OPENER: Foil Face Unscramble
For this game all that you need are a couple of rolls of aluminum foil and a cool prize for the winner.
Before service starts recruit 5-6 people and make molds of their face using aluminum foil – pick a mix of leaders and students.
If they wear glasses, a hat, earrings or other peculiar identifiable items ask them to leave them on during the mold making process.
Pick 3-4 people to play the game. Have the volunteers who made the molds stand on stage or in front of the audience.
Place the masks in random order in front of the volunteers.
The players have to try to match the face with the mask.
The player with the most correct wins the prize.
For a tiebreaker have a speed round to guess one last mask. Make it the youth pastor’s face!
---------DVD OPENER: THE SIXTH SENSE
BEGIN: Chapter 10 “Bedtime Stories and Secrets”
Fast forward to the part where Bruce Willis is saying:
“…and Malcolm decides to try and help this new boy.
Cause if he can help this new boy, it would be like helping that other one too…”
END:
As the camera fades back, Bruce Willis says:
“The pathology is more severe than initially assessed.”
-----------
Question: "What does the Bible say about a sixth sense / third eye?"
A recent movie entitled "The Sixth Sense" stirred up a renewed interest in the ability to see "dead people," and/or communicate with the spirit world.
Television shows titled "Medium" and "Ghost Whisperer" and “Crossing Over” continue the trend.
Is it truly possible to see the spirits of dead people? Is there such a thing as a "sixth sense" or "third eye"?
A "sixth sense" can also be described as ESP, or extra-sensory perception.
Sensory perception is the means by which we acquire information through any sense other than the five basic senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound), or other well-documented scientific physiological senses.
An "extra-sensory perception" is anything beyond what we can sense with the "normal" senses.
Depending on one’s culture and beliefs, a "sixth sense" can be attributed to anything from the spiritual to the technological.
Parapsychology addresses certain types of ESP with disputed validity, such as those possessed by psychics and mediums, including clairvoyance, telekinesis, and communication with the dead.
The Bible makes it clear that these types of senses should be avoided—and that we should not exercise any sort of spiritual abilities outside the realm of what the Bible deems acceptable--nor should we consult with anyone who does so.
Leviticus 19:31 says, "Do not rely on mediums and psychics, for you will be defiled by them. I, the Lord, am your God."
If such a thing as a "sixth sense" or "third eye" truly exists, it is not of God. Those who claim to practice such abilities are either deceivers, self-deceived, and/or under the power of demonic forces.
Consulting those who conjure spirits is foolish and angers the Lord (2 Chronicles 33:6)--
“He (King Manasseh) made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking God to anger.”
Tell how Manasseh was captured. (bound with hooks and chains on a wagon)
Acting as a medium or psychic was punishable by death in the Old Testament (Leviticus 20:27).
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit of God has been given to each of us who has received salvation through faith in Christ (Romans 8:9-11).
This Spirit will be our guide and teacher of all truth (John 16:13). For Christians, all spiritual leading and communication should come from God, through prayer and revelation from His Word.
The only "sixth sense" we need is the Holy Spirit; everything else is counterfeit. But if we allow the Spirit to fill and control us (Ephesians 5:18), we will not be led astray by deceiving spirits.
Question: "What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings?"
Here are some Bible truths that relate to hauntings and visits by the spirits of dead people. There are only a few incidents that deal with the living having contact with a "dead" person.
In 1 Samuel 28:7-19, King Saul seeks a woman with a familiar spirit (demon) to inquire of Samuel about what to do.
That she actually manages to communicate with the dead shocks her (v. 12) indicating to me that it did not previously happen.
In Matthew 17:1-8, Peter, James and John see Moses and Elijah with Jesus for a brief period of time.
In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In this story we learn of there being two compartments for the dead until the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11f.).
Lazarus to be sent back to warn the living. Moses says it would do not good because if they will not believe God’s written word, they will not believe though one should rise from the dead.
From the above three passages of Scripture, I would conclude that there are compartments in which the spirits of the dead dwell for now.
While there are a few instances in which God allowed interaction between the living and the dead, those situations were very rare and not nearly as common as contact between people and angelic beings.
Also Luke 16:27-31 would indicate that no human spirits are allowed to return to visit the living without permission, and if permission is not granted for the purpose of warning people to flee from the wrath to come, it would not be given for trifling reasons just to have them haunt or scare you.
There are numerous instances involving contact with angelic beings, both good angels and evil angels (demons).
Many of the instances involving a good angel refer to "the angel of the LORD," usually referring to the appearance of the pre-incarnate Son of God (that being Jesus).
But many others refer to other good angels that God uses to minister on our behalf (Hebrews 1:14)—“All the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those people who will receive salvation.”
In order to minister on our behalf, sometimes the angels manipulate the physical environment (1 Kings 19:5-7 where the angel touches Elijah and provides food and drink for him.
2 Kings 19:35 (the angel strikes 185,000 Assyrians dead)
Daniel 6:22 (the angel closes the mouths of the lions)
Acts 12:23 (the angel strikes Herod for accepting worship as though he were a god and his insides become eaten by worms)
In like fashion, there are numerous instances in which evil angels (demons) are recorded as interacting with people.
And again, they are able to manipulate physical things as well. In Job 1:12-19, they manipulate people to do evil; they cause fire from the sky to consume herds of sheep; they cause a wind to blow down the house in which Job’s children were staying.
In the gospels a number of instances are recorded of demons possessing people (Matthew 8:16,28f.; 9:32-33; 12:24; 15:22; etc.) Matthew 17:18 “And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at F385 once.”
In these incidents, and several others, the manifestation of the demon possession involved some physical ailment (muteness, epilepsy, blindness, but sometimes supernatural strength).
They also possessed the pigs before they ran into the waters and drown in Mt. 8:28.
I would like to note three things about demons:
1. The demons have no power over anyone but what God allows, that is, Satan (and his host of evil angels) are like wild dogs on leashes and it is God who holds their leashes. They can do only what God allows (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Matthew 8:31-32).
2. The instances of demonic involvement recorded in Scripture far outnumber the few extreme instances of interaction with dead people.
3. Christ has given His disciples authority over demons.
Luke 9:1: “Jesus called the twelve apostles together. He gave the apostles power to heal sicknesses and power to force demons out of people.”
You might ask why God even allows demons to mess with us. If they are on His leashes, why doesn’t He hold them back from any interaction with humans?
In the unfathomable wisdom of God, He is able to use their evil desires and intent upon our lives and bring good out of them for Christians.
(In Mark 1:13 God uses Satan’s temptations to prove Jesus’ sinlessness;
In the Book of Job, God uses Satan to show the integrity of Job’s character and then later rewards Job doubly for all he went through;
in 2 Corinthians 12:7, God uses Satan’s affliction upon Paul to keep Paul from becoming proud).
In the case of unbelievers, Satan and the evil angels serve as a type of catalyst working along with the unredeemed world’s influence and the cravings of the sinful nature.
To bring out of unbelievers’ hearts the evil that already dwells within, thus revealing to them and others what their true nature (fallen nature).
Ephesians 2:1-3: “In the past, your spiritual lives were dead because of your sins and the things you did wrong against God.
Yes, in the past you lived doing those sins. You lived the way the world lives. You followed the ruler of the evil powers over the earth.
That same spirit is now working IN those people who refuse to obey God. In the past, all of us lived like those people.
We lived trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We were {evil} people. We should have suffered God’s anger because of the way we were. We were the same as all other people.”
Many people today, who think they are a follower of God, because they simply “believe in God”, yet still walk or live continually to do what their cravings inside want them to do, are fooled.
The bible states that even Satan believes in God.
We are not to become fascinated with the spirit world but to be fascinated by God and His awesome character and attributes (Psalm 27:4; Psalm 73:25).
And if, in the course of serving Christ and relying upon Him, we should encounter manifestations of demon possession or demonic activity, we need only turn to Him/
In believing prayer; relying upon His Word and His Holy Spirit to work as He chooses.
Because even though you may not have seen any evident manifestations of demonic involvement, just beware, for Satan often does his most frequent and effective work behind smoke screens and never makes his presence or that of his demons evident.
(2 Corinthians 11: 15) “So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will be paid (punished) for the things they do.”
If demons should happen to be manifesting their presence somewhere, I would ask myself why.
Is there a heathen idol, a fetish used in some type of incantation or dark worship, etc. (Deuteronomy 32:16-17; Psalm 106:37-38; 1 Corinthians 10:19-21)?
Or, perhaps there someone who has allowed themselves to become possessed by a demon or has allowed demonic involvement in their life by some repeated, serious sin (Ephesians 4:27).
I would encourage you that if you have any occult items in one’s possession—they should be burned as Paul and the other Christians treated the books that were burned in Acts 19:18 and any known sins should be confessed to God (1 John 1:9).
Again, I believe it is biblical to believe in demons.
Hauntings are usually the illusions of tricksters or perhaps do involve actual demonic activity, the visiting by human spirits.
I also believe that the use of channeling and seeking the guide of “spirit guides” or “spirit helpers” or to play with Ouija boards, tarot cards, séances, or to listen to Satanic heavy rock music (stipulate), etc. is to actually invite the involvement of demons in one’s life.
I also believe it is biblical to not become obsessed with them and with the spirit world. Nowhere in Scripture can you find any (Van Helsings or Captain Kronos the Vamipire Killer).
Rather we are to be
- consumed the word of God (Psalm 119)
- with knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8-10)
- serving Him as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2)
- and seeking to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20)
The only freedom that the lost can have from sin--and the devil is that found in Jesus Christ alone.
Jesus is our ultimate example for spiritual warfare.
Jesus handled direct attacks from Satan while alone in the wilderness with him:
- The Devil came and said to him, ’If you are the Son of God, change these stones into loaves of bread.’ But Jesus told him, ’No! The Scriptures say, ‘People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.
Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He orders his angels to protect you. And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.’
Jesus responded, ’The Scriptures also say, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.
Next the Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. ’I will give it all to you,’ he said, ’if you will only kneel down and worship me.’
Finally, Jesus told him, ’Get out of here, Satan,’--’For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him.’’
Then the Devil went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus. (Matthew 4;1-11).
The best way to combat Satan is the way Jesus showed us and that was to quote Scripture because the devil cannot handle the sword of the Spirit, the Word of the Living God.
The ultimate example of how not to engage in spiritual warfare was the seven sons of Sceva?
A team of Jews who were traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus.
The incantation they used was this: “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
But when they tried it on a man possessed by an evil spirit, the spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who are you?”
And he leaped on them and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and badly injured." (Acts 19:13-16). What was the problem?
The seven sons of Sceva were using Jesus’ Name. That is not enough. The seven sons of Sceva did not have a relationship with Jesus, therefore their words were void of any power or authority.
The seven sons of Sceva were relying on a methodology. They were not relying on Jesus, and were not employing the Word of God in their spiritual warfare.
As a result, they received a humiliating beating. Learn from their bad example, and conduct spiritual warfare as the Bible describes.
What are the keys to success in spiritual warfare?
1. We rely on God’s power, not our own.
When you encounter evil or demonic activity, rebuke evil in Jesus’ name backed by a personal and growing relationship with him, Do not do it like the Seven Sons of Sceva.
2. We protect ourselves with the full armor of God.
Although your armor is visible only to the spiritual world, the enemy can see what you are wearing and not wearing. He knows your vulnerablility. Put on the full armor of God, outlined in Ephesians.
3. We wage warfare with the sword of the Spirit: the Word of God.
By reading and memorizing the word of God in your life, you’re stacking up on an armory of many weapons to use against the evil forces that are unseen.
4. We fight the true enemy
We remember that while we wage spiritual warfare against Satan and his demons -- not every sin or problem is a demon that needs to be rebuked---Most of the time we cause our own problems or situations from the choices we make.
Remember the promise that God’s word tells us in Romans 8:37:
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”
Closing:
Maybe you know someone that is caught up in the dark things. They think it’s cool, but in reality you see their life is in shambles
Maybe God brought you here tonight to wage war for them, because they are too wrapped up in what they’re in to fight the evil that surrounds them—and God has put it on your heart to fight.
Maybe God brought you here tonight because he sees what you will face in the near future, and wants you to be prepared and not caught off guard and be defeated---but to know how to fight.
Maybe God brought you here tonight for you to know how much He loves you--and how much He will restore your inside you to be whole again because the enemy has wounded and betrayed you.
