Healing 8
Notes
Transcript
For the last couple of months, we have been talking about physical healing.
This morning we are going to wrap up the healing series by talking about, in my opinion, something more important, inner healing.
Let’s start by distinguishing inner healing from physical healing.
Really it lies in where the healing takes place.
There is honest debate among christians as to whether we are three part or two part beings
Some claim that we are dichotomous, or two parts, body and soul
Others hold the trichotomous view that we are three parts, body, soul, and spirit
For the purpose of today’s discussion, it really doesn’t matter.
We all agree that we are at least, two parts, body and soul or soul/spirit, or material and immaterial
Material being body - bones, skin, organs, so on
Immaterial - soul/spirit - which includes our mind, will, and emotions, or often times what scripture calls the “heart”
That being said, there are two kinds of healing that may need to take place
We have been talking about physical healing, or healing in the physical body
But also, healing in our soul/spirit
If we look at what Jesus came to do
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus came to do these 5 things:
Preach the Gospel
Freedom for Prisoners
Heal the Blind
Set the Oppressed Free
Proclaim the Year of the Lord’s Favor
We know that He literally preached the gospel that the kingdom has come
But, we also know that setting the prisoners free was spiritual and not literal, as He didn’t set any free
Obviously He literally healed
The oppressed was probably spiritual oppression from the enemy
finally to proclaim the favor of the Lord
Let’s look quickly at how this was fulfilled
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”
Notice what Jesus was doing:
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
So, look at what Jesus was doing, He was healing the sick and blind, preaching the gospel, and setting the oppressed free
Notice he leaves off setting the prisoners free as He didn’t literally do that. John was in prison at this moment
So, the prisoners Jesus is referring to as He quotes Isaiah in Luke 4 are those who are imprisoned to sin - that salvation has come
Likewise, the oppressed are probably those who are oppressed by the enemy as Jesus is casting out demons
So, Jesus came to heal the physical as well as the non-physical, or inner parts of people including mind will and emotions
So, Jesus’ ministry was and is certainly not simply for the physical:
He sets the captives free through salvation
and sets those oppressed free!
What happens sometimes is we get so focused on one of the ministries of Jesus while not seeking Him for healing in all areas!
And so, we have to be intentional to talk about all the ministries of Jesus!
So, let’s dive into talk about inner healing in salvation and deliverance!
Physical healing is awesome, but it is nothing in comparison to salvation offered in Christ!
Jesus implies as much in the sermon on the mount
29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
So, Jesus is saying that spiritual/soul related healing is so much more important than physical.
If you are healthy, but don’t know God, it doesn’t matter
In fact, if the body causes you to sin, get rid of it, the spiritual is so much more important!
I think that Jesus doubles down on this in luke 10 when he sends out the 72
He gives them power to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons!
And then they:
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
They are excited that they can, presumably heal people, but certainly cast out demons!
And Jesus responds:
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
So, what is most important, should we say that it’s the power to heal the sick or cast our demons or any gift that you have, or any ministry that Jesus has given you
Or should we say that what is more important is that you have salvation through Christ Jesus!
You have an eternal relationship with the Lord! Rejoice in this!
So, starting next week, we are going to talk about evangelism and the importance of sharing the gospel!
We are going to talk about what the gospel is and tips on how to evangelize!
In addition to preaching the gospel and healing the sick, Jesus came to set those oppressed by the enemy free.
We saw this in His earthly ministry.
We also know that the apostles were casting our demons as well.
I am not going to spend a whole lot of time diving into all the ends and outs of demonology.
Honestly, It is an area that we cover in the class that we offer on the gifts, but not an area too far into my wheel house.
What I do know is that there seems to be such a polarized view of demonization in the church.
Just as a quick survey, how many of you have heard a sermon or series on demons specifically on demonology in your church experience.
I’m not talking maybe reading a story of Jesus casting out a demon here and there, but an intentional, deliberate teaching on demons?
Maybe more than I thought? Maybe not.
I was just curious
What I have seen mostly in the churches that I have been in have is an extreme to one end or the other
Some churches don’t address demons as well. Yeah, Jesus cast out demons, and maybe even say the apostles did, but that’s about it.
Not really talk about spiritual warfare or demonology.
Or, the other extreme where churches are way over-focused on demons.
They have names for all of the demons, strategic warfare, and everything is the devil!
As with most things, we should probably walk somewhere in the middle.
Satan is real, demons are real, we are in a battle not against flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle.
So, we need to be informed of the enemy and demons, but not be afraid and understand the power against them through Christ!
We are going to briefly look at a few things here, but if you have more questions, I would recommend looking into the class we offer.
As we talk about deliverance, there is a lot that we could go into.
For the scope of this morning, we want to look at how Jesus frees us from oppression of the enemy.
We need to define some terms here as there are many questions on the topic.
Some people make a distinction between being demon possessed and demon oppressed.
And that leads into whether a christian can be demon “possessed”
For the sake of understanding, I personally don’t make a distinction between oppression and possession.
I like to just use the term demonized. It is actually a more translation of the greek word. Basically taking a the word “demon” and adding “ize” to the end
Like we do with baptize people, then they have been baptized
Same thing in the Greek to english with demons. Someone who “has” a demon has been demonized.
If we look at different stories in the scripture, there is actually a spectrum of demonization.
I define the word demonization as being under the influence of a demon
Whether it is in you, outside of you, above you, below you, etc. doesn’t matter as much to me, if you’re under the influence of one you have a degree of demonization
So, I don’t view it as a possessed or oppressed, or hav or have not, but rather, how much influence does a demon have
In Matthew 16 we see Jesus asking the disciples who they say He is. Peter says that He is the Christ and Jesus blesses Him for it
Then a few verses later, Jesus says that He is going to die and Peter rebukes Him, Jesus says to Him
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Jesus is either literally calling Peter satan, or addressing the influence of Satan on Peter.
Peter’s thoughts are no longer, God’s thoughts as they were a few verses before
So, here I would say that Peter was under the influence of Satan in His thinking. This would be in my opinion a lower level of demonization
Compared to the Garasene demoniac in Mark 5.
This guy is messed up, living in a tomb, cutting himself
This would be a higher level of demonization
Regardless of whether there is a lower level of demonization, just thoughts not of God, to a higher level, of seemingly complete demonic control, the answer is the same: Jesus came to set the oppressed free!
The process that deliverance happens make look different depending on the level of demonization, but the truth is Jesus wants us all set free.
Satan is referred to as the father of lies. He comes to steal, kill and destroy.
But, Jesus is the truth, and He comes to restore and bring life!
The question of how we get demonized comes down to a pretty simple answer. Sin. Whether it be our committed sins or sins committed against us!
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
So, we give the enemy footholds in our life when we sin and focus on things not of God.
Temptation is from the enemy to get us to focus on the things not of God.
And, when we give into temptation and sin, the enemy has a foothold. This is a military term meaning to literally give ground to the enemy.
We combat this through Christ
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Here is the connection between waging war with thoughts and arguments that are against God.
So, many times we believe lies and give the enemy strongholds.
Sometimes by our own doing or things that happen to us.
Jesus wants to replace the lie with the truth and free us from the strongholds of the enemy. So, we take every thought captive and make it obey christ.
If the thought is not of christ it comes from somewhere.
We need to allow Jesus to address these areas.
Maybe there needs to be healing in these areas and likely freedom!
And so, in the name of Jesus we:
Recognize the lie
Renounce the lie/rebuke any demonic influence
Replace the lie with the truth
Resist the enemy
I will give you a quick example of what this may look like. And again, depending on varying levels of demonization, we may address this slightly differently.
Here’s as small example of an attack of the enemy.
Tasia
There is your demonology 101 course....
As we wrap up this morning, I want to encourage you to come to Jesus for all healing
Maybe it’s salvation, you want to surrender your life to Him!
Maybe it’s internal healing or deliverance from lies of the enemy
We know that Jesus came to set your free!
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
So, we come to God for comfort!
