How to defeat the Devil
- There are two types of people- people that allow things to be slovenly and those who do not. My wife is one who does not. We have a 6th member to our family- the vacuum
- She refuses to allow something in our house that need not be there
- Some people through neglect, allow things in their life and home that they don’t realize shouldn’t be there.
- The Bible says 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
- Folks we are in a spiritual battle for your soul. If you don’t realize it, there is a war raging for the souls of every American.
- Satan wants to destroy marriages, kids, careers, health, and churches
- The Great news is that we have a power that is GREATER and a God who is BIGGER and we need not be afraid or walk in fear.
- God has given us GREAT power to overcome the evil one, and if we would walk with God and stand on his word, our Victory is assured.
READ Mark 1:21-28
- Lets recap here- Jesus gets baptized, Jesus Goes to the wilderness, Satan comes after him, Jesus announces the kingdom, Jesus calls the disciples, and they get to work.
- A little bit of context here- The ministry of Jesus was based primarily on destroying the works of the devil
- 1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
- The purpose and plan of Jesus was destroy the works of the Devil.
- John 10:10 The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy
- The devil in the NT manifests in many different ways- and the Devil’s sole aim to to destroy. That is all he wants to do
- Eph 6:10 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- Jesus came to save us from the sin that devil entices us, the pain that he puts on us, the discouragement, the attacks, the condemnation
- Jesus came to set us free!
- John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
- Understanding these passages is understanding the power of Satan and our need and ability to attack and defend and walk in the power bestowed upon us in Jesus name.
- Understand this folks- the power of Satan and his spirits is REAL. We need not be alarmed because we have authority in Jesus name to combat them, but we must aware of their reality
- Story- Pastor friend of mine- man in his church committed suicide, completely out of character for him to do it. Came back to church- incantation on the recording from a witch speaking a spirit of suicide
- So how do we defeat the devil?
- Stay on task
- 21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
- We just a few weeks ago talked about “immediately” and you’ll notice that this word is here again
- Jesus comes through the past progression, and now, its time to get to work
- You’ll notice, there isn’t a break in service here, or a time for regrouping. Jesus has been cornoated and baptized and is ready to be about his fathers business
- Jesus had spoke in a synagogue before when he was kid- 12 years old in fact
- Parents had lost him they found him there- with the scribes- learning and teaching, and even back then they were impressed with Jesus! Jesus said to his parents-
- Luke 2: 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
- Jesus stayed on task. He never lost sight of who he was and what he was sent to do
- In Luke- Just before he cast out this demon- he spoke in the synagogue in Nazareth and said “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,[j] To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”[k]
- Jesus stayed on task- Preach the Gospel, heal the broken hearted, proclaim liberty, set oppressed free, proclaim the year of the Lord
- Notice what they said when he stayed on task- 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
- What’s it mean to you?
- Stay on task! You know what God has called you to, you need to be doing it!
- Don’t let anyone or anything distract you from what God has called you to do
- Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.
- Now- that being said- many people want to focus on what God is calling them to DO and jumping the step of who God is calling them to BE
- God may give you a vision or a prophetic word that may show you the future plans, but Living ou the plan without developing Godly Character is a sure fire way to self destruct
- Many a people have tried to force the process and get to a place in their life that they want to be before they were intended to be and the result is disastrous
- Matthew 6:33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
- First and foremost our task as Christians? Growing deeper in our relationship with Christ. Prayer life. Serving. Giving. Fellowshipping. Worship. Discipleship.
- If you’re not hitting on those cylinders, back up before you step up to the specific calling.
- When you stay on task- it builds character- It keeps you focused. You are able to withstand the attacks of the enemy over a long duration and you see victory in it.
- Don’t allow Satan or anyone else detract you from what you know your focus needs to be.
- Be about “your fathers business”
- When I was a younger man I felt that I should have what others had without doing the work they did to get to where they were at. It was fleshly, not spirit led.
- Expect attacks
- 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
- You’ll notice as soon as Jesus started preaching in the synagogue, and starts making sense and preaching truth, a man with an “unclean spirit” comes out and starts getting in his face
- This “unclean” definition is both morally repugnant and also demonic. This guy is filled with many demons
- Notice- let US alone- What have WE- Come to destroy US- Multiple personalities inside one man
- Then- They identify and know that it is in fact the son of God- the Devils knew who Jesus was before the disciples knew who Jesus was
- This attack is the natural by-product of Jesus coming into the realm of where the demons were and then they attack the one who is walking in the truth
- Jesus preaches the truth in the house of God and demons manifest from those who are possessed
- Mark 4: 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
- Satans job is to destroy the things that God is trying to establish
- The Bible calls him “the ruler of this world”
- In this instance, Satan is calling Jesus out, trying to do whatever he can to get him
- What does it mean to you?
- If you are living for Jesus and walking in the truth, you’re going to step on a few toes
- You can’t expect to walk in the light and not have the darkness come after you
- A.W. Tozer To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men.
- When you are walking with God- expect that attacks will come, For Jesus, they were demonic, and for you, they may be as well, but you should be surprised
- 1 John 3:13Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
- The world is going to hate you- If they don’t I’m wondering how bold of a witness you’re having with the world. I understand that this is counter to the mainstream but the Bible makes it clear
- Yes we’re supposed to be loving- but Jesus admonished his disciples to love EACH OTHER and that would be the signal to the world that he was in them
- John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
- He also told his disciples-
- John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
- Satan attacks constantly, and often times will use people to get to the believer
- I believe in Demonic possession and oppression. Some people are literally tools of Satan
- So when they manifest against the Child of God- its through a flesh person
- These “unclean spirits” are of Satan- everything he does is unclean!
- Do you know why Satan and his minions hate you? 1. You’re not part of this world 2. Because you follow Christ 3. The World hates God and we remind them of the God they hate 4. The darkness always hates the light. 5. People hate the truth 6. They hate you because of your mission
- Satan was mad when Jesus showed up because it meant the end of his reign- for the unbeliever possessed by a demonic spirit, you represent the end to their sin, and they are going to fight back
- One time at work- didn’t have a boss for like 6 weeks. We cut UP. Playing football in the office etc. When the boss got into the position….. work time. Fun- over
- Make Jesus Famous
- 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority[f] He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
- Notice- Jesus went to work on this unclean spirit- he speaks to the demon and the demon fights it but eventually comes out of it- They guys around notice the authority by which Jesus rules- then Jesus get famous
- There’s a pattern here- Jesus power, people amazed, Jesus elevated
- This authority by which Jesus operates makes the people around him take notice and realize they aren’t dealing with just an ordinary man. This is God in the flesh here!
- And the fame of Jesus spread all throughout gallilee, that’s why the crowds started, they heard about what he did and how he changed lives and it drew an enormous crowd
- What does it mean to you?
- We’ve got to work at making Jesus famous
- John 12:32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
- When people look at your life, they should see the power of the God you serve
- And its not about making stuff up, or having stuff- its about who you ARE
- Sharing your shortcomings with someone and sharing how Christ forgave you
- Sharing how you were healed from a hurt or a physical healing
- When you truly experience the goodness of God in your life- you can see it on your life
- But its MORE than that-
- Luke 9:1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
- We have the power to show the power over Satan to a world that needs delieverance
- Look for opportunities to pray, share, love, speak, serve
- And WATCH what happens when you do- We have a REAL power that can do REAL things!
- That’s how you defeat the Devil- with the power of Jesus name and the HS living inside of you
- 1 John 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.
