Warrior - Demons & Jesus
As a child, I was afraid of the dark many times. It wasn’t a common thing. It wasn’t an everyday thing. But at night sometimes, my imagination would wander, and fear would override my common sense.
We slept on a school bus, and at night, the faces of Freddy Kruger. Jason Vorhees. Mike Myers…and Norman Bates…would float out of the shadows and shapes at night, and sometimes, the darkness would paralyze me to the point I barely breathed. I believed that they were going to leap out at me and kill me.
Today, this sermon may begin a bit unsettling for some of us. The truth is, If we could tear a hole in the air around us, we might see the "dark world" where evil operates and reigns. We are continuing in our sermon series called WARRIOR from Ephesians 6. And today, we will focus on an unseen “dark world” just beyond the tip of our five senses that impacts the world around us.
Ephesians 6:12 (NLT2)
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
In this one verse, we learn that there is an unseen world, a dark world, where evil rulers, evil spirits, and mighty powers reign. We don’t talk about this world much. We don’t talk about demonic influence much. We kind of stuff it down and hide the idea of demonic spirits as things of myth…And, when we observe things like human trafficking, abusive powers, child slavery, and hate, we tend to blame the evil of people rather than looking into the world we cannot see for the bigger picture.
We hold people accountable without trying to understand the larger picture of spiritual warfare and how the unseen world around us impacts our present reality. To understand how this dark world operates and the authority Jesus has over it, let’s look at one of the most dramatic encounters in the Bible.
Luke 8:27 (NLT2)
As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
Mark 5:5 (NLT2)
Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
Luke 8:28-35 (NLT2)
As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power. 30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. 32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned. 34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
We clearly see the impact of the demonic power of the dark world through this encounter.
Demons are not something to play around with. Ouija Boards, Seances, and Fortune Tellers seem to communicate that demonic activity is innocent. But the Bible teaches us that…
DEMONS ARE DESTRUCTIVE AND TROUBLING
These DEMONS brought destruction and loss to this man’s life.
Because of the Demons:
He was naked, homeless, and lived in a cemetery. (v. 27)
He howled and cut himself with sharp rocks. (Mark 5:5)
People didn’t know what to do with him so they CHAINED and SHACKLED him to the rocks (v. 29)
This man was tormented and bound, and his life was a mess. And he was possessed by hundreds, maybe thousands of demons.
So, can a follower of Jesus be Demon-possessed? No. I don’t believe so. Once a person has become a follower of Jesus, once they have surrendered their life to Jesus, received Jesus as their savior, and have committed their lives to Him, they have been made NEW. They have been born AGAIN, and the Holy Spirit is living in them. So, I do not believe that a follower of Jesus can become DEMON possessed because the Holy Spirit of God already possesses them.
But, I do believe that…
DEMONS CAN INFLUENCE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
I believe that a follower of Jesus can begin to believe the lies of the devil and live as confused and feel as isolated and powerless as this man. In verse 30, Jesus asked the man a very simple question.
“What is your name?” This man had lived under the influence of the devil for so long that he could not answer the question correctly. His name was NOT Legion. His real name was a good Jewish name. Thomas, Matthew, Peter, or John… He had lived under the influence of Demons for so long, he forgot his identity.
As a follower of Jesus, you cannot be demon-possessed, but you CAN BELIEVE LIES that prevent you from living a Spirit-Filled, resurrection power life. You may be a believer in lies, discouragement, harsh words, and whispers of hopelessness that have been spoken into your thoughts. You may have allowed demonic lies about your identity to steal away your love for the Lord, your joy for life, and your faith in God.
Maybe like this man… You are overcome by evil in this world. Maybe you are overwhelmed with an addiction to anxiety. Maybe your relationship with your spouse is crumbling, and you feel like you will never experience a HEALTHY relationship with them. Maybe you have a hidden addiction to drugs…an addiction to alcohol…or hopelessness. Like this man, perhaps you feel like you have been cowering and hiding in the darkness for so long that you have forgotten who you really are and who you belong to. And like this man, you too can be set free from your past, forgiven for your sin, and experience a life-changing relationship with Jesus. And, there are beings from the unseen world that are very interested in seeing humans set free from sin. There are beings in the unseen world that will celebrate and worship God as you step out of the darkness.
When you step out of darkness into the light of Jesus, not only does heaven rejoice, but God has also provided supernatural helpers to care for you—His angels.
God has provided Angels to help us that most of us take for granted and never mention. In the unseen world…
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF ANGELS
I don’t have all the answers when it comes to ANGELS, but just as demons are real, ANGELS are real as well. Angels are referenced roughly 300 times throughout the Bible. They appear in both the Old and New Testaments as messengers of God, warriors, and servants of His will. And, there are millions of them.
Revelation 5:11 (NLT2)
Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.
There are thousands and millions of Angels. So, if we were to tear a hole in the air around us, not only would we see demons – we would see Angels, too. And, all those millions of Angels have a pretty incredible responsibility… If you are a follower of Jesus…
GOD SENDS ANGELS TO CARE FOR YOU
While demons aim to destroy, God has sent His angels to protect, guide, and minister to us. This means you are never alone in the battle, no matter how dark it feels.
Hebrews 1:14 (NLT2)
Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
Psalm 91:11-12 (NLT2)
For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
In this unseen world, while demons are fighting to destroy, angels are actively fighting for God’s purposes and protecting His people. This means that even when you can’t see it, God is working for you. His angels are actively involved in protecting you, guiding you, and fighting for you in the unseen battle.
While most of us, myself included, may never have seen an angel or had an encounter with an angel, that doesn’t mean angels aren’t at work. The Bible shows us that God’s angels are constantly working in a world we cannot see.
So, when you face challenges or feel overwhelmed, remember that God has not left you alone. His angels are guarding you, and He is working for your good in every situation. Trust Him.
And, if you feel overwhelmed today – let me end with a Biblical understanding that no matter what you are in bondage to…
JESUS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SET YOU FREE
Throughout the Gospels, JESUS demonstrates AUTHORITY…
Over nature: by calming the storm, walking on water, and multiplying food.
Over death: by raising the dead and conquering sin through His resurrection.
Over spiritual forces: by casting out demons and defeating the evil one through the cross.
Over creation itself: by ascending into heaven and demonstrating power over the laws of physics.
He demonstrates AUTHORITY over sin by paying the penalty for sin through his death and rising from the dead. THERE IS NOTHING THAT MY JESUS CANNOT DO!
Jesus is standing at the edge of your darkness today, and he is calling your name. So, step out of the shadows of shame and darkness. And begin to live how this man did.
Jesus cast the demon out of the man, people who witnessed it ran to the town and told everybody and when they all came running back, the man was clothed, sitting calmly and in his right mind. He wanted to follow Jesus at this point, but Jesus would not let him.
Luke 8:38-39 (NLT2)
The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
He told everybody about what Jesus had done for him. So, go and do the same.