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Behind Enemy Lines Strategies for Life in satan’s territory. Understanding the Works of Demons Luke 4:31-37. The works of satan/Demons. Keep us or take us outside God’s will. Defeat us with his condemnations. Weaken us spiritually in his fallen world.
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Behind Enemy LinesStrategies for Life in satan’s territory Understanding the Works of Demons Luke 4:31-37
The works of satan/Demons • Keep us or take us outside God’s will. • Defeat us with his condemnations. • Weaken us spiritually in his fallen world. • Hinder the work of the Church through disharmony and false teaching. • Steal, silence, the joy of the Lord. • Inflict illness through his presence.
What is “spiritual warfare”? • The action of satan (or his fellow angels or demons) to hinder or disrupt the plan of God in the lives of believers, the church or the world. • 1 John 3:8, “…Son of God came for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil.”
What is a demon? • Matthew 25:41 - angel of satan. • satan is the “first” of this kind. Matt 12:24 • Referred to as: • Unclean spirit, evil spirit • Demon • Angel of the devil • Demons who are not God; new gods • Gentile thought- spirit of deceased person. (Josephus). Ghost.
Satan “types” and demonic hierarchy • Rulers, authorities, powers, dominions on earth; and in the heavenly places. • Ep 1:21, 3:10, 6:22, 1 Peter 3:22, Daniel 10 • False deity. Deut 32:16-17 • Antichrist. 1 John 2:18, 22-23; Rev 13:10-18 • Demon. 81x in NT and OT.
Demons have human–like Characteristics • Fear. Luke 4:34, 8:28; James 2:19 • Reason. Luke 4:34, 8:28-30, Ezek 28:17 • Morally responsible. Mt 25:41; Jude 1:6 • Sometimes named. Luke 8:30, Rev 9:11
Demons have satan–like Characteristics • Destroyer, destruction. • Luke 8:26-33; Matt 27:5 • Supernatural power? Acts 19:14-16 • Prefers to hide. Ezek 28:12. John 8:44 • Ability to identify believers spiritually (not by sight). Luke 4:34, 8:28, Acts 19:15. Rev 12:17
Demons have satan–like Characteristics • Desires to reside in a human host: • Luke 11:24-26 • Goes out of a person. • “waterless places.” • Luke 8:30-31 • “abyss” is the “bottomless pit.” Luke 8:30-31, Rev 9:1-2; 11 • Must have a door. Matt 16:23, Ep 4:26-27
Can a Christian be indwelt by a demon? • Argument: the Holy Spirit and a demon cannot be present in the same individual. • A demon cannot control a “place” that has been yielded to the Holy Spirit. • 1 John 4:3-4
The meaning of “possessed” • Greek verb, passive tense – to have. • Literally, v33, “…a man who had an [evil] spirit…” KJV, ESV • Not “owned” by the [evil] spirit” • Under the power or influence of … • Cain – 1 John 3:12 (of the evil one)
Demons have these weapons • Our fears. • Our ignorance. (Western only) • Our knowledge. (Western only) • Demons lie to us in our own voice. • Their lord satan has the world’s microphone. • Demons know our buttons (the flesh).
Where does the occult fit in with demons? • Leviticus 19:31, 20:6-7 • Deuteronomy 18:9-14 • Isaiah 8:19
Does the bible suggest that demonization was temporary? • Authority to cast out. Matt 10:1, 3:15, Luke 10:18-19 • Paul warns multiple times. • John warns about antichrist, satan, end-times activities. 1 John 2:18, 22-23; 4:1f • Every NT book. Hebrews 2:14.
Does the bible suggest that demonization was temporary? • Jesus mentions 17x; casts out 9x; in synoptic • Jesus’ final prayer for believers is that they be kept from the evil one. John 17:15
When should a deliverance be done? • Only after a complete surrender to the Lord. • Luke 11:24-26 • In the faith that Christ is greater. • 1 John 4:4