A Spirit Of sermon video audio notes. There are several kinds of demonic spirits about which the scriptures speak. There are evil spirits, unclean spirits, dumb and deaf spirits, a spirit of infirmity, a spirit of divination, and foul spirits. Of all of those, which do you think the Bible speaks about the most and is the most common today?
DEMONS AND DARKNESS
By Pastor Delbert Young
A Spirit Of
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Scriptures: Leviticus 5:2, Mark 1:23-24, Mark 1:25-26, Luke 8:2, 1 Samuel 19:9-10, Luke 13:10-12, Mark 9:25, Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 6:19, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 17:6, Luke 11:20-26, 1 Peter 5:8
I want to do one more lesson on DEMONS AND DARKNESS. I intended to limit the series to two lessons, but felt to remove the weirdness, fear, and mysticism of demons we needed a little clarity on the different kinds of demonic spirits and how a person becomes possessed by them. There are several kinds of demonic spirits about which the scriptures speak. There are evil spirits, unclean spirits, dumb and deaf spirits, a spirit of infirmity, a spirit of divination, and foul spirits. Of all of those, which do you think the Bible speaks about the most and is the most common today? The answer is unclean spirit(s). The Bible talks nearly twice as much about unclean spirits as it does evil spirits. So, let’s begin there.
UNCLEAN SPIRITS: The King James Version actually does a far better job at differentiating kinds of spirits than the NIV and other translations. Many translations lump the “unclean spirit(s)” and all other types of demonic spirits together and simply call them “evil spirit(s).” That is not good because the word translated “unclean” and the word “evil” are different in meaning.
One of the primary ways to study the Bible is with the law of “First Use.” When we find the FIRST time the translators — USE an English word to translate a Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek word, we find it carries the same seed meaning all the way through. The first seed of corn greatly determines how corn looks and tastes today. The word unclean is FIRST — USED in the book of Leviticus.
Leviticus 5:2 Or if a soul touch any UNCLEAN THING, whether it be a carcase of an UNCLEAN beast, or a carcase of UNCLEAN cattle, or the carcase of UNCLEAN creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be UNCLEAN, and guilty.
We learn that an unclean thing makes a person unclean to God and to his kingdom. That is what an unclean spirit does. We also see that many things can make a person unclean. When you think “unclean,” what do you think? I think about something nasty. I think about something I do not want to touch or be around, and I think about something that I avoid if possible, but I don’t think about something that can possess me. However, it can and does possess many people. Homosexuality makes a person unclean and possesses people. Child molestation makes a person unclean and possesses people. Addictions make a person unclean and possess people. Unclean spirits can be many things. It’s a spirit of…
Mark 1:23-24 And there was in THEIR synagogue a man with an UNCLEAN SPIRIT; and he cried out, Saying, Let US alone; what have WE to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy US? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Right there in their church was a man with an UNCLEAN SPIRIT. However, right there in their church the man with an UNCLEAN SPIRIT received deliverance. The man had many unclean spiritual things going on in his life. The demonic spirit cried out, Let US alone. It cried WE and US. You remember the man with the Legion. They were unclean spirits (Mar 5:8; Luke 8:29). When one unclean spirit comes in, it brings it’s friends. Jesus taught this. One unclean thing opens the person to another. When you pray for people, do not negate the possibility of spiritual activity.
Mark 1:25-26 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the UNCLEAN SPIRIT had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
You have the power to cast out unclean spirits, plural (Mat 10:1; Mar 6:7). From time to time, you will meet people under the influence of unclean spirits. It might even be that someone you love deeply may be under attack by an unclean spirit. Take the opportunity to pray for them. They are mouthy rebellious spirits. Tell it to “Be silent and come out in the name of Jesus.”
EVIL SPIRITS: Luke 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of EVIL SPIRITS and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
The Greek word translated evil is poneros (Strong’s #4190) and means hurtful, i.e. evil in effect or influence; calamitous; ill, i.e. diseased; derelict, vicious. I was channel surfing the television not long ago when I ran across the trial of Dennis Rader from Wichita Kansas. You might not recognize the name, but he is the BTK (Bind, Torture, and Kill) serial killer. I watched and listened in horror as the man sat on the witness stand, with no remorse, explaining in detail how he would select, stalk, attack, bind, torture, rape, and kill people. I thought, “You evil and wicked person.” How much more evil-spirited can a person be? An evil spirit is a hurting, killing spirit. It is more than a nasty unclean spirit making people do nasty things. This spirit is evil. It’s a spirit of…
1 Samuel 19:9-10 But an EVIL SPIRIT from the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
Saul turned his back on God and planned to harm David, the Lord’s anointed. The Lord allowed the evil spirit to torment Saul and drive him insane. It turned Saul into an insane killer, murdering priests (1Sa 22:23) and on several occasions, Saul attempted to kill David. He stalked David. He hunted David, and he was possessed by killing David. Evil Spirits are violent spirits. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, etc were/are people possessed with evil spirits.
SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY:
Luke 13:10-12 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 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. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
Some demonic spirits cause infirmities (sicknesses). Of course, not all sicknesses are demonic. Usually, Jesus would simply heal people, not deliver them from a demonic spirit. However, a spirit of infirmity possessed this poor woman for eighteen years. When you have an opportunity to pray for people, do not only pray for their physical healing. Pray and set them free from a spirit of infirmity, especially if the illness has been in them for a long while.
FOUL SPIRITS:
Mark 9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the FOUL SPIRIT, saying unto him, Thou DUMB AND DEAF SPIRIT, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
This is the story we looked at last time about the boy who from childhood had been possessed by a demon. The Greek word translated foul is akathartos (Strong’s #0169) which means impure. Something impure happened to the boy during childhood. We are not told exactly what happened, only that something did. You must guard your children. Remember that this kind comes out only by prayer. Cover your children with lots of prayer.
My primary goal today is to help you understand how a demonic spirit can oppress or possess a person. I have told and shown you in the scriptures that demonic spirits need a body to operate. Why is that? I can help you better understand this by looking at what we already know concerning how God operates spiritually on the planet. God too needs a body to operate. He needs bodies to receive his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of God.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to OFFER YOUR BODIES as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your SPIRITUAL act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
You are urged to offer your living body to God. This is pleasing to God and SPIRITUAL. This is how the spiritual operates. By so doing, you begin a transformation in your mind. As this happens, we begin doing God’s will.
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that YOUR BODY Is a temple of THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS IN YOU, whom you have RECEIVED from God? You are not your own
Your body is a place for the Holy Spirit, who is in you, to operate. We RECEIVE the Holy Spirit from God. You are not your own. The thought is that now you are “owned,” or the possession of, or (stay with me) possessed by God. You understand that the desire of God is for a person to give his or herself totally over to his Holy Spirit. Or, if you will, the Holy Spirit controls the person. Are you with me?
The desire of God is to change – transform – your mind by his Spirit within you. The desire of God is to heal your body by his Spirit within you, and the desire of God is to bring your spirit to his eternal resurrected life by his Spirit. Also, the desire of God is that you become so filled, i.e. possessed, with/by his Spirit that you allow him to control all of you, even your tongue. It’s a spirit of…
The Lord gives us a picture of how this works. The Bible tells us about the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was fifty days after Passover. Jesus stayed and taught his disciples forty of those days and, at ascension, told them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
They would receive supernatural power after the Holy Ghost “is come upon” them. The Holy Ghost would dramatically change them. We know what happened. They were in a house seeking and waiting and praying. They were presenting their living bodies to God for the Holy Spirit to take.
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and began to speak with other tongues, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.
Possession is obvious in the spiritual or natural. It was so obvious with those 120 men and women that they began to speak in other tongues (do not miss this part) as the Spirit gave them utterance. Or, as they allowed the Spirit to control their tongue. They went about so filled, or possessed, by the Holy Spirit that they began to turn the world upside down.
Acts 17:6 …These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also
God wants to control us so he can bring light to the world. Satan wants to control us so he can bring darkness to the world. Demonic spirits work the same way as God’s Spirit, except, of course, everything is unholy instead of holy. Instead of being filled with and taken by – possessed by – the Holy Spirit, a person is filled with and taken by evil spirits, unclean spirits, dumb and deaf spirits, spirits of infirmity, spirits of divination, and foul spirits. People possessed by demonic spirits have presented their bodies as living sacrifices. Instead of their minds being renewed, their minds are destroyed. Instead of holy thoughts filling their minds, dark, evil, wicked thoughts fill their minds, and instead of a person’s body being healed, the body is torn and ripped and filled with infirmities. Also, instead of a person being a witness for Jesus and his kingdom, they are a witness of Satan and evil.
The way the supernatural works – light or darkness – is through people – bodies – being “filled with” and “receiving” either the Holy Spirit or demonic spirits.
I have heard it asked, “Can a ‘Christian’ be demon possessed?” Of course not. A Christian should be filled (possessed) with the Holy Ghost. How can God possess a person with the Holy Ghost and, at the same time, Satan possess a person with demonic spirits? So, no, it is impossible for a person to be “filled” with both. However, we know a person can “be delivered” from demonic spirits. I said earlier that the way demonic activity works is the same in light and darkness. So, could a person “be delivered” from the Holy Spirit? Jesus said this…
Luke 11:20-26 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a STRONG man, FULLY ARMED, GUARDS his own house, his possessions are safe. But when SOMEONE STRONGER ATTACKS AND OVERPOWERS HIM, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils… When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, I will return to the house I left. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.
How does that read to you? Can a person totally delivered by the finger of God and cleansed be demonically possessed again? Oh yes! Moreover, his/her condition can be worse than before. He said as long as the person is strong, fully armed, and on guard, not only is he safe, but his possessions are safe too. His house is safe – all that he oversees is safe. I have seen this and I am certain you have too. A person comes to Christ. We watch that person get strong in the Lord. They grow. They minister. Then something strong gets hold of them. I have seen money get them, and I have seen pornography get them. I have seen anger get them. It can be anything strong in his or her life. It comes back and the final condition of that person is worse than the first. You must remain STRONG, FULLY ARMED, AND ON GUARD. Peter, speaking to Christians said…
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because YOUR adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
I know none of us think we could or would go back, and I pray that is true. I pray that none of your children or you ever face any demonic spirit. However, DEMONS AND DARKNESS are real. You know people oppressed or possessed by them now. It’s a spirit of…
Other Related Sermons:
How Does Sin Look to God Leprosy sermon Luke 5:12-15
Met By A Demon sermon video audio notes
A Demon On The Sabbath Luke 4:31-37
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