DEMONS, DISEASE, AND DELIVERANCE

LUKE 4:31-44 (MARK 1:21-39)

      Jesus came to Capernaum teaching the Word, healing the possessed and oppressed, and preaching the Kingdom of God. The ministry of Jesus unsettled the sacred traditions, attracted the desperate multitudes, and shook the unseen spirit-world.

Lk. 11:20 [ESV]. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

      Jesus demonstrated His power over demons and disease with the authority of the spoken Word.

Lk. 7:7-8 [ESV]. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.

  I. Power of the Word of Jesus Christ with doctrine (4:31-32)

Lk. 10:15-16 [ESV]. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

      A. Taught with authority (Mt. 7:29; life behind the message)

      B. Taught with accuracy (Lk. 20:21; 2 Tim. 4:2; preach the truth)

      C. Taught with authenticity (Rev. 2:15; not soft on sin, pure life–powerful message)

      D. Taught with application (Jn. 7:17; Rom. 6:17; obey the Word)

      E. Taught with anointing (Mk. 6:2; Lk. 9:43; mighty works of God)

      F. Taught with attestation (Mk. 7:37; signs)

      G. Taught with acceptance (Mk. 12:37; gospel of grace)

      Jesus taught for life-change. D. L. Moody said, “The Scriptures were not given for our information, but for our transformation.”

 II. Power of the Word of Jesus Christ with demons (4:33-36)

Lk. 10:19 [ESV]. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

      A. Certainty of demons

      Edersheim wrote, “Regarded therefore in the light of history, impartial criticism can arrive at no other conclusion, than that Jesus of Nazareth shared the views of the Evangelists as regards the ‘demonised.’”

          1. Unholy angels (1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 12:7-9; principalities and powers)

          2. Unclean spirits (Lk. 11:24; place to possess)

      B. Characteristics of demons

          1. Communicate (Mk. 1:34; Lk. 8:28; voice out of the man)

          2. Chains (Lk. 8:31; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; strongholds)

      C. Casting of demons

          1. Command (Mt. 17:18; Mk. 8:33, 9:25; Acts 16:18; Jude 9; prayer and fasting)

          2. Convulsion (Lk. 9:42; Acts 19:16; territory)

Eph. 4:27 [ESV]. and give no opportunity to the devil.

III. Power of the Word of Jesus Christ with disease (4:37-39)

      Jesus moved from a ministry to multitudes to ministry at home.

      A. Intercessory prayer (Acts 12:5; Rom. 15:30; uper)

      R. A. Torrey said, “There are few converted in this world unless in connection with someone’s prayers.”

          1. Intimate acquaintance (Mk. 14:33; Lk. 8:51, 9:28; Peter, James, John)

          2. Importunate asking

              a. Demand (Lk. 8:24; rebuked)

              b. Departure (Lk. 5:24; send away)

      B. Instantaneous praise (Lk. 18:43; glorified God)

      R. A. Torrey wrote, “The true purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer.”

Lk. 22:26-27 [ESV]. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

 IV. Power of the Word of Jesus Christ with deliverance (4:40-41)

      A. Sickness (Jn. 5:3, 11:3; someone loved by God)

          1. Hands (Mk. 5:23; Lk. 13:13)

          2. Healing (Lk. 9:1, 10:9)

      Edersheim wrote, “No picture of the Christ more dear to us, than this of the unlimited healing of whatever disease of body or soul.” Edersheim said, “It was, so to speak, an inward necessity that the God-Man, when brought into contact with disease and misery, whether from physical or supernatural causes, should remove it by His Presence, by His touch, by His Word.”

      Jesus met all those who came with compassionate healing. Jesus did not require previous faith or forgiveness.

      John R. Bisagno noted, “Let it be clearly understood that New Testament healing was always done on unsaved people, most of whom believed in Christ in response to the miraculous sign of their healing.”

      B. Satan (Mt. 8:29; Mk. 3:11; recognize the authority of Christ)

          1. Confess (Lk. 8:28; Phil. 2:10)

          2. Control (Lk. 9:42; Col. 2:15)

  V. Power of the Word of Jesus Christ with discipleship (4:42-44)

      A. Walk with God (Mk. 1:35; Lk. 1:80, 5:16; private time with God)

      B. Witness to people (Lk. 8:39; Acts 5:42; pull of the people)

      Alan Redpath said, “I believe the Lord has taught me this lesson above all: Never to undertake more Christian work than can be covered in believing prayer.”

      E. M. Bounds stated, “All ability to talk to men is measured by the ability with which a preacher can talk to God for men.”

World need! World need! World need!

How we feel, dear God, the full urge of it;

And the swing and the swirl and the surge of it,

The distress of it,

The dire press of it;

And the pall and the thrall and the call

That comes now from the great and the small.

World need! World need! World need!

How we feel, dear God, the dread chill of it,

And the dearth and the death and the debt of it;

The vast sweep of it,

The great deep of it;

And the wear and the tear and the care

That breaks now the sad hearts everywhere!

World need! World need! World need!

We thank Thee, dear God, for the chance of it;

For the reach and the risk and the romance of it,

The high hope of it,

The strong cope of it;

For the way and the sway and the stay

That comes now for the task for today. (E. P. Alldredge)