lied to the Holy Ghost.

* Hymenaeus and Philetus were influenced by seducing spirits and erred saying that the

resurrection was passed already.

* Many other heresies and doctrines of devils invaded the church soon after Pentecost and these seductive powers made great inroads into the church.

C) Second: Seducing spirits are a last day threat to Christianity!

2 Tim. 3:1 “This know …”

* “Perilous” means “dangerous” … There is danger of being deceived by wicked influences!

* The longer the world stands, the more contaminated it becomes.

* It’s harder to live right now than it was years ago because the devil has more methods and means

by which to deceive people with.

(3) THE CUNNING CRAFTINESS BY WHICH MEN ARE DECEIVED!

A) The devil does not force men against their will … He deceives them!

Men are often so deceived in doing evil that they believe they are doing right. (Cults)

B) The devil deceived Eve! * Notice the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 11:3 …….

3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the [a]simplicity that is in Christ