Father by your Spirit anoint even the equipment, wires, cabling, phone lines, ISP's and any mechanical thing concerned so that your Word can go out unhindered in Jesus Name. Now Father clean out the cobwebs in our brains, renew our minds to receive your Word, teach us, exhort us, rebuke us, guide us, and make us into the image of Christ. In Jesus lovely holy Name above all Names we pray. AMEN

We've been searching Luke verse by verse and tonight we are on chapter 4. Last time we talked about how Jesus was rejected by his own townspeople in Nazareth. At first they thought his words were gracious, and then when they realized that he was claiming to be the Messiah, they began to ask, "Isn't this the carpenter's son?"

Luke 4:36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"

Why were the people so amazed at the way Jesus cast the demon out? The people of Jesus day were familiar with "exorcists" who used all sorts of incantations, magic rituals, and mumbo jumbo in an effort to cast out evil spirits. And they were usually unsuccessful. But here Jesus speaks a couple of simple commands and the demon is GONE. This is authority and power!

Jolly Green Giant - it's sad when people won't believe

Now the topic of demon possession is a touchy one with some folks. Seems that they either believe there is no demonic activity today, OR that they blame everything that happens on demons, rather than accepting personal responsibility for their own choices and actions.

Jolly Green Giant - people are often afraid of the truth

There is also some controversy over what to even CALL demonic activity. The Bible is usually translated "demon possessed", but that usually gives the connotation of total control.

Jolly Green Giant - are some "mental diseases" actually possibly "demon possession"?

Jolly, it's possible. We have to be careful though, because some are chemical or electrical imbalances or physical damage also. There are many causes of mental illness, and demonic activity is only one of them.

In Dr. Ed Murphy's book "The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare", he discusses the term "demon possession". "As Dr. Timothy Warner points out, the best word to refer to all forms of demonic invasion, attachment, or partial control of a human life is demonization not demon possession."

In other words, it is only in extremely rare cases, such as the demoniac of Gadara that we will study about later, that demons have TOTAL control of a human being.

"We obtained our English word demon by transliterating the Greek word daimon. We should have done the same thing with the Greek word daimonizomai - a verb form from the same Greek root. It would come into English as "demonize," and we could then speak of the degree to which a person could be demonized rather than being limited to the either-or options imposed by the "possessed"-"not possessed" view. . . ."

I also prefer the term "infested" - there are times when certain spirits, as rebellion, seem to "infest" our children when they have been around certain other people.

In other words, the phrase "demon possessed" sounds like the person is totally under demonic control, but the Greek word used in these passages is actually demonized, which covers all stages of demonic activity - from oppression, attachment, invasion, or partial control of a human being. It also covers cases where a person has one demon, to a person that has a "legion" - 6,000 of them.

Dr Murphy, who is a Christian college professor, states: "A Christian may be attacked by demons and may be affected mentally and sometimes physically at significant levels - - but spiritual possession clearly implies ownership and would seem to include the control of one's eternal destiny. In either case it would be impossible to be owned and controlled by Satan and have a saving relationship with Christ at the same time. So if the question is, Can a Christian be demon-possessed? The answer is clearly no."

Jolly Green Giant - I've been told that a Christian can not actually be "possessed" but they can "listen" to a demon. What do you think?
Chica - I think a Christian can be demonized....not possessed, though
prodigal son - I think that we can be afflicted by demons but they can not posses any part of us
Chica - demonized meaning under the influence of a demon, perhaps out of ignorance or maybe caving to temptation.....

I agree that a Christian can NOT be demon possessed. You cannot be under the complete control of demons and the Holy Spirit at the same time. But a Christian can certainly be oppressed by demonic activity - we've all had those days of testing, stress and even depression caused by demonic activity.

And IF WE YIELD TO TEMPTATION and sin we can open our lives up to infiltration and even partial control by demons. This is why it's so important to RESIST temptation, and if we do sin, to immediately ask for forgiveness.

There are some activities that are particularly dangerous and open us to demonic influence or demonization - ANY involvement with the occult - including, but not limited to, astrology, tarot cards, mediums, wiccans, psychics, satanists, etc.

Chica - "Resist the devil and he will flee from you...." Resist = actively work against.......if you ignore the devil, he will keep at it until you cave. You must come against HIM in the name of Jesus

RIGHT CHICA! We can't afford to be passive. We must actively resist! Right on! Dr. Murphy also states that: "The Scriptures never place total responsibility for human evil upon Satan and his demons. Persons are always held accountable for their actions. However, persons severely demonized over a long period of time by extremely powerful demons find it difficult to maintain self-control when the demons are in manifestation, leading to what psychologists call `diminished capacity:' "

An example of this would be the demonized Gadarene that lived among the tombs (Mark 5) and the demonized boy in Luke 9 and Mark 9.

Chica - Jolly Green Giant: right, it's a matter of choice. Jesus won't keep the devil from tempting you, but He will empower you to resist him
prodigal son - When we give our lives to the Lord and claim salvation how can that be taken away? When I'm born I am my parents child. They may disown me but the fact is I am their child and that can't be changed. I believe the same is with God and his children So these persons are not able to resist or cast out the demons and need a Christ-empowered believer to do spiritual warfare on their behalf.

Right PS, you're salvation CANNOT be taken from you. But you can still yield your body to sin and open yourself up for a world of hurt.

Chica - prodigal: you would still be God's child, and He would still love you, but if you turn away from Him He will not drag you kicking and screaming with Him to glory...

Remember the demonized man in Luke was IN THE SYNAGOGUE - he was a Jew, apparently following the Law and accepted as a believer, yet had a demonic problem.

Chica - My pastor puts it this way: salvation cannot be taken from you, but you can choose to walk away from it. People don't go to hell b/c God doesn't love them, but b/c they don't love God
Exodus - We need to understand that the demonic world is very real and we need to guard our hearts
Jolly Green Giant - That's something, I wander about...Can a "Christian" turn away from God and still go to Heaven?

Jolly, that question has been debated for ages. I must tell you that there ARE scriptures that speak of backsliding and the possibility of being lost. As ESAU who sought repentance but DID NOT FIND IT after many tears.

Chica - Jolly Green: I believe God knows their heart, and it's up to Him.....however, Jesus states very plainly several times that any "branch" (He is the vine and we are the branches) that produces no fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire.....

That's why it says, "They that endure TO THE END shall be saved". We are saved by grace through faith, but we must actively resist satan and press on into our salvation unto the end.

Now this is not to bring anybody under condemnation or fear. Just keep trusting in Jesus and you'll make it! "For I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day".

Chica - "He who says "I know Him" and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:4)
giggles - And when we keep pressing into God, we really don't worry about the rest.
Chica - amen OT....it is by grace you have been saved, not through works, that no man should boast......
Jolly Green Giant - I believe that God never gives up on us. If a Christian turns from God, He will still be there waiting... Matthew 24:13
Chica - Jolly Green: right! like the father of the prodigal son....ever watching and waiting for the return of His beloved..... Also Matthew 10:22 Press on to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Exodus - God has reminded me of that verse so much lately OldTimer
Chica - "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold...." does anyone know where that verse is?? Matthew, maybe?

Up until the 1960's there was not a lot of demonization apparent in our society, so a lot of Bible scholars that wrote in earlier times felt that demonization was something that characterized Biblical times. Therefore, they looked at the demonic conflict as something specific to Jesus day, perhaps an all-out effort on satan's part to destroy the Son of God as He walked the earth.

However, I believe in the 1960's and up to this time, we are seeing increasing demonic activity for two reasons. One is that in the 1960's we opened up channels of demonic oppression through the widespread use of drugs and through involvement with eastern religions, particularly Hinduism. Another reason is that the return of Jesus according to many believers is close and the devil is trying harder to get as many converts as he can. We are seeing more and more demonic activity and have witnessed the rise of satanism, wiccans (witchcraft) and paganism in our country today. And also, Test the spirits to see if they be of God. If what someone is doing/saying lines up with Word and promotes the gospel, it's of God.

According to Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary: "By casting out demons, Jesus showed that the KINGDOM OF GOD-God's rule in the affairs of mankind-was a present reality. This was also a clear demonstration of His power over Satan and the demonic forces of sin and evil in the world."

Luke 4:37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Now they didn't have CNN or MSNBC in those days, but news traveled anyhow. The amazement they had was communicated all about and everyone was talking about Jesus! Wouldn't it be wonderful if Jesus was our main news item today? What if CNN had a segment about what Jesus was doing to heal the sick, cast out demons, and bring salvation today?

Simon, also known as Peter, is mentioned here for the first time without any introduction. Luke's readers were probably very familiar with Peter and needed no explanation of who he was. After worship service, Jesus went to Simon's house, probably for a meal.

Rebuke in the Greek epitimao {ep-ee-tee-mah'-o} and means to adjudge, award, in the sense of merited penalty; to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely, to admonish or charge sharply. Isn't this an odd word to use in relation to a fever? This is the same word used when Jesus rebuked the demon in the passage above, and we could see how Jesus could penalize the demon for inhabiting one of God's children.

We know that fevers, especially "high fevers", are usually the result of an INVASION of a virus or bacteria. So as the demon invaded the man unlawfully and merited punishment, so did the disease-causing organism invade the body of Peter's mother-in-law. The same Lord with authority over demonic invasion, has the same authority over the invasion of disease in our body. Hallelujah! And so do we in Jesus Name! Disease, I rebuke you! You have no right to invade my body because it's a temple of the Holy Spirit!

Also, Luke, being a physician, uses a more specific term than the other gospel writers do to describe the illness, calling it a "high" fever. It is interesting that one of the meanings of the Greek word for high or great, mega, is of things which overstep the province of a created being, proud (presumptuous) things, full of arrogance, derogatory to the majesty of God. Since God created us to be healthy and whole, a great fever is arrogance against God's will for us. So Disease is arrogant and invading, and as God's children we have the right to rebuke disease too! Kinda puts a different light on illness doesn't it?

Jolly Green Giant - I never really thought of it exactly that way, OT, makes sense though
Chica - "I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, even as your soul prospers...." 3 John 2

Notice that Peter's mother-in-law's recovery was instantaneous. She immediately got up and resumed her household duties. But I'll bet it was especially satisfying to her THAT day to be able to minister to the needs of her HEALER, Jesus!

Jesus had been speaking and healing on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, the holy day for the Jews. It was against the law to do much on the Sabbath, including walk more than a "Sabbath-day's journey, approximately 2/3 of a mile, or carry a burden, all of which was considered "work".

We used to have "Blue Laws" here in the state of Virginia which prohibited most kinds of work and businesses on Sunday, except for those considered "essential", as hospitals and police departments. This honored the Christian equivalent of the Sabbath. And it was easy to tell Sunday from the rest of the week. These have been repealed, because businesses were "losing money" (or so they claimed) and people were bored. Now Sunday isn't much different from any other day of the week.

I think it's good to have a day of rest each week like God planned. But the Jews of Jesus day, especially the Pharisees took it to the extreme. They accused Jesus of violating the laws by doing the "work" of healing.

At any rate, the Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and continued until sundown on Saturday. Notice that the people were so eager to get to Jesus that they began coming to Him WHILE the sun was setting - technically breaking the Sabbath law. They "brought" which implied carried, all manner of sick to Him. And He laid hands on them ALL and healed them. What an awesome meeting that must have been! What a way to spend Saturday night!

Jolly Green Giant - does it matter which day you rest on?

Jesus said he couldn't do many works in Nazareth because of their unbelief. We in the US live in a "scientific" mindset that makes it difficult for us to believe that miracles occur. By definition, according to some scientists, they are impossible.

Exodus - I think we have too much wealth... we have sooo much here that we have no dependance on God....my opinion that is compared to other countrys
fireball - Is it because we have been so brain washed by religion?

We also trust in doctors and medicine for primary healing. In many other countries they don't have that luxury! And some churches do teach that miracles were only for the first century, not our modern times. And if someone in religious authority keeps telling you healing isn't for today, I guess you could call it "brain washing", maybe "brain bashing" would be more to the point.

OlePappy - I don't think that there is enough belief in this country
prodigal son - I think its because we have put to much faith in man (doctors) and not enough faith in God
fireball - I know some missionaries and they say the people are more open and if you tell them Jesus heals they accept it
Jolly Green Giant - sometimes it's hard to know what is from God or what is false, especially in today's society where "miracles" are so uncommon. We also tend to look for "BIG miracles", that we don't notice the small ones

Jolly, good point, again test the spirits to see if they are from God! Miracles in themselves are proof of nothing, satan can counterfeit them, and they must line up with the Word!

Johnny - For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

And a VERY important point - is to seek JESUS, not signs and wonders. If we have Jesus, signs and wonders will follow. If we seek signs and wonders, we can be deceived.

Here's that word rebuke again - showing Jesus authority over the demons. When we read the Word, it seems like there were as many demon-possessed people as sick people that came to Jesus. Why do you think that was?

David - They wanted to be healed.

Some scholars believe that the demon forces were intensified when Jesus came because that satan was trying with all his might to defeat Jesus. But what if these conditions are the norm and we are somehow not seeing the infestations, addictions, and torment that plague people today as demonic infestations?

prodigal son - Jesus rebuked them and cast them out. He did not destroy them. They are still in the world today causing as much grief as ever. We are blind to it because they have become the norm. We see so much evil it is normal to our eyes
Jolly Green Giant - it is so sad that evil and wickedness has become the "norm

PS, good point! A lot of our culture is ungodly, but we are so used to it, we don't even see it! Scary thought. When we pray for God to cleanse or sanctify us, He sometimes has to open our eyes to things we'd rather not acknowledge, and don't want to give up!

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Good point Jolly! And now here is the Son of God and the demons are "shaking in their boots", assuming they wear boots... LOL

Jolly Green Giant - that would be a sight! to see a demon shaking in their boots because of Jesus- not that I really want to see a demon!

In Nazareth, Jesus was rejected and his townspeople tried to kill him. What was the response to Him at Capernaum? They were amazed - brought Him their sick and demonized to be healed and tried to keep him from leaving them. In fact they tried to force Him to stay! In Nazareth they FORCED Him to leave. What a contrast!

Mark adds to this verse that Jesus went out to a solitary place and prayed. If the Son of God needed to be alone with the Father, how much more do we? We are so BUSY! We just don't have time for God, we often think! But what are we accomplishing with Him that's worthwhile. We must TAKE time to be with our God, like Jesus did, to get alone and commune with Him and read His Word.

But Jesus said I MUST preach the gospel to other towns. The main thrust of his ministry was not the healings and deliverances. They were only miraculous verification of the fact that He is the Messiah, the chosen one that fulfilled the passage in Isaiah that Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth.

The word for "must" in the Greek, die, is an interesting word. It means: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper with the necessity lying in the nature of the case OR brought on by circumstances or by the conduct of others toward us OR in reference to what is required to attain some end OR of law and command, of duty, equity OR established by the counsel and decree of God, especially by that purpose of his which relates to the salvation of men by the intervention of Christ and which is disclosed in the Old Testament prophecies, concerning what Christ was destined finally to undergo, his sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension.

In order for Jesus to achieve the goals for which he was sent, it was a NECESSITY for him to continue preaching, not to "rest on his laurels" in Capernaum and enjoy his fame and acclaim there, but to press onward to His goal. The word for "sent" apostello {ap-os-tel'-lo} to order (one) to go to a place appointed is from the same root word as apostle .

To preach euaggelizo {yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo} is our root word for evangelism and means to bring good news, to announce glad tidings - in the NT used especially of the glad tidings of the coming kingdom of God, and of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ, and of what relates to this salvation and to instruct (men) concerning the things that pertain to Christian salvation.

Now Simon (Peter) WAS a fisherman, and he knew this was no time of day to fish! Besides they'd been out all night fishing and hadn't caught not one fish! Have you ever argued with God and told Him all the reasons why what He's telling you to do won't work?

"Now God, I'm not smart enough to understand your Word. Now God, I can't speak in public, you know that! Now God, I just CAN'T do what you want me to!" Does this sound familiar to any body?

Not only did the Carpenter from Nazareth know HOW to fish, He KNEW fish, after all He made them didn't he? And WOW what a catch - so many the nets began to break and they had to ask for help!

And they caught so much fish that it threatened to sink TWO boats! Now WHY did Jesus want to go fishing that afternoon with Simon and his partners?