Calvary Road Baptist Church
“DEMONS”
There comes the point in time when a Christian wants to break through and experience the genuinely extraordinary blessings of God in his life. He desires the power of the Holy Spirit so that he or she might be wonderfully used of God. When that occurs in a Christian’s life, it is regrettable to see him or her give up in hopeless despair, thinking that either God’s formula for successful living works for everyone else but you or that God’s recipe for success doesn’t produce the kind of results anymore that used to be commonplace in biblical times.
Wherever you happen to be in your Christian life, this message addresses a topic of consideration often overlooked by Bible teachers and students alike. I am more than convinced that the subject of today’s message is one of the essential keys to spiritual living that there is. Our time will briefly focus on the subject of demons. Why is it, when the Word of God so clearly identifies our enemies to be spiritual adversaries that can be neither seen nor audibly heard, that we continue to call ourselves the enemy, other people the enemy, or effectively deny that there is an enemy altogether?
I am sorry I aired that poor excuse for a documentary two Sunday nights ago, in which the narrator seemed to talk around the title of the documentary more than speaking to the title of the documentary, “Demons.” Upon reflection, I am persuaded the documentary illustrated my question more than answering it.
I ask you again. Why is it, when the Word of God so clearly identifies our enemies to be spiritual adversaries that can be neither seen nor audibly heard, that we continue to call ourselves the enemy, other people the enemy, or effectively deny that there is an enemy altogether? Why we do that was not addressed or answered in the documentary but is answered in this message. The fact that we must stop allowing ourselves to be misled is real. Do you really wish to serve God? Do you really wish to live a spiritually vibrant life? Do you want your life to count for something? Then you must learn to address your enemy.
To help you do just that, I will share with you three preliminary and profoundly basic points of importance. What demons do. Why demons do it. How demons do it. When you know the what, the why, and the how of their opposition, you will be better able to overcome, overwhelm, and drive them away from you, in fulfillment of several Bible passages:
James 4.7:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
First Peter 5.8-9:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Let me posit, for proof to be shown on another occasion, that the devil, formerly known as Lucifer, and now also referred to as Satan, is the most prominent and powerful of the demons. What applies to him applies to demons, and what applies to demons applies to him.
First, WHAT DEMONS DO
Examine the entire Bible, and you will see two basic tactics that demons, including Satan, employ in their attacks. Two basic targets that they shoot for, to disable or to destroy their adversaries ... us.
First, demons attack the body. Do you not find it amazing that we can read the Bible, on the one hand, and then dismiss it on the other hand? We can read of the demons, translated devils, attacking people physically in the Bible, but then discount any possibility of the same occurring nowadays. Let’s not be naive, people. What demons could do during the time of our Lord Jesus’ ministry on earth, they can do now. If a demon could attack the Apostle Paul and much afflict his vision, who are we to think demons can’t cause arthritis or diabetes, obesity, or heart disease?
Second Corinthians 12.7:
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”
Galatians 4.15:
“Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”
Turn in your Bible to Luke 4.40-41. In this passage, the Lord Jesus healed all kinds of physical ailments and probably mental disorders. And yet verse 41 attributes many of the ailments, the sickness, and diseases, to demons:
40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
If most (not all, but a great many) of those people’s problems were the result of demonic action, why should we not expect much the same nowadays? Do we think that an increased level of sophistication hinders demonic activity? Oh, come on now. It probably enhances demonic activity. How many pill-popping or Rolaid chewing people are merely suffering spiritual attacks but refuse to admit it because of either ignorance or a reluctance to clean their spiritual house?
Besides attacking the body, demons attack the mind and heart. On one of these Sundays, when I deal with demonic doctrine, I will address the specific teachings that demons inspire. But for now, let me give you some illustrative examples of how demons work. Since First Corinthians 10.20 tells us that demons lie back of all idolatry, we can be confident that the doubts and fears of abandonment in Exodus 32 led to the people asking Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship was demon-inspired. Demons, working on the doubts and fears of Israel’s children, likely tempted them to forsake God and worship a statue! Or how about First Samuel 15.23?
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”
Do you know someone who is stubborn? Once they have made their mind up about something, they will not change it ... no matter who’s hurt because of it. Samuel, the prophet, equated stubbornness with idolatry, and idolatry is a demon-work. This causes me to think a stubborn spirit is exactly that ... a stubborn spirit.
What demons do is influence people. They are masters of influence. They influence people by attacking them, physically and mentally. Oh, they will do it very subtly so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. They have found that they can be so much more effective when they are ignored. But they are there. And anyone who does not examine every physical ailment or sinful thought process as being possibly demon-inspired is opening themselves to trouble.
A health care professional who claims to be a Christian but never thinks of, much less addresses, the demonic assaults that are likely occurring with some patients needs to schedule an appointment with me.
How about a wife who refuses, or who deigns to even consider, her priority as a Christian woman after embracing the ministry of a wife, and someday a mother? In God’s Word, she is initially defined as “an help meet for him,” Genesis 2.18. Dost thou think there is no demonic activity suggested by the thinking, by the priorities, and by the refusal of so many wives in our day to help her man achieve his goals and priorities?
Next, WHY DEMONS DO IT
What are the motivations behind demonic behavior? What are the reasons the foul spirits attack human beings, both saved and lost and try to hurt us? Besides the obvious fact that they are lashing out at God through us, here are some reasons why demons do what they do, along with references that you will want to consider for later study.
First, demons do what they do to secure worship:
Jeremiah 17.9:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Romans 3.11:
“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”
First Corinthians 10.20:
“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”
Demons know that perverse man will not seek the face of God on his own. But since human beings are religious, by nature, we can be induced to worship false gods. Who are the false gods? They are always and ever demons.
Next, demons do what they do to blind people to the truth:
Second Corinthians 4.3-4:
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This closely ties in with the previous point. You obviously cannot secure worship that rightly belongs to God alone unless you blind people to the truth.
Third, demons do what they do to cruelly afflict people:
Luke 8.1-3:
1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Luke 13.10-13:
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
Matthew 17.14-21:
14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Some of the things demons do can only be understood in terms of a perverse mind who delights in the sufferings of others.
Fourth, demons do what they do to enslave or control people. Look at the cultures that are dominated by idolatry, which the Bible shows is fostered by demons. They are entire populations that are enslaved to false beliefs. Rather than serve, demons desire to be served. Had they desired to serve, they would not have rebelled against God, because there is no more noble or honorable service than service rendered to God.
Fifth, demons do what they do to defile people for gratification. Demon-inspired practices oftentimes lead to sexual sin and are often drug or narcotics-related. It occurs in most pagan religions. Perhaps demons inspiring this kind of behavior derive pleasure from it. Consider Revelation 21.8:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Methinks it is no coincidence that the Greek word translated sorcerers is farmakeÏV, from which we get pharmaceutical, or drug. Drug addiction, legal or illegal, is oftentimes related to demonic activity in a person’s life, yet how often do health care professionals address such issues?
Sixth, demons do what they do to neutralize a Christian using sin:
Ephesians 4.30:
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
First Thessalonians 5.19:
“Quench not the Spirit.”
A Christian’s eternal destiny is safe, though a Christian enticed to sin becomes a believer who is no threat to demonic causes or agenda. Neutralizing a Christian using sin results in his testimony being destroyed and his spiritual effectiveness being lost.
Seventh, demons do what they do to neutralize Christians and congregations using error:
First Timothy 4.1:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
More under this heading in subsequent messages from God’s Word.
Eighth, demons do what they do to neutralize believers using solitude:
Hebrews 10.23-25:
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Just get a Christian to stay at home when he should be at Church. When this occurs, major catastrophe in the Christian’s life is only a matter of time. Believers may come to Christ as individuals, but God’s plan involves service and ministry in collaboration with others in the congregational setting.
Ninth, demons do what they do to neutralize Christians using compromise:
Second Corinthians 6.14-18:
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
When we compromise and mix with the religious but unregenerate crowd, we are deprived of blessings God wants to give us.
Tenth, demons do what they do to foster disunity in the Church congregation:
John 17.21b:
“that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
Our ability to reach the lost depends upon our unity.
The list goes on. But you see that there are plenty of practical reasons why demons, our mortal enemies, attack us. Though they have no hope whatsoever of winning their war against us, realism is not required in the thoughts of one maddened by sin. Suppose their activities could be distilled down to the essence. In that case, their goal is rightly seen to be the distraction, the diversion, of the child of God’s attention and devotion away from the Savior to something else, anything else besides the Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, HOW DEMONS DO IT
How are demonic beings able to accomplish the things in the lives of human beings that they accomplish? How are they able to hurt so many of us and, at the same time, convince us that we ought to be content with such a mediocre lot in life?
To find out how demons do what they do, turn to Luke 4.1-13:
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Let me ask you a question: How did Satan approach the Lord Jesus Christ? Is there any indication here, or in Matthew chapter 4, that Satan appeared visibly and spoke audibly to our Lord? No. There is no indication that the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted using means different than the means the devil and his demons routinely use on us. His goal was to distract the Savior’s attention from God to Himself in a selfish way, and he needed no physical appearance or audible voice to tempt the Savior.
Turn to Hebrews 4.15:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
You check it out in the Bible: For there to be a temptation, two things must be present ... the tempted and the tempter. If the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted the same way we are (and He was tempted by Satan), or some unsaved man (who Jesus called a child of the devil), then we are tempted the same way. How do demons do it? They do it the same way their leader does it. Direct access to the human mind. Satan tempted our Lord by appealing directly to His mind out in that desert. He did not physically appear so that our Lord saw with physical eyes or heard with physical ears. In like manner, when you and I are tempted to sin, a direct approach to the human mind is involved. Either a demon will speak directly to your conscious mind and attempt to persuade you to sin, or the demon will approach the mind of another person to persuade him to persuade you to sin. Whatever the case, the goal will be a distraction, don’t you see?
Think about it for a moment. Those tactics were used on our Lord, Who was tempted in exactly the same way we are tempted. That means such tactics have to be the way we are tempted if the Word of God is accurate.
These foul beings work on the mind. And since we never consider the possibility that anyone would have direct access to our thinking processes, we are caught unawares. Notice what Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 10.4-5:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Does this passage not strongly suggest that the battlefield on which our conflict is engaged is where imaginations, knowledge, and thoughts abide, to use Paul’s terms? Where else is that but the Christian’s mind?
You can subject yourself to demonic attack if you want to, but I’m having no part of it. You can stroll through life thinking lalalalalalala all you want. But I choose a better option. I don’t want to end up like that daughter of Abraham, crippled for 18 years with arthritis or some other such thing because of an unrecognized Satanic attack on her life. I don’t want to have my spiritual power robbed by a spirit of envy or a spirit of lust ... which spirits are real live demons.
If you are a lost person, these demons can take you at will and do what they want to with you because, being lost, you are a child of the devil, John 8.41 and 44. Your only hope of release from such influences is the blood of Jesus. You need to turn from your sins and trust Christ.
Christian? Don’t think that because demons can’t possess you that you are immune to their influence. Remember, the Apostle Paul suffered a withering attack from demons because of his pride. It almost blinded him. But, by God’s abundant grace in his life, he experienced victory through the ordeal.
“Oh, but such things can’t happen to us.” You know why most Christians think that way? Because of demonic influence in our thought life. That is one of the doctrines of demons.
Why is control of your thought life stressed so much in the Word? Why are Christians commanded to think certain things and in specific ways, to gird up the loins of our minds? Because of demonic access to your mind. If you don’t control your thoughts, if you do not intentionally focus your attention on the Savior and the related things of God by what you read, what you listen to, who you associate with, and what you talk about and meditate upon ... then you are vulnerable.
You say, “Vulnerable, how?” Vulnerable to thinking everyone can serve God except you because you allow them to say those words to you repeatedly. Vulnerable to distraction from the Savior. Were you tempted into silence on the Savior’s birthday, while celebrating the Savior’s birthday, so that you said nothing about the Savior for fear of offending those who reject the Savior? There is also vulnerability to physical problems that result from guilt and stress induced by demons who attack your thought life and even your physical health without opposition.
I could go on and on, but the point is, how can you deal with an enemy such as this unless you first acknowledge them? Yet you typically never think of them, do you? And I will bet you have never met a health care professional, even a professing Christian one, whose professional care of others considers even the possibility of patients being subject to spiritual attacks as the cause of their physical symptoms.
I think we could all stand more consideration of the spiritual side of things. Don’t you? Pay attention to the enemy, not by focusing on demons as central to your concerns. Central to your considerations is the Savior. But that does not exclude peripheral vision, keeping your eyes on the Savior while being aware of the devices and tactics the enemy employs against you.
Would you like to contact Dr. Waldrip about this sermon? Please contact him by clicking on the link below. Please do not change the subject within your email message. Thank you.
Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church