Spiritual Warfare “Healing All Who Were Under the Power of the Devil”

 

Spiritual Warfare

“Healing All Who Were Under the Power of the Devil”

Healing is needed because the devil inflicts sickness

Healing is a part of the Kingdom package

Jesus’ message was repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near

A Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy

These things come because Jesus is philanthropic

Jesus promotes peace, and the welfare of others

God is not a God of Favoritism 

“But accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

When God finds those who “fear Him and do what is right.”

He pours out His Spirit on them

The same Spirit that Jesus says

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,

then the Kingdom of God has come to you. Luke 11:20

The hospitals are full, doctors’ appointments can take weeks to months to make

There is no shortage of sick people

People are in need of healing because they are under the power of the devil

Do you “fear him and do what is right”

Are you telling the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ

Are you anointed by God with the Holy Spirit to doing good and healing

all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him (You).

 “Healing All Who Were Under the Power of the Devil”

Peter’s words in Acts 10 are incredible.

 

In the middle of Peter speaking

to Cornelius, a Gentile and soldier…

 

 He says Jesus…went around…

healing all who were under

the power of the devil.

 Acts 10:38

 

There are at least 36 documented times

Jesus healed people.

 

Peter doesn’t just say Jesus healed but says…

 

 “Healing all who were under the power of the devil.”

 

It seems clear the devil has power

to inflict people with sickness.

 

And Jesus has the power to heal.

 

I said verse 38 is in the middle of Peter’s words…

 

 So let’s look at the context of…

 

Jesus “healing all who were

under the power of the devil”

 

Peter had a vision

and a Roman centurion had a vision.

 

In the vision…

 

God broke down the walls that divide Jews and Gentiles

and ordains a meeting between the two of them.

 

Verse 34 says…

 

"I now realize how true it is that God

does not show favoritism.”

 

Through the vision Peter who considered

certain foods and people unclean..

 

Was challenged to not call unclean

what God has cleansed

 

This statement is very important…

 

“God does not show favoritism”.

 

It does not matter what nation you are from…

 

 God shows favoritism to those…

 

 “Who fear him and do what is right.”

 Acts 10:35

 

There is a special favor on people

who have a fear of the Lord

and do what is right.

 

Peter went on in verses 36 – 38 to tell…

 

 “The message God sent to the people of Israel”.

 

The Message of “Good News of Peace”.

 

Peter told why Jesus was able

to do and say what He did.

 

Because…

 

 “God anointed Jesus

…with the Holy Spirit and power”

 

What did Jesus do?

 

“He went around doing good”

Acts 10:38

 

The word “doing good” is…

 

 The Greek word euergeteo

meaning “To be philanthropic”.

 

A philanthropic is someone or organization

who seeks to promote the welfare of others,

they are generous and benevolent.

 

Interesting this is the type of man Cornelius

the centurion soldier was

and why God had favor on him.

 

Peter went on to describe as an eye witness

of how Jesus died and rose again

and the commission Jesus gave

to Peter and those who ate with Jesus

after His resurrection.

 

 He commanded us to preach to the people

and to testify that he is the one

whom God appointed as judge

of the living and the dead.

Acts 10:42

 

And…

 

All the prophets testify about him

 that everyone who believes in him

receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Acts 10:43

 

God is Judge

and believers can receive

forgiveness through Jesus.

 

Then an amazing thing happened…

 

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Acts 10:44-46

 

All that Peter had said to Cornelius…

 

Cornelius already knew.

 

Go back to verse 36…

 

 “You know the message God sent”

 

Cornelius a Roman soldier of the Italian Regiment

had heard about Jesus

and all Jesus was doing for the people.

 

As an outsider, Cornelius believed in

what Jesus was doing…

 

And patterned his life

as a man to do good

and be philanthropic.

 

To bring peace,

and promote the welfare of others.

 

God saw this in Cornelius

and gave him and those with him

the same Holy Spirit that was on Jesus …

 

To do good

and heal those under

the power of the devil.

 

So what is the takeaway?

 

Healing is needed because…

 

 The devil inflicts sickness.

 

Healing is a part of the Kingdom package.

 

Jesus’ message was repent

for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

 

A Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.

 

These things come because…

 

Jesus is philanthropic.

 

Jesus promotes peace,

and the welfare of others.

 

God is not a God of Favoritism…

 

“But accepts men from every nation

who fear Him and do what is right.”

 

When God finds those who…

 

 “Fear Him and do what is right.”

 

He pours out His Spirit on them.

 

The same Spirit that Jesus says…

 

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,

then the Kingdom of God has come to you.

Luke 11:20

 

The hospitals are full…

 

 Doctors’ appointments can take

weeks to month to make…

 

There is no shortage of sick people.

 

People are in need of healing because…

 

 They are under the power of the devil.

 

Do you…

 

 “Fear Him and do what is right”

 

Are you telling…

 

 The Good News of peace

through Jesus Christ.

 

Are you anointed by God with the Holy Spirit?...

 

To doing good

and healing all who were under

the power of the devil,

 because God was with him (You).

 

We see at least 36 times Jesus

healed the sick in the Gospels.

 

He is still healing those under the devil’s power

through those of us who are full of the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Acts 10:34-46 NIV

 

34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how 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.

 

39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.   41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen — by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

 

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.