11:00 am English Service The Power of God

Please turn with me to the book of Ephesians.

We're continuing our study in the book of Ephesians and what Paul has to say. Beginning in chapter 1 verses 19 through 21.

This message is is titled. The power of God. The power of God. Ephesians 1:18 through 21 says and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ. When he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and Dominion. And every name that's Jesus. That is named not only in this age, but also in that, which is to come.

Let's play heavenly father bless this message and give me your words today. Give us a sense of your spiritual power and presence in our lives. Give us the power to release all of the Demonic strongholds in our lives. Help us to renounce our spiritual strongholds. Lord. Give us an understanding of the spiritual power that we now have in our lord Jesus. The Christ help us to use his authority. Over the Demonic powers of this evil and perverse World, by the power, and the authority of the Lord. Jesus, the Christ, take away, all the negative legalistic and demonic strongholds in this church, by the power, and the authority of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, take away all the Demonic forces in this neighborhood. Release us this church and this neighborhood from all the Demonic powers of the past, the present and the future. We ask all these things in the powerful name, in the power and the authority of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen.

The Sun. Also called a star. Looks like the Lake of Fire. Hell, I've heard that said, I've heard that said before a Christian once told me, you know, the Lake of Fire is going to look like the sun is going to throw all the Sinners into the sun. I don't know if his prophecy will come true, but all stars are basically a ball of gas and this is also true regarding our son. Bye man. The sun is about 70% hydrogen and 27% helium. The sun is sort of massive attic. It accounts for 99.86 per cent of the total mass in our whole entire solar system. The core temperature of the Sun is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. The volume of the sun is so great that you would need 1.3 million earth-sized planets to fill it. How massive is that? Scientists believe there are trillions of other stars like the sun which have their own solar systems, but incidentally our son is a small sun in comparison to other sons and God made every single one of them is estimated to every second, the sun, in our solar system releases around, 384.6 Yoda watts of power, but you're going to say jokes on you. I don't know. What are your what it is. And not many people do. A, what is a measure of electrical power? A Yoda. What is the largest measurements of wattage? We have, however, a Yoda. What is the total sum? Or in this case? 384.6 x 1 million billion, billion zeros attached to it. That's 24 zeros. Let's just say that a single. You're the one that has the equivalent energy output of a hydrogen bomb. The sun in our solar system. Produces this amount of power. Every second. That's a lot of power. And yet this power still does not compare to the amount of power that one finds in God. The news of obtaining God's great power would have been especially encouraging to the Ephesians. Because Ephesus was indoctrinated in magical, practices of Witchcraft and the Occult of Artemis or Diana of the Ephesians in pause prayer. Paul wanted to reassure the Ephesians of the supremacy of God's power, Paul one of his readers to not fear, the Hostile spiritual powers and forces of Satan and his demons. Because the power of God is far greater a power which is displayed pre-eminently in Jesus. The Christ got an earth Christ, death and Resurrection brought about salvation and victory over the evil powers of Darkness. If you remember in the beginning of Paul's prayer off first, pray that you would get it. The spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, having this Spirit would enable the eyes of your understanding to be enlightened. Now all ends his Prayer by requesting that God would reveal to you in a weariness of the incomparable power, that is only found in God. The very power that is working in your life. Parking Bays, this in an emphatic fashion by using a wide range of power denoting terms as descriptive words. That highlight the vastness of God's power here, in our passage, to be sure Paul uses for different Greek synonyms, to emphasize. The greatness of God's power. First is, do it on this or power from which we get the word Dynamite. Text to punch the second word, Paul uses energia, which is the word for working. In verse 19. It is the energizing force of the holy spirit that empowers Believers to live for Christ. The third word, that Paul uses is crackers. Which means strength, which can also be translated as Dominion or power. And, lastly, Paul uses the Greek word, excuse, or might, which carries the idea of endowed power or ability and all those ways. The Holy Spirit, empowers God's children. Little Words puzzle answers Prayer by asking God for their increased awareness of God's power that's already available to them by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, any demonically saturated culture. Like Ephesus. People often practice magic and demonic Powers as a means of influencing and gaining power over people.

I will argue that the power of God is manifested in the lives of Christians to help them. Resist, the evil forces of Darkness to live a virtuous life lives. And to manifest God's love to all people there for the main theme of this message centers on God's supreme power given to us by the Holy Spirit. All the power in the universe is traced in scripture to a spiritual source. God created everything all things by his word. Cast, simply spoke the world and in the galaxies into existence can just imagine it. Imagine being there with the angels seeing all this as you spoke everything into existence.

God can create things out of nothing, Hebrews 11:3.

Houses. By faith, we understand that. The worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things, which are visible. How awesome is. Got the power. So what is the preacher of Hebrew saying? He's saying that the things which are seen meaning, the physical we're not made of things which are visible meeting physical. So, I'll by process of elimination. We must conclude that God made everything from the spiritual side of things. That would make logical sense. Considering that our God is Spirit. That's all the power in the universe is traced in scripture to a spiritual Source. God Almighty. I heard you said before that scientists are still baffled as to what actually holds the atom together. Because the atom is, you know, his has a nucleus of protons and neutrons, but they don't exactly shirt know how it's the table. Just stay together like that. Perhaps, it's God's power that holds all things together. And yet, thanks to God. Everything in creation has a certain amount of power Earth primary source of power is the sun. There is power in nature, the wind and storms with thunder and lightning. People have the power to do good and evil. Our government has God, given power and authority animals. Have a little bit of power to the Bible speaks of the power of Holy Angels and of the Spiritual Beings known as principalities and Powers otherwise known as Fallen Angels and Demons Satan also has been given limited powers. So, what Paul wants us to know is that all of the powers in existence, both physical, as well as spiritual God is the only all-powerful source of all power. That is the very source of all the other powers that we know. In fact, the word power is another word for God. In the Bible, only God has this title in Matthew 2664. When Jesus was talking to the high priest. Jesus said to him. It is, as you said, nevertheless. I say to you, Hereafter, you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the Clouds Of Heaven. Jesus uses uses, the definitive article of the with power as the title, forgot. He is calling God, the power with a capital P. You probably never noticed that before and if you did, that's good. That means you're studying the word of God. Gas power was manifested in Jesus. This power was shown to Jesus's Miracles and his works of healing and exorcisms. But God's power is shown supremely in his resurrection. In this is how is emphasis Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and the power to take it again. Jesus says in John 10:18. No one takes it from me talking about his own life. But I am a you don't of myself, I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it. Again this command I have received from my father. Noticed Jesus says, it is a command that he received from his father. All power has been given to his son, our Lord and Savior. Jesus has been given all of his power. He gets all of his power from God, the father and God the holy spirit with that in mind in verse twenty of our Ephesian passage also wants us to be us to be aware that it is power of God, the Father who raised his son from the dead officers, which he worked in Christ. When he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places, but in case, you might be thinking to yourself, was it only God the Father who raised Jesus from the grave, The answer is no. Paul tells us in Romans 8:11, but if the spirit of him, Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you? Talking about the Holy Spirit, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Through his Spirit who dwells in you, you see the doctrine of the Trinity when we examine the resurrection of Jesus. So let's ask a question. Captain Obvious, who raised Jesus from the grave? Well, Jesus told us that he has the power to lay it down and he has the power to take it up again. Likewise. It was both God, the father and God the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave as well. So logically speaking, we could see that. These three are really one in the same. Ultimately the Bible affirms, that all three persons of the Trinity were involved in Jesus's resurrection. Jesus reminds us in John 2:19. Jesus answered and said to them destroy this Temple referring to his body and in three days, I will raise it up. Talking about his body and how he will be the one to raise himself from the dead, the greater power of life. Then the limited powers of death. However, at the same time, demons possess the great power of the Holy Angels greater than humans, but far less than their creator. Let's for a moment. That's what I meant. Look at, what the spiritual powers of demons can do. For starters, demons cannons, well, non-christians in animals. They can physically afflict the Lost meaning, non-Christian. However, if God allows they can terrorize humans, including Christians as well. We see this happen to the Apostle, Paul in 2nd Corinthians 12:7, where Paul says, unless they should be exalted above measure, by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh, was given to me a messenger of Satan to Buffett be less less. I be exalted above measure. Now we don't know exactly what this demon was doing to Paul let the Illusions. Speculate the Bible doesn't tell us we could only speculate conjectures. But what we do know is that a demon was causing some form of physical or emotional suffering for Paul. In other words, it's important to understand that Paul was never demon-possessed. But only terrorized or demonized. Throughout the Bible. God uses demons to carry out his judgment on people, including his own children. These demons have the power to cause some form of suffering, but never have the ability to possess or indwell a child of God. God says in Proverbs 3, 11 and 12. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor detest, his correction For Whom the lord loves. He corrects, just as a father, the son in whom he Delights. Also demons could initiate a false worship system. We know that there's plenty of false religions out there to see if people engineer death and courage idolatry promote false Doctrine and perform false signs and wonders. All we have to do is look at the life of Jobe and see how God allowed Satan to have his way with Joe and his children. Equally important demons work from a powerful Heavenly hierarchy to execute their evil Deeds. What is a hierarchy? You never been in the military? Probably don't know. A hierarchy is a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other. According to status or authority words, such as Angels authorities. Cosmic powers do Minions Powers rulers in Thrones can be used to describe the hierarchies of either wholly or evil angels. However, most of the time it refers to the various ranks or level is among the evil angels. That is the demon hierarchy. The Bible never elaborate on the specifics of these hierarchies to explain their order or function. But insane imitates and pervert God's character and kingdom characteristics. It is most likely that there is both an authoritative hierarchy for the. Holy Angels, who worship God and a parallel counterfeit hierarchy for evil angels who give their allegiance to Satan. In other words, Satan is too stupid to come up with anything original. So he parallels The Works of God or perhaps. He is a diabolical genius. Who knows that God has already perfected, everything he has created. Take your choice. I just like calling him stupid. During the second coming of Christ. Hopefully, In Our Lifetime. Jesus will be soon. We'll be seen coming on the Clouds Of Heaven with power and great Glory. I can't wait. However, until then Jesus is able to deliver people from the power of sin and death from Satan in from all the spiritual forces of evil in, since the ruler of this world, being Satan now has no power. Over Christ. It's impossible for demons to have power over those who are in Christ. Children of God. Receive God's power from the Holy Spirit. You ever wonder why demons are forced to listen to what Jesus commands. That is because all of the authority of God, the father has been given to his son. Jesus. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth. In the Bible, God is presented as the ultimate personal Authority in the source of all authority authority. Never refers to the prerogative to rule or govern others. I'm sorry. Let me repeat that last already refers to the prerogative to rule or govern others. It has to do with the right to regulate and control the activities of one or more individuals. Authority and power are related but different Jesus empowers, his disciples to cast out demons. He does, what only God can do, he forgives sins. He has control over nature. The exercise has power over death. And as a resident, has the resurrected Lord. He has all authority in Earth and Heaven demons and everything. In creation are under the rule, and authority of Jesus. The son of God, but don't misunderstand something. All right. I don't want you to Misinterpret something. Because there are demons of every sort, there is a hierarchy. Some demons are more powerful than others. Certain more powerful demons. Need more of a persuasion than lower less powerful demons. I want to take a minute to show you how demonic the city of Ephesus was during the times of Paul so you can realize the importance of Paul's prayer. When you prayed. About the power of God. Given to all four in Christ. This was important to him so much that he made it. You put in this prayer in Acts chapter 19. There is an interesting story about string, Jews, trying to drive out a demon out of a man in Ephesus Acts, 19 13 through 16 says Then some of the itinerant Jewish Exorcist took it upon themselves to call the name. Of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirit thing. We exercised you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were seven sons of sceva a Jewish Chief priests who did. So, And the evil spirit answered and said Jesus. I know, and Paul, I know, but who are you? Then a man in whom the evil spirit was bleeped and overpower them and prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. The famous 1st Century Jewish historian, Josephus, testifies to exorcisms in his day. He says, that the practice of exorcising demons goes back to the times of King Solomon. So it was around for a long time, even before Jesus came into the scene. But what can we see here? Well, first, even though these Jewish men use the name of Jesus as their Authority, the demons the demon refuse to obey them. Second is interesting to note that demons who possess unsaved people can have Supernatural strength, and power so much so that he demon-possessed man was able to physically beat and chase away. Several Jewish Exorcist. Show me. There were two groups of people trying to drive out a demon from me from a man in Ephesus, two groups of people. Alright one group had seven first group of travelling, Jewish Exorcist and second seven sons of a Jewish high priest very religious men. Those these traveling Jewish Exorcist have been traveling to Ephesus and had seen Paul and we're probably fascinated by Paul's power and influence. Do you recognize that? Paul secret. Was in the name of Jesus? But there is was a powerful activity. But there's was a powerless activity. Sorry about that. It was a powerless activity since they were not Christians and use the name of Jesus like a magic formula. All they wanted to emulate Paul by staying in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches. They were unsuccessful. But you going to ask. Well, why were the unsuccessful? Why, why couldn't they drive out the demon? They were unsuccessful because they were non-believing Jews. I do not have the holy spirit's power living in them. In other words, they were not Christians who had gotten living in them inside of them. They were trying to use the authority of Jesus, but they did not have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside them. We can relate to this. Some of you. If not, all of you here today are Christians. You have the Holy Spirit of God living inside you. So, you have God's power in dwelling you, if you didn't know, but you don't always listen to the authority of Jesus. Jesus tells you not to commit adultery, but you are still living in sin with the person. You love our culture tells us. We don't need to get married, but Jesus tells us the opposite. So we go ahead and listen to what the world thinks is best rather than to do what God says is best. In other words demons just like us. They don't know. We just listen to the authority of Jesus. Ask yourself whose standards. Are you? Trying to live up to? Is it? God standards? Is it Jesus? Who you're trying to please? Or is it the world and the world standards? You're going to stand before God one day and what are you going to tell him? What would be the excuse? You did. Kevin? For this reason, it is the authority of Jesus with the holy spirit inside us, who gives us the power to drive out demons. When we are being spiritually, attacked Christians can get spiritually, attacked attacked. However, I want to make this clear. If you're a Christian and God lives in, you, you cannot get possessed by any demon. Let me repeat that. Kiss your sleeping again. It is impossible for a child of God. A Christian to get the money clean possessed. John reminds us in 1st, John 4:4. You are a god little children. Does that mean? It means you hold all the power of God inside you because God is inside you. And have overcome them because he who is in, you is greater than he who is in the world. Satan and his worthless minions are powerless over you. They cannot physically demon-possessed you but they would try to get inside your head and try to deceive you. And make you send, and make you try to even hurt yourself through suicide to addiction. To Contracting some sort of sexually transmitted disease. The spiritual battle is always in the mind. However, with that in mind, let me tell you a personal story of the one time. That I was spiritually, attacked. Over the years, I've been attacked many times, but let me tell you, when I first started getting attacked. They started attacking me because I started doing the will of God. Demons will not come after you if you are doing absolutely nothing for God. If you don't read your Bible, if you don't pray, if you don't even realized which is a Surefire way of getting them, really angry. I know if you don't share your faith demons for the most part will leave you alone. If your whole Christian walk is just coming to church sitting in the Pew and going home, demons will not attack you, you should not worry.

You are a lukewarm Christian who does nothing for the kingdom of God, you pose no real threat to the kingdom of darkness. However, if you're attractive Christian, who reads the Bible to your children or out loud, especially out loud, I had one time I was attacked that night for reading my Bible to my children goes out and revenge. Eliza's and tries to win souls for God, or even. Where is a Jesus saves t-shirt to work record for round to the grocery store. Whatever demons will come after you with a vengeance. Play hate it. When you speak to people about Jesus. They hate it. When you share the gospel with the law. They hate it. When you go out and advertise the name of Jesus.

4 years ago. My family and I used to attend a small church called Garfield Ridge, Baptist Church couple miles down east of here. Who are there about 7 years? And we were just traveling Street, Preacher called James Lyman. You can probably find them on the Internet, a real radical for Jesus. He reminds me of a real-life John, the Baptist people hated him. You would probably hate him. We went street preaching with him. He would provoke the demons. Who were around us to Wrath. Demon possessed, people would walk towards him and want to fight him. Man that he drove demons crazy,. No one time this sodomite man. In his twenties, went ahead and spit right? Adam, as you was preaching a swallow. This pic. I was pretty gross. Who knows what he could have gotten? They didn't have the run at that time though. So this 1-year brother lineman in a few others, including myself, went to the Chicago's gay pride parade, which is usually every June. But I think this year are wonderful mayor. I love the I love you, and I'm very loving and wonderful mayor. Wanted to go ahead and I think she postponed it to October. So the Gay Pride Parade will be in October this year. I think how wonderful. The world.

Or is it? Okay? Praise the Lord? When are you going to see God? God is still on the throne? Hallelujah? They're about 20 to 30 Street Preachers who attended the gay pride parade that year Street Preachers from all over. The country would come and preach Chicago. Throws a gay pride parade every year in June. We should we we would go and preach repentance as well as the gospel. But mostly repentance, since these Sinners could care less about Jesus. What he had to say or his authority. When you attend one of these events and preach against it. Police officers need to be there to provide protection for the Street Preachers. The Chicago Police where there where they're escorting us with and barricading us against the mob of Sinners. They place they put us into this by by the stores in the cracks of the stores where the prey flows by. But there's barricades all over us with the police in front of us and all the preachers with the megaphones in the back under sign. They became a hedge of protection for us. They can be extremely dangerous for for, for Street preacher. In the Gay Pride Parade. In any case that very nice after spending all day preaching, at the Gay Pride Parade, a powerful demon decided to follow me home. I remember because it was the very first time that I was that badly, spiritually attacked so much so that it felt so real. I was in my bed sleeping that night and my wife was next to me in the middle of the night. I felt a powerful demon tracks. All of his weight against my chest and neck.

And then I felt my soul. Leave my body. And the demons started to throw me around Each corner of the bedroom with some little rag doll.

I can see my body. Just lying there in the bed. And I was powerless to do anything. The demon would throw me around the room like I was nothing. It would put me against the ceiling and hold me, there busting his forced against me.

Wanted to kill me.

Why didn't you kill me?

What did I do? Well, like any good Christian. I started praying. In my head, of course because my body is unconscious right there in the bed laying there. While all this was going on. I started praying to Jesus. I was asking God to help me and to get rid of this demon. So I have to frame for who-knows-how-long. The demon, finally put my soul back into my line body and continue to press his weight against me. I was completely paralyzed as he was trying to choke me and stop me from breathing. But God. Answered my prayer and I finally woke up still unable to move, But continuing in prayer and after that, I don't know how long it was. I was able to move my body out of bed and breathe normally.

Fetus demon came back several times, but I don't really know because it's been too many years. I don't know. Really what happened after that. It's been several years. I have been attacked several more times in my life. All of them have been in my sleep cuz they love to come at you when you're sleeping and most of them have been from less power of oedema. This was the first time a demon was able to take me out of my body. And spiritually. Throw me around the room. I didn't feel anything. I was just my soul. I would say. But I thought he was hurting me. At least, that is what it felt like. These demons would come back the same night. Even when I pray to God in my head. This is very important for you to understand. These demons would come back the same night. Even when I prayed to God in my head.

Why? however, to my personal experience.

I have come to the realization. That it is not just praying in one's head, that helps Drive demons away. It is actually in voting and physically. Speaking, the name of Jesus.

It prevents these demons. From coming back the same night. In other words, if you find yourself being spiritually, attacked. More than likely because you were evangelizing that day or reading your Bible to your children. And you want these demons to leave you alone. You must physically your prayer and petition out loud. You have to command these demons to leave under the authority of the Lord Jesus the Christ. Because if you don't stay, I command you by the authority of the Lord, Jesus, the Christ. These demons could still come back. There's something very mysterious about verbally. Speaking the name of Christ Jesus.

There's another story in the gospels about a deaf and mute spirit that the apostles, the disciples were able to chase out. Well, perhaps it won't be able to chase them out because it was a deaf and mute Spirit, who couldn't hear the authority, in the name of Jesus.

But every time I started saying this out loud, in the middle of the night with my wife sound asleep. Next to me, demons will be And not come back a second time. I was sometimes worried that I'm picking up my wife with me saying out loud in the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ. I command you to leave.

But make my wife hard of hearing, so I'm good.

I can pretty much scream out as well as I want. You wouldn't wake up.

Now. Why? Why don't they come back? Won't because there is power in the name of Jesus. When it comes to the name of God, Paul ends this prayer Ephesians 1:21 says. Far above all principality and power and might in dominion. And every name that is named not only in this age, but also in that, which is to come. There is absolute power in the name of Jesus.

We could now be at peace knowing that our lord, Jesus holds all the absolute Authority and Power in his hands. This is what Paul wanted, the demonically influence, Ephesian, culture, City and Saints to know.

This is what Paul wanted, the Ephesians things to really know. And this is what God wants you to know also. Let's prank. Heavenly father. Thank you for giving us the power to drive out demons from Alliance. Thank you for rescuing us from the kingdom of darkness. Thank you for making us your children in Christ. Help us to live for him and glorify him in our life. We ask all these things in the name in The Power of our Lord and Savior. Jesus, a man.