Matthew 8:28-34
Spiritual Warfare ~ the power of the prince
Would you open your Bibles to...
Matt. 8:28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
Matt. 8:29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Matt. 8:30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.
Matt. 8:31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”
Matt. 8:32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Matt. 8:33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
Matt. 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Pray
Intro
√ Spiritual warfare
Of all the accounts in the Gospels in which Jesus battles with demons, this account receives the most attention.
Mark and Luke also include this conflict, in fact we’ll reference Mark’s Gospel to glean greater insight into the topic of spiritual warfare.
It’s interesting that Matthew, Mark & Luke devote more ink to this conflict than any other battle with demons…
…including Jesus’ battle with Satan in the wilderness!
Ex. Mark’s Gospel
Mark gives only 2 verses in chapter 1 to Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, whereas this conflict is recorded in 20 verses!
Obviously this incident was very important in the minds of the Gospel writers, and to the Holy Spirit Who inspired their writing.
So, we want to pay close attention to this account so that we gain a Biblical understanding of Satan’s power and limitations.
√ Spiritual warfare
This section provides us with a detailed look at spiritual warfare…
…the conflict between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God.
It provides us with “intel” on how our enemy wages war!
How demons operate
Their power over people
The limits of their power
How they respond to Jesus the King
Very important because there are volumes of misinformation, disinformation, and outright fanciful imagination regarding demons, their sphere of influence and power, and how Christians are to deal with them.
This unbiblical teaching has created...
Strange practices in the Christian community
Wrong thinking in the minds of believers
Wasted effort by well meaning brothers
...all of which is fruitless in combating our enemy.
Ex. Unbiblical teaching
John Dawson – “Spiritual mapping or Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare”
Believe that cities, communities, countries, etc., are under the authority of demons and that for the Church to effectively win people to Christ requires that believers first disarm the demonic powers, or territorial spirits.
Neil Anderson’s - “Bondage Breaker”
Believe that sin issues and behavior problems in the lives of Christians are the result of demonic strongholds, and un-confessed sin. Believe a Christian can only be freed by going through a 7-step deliverance.
Well meaning guys I’m sure, but their model for spiritual warfare is not practiced in the Bible by Jesus or any of the saints!
Ex. No Biblical model
We don’t find Jesus or any of His disciples…
Mapping the spiritual powers of a community
Teaching or practicing steps of deliverance
Investing time chasing after demons
Instead we find them preaching, teaching, doing God’s will and when they come across the works of Satan they handle it in one step…
…casting the demon out in the Name of Jesus!
Ap. No power!
When Christians practice unbiblical spiritual warfare they find that they…
Waste a lot of time chasing demons vs. fulfilling the Great Commission.
Experience no real power over the Devil or his works
Often blame the devil for their own disobedience
“the devil made me do it!”
When in reality it’s an obedience issue!
So, if you’ve ever wanted a Biblical perspective on the subject of Spiritual Warfare - this is the text for it.
Let’s look!
The target of Satan (vs. 28)
Matt. 8:28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
√ The target of Satan
Matthew introduces us to two demon-possessed men.
How many men?
Matthew tells us that there were two demon-possessed men, while Mark and Luke speak only of one.
Why? Because Mark and Luke chose to focus their attention on the more violent and vocal of the two.
Ex. Not a contradiction
Critics of the Bible like to point this out and with some glee will tell you that it’s a contradiction…
…therefore, the Bible contains errors!
But, is it really a contradiction?
If I happened to run into Sandra Bullock and her husband while shopping I’d tell my wife…
“Guess who I saw today!?
…I’d wouldn’t bother to mention that she was with her new husband (Jesse James of West Coast Choppers) because he wouldn’t be the focus of attention.
In the same way Mark and Luke chose to focus their attention on the main character of this encounter…
…while Matthew chooses to include both men.
What’s important for our instruction is to observe the…
Power & limitations of the demons
Power of Jesus over demons
…and that the target of Satan and his demon hoards are people!
The strategy of Satan (Vs. 28)
Matt. 8:28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
And…
Mark 5:2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
√ The strategy of Satan
Notice that the demon-possessed man confronts Jesus as soon as He steps out of the boat! Marks tells us…
“And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit…”
No sooner does Jesus conquer and calm the storm at sea…
…then He is confronted with a storm of another kind in the form of this crazed demon possessed man.
Ap. Satan doesn’t play fair
Important to recognize that Satan’s attacks often come right on the heals of battles just won!
Be encouraged that it’s not something unique to your experience.
Rather, it is the common tactic of our enemy and a shared experience of all who follow Jesus!
Satan’s hope is to catch us when we’re weak, or overly confident in ourselves.
So, keep a watchful open and don’t rest on your spiritual victories lest you get caught unprepared.
√ Jesus was ready
I don’t believe that Jesus was suprised to meet these demon-possessed men..
Rather, I’m convinced that Jesus knew of this man before He crossing the sea.
In fact, it may have been for the sake of this one man that Jesus left the multitudes and crossed the sea to save this one man!
Consider the following:
The region of the Gadarenes was predominantly Gentile.
Jesus’ ministry was predominantly to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 10:5-6 & Matt. 15:24).
This is the only time that Jesus ever visited this area.
So, it is likely that Jesus planned this trip across the lake for the benefit of the disciples (teaching them what it means to follow the King)…
…and to save this poor man from the power of Prince.
Ap. A microcosm of the Gospel
That is, in this story of Jesus’ work in the life of the demon-possessed man we see what He has done that for each and every one of us!
He left the glory of heaven, the multitude of the heavenly host, crossing the sea of eternity, and came to the other side, to seek and to save you and me!
No matter what storm the enemy might throw in His path to keep Jesus from reaching your heart…
…He conquered and calmed every storm so that He might come and deliver you from the power of the devil!
The power of the Prince (Mark 5:3-5)
Mark 5:3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,
Mark 5:4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.
Mark 5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
√ The power of the Prince
Mark’s sad description of the demon-possessed man provides us with a picture of Satan’s power over people (unbelievers).
We find him…
Living in a cemetery ~ more comfortable with the dead than the living
Violent and uncontrollable
Self destructive
Tormented
It’s a picture of the end that Satan has planned for every soul he captures with the chains of sin!
Reminds us that Satan’s desire is to destroy people!
So, what we see in the pitiful condition of the man that meets Jesus by the shore of Galilee is a picture of what the devil has planned for every one of us!
The reason that Satan attacks humans is that he is powerless to inflict hurt upon God Himself…
…so he uses what power he has to attack those made in God’s image and whom God loves.
√ Stronger than Men
Mark tells us…
Mar 5:3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,
Mar 5:4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.
Note that the power of Satan’s hold cannot be broken by the power of Man!
A person who is under the power of the devil, or demons, cannot be freed with...
Medicine
Counseling
Confinement
Ex. The gal referred to me by Dr. M
There is only One power in all the universe able to effectively deal with the Devil and his demons - Jesus Christ!
Therefore, the person who does not have a relationship with Jesus is unprotected from the power of the Devil.
√ Inspires self-destructive behavior
Mark tells us that a person under the power of Satan will be characterized by self-destructive behavior…
Mar 5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
What an awful picture!
We’re told that the man “cried out”, surely from the torment of the demons who held control of him.
And great was that torment that we’re told he…
“cut himself with stones”.
Here again we see what Satan has planned for those he traps, destruction! Often that destruction will be self-inflicted.
Ex. Self-destructive behavior
Self-mutilation, drug & alcohol abuse, and ultimately suicide are all motivated by the Devil who seeks to destroy those made in the image of God!
In the midst of a person’s suffering Satan will whisper the lie that in death there will be rest and relief from torment.
The truth is that for the sinner the torment only increases after death!
For it is then that they realize that they have moved from torment with hope - to eternal torment without hope!
So, we observe that a person under the power of the devil will become self-destructive.
√ Satan’s power is real!
We see here a vivid example of two men possessed by demons! It’s important to realize that demon possession didn’t cease with the end of the 1st century.
People can still be demon possessed today!
How do people become demon possessed? The Bible doesn’t tell us explicitly how a person becomes demonized, however, there are a few clues.
A) By invitation
Occult (Satanism, witchcraft, voodoo, visualization – including some the practices of modern psychology – “rebirthing”, etc.) that actively seek to be possessed, or controlled by a spirit.
Ex. Carl Jung
Wrote openly of his “spirit guides” whom he claimed taught him, and even possessed him! No surprise that he was opposed to the Gospel message.
B) Unguarded door
The non-Christian’s only defense against demon possession is his/her free will. Lay that aside and that person is open to the power of the devil.
Look at Gal. 5:20…
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
“sorcery” is the Greek word pharmakia from which we get pharmacy.
Drugs are used by those who practice sorcery to produce altered states of consciousness that open the user to the world of demon spirits.
Literally laying aside one’s free will, the one barrier of protection the unbeliever has.
Ex. Sundance of the Dakota – eating peyote to open themselves to the spirits.
The point is that the unbeliever is unprotected from the power of Satan.
When an unbeliever enters an altered state of mind they surrender their free will and swing the door open for demon possession!
Don’t make the mistake of believing that demons aren’t real, they are real and they have an agenda from their master…
…to destroy people who are made in the image of God.
Ap. Can a Christian be demon possessed?
Not a single example in all of scripture. The Holy Spirit doesn’t share living space. Rather, we’re told by John…
1Jo 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Note the relative position of the Holy Spirit and the devil in the life of the believer…
Jesus on the inside
Satan on the outside
So don’t fall prey to the false practitioners of our day that want to cast demons out of Christians.
Close
√ Spiritual warfare
Satan is real and has a plan for your life! We’ve seen a glimpse of what he wants to do to you…
Give you a beachfront condo with quiet neighbors
Free you from the constraining power of other people
The reality is that Satan has…
A real agenda – to destroy people
A strategy – to keep people away from Jesus
A power – to hold people hostage
The only One who can help is Jesus the King!
In our study next week we’ll look at how Jesus conducts spiritual warfare.