Sozo: God's Power to Deliver

Started a short series last week called SOZO: Healing for Body, Soul, and Spirit. So many struggle with issues of mental, physical, and spiritual brokenness. Sozo is a Greek word that is translated as to heal, deliver, or save depending on the context. Sozo is how God is healing our brokenness through his son, Jesus.

Last week we looked at God’s power to heal us. Encourage you to go listen online if missed. Talked about woman who took hold of fringe of Jesus’ cloak and was healed. How the fringe represented the power to heal under wings of Messiah. Had an incredible outpouring of response as people came to grasp the fringe again. Will leave tallit up during this series any time you want prayer...

This week we are going to look at the second meaning of sozo - deliverance. A huge part of Jesus’ ministry in NT was to deliver those held under demonic affliction. So hard to talk about bc so much information to cover, and bc the line between demonic oppression and natural afflictions can be very hard to discern. But the truth is that I think we all encounter spiritual warfare way more often than we might think.

At the risk of sounding crazy, let me relate a personal story of encounter: Ethan as small child (1 yr old). Normally went right to sleep and slept all night. This evening he kept waking up crying. I or Julie would go comfort him and he’d go right back to sleep. But within minutes he’s crying again. Not just crying - screaming. Sounded terrified. This was so unlike him. I went back to his room and all I can say is I felt an evil presence. So I rebuked it in Jesus’ name. Ethan went immediately to sleep and slept the rest of the night. Could that all have been a coincidence? Yes. But I’ve heard enough stories from others to believe it more likely was encounter with demon.

I think the truth is that many of us regularly struggle with demonic oppression without knowing it. We have compulsive thoughts or behaviors that we simple can’t seem to break free of. We know that our feeling are not true, but they seem so true in the moment. We engage in habits we know are destructive, yet we can’t seem to resist the urge to keep giving in. These things range from mild annoyance to all consuming. Obviously, there are many reasons why we may struggle. Not all of them mean we have demons plaguing us. Sometimes a cold is just a cold, a dead battery is just dead battery.

Yet Jesus and scripture are very clear about the reality of spiritual evil, and about a personal enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. The apostle Peter reminds us to 1 Peter 5:8 “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”

As we look at the topic of deliverance this morning I want to repeat the caution given by CS Lewis:

"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight."

So, with this caution in mind let’s look at a passage this morning of a desperate man who experiences SOZO: God’s Power to Deliver. and see how Jesus still brings deliverance to our brokenness.

Pray…

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How can we walk in God’s sozo power for deliverance in the midst of spiritual warfare?

Accept the reality of spiritual warfare

Luke 8:26–27 (NRSV)

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him.

‌Introduced to a man who “had demons”. Grk. daimonizomai- usually translated possessed. Not good translation bc implies ownership. No one is possessed in terms of ownership. A person can be so infested by demons as to lose their autonomy, yet the demons don’t “own” them as a possession. Most theologians now say “demonized” is better term.

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Is this even real? Isn’t this just something primitive ppl came up with to explain medical conditions they didn’t understand? Now we have science, right?! The Bible from beginning to end makes distinction between a natural medical condition and demonic activity. If you dismiss the possibility of spiritual warfare and demonic oppression you will have to cut out a huge amount of Jesus and the apostles ministry.

One thing I’ve come to appreciate is that both the writers of scripture, as well as ppl today living outside of our materialistic West, have a much healthier and holistic understanding of the reality of the spiritual realm. In our western, enlightened worldview we shunned much of the supernatural reality of our world - to our own hurt imo. We like to think of ourselves as enlightened, but I think we are more in the dark.

We need to be careful of our enlightened worldview that dismisses much of the supernatural world. Jesus believed in demons and did battle with them. To follow in his footsteps means we must also accept their reality in our own life and the life of others.

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Recognize the effects of spiritual warfare

Luke 8:27 (NRSV)

For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.

Luke 8:29 (NRSV)

For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.

Notice the effect the demonization had on this man. He lived isolated from community. He behaved bizarrely – like running around naked. If you see someone running around naked they’re either in a frat or they have a demon. We see both mental and physical torture. In Mark’s account he records that the man screamed and howled in the tombs and that he would bruise himself with stones. This man would be an extreme form of demonization where much of his human agency and autonomy was taken over by the demon.

Recognize other things that CAN be effects of demonic oppression:

Compulsive behaviors, feeling out of control of your faculties – can’t seem to stop doing ____.

Temptation beyond the norm - especially toward perversion or violence

Chronic pain

Self-harm

Can a Christian be demonized? Absolutely. Just watch my wife at a soccer game. That’s like asking if a Christian can be an alcoholic. Even after being born again, to whatever extent we continue to participate in an old way of thinking/behaving can open us up to greater or lesser degrees of oppression. “Experts” identify several common activities that can expose us – Christian or not – to demonic oppression:

Trauma – rape, physical abuse, abandonment

Certain kinds of sexual sins, porn, drug/alcohol abuse

Occult – tarot cards, consulting psychics, seances, Ouija boards, witchcraft

Extreme violence – participating in our having done to you

Expressing these symptoms DOES NOT MEAN you have a demon. Complex relationship between physical and spiritual. But…every sickness or disease does have an ultimate demonic origin. We can still suffer the effects of spiritual enemy w/o direct involvement.

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Result of oppression is always some kind of enslavement in mind or body. Demons steal human agency. We need to recognize effects of spiritual warfare

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Claim Jesus’ authority in spiritual warfare

Luke 8:28–33 (NRSV)

When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man… Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Notice Jesus’ authority. Unlike exorcists of his day who relied on certain potions or incantations, Jesus expelled demons purely upon his authority as the son of God. He commanded them to go and they had no choice. In this case they bargained for where they would go but not if they would go.

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The truly amazing thing is that Jesus has given his authority to his disciples.

John 14:12 “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Whatever area of brokenness you’re battling - whether it is directly or indirectly related to spiritual oppression - Jesus is bigger! Jesus has both the power and authority to bring freedom and healing and wholeness into your life. If nothing else, I want to stir your faith today that Jesus has authority to do in you and through you what may seem impossible in your own strength.

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Jesus’ has the power to restore whatever the enemy has stolen

Luke 8:34–36 (NRSV)

When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed (sozo).

Jesus healed (sozo) the man by expelling the demons afflicting him. The effect is that he is restored to both physical (dressed) and mental (right mind) wholeness. This is the wholeness Jesus wants each of us to experience.

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1 John 3:8 “The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” The sozo Jesus brings is not only the healing of body, it includes the healing of the soul.

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How can you begin to walk in freedom? James offers us two helpful directions:

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – humble our self and admit we have a need, resist in the authority you have through Jesus.

James 5:14 “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” – seek help from the spiritual authority God has ordained for the church

This whole encounter between Jesus and the demonized man actually begins up in verse 22 - Luke 8:22 “One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out,” Somehow Jesus knew there was a man in horrible distress. And in compassion he sailed across the Sea of Galilee - what is often a dangerous crossing - just to set him free. Jesus, through the Spirit, heard the cries of this man. And he hears yours too.

Jesus heart for you is complete freedom - body and soul. What he has done at the cross has forever defeated the enemies of darkness that war against you. He has fully cancelled whatever rights they have over you. If not a Christian, turn to him today and surrender your life and he will give you freedom.

I know responding to a message like this is hard. I won’t ask you to come forward - though you are welcome to. But if there is something that you can’t seem to get free of I encourage you to reach out to me or the elders and let us support you in prayer. That’s why we’re here. There’s no shame - the only shameful thing is remaining in slavery.

Jesus is God’s power to deliver you and set you free. Amen.

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Ministry...

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Communion

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What an amazing time of worship we’ve had today. I’m glad you’ve been a part of it. If you’ve been blessed today, why not invite a friend to join you next week. It will be Give Thanks Sunday and this is always an encouraging Sunday as we here people give testimonies of how God has been at work in their lives...

*** Announcement reminders ***

Dismissal prayer

Now as we prepare to take this time of worship into the week ahead, the Lord who loves you reminds you that:

John 8:36 NRSV

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

GO BE THE CHURCH!!