June 25 | Casting Out Demons

Series | The Spirit Filled Life

Scripture | Mark 9:25, “… he rebuked the impure spirit. You deaf and mute spirit, he said, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

Lesson 25 | Casting Out Demons

I’ll never forget the first time I personally saw demons cast out of a man.  I was a young pastor working in the inner city of New Orleans.  A homeless man on drugs that often came by the church to receive help stopped by one night while we were getting ready to leave.  He was obviously on drugs, however, he was acting very strange compared to our past encounters with him.  He was saying things like, “I want the devil to leave me alone… I don’t want to be like this anymore.”

So we asked if we could pray for him and the moment I said the name, “Jesus,” he fell to the floor and began to slither on the ground like a snake and scream in agony.  Within milliseconds we placed our hands on him and started shouting, “Satan we cast you out of this man in the name of Jesus.  Leave him now!  Set him free in Jesus name!”

After just a few moments of praying with intensity he let out a loud shriek and became limp on the ground.  Instantly we felt the atmosphere change and could see he was totally sober.  Then he stood up and started praising God with tears coming down his eyes.  Afterward he gave his life to Jesus and came home with us.

Since that day I 've seen many people get delivered from demons.  Whether it was on mission trips to India or outreaches in my church, Jesus always comes in His mighty power and casts the demons out.  Remember, Satan and Jesus are not in an arm wrestling match- Jesus cast Satan out of heaven and crushed him on the earth.  Thus, all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus (Matt. 28:18 & Luke 10:19)!

Disciples everywhere should always be ready to enforce the authority of Jesus over Satan’s Kingdom here on earth.  Therefore, if you ever discern a spirit is from the Devil cast it out in Jesus’ name!  Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world, 1 John 4:4! 

Reflection | Are you ready to cast of demons in Jesus’ name?   

Action | (1) Have you ever seen demons cast out in Jesus’ name?  If yes, describe the time. (2) Do you believe Jesus can use you to deliver people from Satan’s power? (3) Lastly, next time you sense demons are in someone, cast them out in the mighty name of Jesus!

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Kings 8:1-9:13, Acts 16:16-40, Psalm 143:1-12, & Proverbs 17:26. Click here to read online. 

June 24 | These Signs Will Follow

Series | The Spirit Filled Life

Scripture | Mark 16:17, “And these signs will accompany those who believe…”

Lesson 24 | These Signs Will Follow

When God choose Moses to be His representative He gave him miraculous signs to verify the message, Exodus 4:1-9.  The same is true when Jesus in the above passage spoke to his disciples to go and preach the Gospel to all people.  He promised to provide them with signs to display God’s power.

A sign is an “indication or proof of God’s power.”  God told the prophet Joel that in the last days He would pour out His pour and would, “show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below,” Acts 2:19.  Also, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on Gods power.”

What are the signs that Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18 that should follow the preaching of the Gospel?  They are: (1) Casting out demons, (2) Speaking in new tongues, (3) Invincibility, & (4) Healing of the sick.  The passage then ends with these encouraging words in Mark 16:20, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.” 

It is clear that when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to baptize the disciples in power it was for the purpose of spreading the Gospel with signs following.  Ofcourse, people with wicked hearts demand signs to believe (Matt. 16:4), but these signs are not for them, they are for the genuine seeker to see God is both powerful and personal. 

Therefore, every disciple should seek the spiritual gifts and ask that God would grant them signs as they preach the Gospel! 

Reflection | Have you ever witnessed one of God’s signs?   

Action | (1) Describe a time you saw someone healed, speak in new tongues, be invincible, or cast out demons.  (2) Are you willing to let God perform His signs of the Gospel through you?  (3) Lastly, next time you preach the Gospel ask God to display His power for all to see! 

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Kings 6:1-7:20, Acts 15:36-16:15, Psalm 142:1-7, & Proverbs 17:24-25. Click here to read online. 

June 23 | Order in the Church

Series | The Spirit Filled Life

Scripture | 1 Corinthians 14:32-33, “32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace —as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.”

Lesson 23 | Order in the Church

There are generally two opposite opinions concerning the order of the gifts that are both wrongly held in many churches today.  First, some people think that for the Spirit of God to move freely people need to be “granola Christians,” mainly, “fruits, nuts, and flakes.”  This twisted view of the gifts tries to make the bizarre and strange the “norm” and stresses human emotion and extremism.

Second, equally as wrong but on the other end, is the idea that the Holy Spirit can only move if He is neat, tidy, and in perfect order with man’s agenda.  Basically, churches like this believe the Holy Spirit is the exact representation of their plans.  This kind of “order” generally grieves the Holy Spirit and quenches His fire.

I believe the biblical order (or “proper use”) of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is in the middle of these two extremes.  As one reads the New Testament it is clear that the Holy Spirit did unexpected things, however, He wasn’t drawing attention to “strange and weird” things but rather to the preaching of the Gospel.  For example, the first time the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost the bystanders thought the disciples were drunk (Acts 2:12-13), however, this wasn’t the main emphasis because within moments they heard the Gospel preaching of Peter rebuke their sin and draw them to genuine repentance, Acts 2:37-38.

Here are three things to do to insure biblical order concerning the gifts, (a) Always remember your gift is subject to the church leadership- don’t be a “prophetic rebel,” (2) The gifts will always draw people to Christ- not “fleshly weirdness,” and lastly, (3) Remember its not about you- its about the Holy Spirit.   

Reflection | Have you ever been guilty of being a “granola Christian” or a “Holy Ghost quencher?”   

Action | (1) Talk to your church’s leadership and seek their wisdom on how to use the gifts in the services.  (2) Make sure every time you’re used in the gifts people are drawn towards Jesus and the Gospel.  (3) Lastly, don’t be a granola Christian or a Holy Ghost quencher, instead be a radical Spirit filled disciple!

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Kings 4:18-5:27, Acts 15:1-35, Psalm 141:1-10, & Proverbs 17:23. Click here to read online.

June 22 | Eagerly Desire Spiritual Gifts

Series | The Spirit Filled Life

Scripture | 1 Corinthians 14:1, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”

Lesson 22 | Eagerly Desire Spiritual Gifts

As a pastor I hear the excuses people make all the time to not be used in the spiritual gifts.  The most popular one I always hear is, “I don’t have any spiritual gifts because God hasn’t given me any.”  While it may be true that they have yet to operate in the gifts of the Spirit the fact of the matter is its not because God hasn’t given them any- its because they haven’t been eagerly desiring to be given them!

Take for example salvation; God has made salvation available to everyone, 1 John 4:14.  However, only those who believe and accept the gift of salvation are saved.  The same is true with the spiritual gifts- God has made them available to everyone, but only those who believe and accept the gifts will be used in them.

Hence the reason for Paul stating what he did in the above passage.  He clearly says to “follow love” and “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit.”  He couldn’t have been clearer concerning his command towards believers and the gifts- go after them!

It has always been the heart of God to have a people filled with His Spirit.  In the time of Moses the Israelites saw others receive the gifts and they asked Moses if they should stop them but he responded in Numbers 11:29, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Plus, when the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost the main passage Peter preached from was an Old Testament promise to all of God’s people.  Joel 2:28-29 reads, “28 And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

Therefore, rid yourself of all your excuses and jump in the rivers of God!  Eagerly desire the spiritual gifts and get ready to be used by God! 

Reflection | Are you eagerly desiring the gifts of the Spirit?   

Action | (1) Ask God daily to use you in the gifts of the Spirit. (2) Always come to church ready to be used by God.  (3) Lastly, wherever you go in life ask God to bless others through you via the gifts of the Spirit!

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Kings 3:1-4:17, Acts 14:8-28, Psalm 140:1-13, & Proverbs 17:22. Click here to read online. 

June 21 | The Operation of All Gifts

Series | The Spirit Filled Life

Scripture | 1 Corinthians 12:11, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

Lesson 21 | The Operation of All Gifts

Have you ever watched your favorite band play live music- whether in person or on video?  Did you notice how all the musicians had a specific part to play to make the music sound good?  The same is true with spiritual gifts in the church.  When we as different members of the Body of Christ get together the Holy Spirit will distribute (give) His gifts to “each one” of us just as He determines.

In other words, Spirit filled disciples are members of God’s band here on earth and the Holy Spirit is the lead singer in charge of assigning each person’s specific roles.  When the Holy Spirit gives you the gifts of healing and another the gift of prophecy everything will work in perfect harmony for the glory of God.

The difference between the spiritual gifts and the band example is that most musicians can’t play every instrument well because they lack the ability.  However, since the Holy Spirit is the giver and enabler of the nine spiritual gifts every one is able to preform each gift perfectly. 

As a result, there are two important things to remember when it comes to the operation of the spiritual gifts, (1) Everyone who is Spirit filled has the potential to receive and operate in all of the nine gifts, and (2) The Holy Spirit is always in charge of distributing the gifts as He sees best.

So the biggest question concerning operating in the spiritual gifts isn’t, “Does God want to use me?”  But rather, “How will the Holy Spirit use me today?”   

Reflection | Are you willing to be used by God in the operation of the spiritual gifts?   

Action | (1) Have you ever operated in the nine gifts of the Spirit? Describe the experience.  (2) Are you willing for God to call on you at anytime to do your part in sharing the blessing of the nine gifts? (3) Lastly, next time your either witnessing or in church, ask God to use you in the spiritual gifts.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Kings 1:1-2:25, Acts 13:42-14:7, Psalm 139:1-24, & Proverbs 17:19-21. Click here to read online.