The Impact of One Person's Story

Introduction

Reading from Jesus’ Big Idea about house possession, and then getting a call about house possession.

Are Evil Spirits for Real, Can they be cast out, and how does this relate to sharing the Gospel?

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac

5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

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There are Demons in our World.

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.

2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”

8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.”

13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.

17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

There Are Demons in Our World

Have a Volunteer Drop 2,000 coins in a can to illustrate a small legion.

Charactaristics of how these demons operate.

They are bent on destruction - Torturing this poor man/Yet they do not want to be tortured - They do not want accountability

They illicit an oppressive response from others - The man is ostrasized, shackled, subdued, treated as an animal by fellow human beings - Loss of identity as made in God’s image.

Strategic Stronghold - The demons are able to hold God-Dishonoring sway over an entire region, by having a legion possess one man, so they do not want Jesus in the region.

They ultimately are self-destructive - The Pigs.

Examples in our world - Addictions can be this way, Idolatries, Charletown and White Supremecy.

Not everything can be blamed on Demons, but they should not be ruled out either. - Discernment. - One Extreme (always Scientific Explanation - Schizophrenia, Always a demonic issue - Witch Hunt).

Modern Day

Within recent memory, Yef men (a people group of about 1,000 in Southeast Asian Island - for security exact location and name of people are kept secret) carried weapons through the jungle for another kind of killing - violent skirmishes with other villages that claimed many lives and kept people in fear. The difference is the spread of the Gospel since it was first preached here in 1994, according to men who have lived through the change.

“Before, we did not trust Jesus. We just followed evil spirits,” says Matias, a village elder, through a translator. “We followed the spirits and worshiped the trees or the big mountain - and killed the men from other villages.

“Other men from the village came here, and we would take a bow and arrow and shoot them, because the evil spirit was controlling us.

“We did not think, ‘That’s my friend.’ We didn’t think about it like that. We just took the bow to shoot and kill him.” - Seed Company Magazine

Well this could be scarry stuff, but here is the good news

Jesus Has Power Over Demons.

Ask these Questions

Why is Jesus going to this place? - Decapolis Region, Gentile Region.

Why

Why Does Jesus land right where the Demoniac can see Him?

Why Does Jesus perform this one Miracle, and be perfectly fine leaving?

See - Large Crowds, Feeding of 4,000

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Cures a Deaf Man

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.

The impact of this one person’s story - Jesus Came here for this reason. - Holy Spirit Directed, He is obedient and addresses demons head on.

This illustrates his parables in

Sower - There are different responses

Lamp - Jesus’ authority is shown to a whole region.

Growing Seed - Jesus goes when the time is ripe.

Mustard Seed - It will start small - on demoniac, but grow large to 4,000 people.

Notice this also, even before Jesus’ death

The New Revised Standard Version Fullness of Life in Christ

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

The Legion of Demons is no match for Jesus - They beg not to be tortured, but they must do what Jesus demands.

Jesus is about freeing people from the torture of evil.

How does this relate to us sharing the Gospel with Others?

Jesus’ Power Over Demons is Our Power over Demons.

Jesus is training us here to live the Gospel - Six Hinges of History, like six doorways into the gospel - How I used to see these as windows, that is great what Jesus did I can watch him, but they are doorways into the Gospel, A disciple does what his master does.

So Jesus’ life is to be carried forward into the Church life. - Slide

Humility not my power or authority, but in Jesus’ name - Ambassadors.

Paul -

The New Revised Standard Version Paul and Silas in Prison

16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” 18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Ac 16:16–18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Cindy’s Uganda Story of Deliverence

So these seem like fantastical stories, but most often what we are called to do is simple things to meet someone’s needs in God’s name.

Story of Bryan and Divorce - Praying for his ex-wife’s attitude adjustment.

Trusting God when things go well or do not go well and Blessing others in God’s name as we go.

Level 1: Demonic Accusation

Level 2: Demonic Deception

Level 3: Demonic Temptation

Level 4: Demonic Oppression - parts of one through three manifesting in personality change, depression, fits of anger, self-hatred, acts of violence toward oneself, suicidal thoughts and pressure on the will to attempt it, and hearing voices

- Start with these - casting out accusation, deception, temptation.

Level 5 Attachment

Level 6 Entrenchment

Level 7 Stronghold

Level 8 Infestation

Level 9 Empowerment

Level 10 Possession

- Your Will be Done, Tim Vink

Conclusion: Next Steps

Invitation to Kingdom Ambassadors for equipping- More than just deliverence

Prayer Cards - Ask the Lord what to pray for those on your list, and How you might serve them in Jesus’ name.

Starting Sunday, September 3 for our new Sermon Series - Lunches after Church. - Invite new guests.