Sermon On Demons

Ip Man, the Chinese martial artist, and grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun, once remarked: “We all have inner demons to fight, we call these demons, fear and hatred and anger. If you do not conquer them, then a life of one hundred years is a tragedy. If you do, then a life of a single day can be a triumph.” James 4:7 confirms: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

A demon is identified as a supernatural being, largely considered evil, which can possess humans and remove them from the path of righteousness. Satan was probably one of the first to acquire this title when he was cast out of heaven for his actions against God. Demons are associated with corruption and greed, along with much roguishness, and will often harm without compassion. Revelation 12:7-9 reminds us: “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world - he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

People who allow themselves to be possessed by demons, rather than rejecting them, are usually unprincipled both in mind and body. They do not have a care in the world other than for themselves. They are sacrilegious, unrighteous, and should be banished from civilization. They do not give anything productive to inhabitants residing on earth, they simply take and continue to do so throughout their lives.

Matthew 8:28-34 states: “And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.”

It is a sad, but irrefutable fact, that demons abide amongst us in many disguises. They surface in all walks of life from so-called “Best” friends or even family members to surreptitious and unscrupulous businesses who offer you the finest deal in the land. They creep out of the woodwork, like insects, when we least expect it. In this day and age, incidents of fraud, scams, and fake goods are becoming insurmountable with more and more people falling victim to these avaricious predators and their evil ways. Matthew 12: 43-45 confirms: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

The art of deception abounds in these persons, who are either primarily concerned with personal reward or some other form of immoral activity. Financial gain can often amount to many thousands of pounds. They are dangerous people who are often difficult to identify as they appear to be the most kind-hearted and dependable person living. They give the impression that you are the most important person in the world and one that they sincerely admire. You deserve the best in life and they are the ones who will provide it. They are prepared to go to any lengths on your behalf because all they want to do is help. It is only after they have attained their goal, that the inner hurt begins. People's lives have been known to be ruined as a result of being duped and this has even resulted in some seriously considering suicide, as they can no longer face others. The shame of their susceptibility to nescience by such reprobates, often results in the loss of self-respect which is drained from their bodies, leaving them with nothing to live for.