Jesus had been teaching in and around Capernaum for several weeks, using Capernaum as His “base of operation,” if you will.
As a result of His ministry, the entire city of Capernaum was transformed by the power of Christ…
Many say how much they want to see revival happen in our community.
But do they really? We sing songs like, “Revive us again,” and “Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead,” but do we really?
All too often, I believe we are content with the “mercy drops” and satisfied to have the Lord break through every now and then to do some big things among us, but we really aren't serious when it comes to wanting Jesus to actually take over.
It has been said that “half of knowing what you really want is knowing what must change in order for it to happen.”
I want us to see what took place in Capernaum when Jesus came to town and to see if that is really what we want to see happen in our town.
What happens when Jesus comes to town?… He takes over…and when He takes over several things happen.
1. Satan’s kingdom gets shook up - vs. 21-26
We understand, from the Bible, that Jesus taught with authority, unlike the teachers of the law.
Unlike the scribes, Jesus declared God’s truth boldly.
We see this Authority as the Lord taught the Sermon on the Mount.
Time and time again, Jesus would state what had been commonly taught, then say, “But I say to you ...”
Declaring God’s truth without compromise shook up the kingdom of Satan.
Apparently, in verses 23-26 a representative was sent to ask Jesus to leave Capernaum.
Think about what was going on in Capernaum as Jesus comes in and sets up shop.
He is speaking and acting with divine authority that, no doubt, got the demons in the city of Capernaum upset.
Before Jesus came to town, they had Capernaum right where they wanted it.
They had people whose lives had been given over to sin and immorality, right where they wanted them. They had enslaved many to alcohol and drugs; marriages that were falling apart; children being disrespecting their parents, husbands running around on their wives, wives cheating on their husbands etc.
WAIT! That sounds a lot like Florence SC. Yes, they have things under control . . .
Until, that is…. Jesus starts taking over Capernaum.
Maybe they found it necessary to call a demon’s meeting to discuss what they should do.
Maybe one of them said something like, “Let’s just run Him off.”
Or maybe another one said “Yeah, let’s see if we can scare Him and get Him to leave us alone.”
But one of the older, wiser, and more level headed demons probably replied by saying something like, “Guys, this is no ordinary prophet we’re dealing with here.
We know who He is! He is the Holy One of God! and we have no authority over Him.
We will never intimidate Him or scare Him.
The best thing we can do is just ask Him to leave us alone.”
So they sent a representative to the synagogue to ask Jesus to leave.
But Jesus’ reply to the demon’s request was straight to the point, “Be quiet! Come out of that man!” Immediately, the Bible tells us, the demon left the man.
Mark tells us in verse 34, that before the day was over, “Jesus drove out many demons.”
When Jesus comes to town and takes over, Satan’s kingdom gets shook up.
This is because when Jesus comes to town . . .
2. Sin’s captives get freed up - vs. 32-33
The Bible tells us that before the day was over, “the whole town gathered” to Jesus.
This is something that always happens when Jesus takes over.
This what I want to see happen in the lives of every man, woman, boy and girl that comes to this place, this year.
I want to see people set free from addiction, from marital problems, from every kind of sin that has them trapped. I am praying for the fires of revival to burn so in this very place that people everywhere will see them and come to this place to be set free, by Jesus Christ…
When Jesus takes comes to town, sins captives are freed up.
But seeing Satan’s kingdom shaken up and sin’s captives freed up only takes place when Jesus is allowed to take over the lives of His people.
3. God’s people have to straighten up - vs. 22; 27
In verses 22 and 27 we read how that Jesus spoke and acted with authority.
The word in the original Greek literally means “out of oneself.” in other words, to speak with authority or to act with authority means to speak or act with a sense of who you really are and whose you really are. This is how Jesus lived. This was the basis of all He said and did.
John tells us in John 13:3,“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.” - John 13:3 (NIV)
You & I are called to be like Christ in this world. And the key to that is allowing the Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to live His life through us.
In other words, if Jesus is going to be free to take over, he must first be allowed to take over the lives of His people.
How do we do this?
1. You must put away any un-confessed sin…the sin that we really don’t want to let go of. It’s what we keep secret from the church and sometimes from our families…
February 26, 1995, Jersey Village Baptist Church in Houston, Texas began their evening service at 6:30 p.m. expecting a routine worship service.
During the invitation, a young girl walked the aisle, confessed her sins to the Lord, and sought encouragement from the church.
After her response to God, others started coming forward and confessing their sins.
Around 9:00 pm, some of the members relieved a couple who had been working in the nursery so they could come experience what God was doing in their midst.
That couple went directly to the altar and asked for prayer for their son, who had run away four months earlier, because he wanted the freedom to live his life the way he wanted, without having to answer to anyone.
While the church was praying for him, he was at Mardi Gras in Galveston and all of a sudden he felt God was telling him to go home.
So, he made the ninety-minute drive from Galveston, to Houston, only to discover a dark house when he got home.
He couldn't believe his parents would still be at church, but he drove to the church anyway.
A deacon recognized him at the back door and pointed him to his parents, who were still kneeling at the altar.
He made his way to the front of the auditorium, tapped his parents on the shoulder, embraced them, and told them of his desire to come home and recommit his life to Christ.
But it all started with one girl who repented of her sins.
If she hadn't done that the worship service may have just lasted the usual hour, rather than going until 11:00 p.m., and one family might still be separated from each other and from the Lord.” (Sermon Central)
Never doubt the power of confession and prayer
2. You must put away any doubtful habit…
3. You must obey the Spirit promptly…
4. You must confess Christ openly… If I am ashamed, if I try to keep Jesus a secret from friends and family…
If we really want to see Jesus come to town and take over, we must determine who we are and whose we are!
Are you a Child of God or a child of the world?
Do you belong to the Lord or to the world?
