Spiritual Warfare
Even the Demons Submit to us in Your Name
We too are commissioned to go out like the 72 Jesus sent out in Luke 10
Consider their report
Luke 10:17-21
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
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."
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
You and I have been given authority
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
God gives us the wisdom to break the chains
Of the devil and see the captive set free
Even the Demons Submit to us in Your Name
In my early years of ministry.
demons were a major focus.
We (when I say “we”, I mean other leaders
in the church with me) looked for demon activity…
And we found it.
I am sure we took things to extremes.
But the fact is…
Word got out
and people were coming to us for help.
We saw people tormented
and doing strange things.
We saw parents in fear of their children
because of the violent nature of their child.
As a young man, much of this was exciting
as we looked to see the power of God
break the chains holding people in bondage.
Casting out demons was not just something
we were doing but…
It was a movement taking place around the world
in the 1970s and 1980s.
Almost 50 years later,
we don’t hear much about demons.
So when I read in the Bible
Jesus’ encounters with demons…
I have to ask…
Are we encountering demons?
How are we dealing with them?
People have always mishandled demons.
We call things demons that are not demons.
Matthew 11:18-19…
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."
' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
“But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”
Like everything…
Wisdom in how we handle things is key.
Sometimes we don’t understand if we were wise
or not until we see the fruit of our actions.
Let’s look at two reports of Jesus’ ministry.
Matthew 4:23-25…
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.
Acts 10:38…
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Jesus preached the Good News of the Kingdom.
The Good News was about…
How to live and bear good fruit.
The Good News was also about…
Deliverance of sickness, suffering, and pain.
Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power,
and how He went around doing good
and healing all who were under the power of the devil,
because God was with Him.
If Jesus was confronted by the devil
and dealt with demons…
We too should expect to have
the same kind of encounters.
When we look at Jesus’ life,
He also made disciples and taught.
As 1 Corinthians 14:40 NKJV…
Let all things be done decently and in order.
Just like the Spiritual Gifts…
So should everything else in our lives
be done decently and in order.
We too are commissioned to go out
like the 72 Jesus sent out in Luke 10.
Consider their report.
Luke 10:17-21…
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said,
"Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
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."
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said,
"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
You and I have been given authority.
I have given you authority
to trample on snakes and scorpions
and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you.
God gives us the wisdom
to break the chains of the devil
and see the captive set free.
Scripture Reading NIV
Matthew 4:23-25
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.
Acts 10:38
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
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