Christ's Celebrate Recovery Church

Scripture: Mark 5:1-9

C.I.: Who's Pulling Your Strings?!

Last week… ( “Applying Physical Solutions…” ). – As I mentioned then that today we….
Demonic possession in the Bible was a very real event. – But how are we to understand it today?

I. The Question is Not, “Does Satan Take Control?” But Rather, “HOW?!!”

A. New Testament Demon Possession

1. As we saw in the Scripture Reading – Jesus came across people who were demon possessed.
a. In this type of possession – Satan has control – and can make the person say & do his will.
1) ( Mk. 5:5 ), “Constantly day & night in the tombs and in the Mts., he cried out….”
2) ( Matt. 17:15, 18 ), “‘…he (son) often falls into the fire and into the water.' … Jesus
rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.”

2. Jesus gave the apostles the ability to be able to cast out demons.
a. ( Matt. 10:1 ), “Having summoned the 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean….”
b. Before He returned to heaven – He left them w/this authority, ( Mk. 16:17 ), “And these signs
were accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons.”
1) This promise of being able to cast out demons was only given to the apostles.
2) ( v. 20 ), “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with
them , and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.”
c. They used this authority to heal those who were demon possessed.
1) ( Acts 5:16 ), “…people from the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing
people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits; & they were all being healed”
d. But those who were not apostles – were not quite as successful…
1) ( Acts 19:13-16 ), “Some Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to
name over those who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘I adjure
you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.' – 7 sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest were
doing this. – and the evil spirit answered and said to them, ‘I recognize Jesus, and I
know about Paul, but who are you?' And the man in whom there was the evil….”

B. Demon “Possession” Today

1. If Satan could possess our bodies today – we would be in big trouble!
a. Since the apostles have been gone for 2,000 years – there is no way to cast him out.
1) There are those who say they can – but what does Jesus say, ( Matt. 7:21-23 )?!

b. Satan doesn't have to work as hard today - Today he wants people to think his way – and then
will obey him of their own accord, ( Jms. 1:14 ), “Each one is tempted when he is….”
1) The only power Satan has today is to be able to influence us through temptations.
2) ( I Cor. 10:13 ), “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man….”
3) Thus, not only will God not allow Satan to possess our bodies – He will not even
allow the temptations Satan is permitted to us – to be too strong for us to endure!

2. So if we choose to listen to Satan's temptations – we are giving him the freedom to destroy us!
a. This happens when we listen to him in matters of religion:
1) ( I Tim. 4:1 ), “The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from
the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits & doctrines of demons.”
2) ( II Tim. 4:3-4 ), “For the time will come when people will not endure….”
b. This happens when we listen to him regarding our attitudes:
1) ( Jms. 4:14-15 ), “If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not
be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ( cf. Matt. 6:33 ) – This wisdom [its all about
ME!] is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, & demonic .”
c. This happens when we listen to him about how we spend our money:
1) ( Acts 19:18-20 ), “And many of those who had believed kept coming and disclosing
their practices. – Many of those who practiced magic brought their books together &
began burning them in the sight of all; - and they counted up the price of them – and
found it was 50,000 pieces of silver.”

3. We are in a battle for our very lives/souls, ( Eph. 6:12 ), “Our battle is not against flesh & blood, but
against rulers, against powers, against world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual….”
a. Gaining the victory over Satan begins and ends - with winning the battle for our minds!
1) ( II Cor. 10:3-5 ), “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to…”
a) As we saw last Sunday, “Applying physical solutions…” – not physical war!
“…for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are divinely powerf
b) Divine; “Sword…” = Eph. 6:17 , “Greater…” = I Jn. 4:4 ; Acts 2:38 .
“for the destruction of fortresses. – For we are destroying speculations and
every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God , and we are taking
every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
c) Thus, Satan can only be defeated in our lives – by where we place our minds!
b. The best strategy to employ against Satan – is to focus our thinking on the things of God.
1) ( Rom. 8:5-6 ), “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things
of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. – For
the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
2) “Mind set on the Spirit” = thinking about things of God (how He wants us to think)!
c. You may be thinking, “This is too simple!” – Yes, simple & True!!! ( II Cor. 2:11; Jms. 4:7 ),
“…that no advantage be taken us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

4. ILLUST.: Difference between “possession” in N.T. & Now = Puppet versus Marionette
a. Puppet = Demon possession in N.T.; it says and does all that “the hand” tells it to do.
b. Marionette = Demon possession today; who is pulling our strings (we get to decide!).
1) Strings = friends, music, books/magazines, movies/videos & games, etc.
2) So… who's pulling your strings???!
c. Therefore, whether helping ourselves, - or others overcome the ravages of Satan in their lives
(e.g. “Celebrate Recovery Ministry”) – one of the best things we can do – is to help guide
them into a new way of thinking, ( Phil. 4:8 ).

INVITATION: Focusing our minds on Jesus and His will for our lives is victory. – Today if you want to experience…,
( Acts 2:38 )!!!