The Power of the King over Demons

Introduction:Last Tuesday I was watching some morning news and it was reported that After School Satan Clubs are being established on school campuses across the country. Here is a picture that I found on the Washington Post – underneath it read:

Picture was Here

Doug Mesner, who goes by the professional name Lucien Greaves, is co-founder and spokesman for the Satanic Temple, a group of political activists who are seeking to establish After School Satan Clubs as a counterpart to fundamentalist Christian Good News Clubs, which they see as an attempt to infiltrate public education and erode the constitutional separation of church and state. (Josh Reynolds/For the Washington Post[1])

Here is a video put out by The Satanic Temple for promoting the After School Satan Clubs (Watch video)

What do we as Christians need to know about Satan? We need to know that Satan is real.Scripture presents him as a fallen angel (Isaiah 14l Ezekiel 28). He is not a joke. He is not some red figure with a pitchfork in his hand as depicted by artist and cartoon figures. Nor does he look like the picture displayed by The Satanic Temple (see picture) – They make him look like the guy that is going to steal the ranch and tie the young girl to the railroad tracks.

Picture was here.

Here is what the Bible teaches: The first place Satan is found in the Bible is Genesis 3, in the Garden of Eden, and the last place he is seen in Scripture is in Revelation 20, where he is cast into the lake of fire (a literal hell). Satan will meet his final doom. The day is coming when he will face his ultimate judgment.

When Jesus spoke about the judgment of the nations in Matthew 25:41, He spoke these words,

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Hell was originally prepared for the devil and his angels.Satan and our world today. Our world is always dabbling in the realm of Satan. Everything from Ouija boards, to horoscopes, to palm readers, to tarot cards. Newsweek reported that in the 1990’s there were 8,000 Wiccans (Witchcraft) in the U.S. Today it is believed that the number has risen to 1.5 million Wiccans (Witchcraft) in the country.[2]There was one community that just this past June hosted a Harry Potter Magic Camp – here are a few pictures of their Facebook page.

Pictures were here.

A Facebook post on June 11th read, “9:30 on Sunday night and I’m making wands for the kids to decorate because they are hanging w/Harry P. All week at camp! Let the casting of spells begin.”

By the way, this is NOT some community hosting this event half-way across the country. No, this was here in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Hosted by our own Park & Rec Department this past June.

Here is a picture of Harry Potter with a lightning bolt on his forehead.

Picture was here

What does that lightning bolt symbolize? In Luke 10:18 Jesus said to His disciples, “

And He said to then, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

The lightning bolt on the forehead of Harry Potter is a symbol of Satan. And are you aware that the lightning bolt was also a symbol for Hitler’s SS Troops. Look at this picture:

Picture was here.

Do you know what I found interesting is that while the Park & Rec Department of Spirit Lake was hosting a Harry Potter Magical Mysteries of Hogwarts Mini Camp, we, at Spirit Lake Baptist Church were hosting a weeklong VBS program based on The Armor of God. We looked The Two Kingdoms – the Good Kingdom and the Evil kingdom. The children at VBS learned how to stand against the fiery darts of the wicked one as found in Ephesians 6.

Listen to what God said to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 18:9-14,

9 “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lordyour God has not appointed such for you.

God’s people are to have NOTHING to do with anything in the occult realm.

In the New Testament we read,

18 And many who had believedcame confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 19:18–20)

Now, with all that said, in the last chapter we saw that Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee to get to the other side. Here in this chapter, we are going to look at what they are confronted with once they arrive in the country of the Gergesenes (Gair uh Seenz). We are going to see very clearly that the king has power over demons.

I. The place of the demonic - 8:28

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.

As soon as the winds and sea cease from raging, they arrive to the other side. They arrive in the country of the Gergesenes (Gair uh Seenz). Some believe that a better rendering is Gadarenes, which is one of the towns of the Decapolis. As they step out of the boat they are met by two demon-possessed men (Mark’s Gospel only focus’ in on one of them). Here in our text these men were coming out of the tombs – which would be the local graveyard. It appears that demons are comfortable dwelling among the dead.

Our text reads that they were “exceedingly fierce”. They were both strong and scary. In Mark 5:2-5 we read,

2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an bunclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind 2him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.[3]

These demon-controlled men were “exceedingly fierce”. The local people tried to bring the situation under control by placing them in chains and shackles, but they were strong enough to pull the chains apart and break the shackles in pieces. Their presence brought all local foot traffic to a standstill. No one wanted to go pass them. This area was off limits.

All of us have heard stories of haunted houses, and how people were told to stay away from that house on elm street. It’s haunted! Well, here in our text the local towns people were telling people to steer clear from the tombs as there are some demonic controlled individuals, and they are exceedingly fierce. Most people stayed away. Probably a few teenagers went ahead and got close only to have the hee-bie-jee-bies scared out of them.

So, the place of the demonic is the tombs – the place of the dead.

II. The presence of the demonic – 8:29

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?”

These demon-possessed men recognized Jesus,

“What have we to do with you, Jesus, You Son of God?” Have you come here to torment us before the time?

You see, it is very apparent that these demons knew who Jesus Christ was - “Jesus, You Son of God.” Don’t miss that these demons knew who had just landed upon their shores. They recognized that it was Jesus, they knew that the one with authority (Power) stood before them.

James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote,

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble. (James 2:19)

Not only do the demons know who Jesus was, but they also knew that He had the ability to torment them (The Greek word torment here means to “toss”). Demons had been tormenting these two men – they took over their bodies, mind, and will. Satan robs man from his sanity and self-control. What kind of reception did these demons they think they were going to receive from Jesus? Jesus is Pro-life. He came to redeem man, to heal man, to deliver man. Jesus is not pro-demonic. Demons are fallen, rebellious angels.

Look at the question from the demons,

Have you come here to torment us before the time?

Demons also know their eschatology (the doctrine of end times). They know that a future judgment day awaits them. According to Revelation 20, they will be cast into a lake of fire.

As I have already mentioned in the parallel passage in Mark’s Gospel the focus is on one of the two demon possessed individuals, and there we read,

Mark 5:5 - 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

Do you see what the demons were doing to these two men. They were “Cutting” them. Bodily cutting is always something you see in false religions, occult practices, and Satanism. God’s people do not cut themselves! This practice is NOT of God.

Jesus is the Son of God, and He has authority over all demons. And I also want you to know that these demons knew that their time was limited. They were about to be judged.

Again, over in the parallel account in Mark’s Gospel we read that when the demon possessed man saw Jesus that he ran towards him and worshipped him. All this means is that he prostrated himself before Jesus. It doesn’t mean that he worshipped Jesus in our Christian understanding of the word worship. Jesus spoke to Him and said,

“Come out of the man, unclean spirit.”(Mark 5:8).

Next, Jesus asked him,

“What is your name?” And the demon answered saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” (Mark 5:9)

Are you aware that a Roman legion was about 5,600 soldiers. Here the demon said that his name was, “Legion”, and he adds, “for we are many.” And don’t forget that we are looking at two men in our text who are controlled by demons. It’s possible that there were thousands of demons in these two men.

In Mark 5:10 we read of the requests of the demons,

“Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.”

These demons begged Jesus not to send them out of the area, region, or to some distant place. The demons’ requests bring us back to Matthew 8:30-32.

III. The plea of the demonic – 8:30-31

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.”

The demons saw a heard of swine (pigs) feeding. Pigs were unclean animals. Jesus had called the demons, unclean spirits. Now, we know from a parallel passage that there were about 2,000 pigs (Mark 5:13). The demons begged Jesus saying,

“If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the heard of swine.”

Apparently unclean spirits didn’t mind dwelling in unclean pigs!

IV. The perishing of the demonic – 8:32

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 said them, “Go.” (Matthew 8:32)

One author said, “Jesus doesn’t waste words with the demonic.” Jesus commanded them to, “Go.” They had to obey Him.

Once the demons left the two men, they entered the swine, and the swine immediately ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the water. Pigs and demons all drowned! They perished!

Our text doesn’t tell us of the conversation between the two men who were healed, but one of them wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to become one of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus told him no, and that he was to go home and tell his family everything that had happened to him. I believe that Jesus was telling him that he would have a greater impact on others by witnessing to his own family first. There is a message here for us too.

Again, over in Mark’s Gospel we read that he went and proclaimed what had happen to him in the Decapolis (means 10 cities). He had become quite an evangelist telling his story of amazing grace.

Our text doesn’t end here. There is more in this passage. We also see that the King has power over people. Let’s look at the response of the pig keepers and the local town’s people.

V. The response of the miracle – 8:33-34

33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Their response to Jesus is not what you think it should have been. They rejected Jesus. We read,

A. The pig keepers fled into the city – 8:33

The pig keepers fled. They watched their pigs run down a steep cliff into the sea of Galilee and drown. The pig keepers took off and went into the city and they told everyone what they had witnessed, including what had happened to the two demon-possessed men.

B. The entire city came out to see Jesus – 8:34

34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

The entire city came out to meet Jesus. I absolutely love those words, “They came out to meet Jesus.” I wish it was for the purpose of desiring to become one of His disciples, but it wasn’t. When the people saw Jesus, they begged Him to depart from their region. They wanted Jesus to leave, and to take his batch of merry disciples with Him.

It has been suggested that because Jesus was responsible for the negative impact on their livelihood that they wanted Him to leave. It appears that their financial loss took priority over what spiritual gain they could have received from Jesus Christ. It doesn’t even appear that they cared about the two previous demon possessed men. Perhaps Jesus’ power was just too much for them to comprehend! They couldn’t fathom it.

Please don’t miss what I am about to say next. Jesus is master over people, but He will not force Himself into their lives. Remember when Rick talked about the cost of discipleship? You and you alone must decide to follow Jesus. It is a choice that He allows you to make. Never put profit over following Jesus.

Thank God that the king has power over the demonic.

Conclusion: Here are our take-home truths:

1. Satan is very real.

2. Demon-possession is very real.

3. Demons dwell in tombs (graveyards), and places of the dead.

4. Demons recognize Jesus and His authority.

5. Jesus casts out demons with the word “Go.”

6. Demons obey Jesus’ command.

7. Demons will face a future judgment day.

8. Not everyone is excited about Jesus casting out demons. It might take away some people’s livelihood.

9. Some people are more concerned for profits than they are spiritual matters.

10. Have nothing to do with Satan and his demons, and everything to do with following Jesus.

[1] Josh Reynolds/For The Washington Post [2] https://www.newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion-1221019 b Mark 1:23; 7:25; [Rev. 16:13, 14] 2 NU adds anymore [3] The New King James Version (Mk 5:2–5). (1982). Thomas Nelson.