Duties of Demons (4); Demon Possession

We are talking about the duties of demons, the responsibilities of demons, what they are involved in, what they are up to. And we have seen that their duties are widely scattered, lots of different things they do. We've talked about the promotion of Satan's program, they're involved in that, obviously, opposition to God and his program. We've talked about their oppression of mankind, and last week we were talking about their opposition to the saints. And we last week ended with this point that they are in opposition to the saints in this way that they are opposed to believers in general. So their opposition takes that form. So demons are opposed to believers in general, but they are also in opposition against individuals. And so let's talk a little bit about that, at least three ways in which demons are in opposition to specific individuals. One is demons attack our usefulness and effectiveness. And we're not going to take a look specifically at the armor tonight, but if you turn to Ephesians chapter 6 and look at the armor, we're not going to read tonight, but if you look at all the pieces of armor, you get some feel for the different ways in which demons may attack individual believers. Just think about it. We have a helmet of salvation. So the helmet protects the head, the brain, the mind. So obviously he attacks the thought wife. We have the breastplate of righteousness, so he attacks our heart. We have the belt of truth, he attacks truthfulness, honesty, integrity. We have the shoes of the gospel of peace. He attacks our stability, our firm footing, the ability to stand and not wither under attack. We have the shield of faith and faith obviously has overcome the attacks of the enemy, the firing darts or flaming arrows of the wicked one, Ephesians 6 says. So those attacks or those arrows may be aimed at temptation. They may be that kind of attack where they may be attacks of discouragement, disheartening and so we need faith to overcome those. And then we have the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. So he attacks our confidence in God's word in all those ways, then Satan attacks us and demons attack us as individuals, but they can also attack us in the sense of tempting us to sin. And the three ways that maybe they attack to temptation to sin are really described in 1st John chapter 2 verse 16. You have this verse on the screen. In 1st John 2, 16 we see everything that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life comes not from the father, but from the world. And so Satan tempts us in those three areas at least. Thank you Jim. What are those three years? You talk for a minute. What are those three areas? What do those three categories represent? Well, we have temptation. Humanism, materialism, lust of the flesh, that's passion, sexual passion or just the passion to fulfill the desire of the flesh. We fulfill any desire of the simple nature, lust of the eyes, somebody mentioned materialism, possessions, lust of the lust or pride of life, pride or position. So at least in those ways, the enemy tempts us and Satan demons can tempt us in those in those three ways. It's interesting that when I look at the attacks of Satan specifically on some of the churches in the book of Revelation, some of the seven churches. Just let me read a couple of them for you and you'll see what lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life are involved in the church at Pergamum in Revelation 2 to the angel of the church at Pergamum right. These are the words of him who has the sharp double edged sword. I know where you live where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me even in the days of Antipas. My faithful witness who was put to death in your city where Satan lives. So Satan's headquarters in the first century in this town. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you. You have people there who hold to the doctrine of Balum, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food, sacrifice to idols and by committing sexual sin. So those who are following the doctrine of Balum are those who are being enticed and tempted to commit sexual immorality. And the same thing is true in the next church, the church at Thyra in chapter 2, verse 20. Nevertheless, I have this against you. You tolerate that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess by her teaching. She misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food, sacrifice to idols. So at least two of the churches are attacked, tempted in the area of sexual immorality. So the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life, those are ways, at least in general categories that Satan and his demons do attack us in temptation. But they also attack individuals or can attack individuals in the sense of inflicting illnesses or inflicting physical maladies. We saw that in general last week, but specifically a couple of people in the Bible are mentioned as being under attacked by Satan. And that has its effect in physical maladies. One of them is Job. Look at this verse, Job 2, verse 7. So Satan went out from the Lord, from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores. So Satan is responsible for this. But in the New Testament, Paul also is attacked by Satan in a way that presents itself in a physical malady. Second Corinthians 12, 7. Therefore in order to keep me from becoming conceded, I was given, this is the Lord's permission here, I was given a thorn in the flesh. The thorn in my flesh, Paul probably had a physical ailment, something it had to do with his eyesight because he mentions very poor eyesight to the Galatians. So it may have been that. But notice how he identifies it. A messenger of Satan to torment me. God allows this, but Paul identifies it as literally a messenger of Satan. Remember, messenger is the same word in the New Testament's word for angel. So this may have been a demon that was actually afflicting Paul tormenting him with some kind of physical ailment. And so yes, demons are in opposition to believers in opposition to the saints specifically against individuals, intempting us to sin and maybe even afflicting physical ailments on us. As we said last week, be careful with that. Not every physical ailment can be attributed to a demon. We live in a world that is under the curse because of our sin, because of Adam's sin. And so not every ailment can be attributed specifically and directly to a demonic attack. Some of it is just a result of living in a fallen world, but demons can, they may afflict individuals with physical maladies. So demons are in opposition to the saints, believers in general and individuals, but also against the church, the church as a whole. Demons attack the church as a whole. Several ways we see this in scripture. In general, Jesus seems to indicate that demons, Satan's whole program is against the church. Look at this verse in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18. You're familiar with this one. Jesus told Peter, I tell you that your Peter on this rock, I will build my church. Notice what he says next. And the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Now there are a couple different ways to take that. One is simply that the gates of hell cannot capture the church. People who are in the true church who are genuinely believers will not be in hell. That's one way that the passage is taken. But the other way which it's taken, and I think both may have some credence in scripture, is that the gates of hell refer to Satan's domain, not that he, not that he abides in hell because he doesn't, not yet. But that's just an expression for Satan's domain. And Satan's domain, Satan's work will not overcome the church. He's battling against it. He's fighting against it, but he will not overcome. And so it's quite possible that the passage at least implies Satan's opposition against the church. But the Bible tells us a number of specific ways that Satan attacks the church. Number one, he creates division. He creates division in the church. Now that can happen in a couple of different ways. One is he can create doctrine of division. I'm not going to look at these passages because we've looked at them quite a bit before we looked at them last week. First, Timothy 4.1 and first John 4.1. Remember both of them talk about false teaching, being the doctrines of demons or spirits that are not from God, being responsible for false teaching. And so this kind of division is doctrinal division infiltrating the church with false teaching, false doctrines division in that way. But demons, Satan and demons may also attack the church by dividing it very practically. Look at these verses from James 3, not only doctrinal division, but practical division in the church. James says, but if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such quote unquote wisdom does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual. Notice the next word demonic. And then he goes on to say, where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find this order and every evil practice. So envy, the desire to gain the upper hand, selfish ambition, the desire to make oneself known. James is writing to a group of believers and saying, this is a problem. It's a problem for believers, but that kind of ambition and fighting against one another doesn't come from the Lord. Or it comes from demons. It is demonic in origin. So anytime you have lack of forgiveness, resentment because of hurts envy of someone else or their position in the church or selfish ambition to gain particular places of prominence in the church, Satan operates that way to create division in the church. And his credo is divide and conquer. That's how Satan operates. And so he creates division in the church. He also counters the gospel. He'll do anything he can to intercept the gospel. Another verse we've looked at a lot. We're not going to look at again tonight. Second Corinthians 4, 4, the God of this age has blinded the minds of them that believe not the gospel. Paul says if our gospels hits, hit those who are lost because the God of this world has blinded their minds. And so Satan will do anything he can to blind people's minds and hearts to the truth of the gospel, but he will also hinder the gospel message from getting to people. Look at this intriguing passage on the screen in first Thessalonians chapter, second Thessalonians 2. Paul says, but brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time in person, not in thought, out of our intense longing, we made every effort to see you. Paul wanted to go back to Thessalonica and see those believers where we wanted to come to you. Certainly I Paul did again and again, but Satan blocked our way. And it was through opposition and intense persecution. You know, Paul had believed Thessalonica after three weeks and he wasn't able to get back there, even though he wanted to, Satan blocked his way. So Satan and his demons will do everything they can to hinder those who are trying to get the gospel to people so that the gospel cannot make its way to new territory or, in this case, Paul wanted to go back and establish and strengthen the church. He also, against the church, calls us persecution. Satan can bring persecution against the church. We already saw that in Revelation chapter 2 where Satan was attacking at least two churches in that passage that are mentioned there. And actually there is a third one that I didn't mention, the church in Smirna, prior to the program in Thiatira, Jesus says this to the church in Smirna. These are the words of him who was the first and last who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty yet you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews but are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you that devil will put some of you in prison to test you. You will suffer persecution for 10 days. Be faithful. Even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. So the devil is responsible for bringing persecution to that church. So here is the big picture. The devil will do anything he can to attack the church. Whether it is doctrinal controversy in division, just practical division through envy and strife and ambition and those kinds of things or blocking the gospel or the teaching of the church, hindering pastors or missionaries from getting the job done or even causing persecution. Lots of different ways that Satan is against the church. So whatever Satan does is demons also do so they are involved in that as well. Okay comments or questions about Satan's opposition to the saints whether it be believers in general individuals or the church is a whole. Comments or questions. Okay. Hearing none we move on. We've talked about a lot of things that demons do and I think it was last week Bill made the comment which I want to really focus on now in the midst of all of this that demons and Satan are doing. All of that is overruled by God. God's purpose and plan will ultimately overrule everything that Satan and his demons are trying to do so that God accomplishes his glory and what is is good for us as well. Let me give you at least three ways in which the Bible says God does that. He overruled Satan's work in disciplining the believer. Now what I'm what I'm talking about here is that God will actually take what Satan is trying to do to attack or to oppose and actually turn it around to use it for his glory and for our good. One one example is in in disciplining the believer and probably the best example of that is in first Corinthians chapter five. I'd like for you to turn there. We're going to look at this passage for just a moment. God does sometimes allow Satan to afflict punishment even physical attacks and God uses that as his chasinging his discipline which then brings us back to him or even strengthens us spiritually. Look at the instance that Paul is talking about here in first Corinthians five. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans. This man has his father's wife. Now the fact that he says his father's wife rather than his mother indicates this must have been his stepmother. It was not his mother but his stepmother. The point is this man in the church in Corinth is having a sexual relationship with his stepmother and Paul saying come on guys not even pagans will tolerate that. They know that's wrong. So what do you do when you find that in the church? Look at verse two and you are proud. Paul says shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship. The man who did this even though I'm not physically present I'm with you in spirit and I've already passed judgment on the one who did this just as if I were present when you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I'm with you in spirit and the power of our Lord Jesus is present. Now notice what he says for the church to do in verse five. Hand this man over to Satan. Wow. Hand this man over to Satan so that the sinful nature may be destroyed. And his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. Now that verse is full of a lot of controversial statements and I don't want to take the time to try to delve into all of them. But basically what he's saying is put him out of the church. He's already said that in the first couple of verses. You shouldn't tolerate that kind of sin in the church. Discipline him. Disassociate from him. Put him out of the church into Satan's realm. Away from the fellowship of believers. As discipline he needs to be out where Satan will deal with him and Satan may deal with him physically. Simple nature really is the Greek word Sark which is flesh and commentators disagree here whether or not it refers to the simple nature which it often does in the New Testament. Or it just refers to the flesh the body what really Paul may be saying is Satan will attack him and discipline him and and these will happen to him physically. But God will turn around using that as discipline so that he will be restored spiritually. That's exactly what ends up happening in second Corinthians chapter two. Paul refers to this same man and says okay it's time to welcoming back. He has repented. It's time to welcome him back and they got a forgiving. There was a time for discipline but there's also a time of restoration and forgiveness. So evidently what Paul is talking about here is that Satan will work him over real good. But I'm going to use that to discipline him and to cause him such guilt and torment spiritually that he repents and gets right with me and you'll receiving back into the church. So you see how God redeemed even what Satan did to this man. Any questions about that before we move on. Okay. We talked earlier about Job and Paul both being attacked by Satan. Didn't God use both of those situations to accomplish what he wanted to do in Job's case. Job finally learns the lesson of God's greatness and God's goodness at the end of the book. And it's in stark contrast to everything his friends have said. Job finally is humbled and realizes that he doesn't really know as much about God as he thought he did. God used all of that terrible attack of Satan to work in Job's life. And the same thing happened with Paul. Paul says in second Corinthians 12 this messenger of Satan tormented me but he learned through that experience what? God's grace is sufficient and I've learned that in my weakness God strength is made perfect. So he was humbled he was strengthened his dependence on God was increased. All as a result of this messenger of Satan tormenting him God turned it around and used it for good. So the blessing of knowing that we are his knowing that we're the lords is that even when Satan attacks us or his demons attack us God over rules that for good. So that's a tremendous blessing again I want to emphasize that God may use even what Satan does in attacking us as his means of disciplining us so that we are then restored strengthened we see more about him than we ever did before and so forth. Okay comments questions. Okay you're quiet much tonight. Right. Demonic attack is overruled by God in disciplining the believer but also in defeating the ungodly. Did you know that sometimes God actually uses the attacks of Satan to accomplish his purpose in judging ungodly people. The first example of that is King Ahab in the Old Testament we're not going to read the story it's too long but you remember the story in first Kings chapter 22 where Ahab who's the king of Israel decides to go into battle along with the king of Judah. Now, Jehoshaphat was a godly king followed the Lord and wanted to obtain wisdom and insight direction from the Lord through a godly prophet but all Ahab was doing was getting his wicked prophets the prophets of Bale to give advice. And so Jehoshaphat finally said isn't there a prophet of God around here somewhere and Ahab says yeah there's this one guy named Micahia but he always says bad stuff about me and Jehoshaphat says getting and Micahia comes in remember makes that that kind of sarcastic reference to the prophets of Bale and also tells Ahab oh go out to battle everything will be fine and Ahab knows he's just being sarcastic and says tell me the truth. And he says you will die on the field of battle and then one of the false prophets strikes Micahia and Micahia says which way did the spirit of the Lord go to come to you there's an evil spirit actually which is speaking through you and this evil spirit this demon prophesized through this prophet and what happens is that Ahab is a godly prophet. Actually is emboldened to go into battle because of the lying spirit of a prophet who's being influenced by a demon and he dies in battle just like the godly prophet Micahia said he would. So God uses a lying prophet that is energized by a demon to accomplish his purpose. Okay so God overrules even what demons do to accomplish his purpose demons will not win ultimately in this battle against God. Remember also in the book of Revelation we've seen it before in Revelation 16 where the demons that come out of Satan himself and the antichrist and the false prophet there's three frog demons you know the creed. Frog demons you know that come out in Revelation 16 and entice the armies of the nations to come together to battle against Israel. Well what happens in that battle little clue it's in a valley the hill of Maghiddo. So Har Maghiddo are Maghiddo what happens at that battle they're defeated aren't they because that's when Christ comes back. So it's demons that entice all these nations and warrior kings to come to battle but God really wants them there so that he can come and defeat them. So the demons that he got over rules even what the demons do and enticing those those kings so demonic activity is overruled by God in disciplining the believers in defeating the ungodly and then lastly in displaying God's righteousness. Christ casts out demons in the New Testament which shows his power and righteousness and God's glory. So the activity increases during the life and ministry of Christ but that only serves to highlight God's glory more because Christ has cast out a bunch of them. So God over rules what demons are trying to do to display his own his own righteousness. I wanted to end this whole section on the duties of demons on that note that although demons are very active and they they do a lot of bad stuff in promoting Satan's program opposing God's program opposing mankind in general and opposing saints. So this is the church and individual believers even though they're involved in a lot of bad stuff ultimately God over rules everything they try to do and we've just seen some specific examples of that in scripture. Okay any questions comments. I'm going to get to the very interesting topic of demon possession and we're going to spend a little bit of time on that. But I want to begin by talking about the reality of demon possession. The other results of humanism and secularism in our culture today is the spiritual dimension of life has been removed. What we are taught today is that man is just a product of natural forces and so secularists disavow any spiritual dimension or spiritual element of life as a whole both the power of God and the power of Satan. The power of God is explained away by natural means and the power of Satan is likewise explained away by natural phenomenon and so what happens is on both ends of the spectrum when people claim to see God working and when people claim to see Satan working secularists and humanists always explained that away. It's written off as well that's just religious fear from the dark ages. We're in enlightened culture nowadays. There is no spiritual realm like that and they explain away everything that God does but they also explain away what demons do. And I think we might even be more familiar with that demonic oppression or demonic possession and we'll define what that means in just a few moments is often explained away as hysteria schizophrenia other personality disorders. Again, please don't misunderstand me there really is such a thing as schizophrenia a chemical imbalance in the brain but there are sometimes when demonic possession manifests some of the same characteristics and so there is at least the possibility that in some cases this is demonically induced but it's always explained away on natural by natural means. We need to face the reality as people who believe the Bible that there are demons I think we've seen that we've proven that from the scriptures and they are very real. They are clearly found at work in the New Testament. Christ and the apostles both encountered them often and both would at times cast them out. Now they may have been more intense as we've talked about during the ministry of Christ because Satan martyled his opposition against the son of God when Christ was here on earth. He did everything he could to try to stop God's plan of redemption from taking place. And so demonic activity and possession may have been more intense during the ministry of Christ but I believe it is also still very real. May have been more highlighted and pronounced there may have been a real spike in activity during the ministry of Christ but it's still still very real still very possible that Satan and his demons are very much at work. It is a real thing. So want to establish that first that demonic possession is still a very real phenomenon. What about the frequency of it? How often does it occur? Well there is evidence some in the Old Testament of demonic spirits. I think particularly of cases like Saul and the witch of indoor and other cases like that but mostly we find this in the New Testament and primarily in the gospels again with the ministry of Christ. There seems to be a much more concentrated presence in activity of demons. 17 times demon possession is mentioned in the gospels at least 17 times. There are nine specific cases where Jesus is seen casting out a particular demon, a specific instance of demon possession but then there are also some passages that just describe in general activity that was quite extensive along these lines. Let me just show you a few of these verses on the screen. Matthew chapter 8 and verse 16 is one of the passages when evening came many who were demon possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits. Many demon possessed drove out the spirits were the word and healed all the sick. So there are nine instances of a specific casting out of a demon in the gospels but then there are passages like this where he's casting out a demon. Where he's casting out lots of demons at a particular time and occasion. Another passage, Mark chapter 1 verse 32 that evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed. This is in cappernum Peter's hometown. The whole town gathered at the door and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. So again another instance, another passage where it's not just one demon. One instance, he's casting out demons from multiple people in this town of cappernum. Another example Luke 4, 41 more over demons came out of many people shouting you are the son of God but he rebuked them would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Messiah. So we have these kind of general verses that indicate this was happening on a big scale. There are nine specific individual instances but then these verses tell us that there were certain occasions where lots of people had possessed by demons had to cast out. So this was really quite common and pervasive in the ministry of Christ. Jesus also gave the apostles the authority to cast out demons during his ministry when he sent them out to by two preach Mark 10, Luke 10. He gave them the authority to cast out demons. Remember they came back Luke 20 describes it they came back and said to him, wow, you know the demons were subject to us and that's when Jesus said don't rejoice over that rejoice that your name is found written in the book of life. But the apostles had the authority to cast out demons as well and there are several occasions in the book of Acts at least five different occasions in Acts where the apostles cast out demons as well. So real spike evidently in demonic activity during the reign of Christ or life of Christ shortly after. So do you think that could mean that there will be a similar spike in demonic activity as the Lord prepares for his second coming to the earth as he comes to rapture the church. We know there will be a great spike of demonic activity again in the tribulation time leading up to the second coming to set up his kingdom. I think probably that that is it will be case frequency certainly a lot in the gospels some in the book of Acts you don't see a lot of it in the epistles you don't see Paul talking about casting out demons in the epistles written to the church but it doesn't mean it can't happen it may still happen. Okay any questions at that point comments bill. Where do they go. We only know specifically one instance and that was the demon possessed man of the dare where they went into the hogs but then the hogs ran off the cliff and drowned so the demons had to leave them to. They probably go just they just leave and find somewhere else to go try to find someone else to a flick you know demons are constantly going about like Satan is roaming about to and throughout the earth seeking him and made a vow or Satan is so demons are doing the same thing so they probably would just say okay shocks that one didn't work out let's go find somebody else that's probably what's happening we know that those demons were were fearful of being confined in the dark. Confined in the pit they ask Jesus not to do that and we saw that some demons are confined there but most of them are free to roam and probably that's what happens when once cast out. Bill you had a question exactly that's a very very good point that one of the ways secular and humanistic society diminishes the reality of demons is by making an object of humor it's a good point and and a form of entertainment you know we talked about this little bit last time I think the whole horror genre of movies make it entertainment. I'm scary a little bit but it really has become a form of Hollywood entertainment. No it's not what we're looking for and he would love for us to think that that's really what is like a cartoonish character. I think if you talk to missionaries you'll find that to be substantiated in at least in this sense that there is more visible direct in your face confrontation from demons in a refined culture a more enlightened culture Satan knows he's not going to get by with that as much and so demonic activity is still very real but it's camouflage remember second Corinthians 11 Satan has his name. He's a minister's Satan himself presents himself as an angel of light you know a good being and he also has ministers so in an enlightened society it may not come through direct demonic occultic activity as much as it may come through pulpits. It's not real but it's more camouflaged yeah but yeah you're exactly right Ben that in your face really demonic graphic kind of demonic oppression and possession is often seen in animistic pagan cultures inviting that yes yes did I see a hand over on this side. Could you say the first part of that again Bob I didn't quite hear that I'm sorry okay yes yes yes in the book of revelation where's the revelation nine maybe where it talks about some of the judgment poured out by God and men do not repent of their sins at list a bunch of the sins and one of them is their witchcraft but the word which is not the word. But the word witchcraft is the word pharmacate in Greek which we get our word pharmacy from it it has to do with the mixing of potions now it can refer to the mixing of potions in occult activity but many take it also to mean the mixing of of drugs the mixing of potions for some kind of psychedelic effect or drug induced effect so. The whole drug culture is very much tied to demonic activity in the sense of what it produces and so forth yeah I think there is a tie in there okay good question I was hoping someone would answer that or think and someone might ask that why did did Christ not let the demons answer that. They knew he was the Messiah why didn't he let them say things about that what what do you think why would Jesus tell them not to speak about him okay yeah I didn't catch the first couple of words but it had to do with Jesus does not want his primary testimony to be coming from demonic sources. One of the first things you you will do when you look at at least one of the first things I do when I look at a book and I'm not real familiar with who the author is I'll look at the back or the the filet to see who's recommending it and if I have confidence in them if I know them then I think okay this probably pretty good book and that's exactly what Jesus is is getting at I don't want commendations from demons because then it looks like we're in league together we're doing the same thing. So I think the reason Jesus told the demons quiet don't tell people who I have don't go telling people because he did not want endorsements from demons to look like they're on the same page. Okay it's five after now boy we just got started with the questions too that's too bad carry him over to next week okay let's pray.