Champion of the Oppressed

Good morning, this morning you are all probably still sitting in Pajamas and sipping coffee on your couches, almost feels like a replay of a year ago when we first shut down! Instead, it is just a big snowstorm keeping us inside with fireplace on and relaxing for the day.

I want to remind you that next week we will be having the youth water baptism and testimony time. Plan on coming out and celebrating.

Last week, we entered into an Easter series called CHAMPION, and we began looking at the life of Christ as in light of His coming to be our victor or CHAMPION!

Luke 4:18–19 NLT

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Jesus came and was anointed to bring victory and freedom, healing and salvation. To Champion the needs of mankind.

We discovered last week that He was the CHampion of the marginalized - of the weak and infirmed, women and the foreigner in the land.

Today, I want us to explore that He is the CHAMPION of the OPPRESSED.

op·pres·sion

noun

prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.

FACT: God created the world in perfection and made mankind to live in communion with Him

FACT: The Devil deceived mankind into disobedience thus perpetuating the curse of sin upon mankind and all who would follow

FACT: Sin oppresses people! The Devil oppresses people holding mankind under his control and sway as the prince and power of the air. Mankind is enslaved by the devil in sin.

FACT: Sin causes sickness, mental illness and anxiety, bondage and control that hold people in defeat and despair

FACT: The more society rejects God, the more enslaved we become to sin and are oppressed in bondage by the demonic forces that pervade the earth.

FACT: Jesus is the CHAMPION of the OPPRRESSED!

1 John 3:4–10 NLT

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. 7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

Acts 10:38 NLT

38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

JESUS is CHAMPION OF THE OPPRESSED — He spent his earthly ministry freeing people from the oppression of the devil, and He continues to set people free!

1. Frees from Oppression of Sickness and Sin

Jesus came and healed and forgave the sins of those who came to Him. He would eventually die on a cross to carry the infirmities of mankind to that cross - infirmities of sin that creates sickness and mental pain and despair.

Isaiah 53:5 NLT

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

Sin is quite damaging and the answer to all is first to have our sins cleansed.

Luke 5:18–26 NLT

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” 21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

This man who was crippled more than anything needed forgiveness of sin.

When we look at this world, we need to realize that al that is bad is not stemming from God - it stems from the curse and sin that came into the world.

Now, not every sickness is directly related to a person’s individual sin, although much can be, or is related to the sin of others which takes its effect out on all! It is a fallen world that we live in.

We see in this encounter, the man was being brought to Jesus for healing, but Jesus sees the issue of forgivness of sin as the first issue. There are many who come to Jesus to be healed, but they don’t address the larger issue of sin first. They want healing for their own comfort, without looking to set their spirit man free from what binds it.

Jesus has always and still carries the authority to forgive and heal!

2. Frees from the Oppression of Spiritual Bondage

Let’s face it, when sin has control over our life it will keep grabbing at us until we are destroyed!

How many times have we watched people who were smart, talented, educated, given opportunity yet destroy their lives by allowing other things to control them!

That is the work of SATAN!

He controls the powers of the air - demonic forces that are set to destroy lives!

It starts off small, the one drink, the one hit on the joint, the one time using blow, the first peek at pornography, the one small lie or its ok to hold onto that bitterness after all they wronged you...

But then those small things grow in our lives until they wreak utter havoc and before long we see lives utterly destroyed ---

we say by drugs, greed, alcohol, hate, lust....

By sin and demonic forces at work!

Mark 5:1–20 NLT

1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. 6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” 9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place. 11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.” 13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. 14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

Here is an account of a man possessed by legions --- MANY DEMONIC SPIRITS ---

That does not just happen!

This occurs when people make choices to do wrong, to feed hatred or anger in their life, to buy into the lies of Satan dealing with unworthiness, hatred, bitterness, PRIDE, and unforgiveness and to try and numb pain through substances, sexual encounters, and violence.

We like to watch journal shows about crimes - Dateline, 20/20, 48 Hours — the one thing all the stories have in common are the sinful lusts, anger, greed and substance abuse that fuels the violence in the story. Often, ordinary people, who choose to allow the wrong thing to OPPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS, ACTIONS and CHOICES.

Until they ended up in destruction.

John 10:10 NLT

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

We do not know the backstory about this naked crazy man roaming around the graveyards and caves, but we do know he was violent and most likely a criminal as there were many attempts to bind him in chains, but to no avail.

What bondages occurred in his life until he was utterly destroyed and living in such a manner.

We see it all over again today. People living in filth, unable to bring any stability into their lives or families, trapped on substances, sexual deviancy, etc.

Some might appear rich and others poor, all striving to hold onto something that they have no control over because the devil has control over them.

But there is one who can deliver from this oppression! He is a CHAMPION of the BOUND!

His name is JESUS - and He is greater than the demonic force controlling your life!

3. Frees from Mental Despair

Very often sin and the bondages of sin, bring us another bondage - that of MENTAL DESPAIR ---

We become destructive to our own existence.

Why do you think suicide rates have risen so drastically - people lose hope if they are not focused on Christ!

Emotional pain and abuse in our lives brings people into despair and desire to self harm.

This is not of God! Cutting, suicide, etc.

Mark 9:20–29 NLT

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” 26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” 29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

Once again, demonic forces in the life - of even a child - bringing destructive behavior.

Today, we have begun to recognize things as mental health disorders. Now understand me, I understand there are mental health disorders and I understand there are disorders of mental health that are deeply rooted in events, choices and actions even of others that have caused deep rooted infirmities in peoples lives leaving them in control of spiritual oppressions.

I remember a young man who showed up on the door step of my parsonage one midweek afternoon. He was raging mad about being fired and was planning to go kill his boss and commit suicide. This young man had been bound by legions of demons - he was addicted to pornography ( we burned at least 5 yard size trash bags of porn) he had alcohol and substance abuse problems - and he began to manifest on the porch of my house. I as I began to speak the Word of God over him, the demons within covered took his t shirt to cover his face, he began writhing, banging his head and foaming at the mouth.

There was deep pain in this young man’s heart, but Jesus set him Free --- in fact, he serves on a church worship team, his kids are in ministry and he runs a motorcycle ministry out east now.

Another young man, allowed anger and pain to take control of his life. As a child he had a blanket he carried everywhere that one day his mother through in the fire. The anger in that moment he allowed into his life with a vow to destroy! Bitterness and demonic force swept in. We found him 8-10 years later as a college age student. The demons were telling him to smash his heads on the pipes in our church building, he had been diagnosed with many mental disorders, but what was really going on was that bitterness became OPPRESSION and SPIRITUAL CONTROL over his life — until He encountered Jesus - I met him again at the same church a decade later, living a free and productive life...

Jesus is CHAMPION over the oppressed, and possessed, and they still walk the streets today of realm today. They are not in some backward country, they are in the progressive America.

Conclusion

There are so many that are hurting today. There are so many tuning in this morning and your heart is yearning to be free, to be healed. Maybe there is a reason this is going out over internet lines and not in a church sanctuary.

You have pain in your life, you have sin you are in bondage too, you have sickness that you know stems from sinful choices, you have destructive behavior in your life...

I am not your Savior, I am not the answer, Destiny Church is not either, but we know the answer ---

JESUS - HE IS YOUR CHAMPION --- there is a battle raging inside of you that you are fighting that you want to be free.

Today, if you will SURRENDER YOUR WHOLE HEART AND LIFE TO JESUS and ASK HIM TO COME IN and SAVE YOU AND SET YOU FREE — HE WILL!!! You don’t need me in the room - JEsus is there in the room with you!

You can encounter HIM today, acknowledge Him, Surrender to Him, Ask Him to forgive, save and set you free! He is the CHAMPION of the OPPRESSED, those controlled by bondage, if you want to be free, He will set you free ---

and He whom the Son (CHRIST) sets free - is free indeed!

John 8:36 NLT

36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.