ACCORDING TO JESUS THE TASK OF DEALING WITH AND DRIVING OUT DEMONS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO YOU! WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH THE DEVIL, GOD, THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT, GIVES YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO FIGHT EVIL.
LUKE 9:1, “…JESUS CALLED TOGETHER HIS TWELVE APOSTLES AND GAVE THEM POWER AND AUTHORITY TO CAST OUT DEMONS AND TO HEAL ALL DISEASES.” JESUS FIRST GAVE THIS TASK TO HIS DISCIPLES AND THROUGH THEM IT HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
JUST AS IT WAS IN JESUS’ DAY, GETTING RID OF DEMONS IS A NORMAL PART OF THE CHRISTAIN LIFE FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS DISCIPLES.
UNFORTUNATELY, TOO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE LIVING WITH A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BY THINKING THAT BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURES SAY THAT SATAN HAS ALREADY BEEN DEFEATED THAT HIS ACTIVITIES CAN’T AFFECT THEM.
BECAUSE OF THIS FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, THEY HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED THE MIND-SET THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE DEVIL NOR WORRY ABOUT ANY OF HIS SO-CALLED “DEMONS.”
NOTHING COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS! CHRISTIANS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THE DEVIL’S INTRUSION INTO THEIR LIVES! SATAN IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE AND HE IS AFTER YOU TO NOT ONLY CAUSE HAVOC IN YOUR LIFE, BUT TO DESTROY YOU.
I HOPE THIS MESSAGE TODAY WILL NOT CAUSE ALARM, BUT EASE YOUR FEAR OF CHALLENGING THE ENEMY ON HIS OWN TURF. I HOPE THAT IT WILL INCREASE YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
MAY IT DEVELOP YOUR BOLDNESS SO THAT YOU WILL LAUNCH OUT WITH GOD IN SETTING PEOPLE FREE FROM DEMONS. MAY YOU ALSO BECOME MOTIVATED TO DO ALL THE WORKS JESUS PROMISED HE WOULD DO IN YOU AND THROUGH YOU BY THE AUTHORITY AND POWER HE HAS GIVEN YOU.
BUT MOST OF ALL, IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, MAY YOU BE DRAWN INTO A DEEPER, MORE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND DISCOVER GOD IN HIS FULNESS.
THIS IS WHY WE MUST UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING WE CAN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS. ONE OF THE KEY INGREDIENTS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING IS A BALANCED UNDERSTANDING ON EVIL.
ALTHOUGH SATAN IS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN A GREAT OVERPOWERING FORCE THE THREAT OF DANGER STILL EXISTS AND WE MUST ALWAYS BE ON THE ALERT.
THIS IS WHY TODAY’S MESSAGE IS ENTITLED DEMONIC UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS.
THESE THREE LESSONS ARE: ONE, THE BIBLE TAKES SATAN AND DEMONS SERIOUSLY, TWO, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS THE KINGDOM OF SATAN, AND THREE, THERE IS A DEMONIC BATTLE GOING ON BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
THE FIRST LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THE BIBLE TAKES THEM BOTH SERIOUSLY. WHEN JESUS STARTED HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY, HE AFFIRMED THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN AND HIS DARK ANGELS.
IN LUKE 4:18-19, JESUS QUOTED ISAIAH 61:1-2, “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS CHOSEN ME TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND; TO SET FREE THE OPPRESSED AND ANNOUNCE THAT THE TIMES HAS COME WHEN THE LORD WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE.”
JESUS CAME TO SET CAPTIVES FREE FROM THE BONDAGE IMPOSED ON THEM BY THE ENEMY WHOSE AIM IS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM EXPERIENCING THE FREEDOM GOD GRANTS TO THOSE WHO GET INTO A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
THE BIBLE DOCUMENTS THIS TRUTH FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IN GENESIS WITH THE GARDEN OF EDEN DOWN TO THE BITTER END IN REVELATION WHEN SATAN IS “LET LOOSE.”
JUST SOME OF THE ACCOUNTS OF SATAN’S EVIL KINGDOM AT WORK IS EVIDENT IN THE LIFE OF JOB, INCITING DAVID TO SIN BY TAKING A CENSUS, ISRAEL’S WARS, AND ISRAEL’S FOLLOWING OF FALSE GODS. THE ENEMY’S ACTIVITIES ARE EVEN MORE EVIDENT IN THE NEW TESTATENT WHEN SATAN PLOTS TO KILL THE BABY JESUS IN MATTHEW 2:16-18.
SATAN ALSO CONFRONTS JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS IN LUKE 4:1-13. HE THEN GETS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN TURNING THE JEWISH LEADERS AGAINT JESUS TO THE POINT OF INSPIRING THE TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION.
BUT SATAN DOESN’T STOP WITH JESUS BECAUSE WE’LL SEE HIM BEHIND THE EVENTS SURROUNDING ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA (ACTS 5), THE DEMONIZED SLAVE-GIRL (ACTS 16), THE TALBE OF DEMONS (1 CORINTHIANS 10:21), BLINDING THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE (2 CORINTHIANS 4:4), AND TEACHING ABOUT DEMONS (1 TIMOTHY 4:1).
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT DESPITE THESE INCIDENTS THAT PROVE THAT SATAN AND DEMONS ARE REAL, NEITHER JESUS NOR ANYONE ELSE IN ALL THE BIBLE SEEMS TO BE ALARMED BY SATAN’S ACTIVITIES!
JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS DEALT WITH SATAN FACE TO FACE BECAUSE HE KNEW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT GOD’S POWER WAS INFINITELY GREATER THAN THE ENEMY!
BUT ONE THING WE MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY IS THAT ALTHOUGH SCRIPTURE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE DEVIL OR HIS DEMONS THEY STILL TOOK SATAN AND HIS DEMONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
BECAUSE THEY TOOK THE ENEMY’S KINGDOM SERIOUSLY THEY NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR EXISTENCE, BUT THEY USED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FIGHT THEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE BOOK OF MARK, OVER HALF OF JESUS’ MINISTRY THAT IS RECORDED IS DEVOTED TO DELIVERING THE DEMONIZED. THE FIRST LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THE BIBLE TAKES BOTH SATAN AND HIS DEMONS SERIOUSLY.
THE SECOND LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THERE REALLY IS SUCH A THING AS THE KINGDOM OF SATAN. THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR THAT SATAN HAS A POWERFUL KINGDOM THAT CHRISTIANS MUST RECKON WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
IN FACT, WE’RE LIVING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SATAN’S TERRITORY. WE ARE LIVING BEHIND ENEMY LINES! WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ENEMY’S STRATEGY IF WE ARE TO BE PREPARED FOR BATTLE.
SO WHAT MAKES UP THE SATANIC KINGDOM? AT THE TOP, OF COURSE, IS SATAN WHO WAS ONCE A HIGH-RANKING ANGLE NAMED LUCIFER.
HE WAS AT OR NEAR THE LEVEL OF THE ARCHANGELS MICHAEL AND GABRIEL. SOMEWHERE IN THE TIMELESS HISTORY OF HEAVEN HE ASSERTED HIMSELF IN OPPOSITION TO GOD, BECOMING THE ADVERSARY OF ALL THAT IS GOOD, RIGHT, AND GODLY.
EZEKIEL 28:12 & 15, “YOU WERE ONCE AN EXAMPLE OF PERFECTION…YOUR CONDUCT WAS PERFECT FROM THE DAY YOU WERE CREATED UNTIL YOU BEGAN TO DO EVIL.” ISAIAH 14:13-14, “…I WILL ASCEND TO HEAVEN AND SET MY THRONE ABOVE GOD’S STARS…I WILL CLIMB TO THE HIGHEST HEAVENS AND BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH.”
BECAUSE OF HIS REBELLION SATAN FELL FROM HEAVEN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY LUCIFER DID NOT LEAVE ALL ALONE. HE STILL MANAGED TO TAKE WITH HIM ONE-THIRD OF THE ANGELS. HOW MANY THAT REALLY IS THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY.
THESE FALLEN ANGELS ARE KNOWN AS DEMONS OR EVIL SPIRITS. THEY EACH HAVE A NAME AND THEIR OWN LEVEL OF POWER UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SATAN.
THE MOST POWERFUL DEMONS ARE THE SPIRITS OF THE OCCULT. THE MOST WELL KNOWN DEMON FROM THIS LEVEL IS CALLED BEELZEBUB. THE ANTICHRIST WILL ALSO COME FROM THIS REALM OF DEMONS.
THESE TYPES OF DEMONS USUALLY MOVE INTO PEOPLE’S LIVES THROUGH THEIR DIRECT AND WILLFUL INVOLVEMENT IN THE OCCULT. THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM PLAYING WITH AN OUJI BOARD, READING AND LIVING ACCORDING TO HOROSCOPES, AND SEEKING INFORMATION FROM PSYCHIC ADVISORS. IF YOU HAVE - REPENT OF THESE PRACTICES AND SEEK FORGIVENESS FROM GOD.
THE MOST COMMON DEMONIC SPIRITS ARE THE ONES CHARACTERIZED BY NAMES SIGNIFYING A HUMAN SIN. THESE DEMONS WE ENCOUNTER IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY SUCH NAMES AS LUST, HATRED, ENVY AND JEALOUSY.
IF THESE SINS ARE NOT DEALT WITH AND REPENTED OF THEN THE DEMONS WILL GIVE WAY TO STRONGER SPIRITS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPIRIT OF LUST CAN MAKE ROOM FOR THE SPIRIT OF PORNOGRAPHY, HOMOSEXULAITY, INCEST OR RAPE. THE DEMON OF HATRED CAN GIVE WAY TO THE SPIRIT OF MURDER, ABUSE, OR SUICIDE.
CAN YOU SEE HOW THE CYCLE DEVELOPS AND WHY WE MUST REPENT OF THESE THINGS? THE KINGDOM OF SATAN IS REAL AND IT DOES EXIST. ITS ONLY PURPOSE IS TO DESTROY YOU AS A PERSON AND TO DESTROY GOD’S WORK BY DESTROYING THE WORK OF HIS CHURCH AND HIS PEOPLE. THE SECOND LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS THE KINGDOM OF SATAN.
THE THIRD LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THERE IS A DEMONIC BATTLE GOING ON BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
JUST ABOUT EVERY PAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT INDICATES THE FACT THAT WE ARE AT WAR! AS CHRISTIANS, LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE PARTICIPANTS IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF SATAN.
ALTHOUGH THE BATTLE RAGES ON EVERY DAY WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT AS GOD’S CHILDREN WE ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT OF THIS OUTCOME FOR THE CHRISTIAN.
NOT ONLY HAS THE ENEMY AND HIS DARK ANGELS BEEN DEFEATED, THEY HAVE BEEN HUMILIATED AND CRUSHED BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, PAUL WROTE IN COLOSSIANS 2:15, “IN THIS WAY, GOD DISARMED THE EVIL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES. HE SHAMED THEM PUBLICLY BY HIS VICTORY OVER THEM ON THE CROSS OF CHRIST.”
THE FIGHT IS REAL, BUT THE VICTORY OF CHRIST THROUGH HIS CROSS AND RESURRECTION IS FINAL, BUT NOT YET FULLY REALIZED.
THIS MEANS THAT WE WILL STILL HAVE TO STRUGGLE, FIGHT, AND WRESTLE THIS HUMAN FLESH IN ORDER TO LIVE HOLY LIVES IN A WORLD THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE GOD OR ACCEPT THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION THROUGH HIS SON JESUS.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 20:21, “AS THE FATHER SENT ME, SO I SEND YOU.” WITH THIS STATEMENT JESUS ENLISTED US TO JOIN HIM IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST THE FORCES OF DARKNESS SO THAT WE CAN PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND TO BRING FREEDOM TO THE OPPRESSED.
ACCORDING TO LUKE 4:19, JESUS SAID THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR HIS PEOPLE TO ENTER INTO THE ENEMY’S TERRITORY AND TO ANNOUNCE THAT GOD WANTS TO RESCUE THE PEOPLE HE PASSIONATELY LOVES.
LIKE JESUS, WE NEED TO FIGHT AGAINST SATAN’S KINGDOM IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST WHO IS LORD.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR THE SAME REASON THAT JESUS DID – OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER! THE THIRD LESSON TO LEARN ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS IS THAT THERE IS A DEMONIC BATTLE GOING ON BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
THE BIBLE PRESENTS US WITH THE PARADOX OF BEING ON THE WINNING SIDE WHILE STILL HAVING TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE “THE LOSER,” SATAN, STILL HAS POWER. HAVING A “DEMONIC UNDERSTANDING” WILL HELP US LIVE VICTORIOUS LIFE THROUGH CHRIST ON THIS WINNING SIDE.
YES, DEMONS ARE STILL FREE TO HARASS AND TROUBLE CHRISTIANS. YES, EVIL CONTINUES TO ABOUND. YES, BAD THINGS STILL HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.
UNTIL CHRIST COMES IN FINAL VICTORY JUST REMEMBER THAT THE MAJOR REASON GOD BECAME HUMAN IN JESUS CHRIST, WAS TO FREE US FROM THE DEMONIC.
SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WERE NO SIDE ISSUE OR MINOR MINISTRY FOR JESUS CHRIST. JESUS’ MAIN TITLE IS SAVIOR BECAUSE HE CAME TO FREE US FROM THE GRIP OF EVIL.
1 JOHN 3:8, “…THE REASON THE SON OF GOD APPEARED WAS TO DESTROY THE DEVIL’S WORK.” WELCOME TO THE WAR! MAY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST RECOGNIZE THE REALITY OF THIS WAR IN WHICH WE ARE NOW ENGAGED.
MAY WE FINALLY GRASP THE INCOMPARABLE POWER WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO US THROUGH THE CROSS AND THE UNAVOIDABLE RESPONSIBILITY TO APPROPRIATE THIS POWER TO CARRY OUT THE COMMISSION OF OUR LORD UNTIL HIS RETURN SIGNALS THE END OF THE WAR!
