An Encounter With Demons

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. And I would invite your attention to Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8. And I would like to begin reading at verse 26. By way of context, we have been studying in the Gospel of Luke for some time on Sunday mornings as we've had opportunity to do so. [00:00:41] And we are in the midst of a presentation that the Lord makes of himself and his ministry. The last Lord's Day we looked at the occasion of the storm on the Sea of Galilee and how the Lord used that to challenge the disciples. Beginning at verse 26, And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, [00:01:15] which had devils long time, and wear no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, For oft times it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and fetters, and he broke the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness. [00:01:55] And Jesus answered him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion, because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. and there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them and he suffered or allowed them. Then went the devils out of the man and entered into the swine [00:02:27] and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake and were choked. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled and went and told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils were departed sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid they also which saw it told them by what means he was possessed of devils [00:03:04] He that was possessed of devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear, and he went up into the ship and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house and show how great things God hath done unto thee. [00:03:38] And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. In this context, the Lord Jesus Christ is demonstrating his power and certifying who he is. It includes the power over the sea, over natural things. [00:04:14] And in the coming of the sea at his command, ceasing of the wind, we are reminded that by Jesus, Paul says in Colossians, all things are held together all things are maintained and he who controls then the forces of nature is certifying that he is the Messiah that he in fact is God the Son in this passage that we have read we see his power over the spirit world [00:04:52] his power over demons his authority they actually ask him for some favors but they acknowledge his authority this plurality of demons called legion He, by their own statement, he has the power to send them to hell. [00:05:32] The term deep that is found in this context in verse 31 is a reference to hell, Hades, some would even identify it with the bottomless pit. Those types of references would come into play there. So they're asking him not to send them there, which infers that they acknowledge that he has that authority. [00:06:09] In the later context, in the next part of the passage, beyond where we're going today, he demonstrates his power over physical life and sickness and death. He has that type of authority and power. So we're in that context of the Lord demonstrating who he is. and we would like to look today at this passage from some vantage points and if they are not if it is not complete we want to say up front that it won't be there are many vantage points to view this passage there's a tremendous amount of truth that can be taught from this incident we would [00:07:06] And the first thing that I would like us to notice are the signs of the demonic that you find demonstrated here as they arrive after coming across the sea and through the storm and all of that at the country of the Gadarenes, which is across the lake from Tiberias. And it's over on the Golan Heights side of the Lake of Galilee, or the Sea of Galilee. [00:07:42] They arrive there and immediately encounter this man that is demon-possessed. And the signs of the demonic, if you'll notice with me at verses 27 and 28, There's a clear statement of the Word of God that this man had devils or demons. He was demon-possessed, had been for a long time. Nakedness would be one of the signs of the demonic. [00:08:17] That doesn't mean that everyone that doesn't wear a biblical amount of clothing is demon-possessed. but it does say that the whole tone of nakedness, the whole idea of taking off clothes versus the scriptural point of putting on clothes is demonic. It's one of the signs of the demonic. And we do not have to look around our worldly culture very long to see those signs. [00:08:52] I don't know about you, but as I have been in the Walmart and some of those places this spring, it seems worse than usual. I think the styles have taken a few notches downward just this year in the area of nakedness on the part of both male and the female in our worldly culture. It leans more and more toward the pagan whereas we have said before [00:09:24] as you examine some of the other worldly cultures in what we call paganism of course the United States is a pagan nation as far as that goes but as you see those things that we call or refer to as paganism Where both men and women would wear not more than a loincloth in abject nakedness, we seem to, as a society, head in that direction rather constantly. [00:09:58] And I have no doubt in my mind that what we as a society will arrive there, apart from a revival or a series of revivals, that in fact is where our culture is headed. We as Christians need to be alert to that and not fall into step with the world in those ways. Biblically, we are commanded to be clothed, to be covered. It is the demonic, it is the realm of sin and the bondage to sin that brings nakedness [00:10:36] in whatever element of nakedness that you wish to consider. and so it's not without note that he was naked that is what the demons would do to us as human beings and if you want to go into a more detailed study of that just study what happened in the Garden of Eden and its implications and all that and it will become more clear to you and other signs that are here. [00:11:08] You will notice that he didn't stay at home. It's very interesting. It says, neither abode in any house. Now, you could take this in all kinds of wrong directions. We must be careful in our interpretation of Scripture not to assume what is not taught. You know, just because some of you enjoy the out of doors and enjoy sleeping under the stars and all that, that doesn't mean that you have demonic influence. [00:11:45] But his total reluctance to any level of confinement, his total reluctance to any order of the house, That, I think we can conclude, is a sign of the demonic. That doesn't mean the homeless people in the cities are demonic, though some may be. But just homelessness is not a sign of the demonic at all. [00:12:22] And we should be able to identify with homeless people in this way, but for the grace of God, there we could be. On the other hand, if there is a total rejection of the covering that we would call a house, Not only of clothes, but a total rejection of a home environment, a rejection of a covering that we would call a building. [00:12:59] That could well be a sign of the demonic. Notice also that there is opposition to the gospel, opposition to Christ in particular. What have I to do with thee? Verse 28 Crying with a loud voice against the gospel and the person of the gospel and against Christ Acknowledging that Christ torments the demon [00:13:35] When we are in Christ When we are following Christ When we are walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, the demons, while they may tempt us as Satan tempted Christ, the demons will be uncomfortable with us. If we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit as a believer is, if we are walking in the Spirit in accordance with the Word of God, those things are tormenting to the demon. [00:14:18] Those things are even protective, we could say, of us. But there is always an opposition to the person of Jesus Christ and to the Gospel. Does that mean everyone that opposes the gospel is demon-possessed? No. But when you find that aggression when the name of Christ is mentioned, [00:14:50] that could be demon-possession that we are observing. That could be. Certainly demon-possession would be that way. That's what we can conclude. but in our apart from salvation the natural man will oppose the Bible clearly says apart from salvation the natural man without the help of the demons will oppose the gospel so it does not mean that everybody who opposes Christ is demon possessed [00:15:20] a demon possession would result in a very radical aggressive opposition to Jesus Christ. There's also a total power that is illustrated if you look in verse 29. It speaks about the demon-possessed man that he was kept bound in chains and fetters and he [00:16:00] or the demon-possessed person, the person who has demons is going to be very powerful and not easily confined if confinable. Now some of these characteristics are taken on by those who have mental problems. And because of that, some people will say that all mental problems are the result of demonic activity. [00:16:33] I would object to that. Some problems that would appear to be, shall I say, mental, could well be demonic. On the other hand, I believe that it has been sufficiently demonstrated That our minds, our brains, are subject to illness like any other part of our body And all illness originally came from the curse [00:17:04] That doesn't mean that our own sinfulness personally causes our illness, necessarily But I would believe that there is such a thing as mental illness apart from demonic activity On the other hand, some things, some cases of mental illness, or what is called mental illness, could likely and probably are the result of demonic activity. And we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to determine difference, [00:17:41] because it makes a great deal of difference how that individual would be handled. Whether we would, in the name of Jesus, seek to cast out a demon or whether we would seek other types of care for them. So I would encourage us to be cautious in how we evaluate these things and not jump to conclusions and not make rash, inclusive statements. [00:18:15] But are the things that we identify as serious mental illness possibly demonic? Yes, they are possibly demonic. Are they always demonic? I would say no. So, caution and heavy dependence upon the Spirit of God, using the Word of God in any type of attempted diagnoses that we might make. We'd also like to notice from this passage the mission of demons and it somewhat overlays with what we've already said. [00:18:59] But not only in terms of the signs of demonic activity that you have here, but there is a mission. The mission of the demons is not particularly nakedness, although it comes out that way. That's more a sign that the demon is involved if it's in its intensive form and these other things that we have discussed. But the demons have a mission, and that is destruction. [00:19:33] And you see this with the man. They had essentially destroyed his life. This man was a man to be feared. This man was a man who was thought of as crazy and dangerous. That would be the only reason I would think that they would have put him in manacles and fetters and so on. That they thought he was dangerous, which he probably was. [00:20:05] And the demons had made him that way. The demons had made him a danger to humanity, a danger to himself. They had destroyed this man, even though he was living. They had destroyed him as far as being youthful. He was destroyed. while yet living. [00:20:38] There's also the destruction of the pigs, the swine. And I'm inclined to think that the Lord did something here for our sake and for the sake of those there. The demons themselves testify that he could have sent them to hell. And we are to assume, I think, as you read this context and study it and look at parallel passages, that had he done that, they couldn't have gotten out. [00:21:12] That would have been the end of those demons or that set of demons called legion. They would have been confined there forever. That's an assumption on my part, but I think it's a reasoned assumption. but instead of doing that the Lord had something to teach us and that is that these demons are not just destructive to man they are destructive to the creation and so they ask rather than being confined to the abyss [00:21:48] they ask if they could be if they could indwell these pigs the Lord knowing full well What was going to happen? Now there are those who point out that there are some ulterior things happening here. These were people, the scripture says this country is right up against Galilee. These were people, some would feel that they were renegade Jewish people. [00:22:19] I don't know that we know for sure, but think about it. If you understand those who are operating under the Old Testament. What were they doing growing pigs? So there's probably some other things going on. And the Lord may have had something else in mind as well in the destruction of these pigs. But I believe the principal lesson is [00:22:49] that if the demons are not disposed of they will destroy man or beast or any other part of nature any other part of the creation. The mission of the demons who are Satan's assistants is destruction. And Christ who holds all things together [00:23:22] keeps that destruction from becoming ultimate. In other words, yes, the demons are given a little rope here and there and they can do some destruction and that is their mission and that is their work, their committed work under Satan. But they are held in certain confinement by the one who holds all things together. So the earth is not going to fall apart under demonic power until God says so. [00:23:56] If, in fact, that is a part of the final act, whether demons will be involved in that could be debated. but mark the fact that when they ask to go into these swine these swine die they are destroyed and mark the fact that demons have a mission and that is a mission of destruction [00:24:26] of the creation and distortion of the creation You see the distortion in the man and destruction. You see the destruction on the part of the swine. I would like us to also think then, having outlined some of the negative aspects of this passage, of the response to the work of God. [00:25:01] And there are two responses. And we'll look at the natural man's response first. The response of the natural sinful man to the power of God over the demons. And when you have the power of God as over against demonic activity, There is transformation. [00:25:35] And there was here. And as the natural man viewed that, that transformation which resulted in economic loss through the destruction of the swine, even though that transformation made a new man out of this demoniac, When you have that, the natural man says, no, that's not what I want. [00:26:11] I would rather have my pigs than to have a transformed life of my neighbor. That's the response of the natural man here. And as you look at the passage, I think it's rather clear. verse 34 when they that fed the pigs saw what was done they fled and told it in the city and in the country and then notice in verses 36 and following verses 36 37 actually then they also which saw it told [00:26:42] them by what means he was possessed of devils was healed so here's the picture of the transformation here's the evidence here the witnesses now notice in verse 37 then the whole multitude of the The country of the Gadarenes, round about, besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear. The response of the natural man to the transforming work of God is, [00:27:14] No. Get away from me. I'm afraid. Did you ever think about how people respond to the transforming work of God today? Isn't it a little similar to this? If you have someone who is very obviously a very public sinner, Who is the dirt of society [00:27:52] And that person gets saved And transformed by the grace of God Isn't it in the natural man to say I don't like this I'm afraid of this This can't last or a whole bunch of things along that line. Stay away from me with that type of message. I think so. And even sometimes that infects the church. [00:28:25] But it is the response of the natural man as it was here. They had an economic loss. They had a transformed man. And they wanted none of it. They blamed Jesus. He was to blame, and they told him to leave. That is the response of the natural man to the work of God, the transforming work of God. But let us also note on a positive note the power or the fruit of the work of God. [00:29:06] Notice verse 35. They went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. Now these are also the natural men, so you have here the record of what they saw. And it says they were afraid in this passage also. The nakedness is gone. [00:29:37] Because this man has been transformed by the power of God into a new creation. And there's no longer the desire to take off his clothes. There's the desire to put on clothes. And as you look at the natural man versus the spiritual man in the New Testament, you have repeated commands put on, put on, put on, be clothed by [00:30:10] and those are spiritual elements but they also certify the physical and you'll find that emphasis and so this man went to the opposite now from being naked to being clothed From saying with the voice, with his natural voice, but in the power of the demons, saying, What do I have to do with you, Jesus? [00:30:43] To sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to him joyfully, feeding on the truth from the lips of the Savior. And then it says that he was in his right mind. He was in his right mind. Which infers, of course, that he was acting out of his mind. [00:31:18] And the demons, we know, were responsible for that. But when one is in relationship with Jesus Christ He will appear in his right mind Apart from the illnesses that we touched on earlier There is the desire for the presence of God As you read on in this passage, verse 38 The man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him [00:31:49] But Jesus sent him away He desires the presence of God. He wants Jesus to stay. He wants to continue to learn at Jesus' feet. That's the result of the transforming power of God. Now we can make some additional applications. A demon-possessed person is going to be radically all the things that we've noted here. [00:32:25] A sinner, not necessarily demon-possessed, will have some of these same qualities because of the power of the devil and sin. But the true believer who has been healed and transformed by the grace of God, spiritually healed and transformed by the grace of God, will be entirely different. He will be one who desires to sit at the Savior's feet. [00:33:01] He will be one who desires to put on rather than take off. He will be one who is in his right mind. Now in terms of this right mind, we could take it a step further. And I'm sure we understand that here it speaks of the man who was obviously not in his right mind. But can't we take it a step further and say that right mind can be applied to right before God [00:33:40] Which in the ways of the world may not be considered in one's right mind There are times when Christians are thought of by the world as very much not in their right mind They are crazy people to the world And so I just take that a step further by way of application. In our right mind flows from a right relationship with God and the world may think of that as not being necessarily in one's right mind. [00:34:15] As you think about what this passage teaches in terms of the power of God, I want to encourage us all to take this mindedness that you see here and apply it to our everyday lives. Too many times I think we look at what could very well be demonic activity [00:34:47] but at least is sinful. and we think of it as normative. That's just the way things are. And there's even a temptation sometimes to fit in with it. But the Bible tells us something entirely different. We are not to fit in with that. If we are really right-minded before God, We will love to sit at Jesus' feet. [00:35:24] We want to be with Him. We live this life here as just a waiting period to be with Him. Looking for and hastening to the time when we will be with Him. Meanwhile, hearing Him speak through the written Word of God. and desiring to do his will. So may we take that as the final application of this morning [00:35:56] as we continue to meditate on the passage to be like the man became. Whatever we were, wherever we came from, whatever our background whatever detours we have been on in our lifetime to be like the man became clothed [00:36:28] sitting at the feet of Jesus and in our right mind let's pray thank you Father for your word Lord bless it to our hearts and strengthen our lives by your grace through your spirit as we meditate on this passage we pray in Jesus name amen