Mark 1:25-26 Luke 4:35
The Gospels in Harmony Sermon #85-111817
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. Mark 1:25-26
35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. Luke 4:35
As we begin our study this fine Lords day, I would like all of us to think about the truth Paul has to tell us in his second letter to the Corinthians. Yet it is not anything more than what Jesus Himself demonstrated and was recorded for us in the Gospels. Paul states the truth about sin in all men that works for one end. And that is to keep every soul born into sin, in the dark about the light of life in God through Jesus Christ.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Sin is the outcome of disobedience to the Word of God.
It is the rotten fruit of obedience to Satan and all of his servants and disciples.
Them who seek for their selves with eyes and ears that cannot see or hear because the father of all lies has them convinced; they need to stay away from the life that is not of this world.
There is a spirit of Satan who speaks to every man, convincing him, and leading him with anything and everything that will divert his attention from the Word of God. Consume his time to keep him away from the Word of God. Even convince him to shun or flee from the bearers of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The World is full of unclean spirits doing the bidding of their master to keep the lost, lost! But all souls belong to the creator. God tells us our souls belong to Him.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4
Satan cannot keep a lost soul from seeking the light that will lead them out of the darkness. He can only attempt to keep them diverted, and convinced to do otherwise.
It is the very presence of God in His Word that opens the eyes and ears of the lost to the Gospel when it is spoken with power by the disciples and ministers and evangelists, the servants of God preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the very presence of God in His Word that all spirits obey. The only way Satan can keep a lost soul lost is to convince that soul not to listen or even look for anything other than what he says is true.
Now, one would ask," Why was there a man in the synagogue with an evil spirit? If he was a religious man why was he possessed?"
Here is a very good point to process.
First, we must look at religion.
The act or works of religion are nothing more than that.
There is no faith in God in religious works.
Religious works are just that. Manmade activities with God's name attached.
But faith without doubt in the righteousness and holiness of the Word of God is not religion. It is commitment to Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, walking above this world with Him by the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit in and around us.
Second, being in a designated location like a church building does not protect anyone from unclean spirits or sin. Satan is not afraid of a single manmade building. He is afraid of the presence of God in the faith filled and obedient disciples, ministers and evangelists, the real God fearing servants; them who know and speak the Word of God with His righteousness and authority.
No one is completely safe from the wiles of the devil in this world.
Satan never stops prowling and looking for an opportunity to pounce on a servant of God to attempt to drag him back away from faith and obedience to the Word. It is the Word of God, Satan and all who serve him know and must obey when they are faced with His righteousness and holiness. That is why the lost so readily turn away from the Word of God. They are obeying Satan himself.
Sin is obedience to the father of all lies. It gives a place for the uncleanliness of his spirit to live.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Mark 1:23-24
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32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Luke 4:32-34
In our last study we examined the response of men who are obeying the sin nature in them, when they are presented the Gospel with the power of the presence of the Holy Spirit, from the servants of God. It is the same response the unclean spirit gave to the presence of the Word of God Himself.
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. Mark 1:25-26
35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. Luke 4:35
Every servant of God must know this!
It was, is and always will be the power of God in and through His Word that will call, heal, free and save a soul from the chains that bind it to obedience to Satan and his lies.
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36
It is the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and faith therein that removes the chains that hold your soul in darkness. When you answer the call of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God you are set free to walk after our Lord and Savior on a lighted path of righteousness for the glory of God.
So many times I have seen people literally shaking and holding on to the back of a pew or a chair as their flesh, their sin nature is fighting to keep them from coming forward to the prayer rail or alter as some will call it. The spirit of Satan within them, in a blessed and sanctified house of worship, is crying out against the truth their host has opened his ears to and that spirit is making one more effort to win the battle of the flesh against the Spirit of God. Some will step forward in repentance to rid their lives of the filth and shame they have lived in and some will not. Just being in a church does not save anyone. Coming forward in repentance and faith toward Jesus Christ is exposing that life of sin and willingly giving oneself to God.
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10
When the Word of God is present in your life, Satan and all of his lies must leave. He will never stop attempting to draw you away that you will not glorify God, but the truly saved, the blood bought, born again, Spirit filled, child of God, will rise above Satan's lies to walk in the well lighted path of Jesus Christ for the Glory of God.
The power of the presence of Jesus Christ is in the Word of God.
Written and spoken, the truth can only be refused not refuted by the lost soul.
But when that soul opens up to the truth, that truth, the very promises of God from the beginning of time and forever will set them free.
Satan will no longer need to be served for immediate satisfaction.
God will provide for all who love Him for He loved them first.
Peace will come over the lost soul knowing they have been found and returned to the flock, the family of God.
They will be given the knowledge and the ability to pick themselves up and begin a new life in Christ.
Faith in the Word of God silences the whispering of Satan in one’s mind. It is the truth in the Word that enables the Child of God to discern who is speaking to him and it is the power of God in His Word that is present for all disciples of Jesus to use against Satan's lies and deceptions. Satan is no longer in the Child of God doing his work. He can only circle waiting for that disciple to drop his guard.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8
I once had a self proclaimed prophet of God tell me that Satan had me surrounded. I responded to him saying I already knew that because it says so in the Bible but I also knew Satan did not have me covered. I walked with the Blood of the Lamb where it could be seen and Satan could not enter.
That so called prophet quickly moved away from me because he was being exposed as a charlatan. His intent was to have me cower in shame before him or convince me I needed him to be rid of my troubles and be blessed by God. His intent was that he would be glorified in some way.
Do not be deceived my beloved brethren. Satan has his workers of iniquity in every house of worship. His spirit is present in many who have become leaders in the thousands of religions and factions thereof.
The only safeguard against such unclean spirits is the Word of God Himself.
Cling to the Cross, repent of all sin in your life and study the Word of God until you become like Christ from glory to glory.
Walk in the freedom of life justified of all sin, being sanctified for God's glory and know that His glory is yours to live in with Him forever.
If there is anyone reading this today, who has a troubled heart, anyone who knows they have not opened their hearts in faith to the Word of God, Jesus Christ the Son of God, no matter where you are, close your eyes and pour yourself out to Jesus to be saved. Repent of the sin that has kept you from knowing the truth and let the power of the Gospel cast off all that has kept you imprisoned in self-centeredness and self-righteousness. Only the Blood of the Lamb applied in Faith and Obedience will cover you with His promise of salvation. Jesus shed His blood on the cross that we may live with Him, our promised savior, forever and nothing can stand against that truth.
Open your hearts to Jesus and watch Satan quickly move to the outside and to the rear where he was commanded to be so long ago.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:8
It is the power of the presence of God in the Word of God, Jesus Christ Himself that removes sin in one’s life. It is the same power that enters the lost soul through repentance unto faith and obedience. It is the Holy Spirit who takes up residence in the disciple of Jesus Christ and it is the power of the presence of God by His Spirit that keeps the Child of God from Satan's unclean spirits ever taking up residence again.
Lift your eyes unto Jesus and cry out for His light, His truth to cast off all that is not of God, in you. Open your hearts for Him to enter and live in you for life eternal. Amen!
Pastor Steven Freede
Cornerstone Independent Church
11/18/17