by David Scott Robertson
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him [Jesus] out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Can you imagine the drama of this scene in the Bible?
Think about what was going on behind the scene between the angels and demons!
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
Let’s quickly recreate the scene.
Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth.
He was in church as usual (Luke 4:16) among His family and friends that He had grown up with.
Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah and He began to read:
(Isa 61:1 NIV) “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
(Isa 61:2 NIV) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor….”
Jesus stopped in mid-sentence on the last verse and sat down.
Everybody was staring at Him when He said:
(Luke 4:21 NIV) “…’Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’"
What was their reaction?
(Luke 4:22 NIV) “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn't this Joseph's son?’ they asked.”
First, be careful when all speak well of you.
Mankind is so fickle.
They can bless you one minute and curse you the next.
It comes so, so natural to us.
Secondly, it seems that this last part of the people’s statement is what got Jesus explicit attention.
Their question absolutely demanded a response from the Messiah.
Whether He heard their whispers with His ears
Or He received the revelation by the Spirit as a word of knowledge,
The Lord discerned their question:
“Is this not Joseph’s son?”
(No as a matter of fact,
Jesus was not merely a man’s son with a little “s”
But God’s Son with a capital “S.”)
It was Jesus’ response to that question that tipped the scales against Him in their eyes.
When their wonder turned to
Religious fervor,
Righteous indignation,
And murderous rage.
Jesus spoke 100% truth when He replied:
(Luke 4:23 NIV) “Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'"
(Luke 4:24 NIV) "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Then He began to cite two examples,
One a Sidonian widow who Elijah ministered to
And next a Syrian leper whom Elisha healed
Of how Jehovah had mercy
On foreigners who accepted Him
Over His elect people who rejected Him.
Well, with that, the congregation of the local synagogue determined
That Jesus Christ of Nazareth was not fit to live.
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.”
What?
They “drove him out of town?”
They “took him to the brow of the hill?”
They desired to “throw him down the cliff?”
Part of what amazes me is that Jesus allowed them to do this.
It reminds me of when He allowed Satan to led him to the pinnacle of the temple
To tempt Him to jump off (Luke 4:9).
Another thing that intrigues me is that if this was His home synagogue where He had grown up,
Where was His family?
If Jesus were speaking at church that Sabbath, surely they would be there.
So where were His earthly brothers, sisters, and mother?
Were they in the press of the crowd screaming in His defense?
Were they fighting for Him?
Were they struggling against the mob to try and pacify them to leave their loved One alone?
Now comes the climax of this incredible scene
Where they are actually at the brow of the cliff
Ready to physically and forcibly toss Jesus over the side.
Then the most awesome thing happens.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) “But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Now I want to return to my original questions:
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
My answer?
I don’t know!
Only God knows.
One thing I do know
Is that according to the scriptures,
The Lamb of God was born to die nailed to a cross to atone for the sins of the world.
He could die in no other way,
At no other time,
For no other reason.
The scriptures could not (and cannot and will not) be broken.
That is the answer for “why” Jesus did not get tossed over the cliff that day.
But as for the “how” He turned around and walked through the crowd…
I’ll guess we’ll just have to wait until we get to heaven
And watch the instant replay – in slow motion, I hope!
DSR
4/22/02
Monday, April 22, 2002
Tuesday, April 2, 2002
Momentos of a Hard Day
by David Scott Robertson
This morning I sat in a chair drinking a cup of coffee.
Enjoying the quietness of the moment,
I glanced down at my fingernails and saw dirt under them,
The remnants of working in the garden yesterday.
A tiny reminder, a memento of working hard out in the hot sun.
There are other mementos of the hard day I had yesterday…
Playing hard.
Today I have sore muscles from playing racquetball yesterday with a good friend.
I am sore from the lactic acid still in my muscles
The stiffness reminds me of the fantastic fellowship and good healthy exercise
I enjoyed with my partner.
Thinking hard.
This morning my mind still entertains some thoughts resulting from an engaging conversation
I had yesterday with a good friend.
I’m meditating hard on what was said.
I’m pondering its meaning and application to my life.
Laughing hard.
My thoughts drift this morning to the funny things I saw and experienced yesterday.
Playing tag with my daughter and watching her run through the creek to get away from me.
Listening to our crazy cockatiel whistle the most original tunes.
Laughing at the corny jokes and puns of friends as we work together on a project.
Praying hard.
I am living out today
Some of the things I began to pray yesterday.
I am reaping what I have sowed in prayer.
I tarried before the Lord yesterday and as a result today peace abides.
Studying hard.
I’m still challenged in my spirit
By what I read in the Bible in my personal devotions yesterday.
I’m reading the account of Noah and God’s covenant with this man who found grace in His eyes.
This morning I saw a rainbow on the television
And again I was reminding of the doctrinal truth that God is a covenant keeping God.
As you can see,
A hard day is not necessarily a negative thing at all.
To press in and grind forward with good things and through tough things
Grants you the right to enjoy the mementos of a hard day.
Even a scar can generate a good memory if the incident
Produced in you the fruit of righteousness.
Take it from a man after God’s own heart, King David,
Who clearly understood the benefits of a hard day:
(Psa 63:8 KJV) “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
DSR
4/2/02
This morning I sat in a chair drinking a cup of coffee.
Enjoying the quietness of the moment,
I glanced down at my fingernails and saw dirt under them,
The remnants of working in the garden yesterday.
A tiny reminder, a memento of working hard out in the hot sun.
There are other mementos of the hard day I had yesterday…
Playing hard.
Today I have sore muscles from playing racquetball yesterday with a good friend.
I am sore from the lactic acid still in my muscles
The stiffness reminds me of the fantastic fellowship and good healthy exercise
I enjoyed with my partner.
Thinking hard.
This morning my mind still entertains some thoughts resulting from an engaging conversation
I had yesterday with a good friend.
I’m meditating hard on what was said.
I’m pondering its meaning and application to my life.
Laughing hard.
My thoughts drift this morning to the funny things I saw and experienced yesterday.
Playing tag with my daughter and watching her run through the creek to get away from me.
Listening to our crazy cockatiel whistle the most original tunes.
Laughing at the corny jokes and puns of friends as we work together on a project.
Praying hard.
I am living out today
Some of the things I began to pray yesterday.
I am reaping what I have sowed in prayer.
I tarried before the Lord yesterday and as a result today peace abides.
Studying hard.
I’m still challenged in my spirit
By what I read in the Bible in my personal devotions yesterday.
I’m reading the account of Noah and God’s covenant with this man who found grace in His eyes.
This morning I saw a rainbow on the television
And again I was reminding of the doctrinal truth that God is a covenant keeping God.
As you can see,
A hard day is not necessarily a negative thing at all.
To press in and grind forward with good things and through tough things
Grants you the right to enjoy the mementos of a hard day.
Even a scar can generate a good memory if the incident
Produced in you the fruit of righteousness.
Take it from a man after God’s own heart, King David,
Who clearly understood the benefits of a hard day:
(Psa 63:8 KJV) “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
DSR
4/2/02
You Have My Attention
by David Scott Robertson
Prayer.
A vital component of any Christian’s lifestyle.
Believers in Jesus can do more after they have prayed
But they cannot do more until they have prayed.
God, it seems, has linked the internal workings of His activity on earth
To the effectual, fervent prayer of righteous men and women.
As I understand it,
There are different types of prayer,
All of which find valid expression in the scriptures.
I want to share a prayer principle and then give you three Bible references
Just so you don’t think I’m making this stuff up:
There is personal prayer – praying on behalf of yourself.
1. (James 4:2 NIV) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
2. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
3. (Mat 7:7 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There is intercessory prayer – praying on behalf of others.
1. (Ezek 22:30 KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
2. (1 Sam 7:5 NIV) Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you."
3. (1 Ki 13:6 NIV) Then the king [King Jeroboam] said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
There is prayer with fasting – a dynamic duo.
1. (Mark 9:28 KJV) And when he [Jesus] was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
2. (Mark 9:29 KJV) And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
3. (Ezra 8:23 NIV) So we [Ezra and leaders in Israel] fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
(Est 4:16 NIV) "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me [Esther]. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
There is “agreeing” prayer – the principle of divine synergy.
1. (Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
2. (Deu 32:30 NIV) How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
3. (Eccl 4:12 KJV) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
There is praying in the Spirit – in perfect harmony with God’s will.
1. (1 Cor 14:14 NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
(1 Cor 14:15 NIV) So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
2 (Eph 6:18 NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
3. (Jude 1:20 NIV) But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
You must believe and not doubt when you pray.
1. (James 1:6 NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2. (Mat 9:28 NIV) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
(Mat 9:29 NIV) Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
3. (Mat 21:22 NIV) If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
You must have faith that God hears and answers prayer.
1. (1 Ki 9:3 NIV) The LORD said to him [Solomon]: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2. (2 Ki 19:20 NIV) Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
3. (2 Chr 30:27 NIV) The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
And now I want to share with you something that was a revelation to me.
I had been familiar with these aforementioned types and characteristics of prayer,
But yesterday, out in the front yard, I discovered a new type of prayer.
I was enjoying my day off work,
And boy was it a beautiful, warm Spring day in Tennessee (tennis anyone?)
I had plenty of chores and errand to do and the thought of sneaking off
And hitting some tennis balls or pleasuring riding my bike was tempting.
En route to tackle my todo list or pursue my wish list,
My father-in-law drives up
With his pickup bed full of all sorts of plants, shrubs, and a few trees to plant in his yard.
Well, I had a decision to make.
What do I do?
Do I tend to my own business
Or do I help my father-in-law tend his yard?
I chose to put my own agenda aside and help.
A half an hour or so later,
On my knees in the dirt digging a hole to put a plant in,
Right then and there in this most unlikely spot,
I heard the Lord speak to me…clearly.
Here I had been minding my own business,
Or, more accurately, minding someone else’s business,
When God unexpectedly showed up on the scene.
I hadn’t even been thinking about God.
I hadn’t been thinking about anything spiritual.
In fact, knowing me, I was probably doing a little mumbling under my breath
Griping to myself that now I won’t have time to get the oil changed on the van today.
But I heard so clearly the voice of the Lord say to me:
“You have My attention.”
A few more phrases came explaining to my heart
The principle of getting the attention of God when I am serving others.
God so gently, so sweetly, began to bring revelation to me that
When you are doing something that you don’t necessarily want to do,
But you do it anyway,
You draw the attention of the Father.
When you do something
Because it is the right thing to do,
The selfless thing to do,
The sacrificial thing to do,
The thing that Jesus would do if He were there…
That moment is sacred in a way and garners the attention of God.
In that moment,
I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
To pray those types of prayer that I mentioned earlier.
I prayed personal prayers.
I prayer intercessory prayers.
I happened to be fasting all day yesterday
So the divine synergy of fasting was in effect.
I prayed in the Spirit in my heavenly prayer language.
I prayed in faith and did not doubt that God was hearing me, clearly.
Later in the day,
I mowed the lawn for a friend
And felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray again.
So I made my requests known to God.
Later that evening,
I helped two other friends move to their new apartments.
As I was picking up chairs, a microwave, and lots of boxes,
Once again, I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
So as I worked, as I served others, I called on the name of the Lord.
So, yesterday, on a Monday,
I got a massive sermon preached to me out in the yard.
And to me, it was revelation.
The point and principle I carried with me to bed,
And awoke with this morning to write it down so you could read it later,
Was that if I want to “turbo-charge” my prayer time,
One additional way to accomplish that
Is to find a need and meet it.
To seek out somebody who could use a helping hand and lend it.
And while I’m lifting, or mowing, or digging for others,
As an act of service to them,
I have discovered that it becomes a spiritual act of worship to God.
And in those precious times of serving others,
There is a clear word from heaven that will come:
“You have My attention.”
DSR
4/2/02
Prayer.
A vital component of any Christian’s lifestyle.
Believers in Jesus can do more after they have prayed
But they cannot do more until they have prayed.
God, it seems, has linked the internal workings of His activity on earth
To the effectual, fervent prayer of righteous men and women.
As I understand it,
There are different types of prayer,
All of which find valid expression in the scriptures.
I want to share a prayer principle and then give you three Bible references
Just so you don’t think I’m making this stuff up:
There is personal prayer – praying on behalf of yourself.
1. (James 4:2 NIV) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
2. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
3. (Mat 7:7 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There is intercessory prayer – praying on behalf of others.
1. (Ezek 22:30 KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
2. (1 Sam 7:5 NIV) Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you."
3. (1 Ki 13:6 NIV) Then the king [King Jeroboam] said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
There is prayer with fasting – a dynamic duo.
1. (Mark 9:28 KJV) And when he [Jesus] was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
2. (Mark 9:29 KJV) And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
3. (Ezra 8:23 NIV) So we [Ezra and leaders in Israel] fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
(Est 4:16 NIV) "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me [Esther]. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
There is “agreeing” prayer – the principle of divine synergy.
1. (Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
2. (Deu 32:30 NIV) How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
3. (Eccl 4:12 KJV) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
There is praying in the Spirit – in perfect harmony with God’s will.
1. (1 Cor 14:14 NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
(1 Cor 14:15 NIV) So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
2 (Eph 6:18 NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
3. (Jude 1:20 NIV) But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
You must believe and not doubt when you pray.
1. (James 1:6 NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2. (Mat 9:28 NIV) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
(Mat 9:29 NIV) Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
3. (Mat 21:22 NIV) If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
You must have faith that God hears and answers prayer.
1. (1 Ki 9:3 NIV) The LORD said to him [Solomon]: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2. (2 Ki 19:20 NIV) Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
3. (2 Chr 30:27 NIV) The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
And now I want to share with you something that was a revelation to me.
I had been familiar with these aforementioned types and characteristics of prayer,
But yesterday, out in the front yard, I discovered a new type of prayer.
I was enjoying my day off work,
And boy was it a beautiful, warm Spring day in Tennessee (tennis anyone?)
I had plenty of chores and errand to do and the thought of sneaking off
And hitting some tennis balls or pleasuring riding my bike was tempting.
En route to tackle my todo list or pursue my wish list,
My father-in-law drives up
With his pickup bed full of all sorts of plants, shrubs, and a few trees to plant in his yard.
Well, I had a decision to make.
What do I do?
Do I tend to my own business
Or do I help my father-in-law tend his yard?
I chose to put my own agenda aside and help.
A half an hour or so later,
On my knees in the dirt digging a hole to put a plant in,
Right then and there in this most unlikely spot,
I heard the Lord speak to me…clearly.
Here I had been minding my own business,
Or, more accurately, minding someone else’s business,
When God unexpectedly showed up on the scene.
I hadn’t even been thinking about God.
I hadn’t been thinking about anything spiritual.
In fact, knowing me, I was probably doing a little mumbling under my breath
Griping to myself that now I won’t have time to get the oil changed on the van today.
But I heard so clearly the voice of the Lord say to me:
“You have My attention.”
A few more phrases came explaining to my heart
The principle of getting the attention of God when I am serving others.
God so gently, so sweetly, began to bring revelation to me that
When you are doing something that you don’t necessarily want to do,
But you do it anyway,
You draw the attention of the Father.
When you do something
Because it is the right thing to do,
The selfless thing to do,
The sacrificial thing to do,
The thing that Jesus would do if He were there…
That moment is sacred in a way and garners the attention of God.
In that moment,
I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
To pray those types of prayer that I mentioned earlier.
I prayed personal prayers.
I prayer intercessory prayers.
I happened to be fasting all day yesterday
So the divine synergy of fasting was in effect.
I prayed in the Spirit in my heavenly prayer language.
I prayed in faith and did not doubt that God was hearing me, clearly.
Later in the day,
I mowed the lawn for a friend
And felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray again.
So I made my requests known to God.
Later that evening,
I helped two other friends move to their new apartments.
As I was picking up chairs, a microwave, and lots of boxes,
Once again, I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
So as I worked, as I served others, I called on the name of the Lord.
So, yesterday, on a Monday,
I got a massive sermon preached to me out in the yard.
And to me, it was revelation.
The point and principle I carried with me to bed,
And awoke with this morning to write it down so you could read it later,
Was that if I want to “turbo-charge” my prayer time,
One additional way to accomplish that
Is to find a need and meet it.
To seek out somebody who could use a helping hand and lend it.
And while I’m lifting, or mowing, or digging for others,
As an act of service to them,
I have discovered that it becomes a spiritual act of worship to God.
And in those precious times of serving others,
There is a clear word from heaven that will come:
“You have My attention.”
DSR
4/2/02
Monday, April 1, 2002
The Devil Goes to Church
by David Scott Robertson
(Mark 1:23 NIV) Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
(Mark 1:24 NIV) "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
(Mark 1:39 NIV) So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
The devil goes to church.
Demons go to church.
The scriptures prove that.
Hiding behind a human host,
Tucked away in the crevices of a tormented man or woman’s soul,
Demons do their wicked master’s bidding
Enslaving the lives of human beings.
Whatever the root cause –
The lust of the flesh,
The lust of the eyes,
The pride of life –
Some human decision of the will has given the underworld the legal right
To encroach upon forbidden territory;
To inhabit a domain designed for the Holy Spirit of God.
Nonetheless,
By invitation
Through passive indifference,
Willful disobedience,
Or just plain careless abandon to the paranormal and esoteric as a thrill-seeker,
The demons come.
They camp, crouch, confuse, and control an unwitting victim
Who has been foolish enough to lower the barrier of the free will
And cross boundaries that God firmly established that they should not.
I’m not sure how the demonic hierarchy functions,
But I imagine it is more prestigious
To occupy a man than a pig:
(Mat 8:31 NIV) The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
I also imagine the more powerful and influential the human host the better.
I wonder if one of the high points of a demonic career
Is not so much “GOING” to a church service in a human host
But “LEAVING” a church service STILL in the human host.
This may be a high water mark for a demon
But it is a sad commentary on the powerlessness of a community of believers.
But such was not the case when Jesus went to church.
(Mark 1:25 NIV) "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
(Mark 1:26 NIV) The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
(Mark 1:27 NIV) The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
When Jesus came, demons left.
When He showed up, they shoved off.
As a matter of fact,
Jesus was so full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
That when He merely set foot on the shore of “occupied territory”
Deliverances began to take place!
(Mat 8:28 NIV) When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
(Mat 8:29 NIV) "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
One word (what authority!) sent a legion of demons scurrying: “Go!” (Matthew 8:32).
That’s where this awesome power of God in us leads to…
His very presence, get this, IN US, generates results.
(1 John 3:8 KJV) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
(Luke 10:17 NIV) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
(Luke 10:19 NIV) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
(Mark 16:17 NIV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
(John 14:12 NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
So the next time you go to church,
Don’t make a beeline for your normal pew.
Ask the Holy Spirit who you should sit next to.
You just never know how many may be occupying the seat next to you.
DSR
4/1/02
(Mark 1:23 NIV) Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
(Mark 1:24 NIV) "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
(Mark 1:39 NIV) So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
The devil goes to church.
Demons go to church.
The scriptures prove that.
Hiding behind a human host,
Tucked away in the crevices of a tormented man or woman’s soul,
Demons do their wicked master’s bidding
Enslaving the lives of human beings.
Whatever the root cause –
The lust of the flesh,
The lust of the eyes,
The pride of life –
Some human decision of the will has given the underworld the legal right
To encroach upon forbidden territory;
To inhabit a domain designed for the Holy Spirit of God.
Nonetheless,
By invitation
Through passive indifference,
Willful disobedience,
Or just plain careless abandon to the paranormal and esoteric as a thrill-seeker,
The demons come.
They camp, crouch, confuse, and control an unwitting victim
Who has been foolish enough to lower the barrier of the free will
And cross boundaries that God firmly established that they should not.
I’m not sure how the demonic hierarchy functions,
But I imagine it is more prestigious
To occupy a man than a pig:
(Mat 8:31 NIV) The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
I also imagine the more powerful and influential the human host the better.
I wonder if one of the high points of a demonic career
Is not so much “GOING” to a church service in a human host
But “LEAVING” a church service STILL in the human host.
This may be a high water mark for a demon
But it is a sad commentary on the powerlessness of a community of believers.
But such was not the case when Jesus went to church.
(Mark 1:25 NIV) "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
(Mark 1:26 NIV) The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
(Mark 1:27 NIV) The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
When Jesus came, demons left.
When He showed up, they shoved off.
As a matter of fact,
Jesus was so full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
That when He merely set foot on the shore of “occupied territory”
Deliverances began to take place!
(Mat 8:28 NIV) When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
(Mat 8:29 NIV) "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
One word (what authority!) sent a legion of demons scurrying: “Go!” (Matthew 8:32).
That’s where this awesome power of God in us leads to…
His very presence, get this, IN US, generates results.
(1 John 3:8 KJV) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
(Luke 10:17 NIV) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
(Luke 10:19 NIV) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
(Mark 16:17 NIV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
(John 14:12 NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
So the next time you go to church,
Don’t make a beeline for your normal pew.
Ask the Holy Spirit who you should sit next to.
You just never know how many may be occupying the seat next to you.
DSR
4/1/02
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