05-01-2022 - Evicting Demons
Power Encounters • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:09:56
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· 212 viewsSatan and demons are real and they are fighting against God’s people in these last days like never before. He is trying to destroy individuals, families, and churches. He wants to come in and setup his kingdom in our territory. But the kingdom of Satan is no match for the Kingdom of God and we don’t have to allow demonic powers to be a squatter in our territory. We can evict demons in the name of Jesus!
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OPENING
OPENING
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence
The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence
What is the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God)?
In a broad sense, the Kingdom of God is the rule of God over the entire universe.
In a more specific sense, the Kingdom of God is the rule of God over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority.
So the Kingdom of God is currently a spiritual kingdom.
Those who submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ are part of the Kingdom of God.
John the Baptist began preaching, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is at hand.”
It was “at hand” because the incarnation and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ was the inauguration of the Kingdom of God on earth.
But there is a sense in which the Kingdom of God is "already but not yet."
It is “already” here in the sense that:
Jesus came, died, and was raised from the dead.
And we now have access to the plan of salvation through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is “not yet” in the sense that:
One day there will be a literal Kingdom of God on earth.
This will begin with the Millennial Kingdom and continue through to the Eternal Kingdom.
One day all human government will submit to a theocratic government headed by Jesus Christ.
One day Satan, demonic forces, evil, sin, and death will be destroyed and cast into the lake of fire for eternity.
What is the violence the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) is suffering?
Scholars interpret this verse two different ways:
First, the “violence” can refer to the huge rush of people who were trying to enter the Kingdom of God at the time of Jesus Christ. In other words, they were forcefully entering into the Kingdom of God.
Second, the “violence” can refer to opposition to the Kingdom of God.
Perhaps there is a sense in which both of these statements are true:
Those who are in the Kingdom of God are “forcefully” entering it and advancing it against all opposition.
But in another sense, there were, and are, spiritual forces working to oppose the Kingdom of God and stop its advancement.
First, the intensity of spiritual warfare that surrounded Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Second, the intensity of spiritual warfare that surrounds those that are part of the Kingdom of God today.
Notice that this “violence” has been occurring from the days of John the Baptist until now.
Jesus was speaking these words during His earthly ministry, perhaps only months or at most a few years after John the Baptist’s death.
But we can say that this message still applies to believers in the Kingdom of God today.
The Kingdom of God is still suffering violence today.
Christians are trying to advance the Kingdom of God.
And there are demonic forces at work trying to stop the Kingdom of God.
The Violent Take it by Force
The Violent Take it by Force
So what or who are the violent who are taking it by force?
Well, if we take it in the context of those advancing the Kingdom of God, it means that they are advancing it forcefully against the powers of darkness.
“The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles…The Kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (D. A. Carson)
If we take it in the context of those opposing the Kingdom of God, it means that there is an enemy of God that is plotting a violent, hostile takeover in order to stop the advancement of His Kingdom.
Just like there is a Kingdom of God, there is also a kingdom of Satan.
The Kingdom of Satan is made up of all the demons, fallen angels, or evil spirits, whatever term you want to use, as well as all those who oppose God and His Kingdom.
In this period of the “already, but not yet,” there is constant conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
These conflicts between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan are called POWER ENCOUNTERS.
There are examples of POWER ENCOUNTERS throughout the Bible.
The Garden of Eden
David and Goliath
Elijah on Mt. Carmel
Jesus Casting out Demons
These are not just random events.
They are connected.
There is a common thread that runs through them.
They are all POWER ENCOUNTERS.
This morning, we’re going to talk about a particular type of POWER ENCOUNTER.
The devil is fighting mad.
The Kingdom of God has been advancing.
God has been doing some great things in and through our church.
And the devil can’t stand it.
So He is in a rage and he is throwing everything he can at us.
He has his demonic hordes on assignment.
He is trying to cause division and confusion in the church to stop the Kingdom of God from advancing here at Farm Hill Church.
It is a POWER ENCOUNTER.
But greater is He that is on the inside of us than he that is in the world.
Our church is built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
And Jesus has all power and complete authority over the powers of darkness.
And Jesus has delegated that power to us as the church to advance the Kingdom of God against the opposition of the enemy.
So this morning, we are going to “take it by force.”
We are not going to sit back any longer and let the devil wreak havoc.
So this morning, we’re going to bringing our own POWER ENCOUNTER to the devil.
We are bringing the spiritual fight to the devil.
It is time for the demonic forces that are warring against us to go in the name of Jesus.
You’ve probably heard of squatters. These are people who take up residence in a building or on a property that they do not own and have no legal right to dwell there. They simply move in or move on the property without paying rent.
It often takes legal action for a landlord or property owner to have them removed. And it begins with serving them an eviction notice.
The devil and his demonic entourage are nothing but spiritual squatters. They like to try to move in to places that they have no legal right over. So what do we do when the devil tries to move in? We remind him that the title deed to us and our families, the title deed to our homes, the title deed to our church is owned by God, purchased and paid-in-full by the blood of Jesus Christ, and is secured by the Holy Spirit. And then by that legal authority, we serve him an eviction notice!
So this morning, we’re EVICTING DEMONS!
SCRIPTURE
SCRIPTURE
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
We need to understand the context of our Scripture text. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus had cast a demon out of a man that was blind and mute. And the Pharisees got all jealous and accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Baalzebub, the prince of demons. In other words, they attributed the work of Jesus to the power of Satan. Jesus then told them that they were committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. They were not blaspheming Jesus. They were not blaspheming the Father. They were blaspheming the Holy Spirit. And Jesus told them that type of blasphemy would not be forgiven.
So in response to the Pharisees, Jesus gave an illustration of what happens when an unclean spirit is evicted from a person’s life. He used this illustration as a way to rebuke the Pharisees for their blasphemy and warn them that they were in danger of continuing to fall further from the truth because of their rejection of Jesus’ work.
But this illustration also gives us some insights into how demonic spirits operate. And this, and other passages of Scripture, help us to understand how to defend ourselves against them and how to evict them and send them on their way. But before we get to the eviction notice this morning, we need to understand a few things first.
Understanding Demons
Are Demons Real?
Demons are very real.
They are mentioned all throughout Scripture, but especially in the New Testament and in the Gospels.
But it is not like the movies.
Demons are real and they have real power.
I have witnessed demonic activity first hand.
What are Demons?
Demons are disembodied spirit beings that have an intense craving to occupy a physical body.
Demons are fallen angels that are under the authority of Satan.
They can either be referred to as:
Demons,
Evil spirits, or
Unclean spirits.
What Do Demons Do?
Demons wreak havoc.
They want to cause problems.
They want to cause division.
They want to cause confusion.
They want to keep us from serving Christ effectively.
Some of the ways demons try to accomplish this:
They torment.
They entice.
They harass.
They defile.
They deceive.
They promote addictive behaviors.
They promote destructive behaviors.
How Do Demons Gain Access to a Person’s Life?
Through sinful acts.
Through emotional trauma.
Through negative influences.
Through occult practices.
What Are the Levels of Demonic Activity?
Suggestion (Temptation)
Oppression (Influence)
Possession (Control)
Understanding our Spiritual Authority Over Demons
The Kingdom of God versus the Kingdom of Satan
In the Old Testament there are references to evil spirits and demonic activity, but there is no record of casting out demons.
Jesus casting out demons was a unique demonstration that the Kingdom of God had come to earth.
Casting out demons demonstrated two important spiritual truths:
First, there are two opposing spiritual kingdoms at work:
The Kingdom of God, and
The kingdom of Satan.
Second, it demonstrated that the Kingdom of God is victorious over the kingdom of Satan.
Jesus Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil
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.
Jesus Has Complete Authority Over Demons
33 Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,
34 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!”
35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.
36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”
The Most Powerful Demons Are No Match for Jesus
28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.
31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”
32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Jesus Has Delegated His Authority Over Demons to His Followers
His Disciples
The 12
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
The 70
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
The Apostles
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.
Jesus Has Extended His Authority to His Church
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
When Jesus commissioned His followers, He transmitted His authority to them.
Jesus never sent anyone out to preach the Gospel without specifically instructing and equipping that person to take action against demons in the same way that He Himself did.
We have the power, through the Holy Spirit, and by the name of Jesus Christ, to take authority over demons and command them to leave us alone!
Evicting Demons
Evicting Demons from Your Home
Demons sometimes like to hang around certain places.
Just like they like to attach themselves to a person, they can also attach themselves to places or to objects.
How do you protect your home from demonic activity or serve the devil an eviction notice?
Wage spiritual warfare through prayer.
Anoint your home and pray over it.
Anoint your property and pray over it.
Let the devil know that your property, home, and family belong to Jesus Christ and are under the protection of the Holy Spirit and that has no legal right to be there.
This can also apply to our church building and property.
Evicting Demons from Your Mind
A Christian cannot be possessed by demons.
However, a Christian can be tempted and influenced by demons. We called this Demonic Suggestion and Demonic Oppression.
You can pray or have someone help you to pray to evict demons from your mind:
Affirm your faith in Jesus Christ.
Humble yourself.
Confess and repent of any known sins.
Forgive others.
Sever any spiritual ties of demonic authority off of your life.
Evict the demon by commanding it to leave in Jesus’ name.
Evicting Demons from Someone who is Possessed
Pray for spiritual discernment.
Be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost.
Be prepared through prayer and fasting.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
Be prepared for conflict:
Verbal
Physical
Spiritual
Invoke the name of Jesus Christ.
Use the Word of God.
Break spiritual ties of demonic authority off of the person’s life, taking away any legal rights they have to be there.
Evict the demon by commanding it to leave in Jesus’ name.
What Happens Next?
After being delivered from demonic activity, there are a few things we need to keep in mind.
At some point, that spirit is going to try to come back and take up residence in your life where he was before.
If he finds it empty, swept, and garnished, Jesus said that spirit is going to bring more with him next time.
If they are able to gain access again, Jesus said the condition of that person will be worse than it was in the beginning.
So what do we do?
For a Christian who is set free from demonic temptation or demonic influence:
Draw closer to God.
Abstain from any known sins, especially any specific sins that opened up the door to the demonic initially.
Seek to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.
Remember that spiritual warfare is not a one-time event, it is a daily fight.
For someone who has been delivered from demonic possession:
Love them.
Lead them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Lead them to personal sanctification (cleanse the temple).
Lead them to be filled with the Holy Spirit (fill the temple).
Lead them to stay on guard for the demon to try to return (guard the temple).
Lead them to attend church, read their Bible, and pray regularly.
CLOSING
CLOSING
Satan and demons are real and they are fighting against God’s people in these last days like never before. He is trying to destroy individuals, families, and churches. He wants to come in and setup his kingdom in our territory. But the kingdom of Satan is no match for the Kingdom of God and we don’t have to allow demonic powers to be a squatter in our territory. We can evict demons in the name of Jesus!
ALTAR CALL
ALTAR CALL