89 Fear or Faith

Fear or Faith

Last week we looked at how Jesus not only has complete control over earthly storms and the laws of nature, but how He is also Lord over the spiritual realm. He is immediately recognized by the demon and even worshipped. How sad the satan’s minions would recognize and honor Jesus as God, yet man, made in the image of God, with eternity in our hearts, tries to flee from God and deny Him. Join us as we look into two responses to who Jesus is. Will we bow before His authority in faith, or flee from Him in Fear?

Why did the Demon Fear?

The demon knew that Jesus was God in the flesh.

Luke 8:28 “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!””

He understood that Jesus came forth from God, with the same substance and authority of the Most High God.

Hebrews 1:3 NKJV

who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Notice also the name that He uses, ‘Son’.

This demon has no doubts that Jesus is the Son of God.

This title comes from Psalms 2:5

The demon knew the authority of Jesus to judge and their own end.

Matthew 8:29 “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?””

There end is sure and they know it already.

Jude 6–7 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

The Abyss 9 times.

7 times it is used with the idea of a bottomless shaft. (wells that were dug deep.)

2 times it is used with the idea of abyss.

It is a jail, that only God controls.

Revelation 9:1–2 “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.”

Above and below

Revelation 10:6 “and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,”

Luke 16:22–23 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

Why did the town’s people fear Jesus?

The power of God had arrived. They were scared of what God would do.

He had delivered a man they could not help. His power was beyond them.

He had also been responsible for allowing their assets to be destroyed.

AS a Jew was He judging them for the unclean pigs? Would He judge them as unclean?

Luke 13:1–5 NKJV

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

We are all guilty before God and in need of His forgiveness. We can never blame God for the death of anything as being unjust.

Psalm 19:9 “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

How do we Resist Satan?

We do not speak and command satan

Jude 8–9 “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!””

Jude 10 “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.”

James

James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Submit to God.

We must start with a coming to God to be established in the light of His truth.

Then we can resist the schemes of the devil and he will flee. (Diablolos - slanderer. He is always questioning God, tempting us to put God to the test to prove God.... In all of these times when we do this satan’s way, we are lifting ourselves up to be above God.)

he will flee from you.

As you stand in the light, the darkness is destroyed and satan must leave.

If you hold to truth, he gains nothing whispering his questions.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Be strong in the Lord. (We are to know Him, trust Him and Obey Him. We are weak when we question. Remember Christs many rebukes of the disciples. Where is your faith? Oh you of little faith? Have you no faith? Why are you so slow to believe?)

Put on the whole armour of God that you might stand against the wiles (tricks) of the devil.

Why? Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Therefore:

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

This war isn’t one that can be fought in the flesh.

Our weapons must come from God.

It is primarily the truth of God. It is His truth that casts down arguments and the high things that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Ephesians 6:14–18 “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”

Truth - This is what holds everything in place. It is what leads us to the correct path, shows us how to walk, shows us danger. Without truth, we are in darkness and will fall.

Christ — John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Church — 1 Timothy 3:14–15 “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

Breastplate of righteousness — With truth must come obedience. Truth shows us the way, but obedience walks it. This helps guard our hearts. We don’t let our flesh lead us into temptation, but we abide in Christ, nourishing our love and learning of Him.

Our feet are shod with the Gospel of peace — Our protection from stumbling comes from the gospel.

Above all, take the shield of Faith — We must preach to ourselves of the truth of God’s Word, holding it up in our mind and life. This stops the doubts that satan would shoot at us.

Notice we don’t rebuke satan, but use faith.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

take the helmet of salvation — Our minds are guarded by our knowledge of salvation.

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

and the sword of the Spirit

How does the Spirit work with us today? Dreams, visions? impressions?

which is the Word of God. This alone is His sword. It is clear, understandable. It tells us of God, His love, our atonement. It is a refuge, a stronghold. We don’t flee to man’s emotions, or to depend of worldly strength, we cling to the Word.

What does this mean to us?

We can’t fight a spiritual fight on our own.

We need spiritual weapons, We are fighting spiritual beings. We have neither the means, the knowledge, or the power to fight in our own strength.

We need Jesus to speak and work on our behalf.

The only way, the only being or truth, the only source of life has come to us. To reject His truth and His way is to reject life.

Jesus has the power to defeat satan and all his angels. We must look to Him, plead for His help, realize our prayer are powerful.

Our holiness becomes the most important thing in this war.

It isn’t about our ability, but about our availability.

2 Timothy 2:21 “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

Victory can not be measured by worldly standards.

Victory in the world is measured by numbers. Numbers of people, counting our money, our influence, the size of our buildings, our holdings, even our longevity. ####s.

Victory in Christ is measured in faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

Victory doesn’t mean that anyone will prosper economically.

Often God will break us before He will bless us. WE must be right with Him before we can be used by Him. Paul would need to give up his strength to be use the Lord’s.

Deliverance returns men to their right mind, and behavior will follow.

Luke 8:35 “Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.”

True salvation, love and obedience go together.

Luke 8:38–39 “Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”