Sermon: “Demons: The Enemy Exposed”

Text: Mark 5:1–15 Series: Supernatural – Week 4: Demons Theme: When Christ steps onto enemy ground, every demon is exposed, every chain is broken, and every life can be made new.

Intro

Before we dive into today’s message, let’s start with something a little lighter.

Some of you might remember a character from The Flip Wilson Show back in the 1970s — Geraldine Jones. She was bold, funny, and always getting herself into trouble. And whenever she got caught, she’d grin, toss her hair, and say, “The devil made me do it!”

That line caught on everywhere. People used it for everything — eating too much, buying something they didn’t need, saying what they shouldn’t have said. “The devil made me do it!”

It was hilarious, but it also said something about us. We laugh because we recognize ourselves in it — how quick we are to shift the blame. And sometimes, without meaning to, we treat the devil like a punchline. We either laugh him off or pretend he’s not real.

What Geraldine used for comedy, Jesus confronts as reality. In Mark 5, the laughter fades, and the seriousness of evil is unmasked. Here, Jesus steps onto enemy ground and reveals that evil is not a myth or metaphor—it is personal, organized, and ultimately defeated by His authority.

Opening: Stepping onto Enemy Ground

The story begins not in comfort, but in chaos. Jesus and His disciples have just survived a storm on the Sea of Galilee. The waves obeyed His voice, but when they reach the other side, something darker waits.

This is Gentile territory — the Decapolis — a region known for pagan shrines, tombs, and unclean animals. It was a heavily Gentile and Greco-Roman culture filled with ritual impurity and spiritual opposition. Although the literal “Hellmouth” cave—associated with the cult of Pan—is located at Caesarea Philippi, nearly forty miles north, Mark’s setting in the Decapolis presents a parallel confrontation. Jesus engages the same spiritual forces of chaos and death that symbolized pagan opposition to Yahweh.

Jesus has just calmed the storm (cosmic evil) and not comes to the den of devils (spiritual evil) soon he will go to Caesarea Philippi and declare near the cave of Pan [The Hellmouth] “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

And that’s exactly where Jesus goes. While everyone else avoids unclean places, Jesus walks straight into one. He steps onto enemy ground to reclaim what hell had stolen.

I. Defining the Enemy — What Is a Demon?

In Scripture, the word demon comes from two roots:

Hebrew: šēdîm — spirits behind false worship (Deut. 32:17).

Greek: daimonion — an evil or unclean spirit opposed to God.

Heiser’s insight reframes the demonic not as mythological relics but as members of a rebellious spiritual hierarchy opposed to divine order (Heiser, The Unseen Realm). Likewise, Bellini reminds us that spiritual warfare, properly understood, resists both denial and obsession: “To deny the reality of demons is to underestimate the reality of evil, but to fixate on them is to forget the supremacy of Christ” (Spiritual Warfare in Mission and Ministry).

Sidebar: The Enemy Revealed

The Bible’s picture of evil unfolds gradually. In Genesis, a serpent tempts humanity. In Job, the satan appears as a prosecutor before God — not yet a rebel. In Zechariah, the accuser stands ready to condemn the high priest, only to be overruled by God’s grace.

By the time we reach 1 Chronicles 21, the word “Satan” is used for the first time as a personal name — the tempter, the deceiver. Then, by the New Testament, his nature is fully revealed: the adversary, the deceiver, the dragon, the wicked one.

“From the serpent in Genesis to the dragon in Revelation, Scripture unmasks the same enemy—one who seeks to frustrate God’s plan and lead His people into rebellion.” (Adapted from Elwell & Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible)

Evil is not an idea — it’s an insurgency. And Jesus has come to overthrow it.

II. The Scene of Possession — Humanity in Chains

Mark 5 paints a terrifying picture: A man lives among the tombs — naked, violent, crying out night and day, cutting himself with stones.

The possessed man recognized Jesus, now don’t miss this, in Mark’s Gospel he begins with the supernatural identity of Jesus. The demons recognize not Jesus’s earthly authority but his divinity.

The demon does something odd as well, the Greek text uses the word [horkizo] ‘adjure’ “I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” It means to take oath or swear. This is exorcism language that the demons are using to address Jesus. The demons do not yield immediately to Jesus’ command but will ultimately. Whether they thought they could diminish Jesus or by using his name have influence over we do not know. The author of Mark is giving us the glimpse of the supernatural conflict between the Son of God and sons of Satan.

When Jesus asks his name, the answer is chilling:

“My name is Legion, for we are many.”

A legion was 5,000 soldiers. This man is occupied territory.

Dr. Frank Turek warns:

“Satan and his demons can’t steal your salvation, but they can steal your influence if you let them.” — CrossExamined Podcast

The enemy’s goal is always the same: distortion, disruption, destruction. He replaces freedom with fear, individuality with confusion, and peace with torment.

III. The Clash of Kingdoms — Jesus at the Hellmouth

The possessed man runs to Jesus and falls at His feet. Even in rebellion, the demonic realm recognizes authority.

“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

There is no ritual, no incantation — just divine command. Jesus speaks, and the unclean spirits beg for mercy.

They plead to be sent into a herd of pigs, and when He permits it, the entire herd rushes into the sea — chaos returning to chaos. The abyss swallows the unclean.

This is Christus Victor in motion. Jesus stands before what the people see as a place of fear, of death, violence, and separation and brings victory.

Dr. Heiser writes:

“The cross wasn’t a defeat; it was D-Day. Jesus disarmed the spiritual powers and publicly exposed their weakness.” — Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness

Sidebar: Exorcism as Kingdom Proof

Every time Jesus cast out a demon, He was making a statement:

“If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matt. 12:28)

Deliverance was never about spectacle; it was about sovereignty. It proved that a new reign had begun — one stronger than every evil spirit.

IV. The Mission of the Demons — To Destroy Christ and His Church

From Herod’s massacre to Judas’ betrayal, demons have always sought to derail God’s plan. Their strategy hasn’t changed — distortion, disruption, destruction. When truth is distorted, faith wavers. When unity is disrupted, the body fractures. When holiness is destroyed, witness is lost.

The New Testament affirms that the struggle is not against “flesh and blood” but against “principalities and powers” (Eph. 6:12). These entities represent an organized rebellion—an anti-kingdom that parodies the structure of heaven itself. Yet Paul declares that these powers have already been “disarmed and made a public spectacle” through the Cross (Col. 2:15).

Dr. Peter Bellini expands this framework beyond the individual to the systemic: “Demons manifest in cultures and systems as much as in individuals. The Church’s mission is deliverance on every level—personal, social, and cosmic” (Participation with Christ in the Power of the Spirit).

Thus, demonic activity cannot be confined to possession alone. Its modern form is persuasion—whispering lies, distorting truth, and replaying the soundtrack of human brokenness until deception feels familiar.

This is how the demonic works in the modern world: not always by fright, but by familiarity. It hides in ideologies that distort truth, in media that glamorizes darkness, and in systems that normalize sin. And when the Church forgets the reality of that spiritual war, we trade our armor for comfort, our mission for maintenance, and our power for passivity.

But we are not victims of that darkness — we are vessels of light. The same Christ who cast Legion into the sea has given His Church authority to speak peace where there is torment, to bring order where there is chaos, and to proclaim freedom where there is bondage. The Cross disarmed the powers, and Pentecost empowered the people. Our calling is not to fear the enemy, but to live as proof that his dominion has ended.

So what does this mean for us — for the Church that bears Christ’s name? It means we cannot treat evil as entertainment, nor spiritual warfare as metaphor. The same forces that opposed Jesus still resist His body, the Church. Yet the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead still resides within us.

We do not stand on defense alone; we advance in divine authority. Our weapons are not carnal, but powerful through God — truth that exposes lies, holiness that silences accusation, and prayer that shakes the unseen world. When the Church lives in repentance, unity, and Spirit-filled obedience, hell loses ground.

The victory at the Cross was not meant to be admired from a distance — it is meant to be applied in our lives, our families, our communities, and our culture. Every act of forgiveness, every stand for truth, every prayer offered in Jesus’ name is another declaration that the powers are still disarmed, and Christ still reigns.

V. Cultural Confusion and the Counterfeit

The Cross was not the end of the story — it was the beginning of a new creation. When Jesus rose from the grave, He didn’t just conquer death; He commissioned His people to live as proof of His triumph. We do not fight for victory — we fight from victory. Every believer, every congregation, becomes an outpost of the Kingdom of God planted in enemy territory.

1. Through Prayer — We Push Back the Darkness

Prayer is not passive; it’s warfare. When the Church prays, heaven breaks into earth’s atmosphere. Walls of despair crumble. Chains of deception weaken. Ephesians 6:18 calls us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions,” because prayer is how the Church takes the victory of the Cross and applies it to the battleground of today. We don’t pray because we’re powerless — we pray because we are partnered with the Power that raised Christ from the dead.

2. Through Holiness — We Guard the House

The Church cannot cast out darkness while entertaining its shadows. Holiness isn’t about superiority; it’s about clarity — being a clear vessel through which God’s light shines. When we live in repentance, integrity, and purity, we deny the enemy access. As John Wesley said, “Give me one hundred who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the gates of hell.” Holiness is heaven’s protest against hell’s corruption.

3. Through Discernment — We Unmask the Lies

Not every spirit that speaks is from God. The Church must recover spiritual discernment — the ability to tell truth from imitation. We test every teaching, trend, and ideology against the Word of God. Where the world celebrates confusion, the Spirit grants clarity. Discernment isn’t suspicion — it’s wisdom in warfare. It’s knowing the Shepherd’s voice well enough to recognize the impostor’s whisper.

4. Through Mission — We Advance the Kingdom

Every time the Gospel is preached, the devil loses ground. Every time a soul turns to Christ, another prisoner walks free. The Church’s mission is not maintenance; it’s movement. We go into dark places — not in fear, but in faith — carrying the light that the darkness cannot overcome. Our calling is the same as the healed man in Mark 5: “Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.” The Church’s testimony is the weapon hell cannot silence.

Closing Transition: Living as a Free People

So the question is no longer whether the powers still rage — they do. The question is whether the Church will live like the victory has already been won. Christ has disarmed the rulers and authorities, and He has placed His Spirit within us. It’s time to live like a people set free — praying, discerning, walking in holiness, and proclaiming the good news until every corner of creation hears:

“The devil can’t keep you bound — because Jesus has already broken the chains.”

Demons no longer need tombs to influence people — they’ve moved into trends.

In contemporary culture, the demonic often disguises itself in the language of self-fulfillment. The occult is marketed as curiosity, and spiritual counterfeits masquerade as enlightenment. Whether through entertainment, tourism, or social media, the hunger for transcendence remains—but detached from the holiness of God. These trends represent not harmless exploration but counterfeit communion—attempts to access the supernatural without submission to the Savior.

Deuteronomy 18:10–12 warns:

“Let no one be found among you who practices divination, sorcery, or consults the dead… for whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord.”

Dr. Bellini warns:

“The enemy’s most effective weapon is imitation. If he cannot turn you into a rebel, he’ll turn you into a spectator—curious, entertained, but desensitized.”

The danger isn’t open rebellion; it’s fascination. We’ve become comfortable with darkness as long as it’s well-produced.

Dr. Frank Turek says:

“When you don’t believe in God, you’ll believe in anything.” — Stealing from God

And C.S. Lewis reminds us in The Screwtape Letters:

“The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings.”

The same pattern from Eden still works today:

(1) Deny God’s Word: “Did God really say?” (2) Deny Consequences: “You will not surely die.” (3) Appeal to Pride: “You will be like God.”

That’s the demonic algorithm of every age — the old lie, rebranded as enlightenment.

But Jesus still exposes every counterfeit. He doesn’t just cast out demons; He calls His people out of deception.

Transition:

But where deception multiplies, the authority of Christ still reigns supreme. The same voice that commanded Legion to leave still speaks today — not in fear, but in final authority. What trembles before Jesus in the tombs must also flee before Him in our culture.

So how do we live in a world obsessed with the supernatural but blind to the Savior? Paul gives us the answer — we put on the full armor of God.

VI. The Armor of God — Standing in Victory

Ephesians 6:

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.”

The armor isn’t ritual—it’s relationship. Each piece represents Christ Himself:

Truth — His Word holds us together.

Righteousness — His holiness guards our hearts.

Peace — His mission guides our steps.

Faith — His trustworthiness blocks every lie.

Salvation — His victory secures our minds.

The Word — His Spirit arms us for battle.

Prayer — our lifeline to divine power.

Dr. Bellini notes:

“Spiritual warfare isn’t about shouting louder; it’s about standing firmer—in holiness, humility, and hope.”

Dr. Turek adds:

“You don’t have to fear demons when you know the evidence for God’s existence and the authority of Christ. Reality itself is on your side.”

And in the Wesleyan view, grace is the power source for every piece:

Prevenient grace awakens us to the battle.

Justifying grace clothes us in Christ’s righteousness.

Sanctifying grace strengthens us for endurance.

VII. From Tombs to Testimony

When the townspeople arrive, they find the man clothed and in his right mind. The one who once terrified the region becomes its first missionary.

Jesus says,

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.”

That’s transformation — from tombs to testimony.

VIII. Closing Reflection

The man who lived among the tombs found life. The region once called cursed became a field of redemption. The Hellmouth became the pulpit of heaven.

If Jesus can reclaim that ground, He can reclaim any heart.

John Wesley declared:

“The devil has no power but what we give him by our own fear. Resist him by faith, and he will flee from you.”

And Charles Wesley sang:

“He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.”

So today— Stand firm. Stay awake. Live armored in grace. For the same Jesus who silenced the Legion still speaks peace into every storm.

Bellini, P. (2016). Spiritual Warfare in Mission and Ministry. Emeth Press.

Bellini, P. (2018). Participation with Christ in the Power of the Spirit. Wipf & Stock.

Heiser, M. S. (2015). The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press.

Heiser, M. S. (2020). Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness. Lexham Press.

Lewis, C. S. (1942). The Screwtape Letters. Geoffrey Bles.

Turek, F. (2014). CrossExamined Podcast. CrossExamined.org.

Wesley, J. (1872). The Works of John Wesley. Baker Book House.

Opening Call to Worship

Leader: Come, people of God—step out of the shadows and into the light of His presence.

People: We come to worship the One who speaks peace into chaos.

Leader: The Lord of heaven and earth has authority over every storm, every fear, and every force of darkness.

People: The powers of evil tremble before His name—Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.

Leader: Today we remember: the devil is defeated, sin has been conquered, and death has lost its sting.

People: We stand in the victory of Christ, clothed in His righteousness, armed with His truth, and filled with His Spirit.

All: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! For Jesus is Lord, and the darkness cannot overcome His light!

Opening Prayer

Almighty and victorious God,

We gather in Your name this morning, not as fearful people, but as Your redeemed sons and daughters. We praise You for the power of Jesus Christ—the One who steps onto enemy ground and brings freedom where there was bondage, light where there was darkness, peace where there was torment.

Lord, remind us today that no force of evil can stand before Your authority. When we are tempted to fear, fix our eyes on the Cross, where You disarmed every power and made a public spectacle of the enemy. When we are tempted to doubt, fill us with the assurance that You are still the Lord of the storm and the Savior of the soul.

Come, Holy Spirit, move among us. Strengthen us with truth, clothe us with righteousness, and awaken our hearts to worship You in spirit and in truth.

May this time of worship be more than song—may it be a declaration: that Jesus Christ is Lord, that the gates of hell shall not prevail, and that Your kingdom has come near.

In the name of Jesus—the Light that no darkness can overcome—we pray.

Amen.

Benediction: “Go in Victory”

Go now in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ— the One who spoke peace into the storm, who cast out fear and darkness, and who still sets captives free.

Walk in the light that cannot be overcome. Stand firm, clothed in the armor of God— truth around your waist, righteousness guarding your heart, faith as your shield, salvation as your helmet, and the Word of God as your sure sword.

Do not fear the darkness, for it has already been defeated. Go forth in the confidence that the same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in you.

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit go with you— to shine, to stand, and to serve until every shadow is gone and every heart knows His peace.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit—Amen.