COMPLETE SERMON NOTES
INTRO: SHACKLES – One man recently said, “I had become someone I never thought I would become. I was in complete darkness…I would sleep in my clothes for as long as I could. I began wishing that I would die. The emotional pain was unbearable.”
Matthew 8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
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The storm reveals – “When a vessel is struck.”
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Fear and faith are enemies
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The authority of Christ / The power of Christ: he didn’t argue, debate, throw fits, compromise, or negotiate.
READ LUKE 8:26-39
Can a Christian be possessed?
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“Has a demon” or is under “the influence of a demon.”
A] People can still exercise their will
B] The torment is so great that they succumb
Oppress: the exercise of power in a cruel or unjust manner; the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.
“…in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NIV.
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They can’t live in the same house with the Holy Spirit, but they can knock at the door.
A] Quench & Grieve the Spirit by opening demonic influence.
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How much influence do they have? How much influence does sin have?
The Bible tells us ‘NOT’ to sin … it doesn’t blame demons.
You cannot “cast out a spirit of gluttony, discord, anger, lust”.
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Scriptural Support:
The Power of Sin: Destroys, Misleads, Quenches, Grieves, Depresses, Isolates, Confuses, … “It seeks to kill, steal, and destroy.”
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You are playing with a Viper
Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
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Our mind is the battlefield – a Sponge
ANALOGY: Sponge & Dye
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Logismos: a statement to persuade us against God or His will
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Arrogant attitude…proud and lifted up against God
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Take your thoughts prisoner: noema – pops in the mind
Dr. says, “Try this and see if it works.” God says, “This is what works!”
Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil [MORE NEXT WEEK]. 1 Peter 5:8-9 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him…
HOW DOES HE DEVOUR? He walks through open doors.
“All the water in the world, no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside. All the evil influence of the world, no matter how hard it tries, can never sink a Christian’s soul unless it gets inside.”
Backpack…we don’t carry things on the outside, we carry them on the inside…his pestering and oppression are internal.
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“I felt something come out of me. I now feel free.”
OPPRESSION: The enemy must be resisted
James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. John 8:32 – And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy (OPENING THE DOOR). 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
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Pronoia: many are planning ahead before coming here
Methods of Influence: Are you creating an environment for the Holy Spirit to reign, or an environment for Satan to influence?
1. Toxic Substances [more next week]:
Pharmakeia: A SUBSTANCE THAT WILL ALTER YOUR STATE . . .
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Dabble, Conform, Participate in
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Alcohol, Caffeine, Performance enhancing, Marijuana, Meds,
2. Toxic Environment: K.P. Yohannan in a house where they “welcomed the presence of demonic activity.”
3. Toxic Emotions: Stay in bondage because we don’t release the weight: SHAME, UNFORGIVENESS, OUR PAST, ANGER, ENVY…
4. Toxic Thoughts: Thoughts often fuel emotion8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
- Romans 8:6 NIV, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Most swim in a mental cesspool of Dark, Gothic, Depressing things focused on Murder, Fear, Sex…
1. You are covered in what you’re swimming in.
2. “It’s cool”…no, it’s demonic…destructive
It’s not a matter of “if” but “when”…”God is not mocked!”
CLOSING THE DOOR the OPPOSITE way it was opened.
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Word, Worship, Transformed, Flee, Meditate, Associate…
BUT many say, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”
When we present ourselves in full surrender to God, we are transformed: “Sitting at the feet of Jesus.”
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SHACKLES RELEASED: “I only wish that everyone could feel the peace, joy, and love that I now experience. I’m able to forgive others and genuinely love them. I feel like I have been re-born…elusive peace has now been found.”
Luke 11:24-26 [NIV] “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
CLOSING: How do you live without God at the center?
*OPENING THE DOOR TO DARKNESS SHUTS OFF THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT:
CAN YOU RELATE TO THIS? “Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see…..’Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed…..Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come ‘Tis Grace has brought me safe thus far And Grace will lead me home…..When we’ve been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’ve first begun.”
Praise God, Praise God, Praise God
