Jesus has Power Over Darkness
Notes
Transcript
If I were to ask you what the opposite of light was you would say darkness, right? Some of you probably think about this and some of you probably don’t. Some of you only think of the natural world that we live in. How many of you think about the supernatural world?
First of all, the supernatural world completely exists. Paul says in Ephesians 6:12
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
You and I walk around here on earth and we go about our normal day. We talk to one another and we enjoy each other’s company. While we are enjoying this, we don’t see it but there are events taking place in the supernatural realm. And when we are facing battles here within ourself, there is a battle taking place in the heavenlies.
This warfare is not a matter of contending against godless philosophers, crafty priests, Christ-denying cultists, or infidel rulers. The battle is against demonic forces, against battalions of fallen angels, against evil spirits who wield tremendous power. Though we cannot see them, we are constantly surrounded by wicked spirit-beings. While it is true that they cannot indwell a true believer, they can oppress and harass him.
But, there is good news. God has given you all the armor you need to hold your ground against their onslaught. And that is our theme today. Jesus has power over darkness.
If you have your Bibles with you, go with me to Luke 11. We will begin reading at verse 14.
Two weeks ago we talked about getting intimate with the father. Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Verse 14 doesn’t seem like it was a continuation of the prayer conversation. It seems like it could have been a conversation on a different day. We don’t know this, but we can see how it was written and it doesn’t seem to tie into verse 13. Verse 14 seems to start another story. So, let’s look at verse 14.
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.
This is not the first time that Luke tells about Jesus casting a demon out of a man. Verse 15.
15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”
In the time of Christ this was the current name for the chief or prince of demons, and was identified with satan and the devil. Verse 16.
16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.
18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.
19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
With this statement Jesus refutes their statement. He lets them know that it isn’t possible to cast out something from the same house. It isn’t possible for Satan to cast out Satan. There would be no benefit to this. You would have forces working against itself.
The same thing can be applied to the church. If a church across the street or across town was preaching the same Gospel you are but in a different matter, why would you speak against them. We are all in this together. We are all working at building the kingdom of God. Our job, as Christians, is to be kingdom builders. We need to build the kingdom of God.
Then Jesus continues, look at verse 21.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.
22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Up till this point, Satan was a strong man. He was fully armed. Prior to Jesus coming on the scene, people could be tormented by demons. Those who were possessed by demons were kept in Satan’s grip, and there was no one to challenge him. Then Jesus comes along and Jesus is stronger than Satan. Jesus came upon him, overcame him, took all his armor from him, and divided his spoils. Jesus is conquering Satan and Satan’s victims are being liberated.
In this world, there is only two positions you can take. You are either for Jesus Christ or you are against Jesus Christ. There is no in between.
Now, look at verse 24.
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’
25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
I believe this is where the United States of America is at right now.
Some of you may have heard of Jonathan Kahn. He is a Messianic Jewish Rabbi and pastor best known for his best selling novel The Harbinger. He wrote a book in 2022 called, The Return of the Gods. In this book, he talks about the gods being cast out by the ancients. He says, “They were expelled from the high places, banished from the palaces of kings, driven out of the public squares, cast out of their temples, and removed from the lives of their subjects.”
He continues by saying, “The gods were sent into exile. In time they became memories, echoes, and phantoms. And then they were forgotten.
He references this passage. The gods or demons were sent away, driven away and then slowly over time, people have decided they have no use for God anymore and that has opened up a portal and they are back with force. Verse 26 says…
26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
Kahn says, “They came slowly at first, as the door had, at first, only been slightly opened. Had their entrance been too rapid, it would have been repelled and the door would have closed. But by entering with measured steps, they were able to keep the door ajar and then open it still wider.”
Have we not seen this taking place here in the United States? Slowly over time we can God being taken out of everything and a darker stronghold creeping in.
Kahn continues, “They came as spirits of enlightenment, freedom, and power; they came as secular gods, new gods, alternate gods, gods that granted godhood, gods that denied that they were gods, and gods that declared that there were no gods—they came as gods of the modern world.”
He says, “And so the gods now dwell among us. They inhabit our institutions, walk the halls of our governments, cast votes in our legislatures, guide our corporations, gaze out from our skyscrapers, perform on our stages, and teach in our universities. They saturate our media, direct our news cycles, inspire our entertainments, and give voices to our songs. They perform on our stages, in our theaters and stadiums; they light up our television sets and computer screens. They incite new movements and ideologies and convert others to their ends. They instruct our children and initiate them into their ways. they incite the multitudes. They drive otherwise rational people into irrationality and some into frenzies, just as they done in ancient times. They demand our worship, our veneration, our submissions, and our sacrifices. The gods are everywhere. They have permeated our culture. they have mastered our civilization. The gods are here.”
If you haven’t woke up by now, you need to wake up and understand that there is a spiritual force that is taking a hold of America. It is time for you and me, as Christians to rise up and take a stand. We can not wait for anymore damage to be done. We must wake up, speak up, and stand up. Get out and vote. Go to your neighbors. Go to your co-workers. Go to everyone you know and let them know that Jesus is Lord. We need revival and we needed it yesterday. The enemy is here and we are under attack. Man and Woman of God you need to get ready to battle the enemy. We have to win this war.
In verse 27 says
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Jesus is quick to point out that it is better for us to hear the word of God and do what it says than the fact that Mary gave birth to Jesus. It is more important for you to obey God than Mary’s spot in the kingdom of God. That is how important it is for you to obey Him.
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.
31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
These people are looking for a sign. They had the son of God living and working amongst them and they wanted more. Jesus points to the fact that all Nineveh needed to repent was just Jonah preaching and everyone in the city repented of their evil ways. Now Jesus, the Messiah is here in the flesh and the people are asking for another sign.
We are a spoiled people. At what point do we get to where we think that Jesus is enough. Jesus is all I need.
Here in America especially we have become a bunch of spoiled brats. We have everything we could possibly want in front of us and yet we continue to cry for more.
If you will cry for wanting more of Jesus then you will be completely satisfied. Give me Jesus.
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness.
35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
How is your light? Do you set it up on its stand so that everyone can see that you are someone that loves Jesus or do you hide it so no one knows.
It is important that we get this part right. It is important that we let everyone see our light. Look at the next story that takes place at a Pharisees house. Verse 37.
37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.
38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them.
48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’
50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,
54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.
It is in this interaction with the Pharisees once again that we see that Jesus has had enough. They can’t believe that Jesus wouldn’t wash His hands before He ate. This sets off a series of six woes. The Pharisees were concerned with the outward appearance more than the attitude of the heart.
The first woe about giving. They were so strict in their tithe but they neglected ministering to the poor.
The second woe was about their place of honor. For them it was all about appearances.
The third woe was about unmarked graves. Under the law of Moses, whoever touched a grave was unclean for seven days, even if he didn’t know at the time that it was a grave. The Pharisees outwardly gave the appearance of being devout religious leaders. But they should have worn a sign warning people that it was defiling to come in touch with them. They were like unmarked graves, full of corruption and uncleanness, and infecting others with their externalism and pride.
After this point the Scribes or lawyers step in complaining that they felt Jesus was insulting them. This group was good at telling everyone else what to do. This brings in the fourth woe.
They were loading people down with burdens and making it impossible to follow all the rules they were laying out.
In the fifth woe, Jesus tells the lawyers they were hypocritical murderers. they pretended to admire the prophets of God. But at the same time they were claiming to do this they were plotting to kill Jesus, God’s greatest prophet.
The sixth woe, Jesus tells the lawyers they were withholding God’s Word from the people. Though outwardly they professed loyalty to the Scriptures, they stubbornly refused to receive the One of whom the Scriptures spoke. And they hindered others from coming to Christ. They didn’t want Christ themselves, and they didn’t want others to receive Him.
And so, Jesus leaves this house, but the Pharisees and lawyers are so mad they follow Jesus outside and begin fiercely questioning Him.
Next week we will find out how that goes in chapter 12.
Let me wrap up by saying this. Jesus battle the religious leaders. There main problem was they were focused too much on what everyone thought of them. They didn’t focus enough on what God thought.
We have seen a change take place in America. We have taken our eyes off of what God wants and we have focused on what everyone else wants.
The only thing that matters in this world is what God wants. If we will get our eyes off of the outside world and focus our eyes on Jesus, we will move in the direction that God wants us to go in. We need to focus. Give me Jesus.