POWER over Demons

This morning, we continue our miracle series, by examining Jesus’ power over demons. But before we do that, a prayer: O Lord, strengthen us by the truth, your Word is truth. Open our eyes to see what you want us to see, our ears to hear what you want us to hear and our hearts to believe what you would have us believe. Amen.
 
I. A House Divided
 
The lesson for this this morning comes from Matthew 8. It occurs at a time in Jesus’ ministry when he has already done plenty of miracles and healed multitudes of people. Word about him is spreading and people are flocking to see him.
 
A common question among the people is, “How can Jesus do miracles?”
 
There was a variety of answers:
 
“Those ‘sick’ people weren’t really sick to begin with.”
“Maybe, there was some kind of medicine involved?”
“He just got lucky.”
 
Or…
 
Mark 3:22 “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He drives out demons by the ruler of demons.”
 
It’s similar to getting onto your spouse’s phone. Have you ever done that? When you are in control of the account, you can send text messages in your spouse’s name. “My husband is the greatest!” You can send out an email: “We should plan a surprise party for my spouse.” You can go onto Facebook and post a status update: “I have the best spouse ever! I am so lucky to have them as my spouse because they are the best ever.”
 
The contention is that Jesus can control demonic work because he’s working on the devil’s behalf.
He sold his soul to the devil.
 
Look at Jesus’ response:
 
“How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished.” (v.25-26)
The NFL Championships are today.
I wonder how many defense coordinators are coaching their players to wait for the ball to snap and then tackle their teammates next to them.
Or how many times the head coach will tell his running back to “knock over the Quarterback already.”
Or how many times Aaron Rodgers will decide to “throw the ball as hard as possible into the back of his center’s kneecaps.”
 
They probably won’t coach them that way.
Because a house divided against itself cannot stand.
 
And a football team divided against itself cannot stand.
 
And if the devil was driving out his demonic warriors?
His house wouldn’t stand.
 
This means that if Jesus is driving out demons and destroying their work, then…
TRUTH: Jesus and the Devil are NOT on the same side.
 
Because Jesus is good.
And the devil is not.
 
Good doesn’t work on behalf of evil.
Evil doesn’t work on behalf of good.
 
The two are dynamically opposed to one another.
 
Which…
Gives me pause.
 
Because we are on God’s side, right?
We are on the side of good, right?
 
Yet…
Was everything you did this week on behalf of good?
 
That porn you’re looking at? Was that for good?
Those racist things you said? Was that for good?
That gossip you were sharing at church? Was that really for good?
Those complaints about that person across the aisle? Was that really for good?
 
TRUTH:
If you’re on GOD’S side; you can’t do the DEVIL’S work.
 
Because if you do, then you’re working for the devil.
And if you’re working for the devil, then you’re working against Jesus’ kingdom.
And if you’re working against Jesus’ kingdom, then…
 
A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.
 
This is truth.
About your family.
About your friends.
About this church.
 
Understand - The devil wants nothing more than to destroy those things.
In fact, he’s all about destruction.
 
He loves destroying families.
Destroying friendships.
Destroying churches.
Destroying souls forever in hell.
 
When you do evil, you work for him.
 
II. The Most Terrifying Thing
 
Jesus was definitely not working for the devil. There might not be a Bible story in which this is clearer than Matthew 8.
 
When Jesus arrived…in the region of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him there. They were very dangerous, so that nobody could pass that way. (v.28)
 
Possession is a simple word. If a dollar bill is in your possession, you own it and you control what it does. If you’re team is in possession of the football, they own it and controls what it does. If a remote control is in your possession, you own it and control what it does.
 
In demon possession, the demon is in control of the body and it controls what the body does.
 
If you are demon possessed, then…
You no longer have control of your body.
You no longer have control of your words.
You no longer have control of your life, because the devil and his demons are in control.
 
For these men, that’s exactly what happened! Demons took control.
 
And remember the goal of demons is destruction.
They destroyed their family life.
They destroyed their friendships.
They destroyed their lives.
 
In fact, Mark’s version of this account, adds that at least one of these men had caused so much trouble that local law enforcement had tried taking him outside the city and chaining him to a wall in an above ground tomb.
 
But… None could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones (Mark 5:4)
 
Sounds like a horror movie
 
And…
When Jesus approaches….
It was just like a horror movie,
 
Just…
Not for Jesus.
 
The demons cried out “What do you want with us Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Mt. 8:29)
 
You are more powerful than us!
You are more miraculous than us.
Eventually, one day, we know that at “the time” you will seal us forever in the fires of hell.
 
We might bust out of these chains, but…
We’ll never bust out of your grip.
Please…Go away!
 
TRUTH:
Demons are TERRIFIED of Jesus.
 
There are a lot of different phobias in the world.
 
Arachnophobiacs are afraid of spiders.
Agoraphobiacs are afraid of crowds.
Coulrophobiacs are afraid of clowns.
Mysophobiacsa are afraid of germs.
Phobophobiacs are afraid of being afraid.
 
What kind of fear do demons have?
They have Son-of-God-o-phobia.
Fear of God’s own Son.
 
And with good reason.
Because while demons are bent on destruction of God’s people,
Jesus is bent on the destruction of the destroyer.
 
Way back in the garden of Eden. That was God’s promise. He told Satan, who had just destroyed God’s work of a perfect world, that a day would come when one of Eve’s children would Crush his head.” (Gen. 3:15)
 
That somebody?
Jesus.
 
Which means…
 
TRUTH:
Jesus is on your SIDE.
 
The devil wants nothing more than your forever destruction in hell.
Jesus wants nothing more than your forever existence in heaven.
 
It’s why he came to earth.
It’s why he came to fight the devil.
It’s why he continues to fight for you against the devil.
 
(In fact, that’s what he’s doing with these very words in this very sermon at this very time.)
 
Jesus is fighting on your side.
 
III. The Confrontation
 
But can Jesus really defeat demons?
When Jesus approached the demon possessed men, he asked, “What is your name?” (Mark 5:9)
One of the men responded, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” (v.9)
 
A legion is a Roman concept. A Roman legion could be filled with a population of almost 500,000 soldiers.
 
Jesus wasn’t just dealing with one demon.
He wasn’t just dealing with two demons.
He was dealing with a legion of demons.
 
And it wasn’t just something the demon was saying…
Because…
 
In the field, next to this graveyard was a herd of pigs.
Eating some slop.
Sitting in the mud.
Being generally disgusting.
 
Jesus looked at the pigs.
He looked back at the demon-possessed men.
He looked past the demons and saw the two human souls trapped within.
And said, “Go!”
 
So the demons came out of the men and went into the pigs. Immediately the whole herd of pigs rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. (Mt. 8:30)
Now, when I first read this story, I thought, “That’s mean Jesus. What did the pigs do to you?”
First, Jesus is the ruler of all. He invented pigs. He gave the pigs life. He could that away as he pleased.
Second, think about what Jesus accomplished by allowing this. Granted, the demons just wanted to destroy something. But by allowing this, think of what Jesus accomplished.
Because at the exact instant, he told the legion of demons to leave the two men – an entire herd of pigs rushed into the river and drowned.
 
Do you get it?
 
This event was proof that the demon possession was no joke.
It was proof that demons were real.
 
TRUTH:
Demons are absolutely REAL.
I think this is important to remember.
Because it’s common to talk about “demons.”
 
Could be “anxiety” that paralyzes our interactions with others.
Could be “guilt” that never seems to go away.
Could be “a temptation for addiction” that we just can’t seem to conquer.
 
We call it our “demons” but usually we mean “not demons.”
But…
The reality is that when we call it “our demons” but we really mean “not demons,” - It’s usually “real demons.”
 
Demons are real.
They were real at Jesus’ time.
They are real today.
 
But…
As real as demons are…
TRUTH: So is Jesus’ VICTORY.
Because the end result is that the two men who had been demon possessed were set free.
They were restored.
They had a Savior, Jesus.
 
That same Jesus went on to defeat the devil himself.
Even when the devil thought he won.
When he got the Pharisees to concoct a conspiracy…
When he got Judas to betray his teacher…
When he got a crowd to chant, “Crucify! Crucify!”…
When he got Pontius Pilate to be afraid, “Go ahead, just take him.”
When he caused those soldiers to nail Jesus hand and foot to the cross.
 
The devil probably thought he won.
But…
Three days later.
His head was crushed.
 
Jesus defeated sin.
Jesus defeated guilt.
Jesus defeated death.
Jesus defeated the devil himself.
 
IV. What Now?
 
(1) Be Wary

The Bible tells us, “Your enemy the devil prowls around you like a roaring lion waiting for someone to devour, resist him. Standing firm in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Because if you are on an African safari, you’d be wary of lions.
You’d put something on camouflage you.
You’d carry a weapon for protection.
You’d probably put some kind of anti-lion repellent deodorant on to repel it.
 
And if you saw a lion – you’d get out of there!
 
Do the same thing with the devil.
Be wary.
We identify the areas of temptation that we fall.
We avoid those places.
When temptation comes, we flee as if our lives depended on it. (Because spiritually speaking, we do.)
Friends, be wary of the devil.
Be wary of demons.
But also…

(2) Be Confident

Because it’s easy to feel dejected when facing temptation.
 
Because we’ve lost to the devil so many times.
We’ve fallen to BIG temptations.
We’ve fallen to LITTLE temptations.
We’ve fallen to the SAME temptations again and again.
 
What could possibly make us believe that this time will be different?
 
Because….
Jesus is on our side.
He wins the victory every time.
 
Be confident.
Be confident because of Jesus. Amen.