Sunday Message Summary, 19 March 2023
The preferred place of dwelling and habitation for demons is in the body of a human being. Demons bring disorder, and they are the reason people do filthy things. Demons also bring discomfort, suffering, disease, and pain to our lives. Christians can never be possessed by demons because they belong to GOD, but they can be demonized out of ignorance, and it is an error when demons are dominating Christians. Demons must therefore be cast out, but the real casting out of demons is kingdom versus kingdom, power versus power, and authority versus authority. It is impossible for the devil to stand against himself because the kingdom of darkness is united and orderly in its darkness (Matthew 12:24-26). The real casting out of demons is done only by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28). There ought to be one stronger to overthrow a strong man (demons), one from a superior kingdom to that of the strong man (Matthew 12:29). That One who is stronger and from a superior kingdom is Jesus.
Deliverance is something that must be done because if a demon is not confronted and commanded to go out, it will not leave. We must therefore be determined and active. Until Jesus went out, those oppressed of the devil could not be delivered and set free (Acts 10:38). If we don’t trouble the devil, he will trouble us. Christianity is a warfare, and this war is dirty, so we must trample demons, i.e., subdue and exercise power over demons, bringing them under domination and control, and beating them to subjection. Nothing overthrows the devil like does deliverance. Through deliverance, the Kingdom of Heaven is advancing in power and the sons of the Kingdom are taking ground and territory from Satan (Matthew 11:4-5,12). Our mandate, as given by the LORD, is to go out, but we must be sent by Jesus Christ to be able to disturb the kingdom of darkness (Luke 10:1, 17-19). We should go, overpower, bind, and take what is ours, but no demon will be cast out by anyone who has no authority and power over it.
A demon expelled will always come back. It is for this reason that after being delivered we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. The demon that has left us will come back, and if it finds availability in us, it calls for more demons as backup (Matthew 12:43-45). This is why we must be in Christ, be full of the Holy Spirit, and not dabble in the kingdom of darkness. We maintain deliverance by going and sinning no more (John 8:3-11). When we are ready for deliverance, we must be determined to live a life that is pleasing to GOD, because true deliverance comes with change. The issue of maintenance of deliverance is therefore a question of a relationship with Jesus Christ. If we don’t continue living in the light, the darkness will overcome us. We maintain our deliverance by not going back to the world, and unfaithfulness to GOD is faithfulness to Satan, whether we are aware of it or not (James 4:4). We must turn our backs on the world if we are to maintain our freedom in Christ. Not only must we leave the world, but we must expose the deeds of the world and the powers of darkness. The Word will not multiply if we are secretive Christians who don’t expose darkness (Acts 19:18-20).
Jesus teaches us that we should deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11-12). Satan is looking for whomever he may destroy, and he will come when we least expect it. We therefore need mental sobriety at all times, not letting our guards down (1 Peter 5:8-9). We must resist the devil in the spirit, and not in the flesh because we are in a spiritual warfare which cannot be fought in the physical. Satan wants to ruin every area of our lives, and he will always fight to regain control, so we must know our enemy and always resist him.
If we don’t trouble the devil, he will trouble us
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