Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future emphasizes the importance of parental vigilance and spiritual intervention in protecting children from demonic influences. The sermon highlights that demonic possession can begin in childhood, as evidenced by biblical accounts. Parents are advised to bring children to church, monitor their influences, know their friends, discuss scriptures, and pray consistently to safeguard children. The message stresses that parental belief and faithfulness are crucial in delivering children from spiritual attacks. It underscores the power of prayer in combating certain types of demonic possession and encourages parents to actively engage in their children’s spiritual well-being to ensure a positive future.
DEMONS AND DARKNESS
By Pastor Delbert Young
This series and much more can be found at sermonsbydelbertyoung.com and Delbert Young Sermons on YouTube.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Four Key Points from Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future:
1. Demons and darkness are real forces that followers of Jesus will encounter.
4. Prayer is essential for overcoming specific spiritual challenges, including demonic possession.
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Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Scriptures: Mark 9:14-24, Mark 7:25, James 1:21, Mark 9:22-24, Mark 9:25-29, Mark 9:19,
We want to continue our discussion on DEMONS AND DARKNESS today.
Thank you for the encouraging comments regarding last week’s lesson. I think we were able to see that demons are real and something we need to understand. If you read the New Testament, DEMONS AND DARKNESS is a complex topic to sweep under the rug. In the Gospel According to Mark alone, there are many encounters with demoniacs. In chapter one (1:17-20), Jesus chose his twelve disciples. Interestingly, the first thing Jesus did was take them to a synagogue. There, in church, they encounter a man with an EVIL SPIRIT (1:21-27).
After that encounter, Jesus went about teaching and healing. Mark 1:34 says Jesus DROVE OUT MANY DEMONS. Mark 1:39 says, So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and DRIVING OUT DEMONS. In Mark 3:15, Jesus gave his disciples the authority to DRIVE OUT DEMONS. We discussed the event in Mark 5 with the Legion demoniac of Gerasenes whom Jesus delivered from demons. In Mark 6:7, Jesus again sends his disciples out with authority over EVIL SPIRITS. Mark 6:13 says, They drove out MANY DEMONS and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. In Mark 7:24-30, Jesus casts a demon out of the daughter of the Syrophonecian woman.
MY POINT IS IF A PERSON IS SERIOUS ABOUT JESUS AND SERIOUS ABOUT FOLLOWING HIM AND BEING A DISCIPLE, THEY WILL ENCOUNTER DEMONIACS.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
The places Jesus will lead us will have people needing deliverance.
They are places where hurting people dwell. Jesus sends and leads his disciples to help people in these places. DEMONS AND DARKNESS ARE NOT FICTIONAL FORCES OF EVIL. Jesus and demons seem to go together.
On one occasion, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus experienced a visitation from Father God, Moses, and Elijah there. Jesus transfigured and glowed (Mark 9:2-13). However, guess what they encountered as soon as they came down? You got it… a demon. This encounter is one of the saddest biblical accounts in the Scriptures.
My point is that following Jesus will involve mountain-top experiences, but when we come down, we better be ready to face demons.
Mark 9:14-24 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN LIKE THIS?” “FROM CHILDHOOD,” “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But IF YOU CAN do anything, TAKE PITY ON US AND HELP US.” ‘IF YOU CAN?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who BELIEVES.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I DO BELIEVE; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!”
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
We will read the remainder of the story shortly. I want to draw several points from this fantastic story about a Demon From Childhood.
Mark 9:14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law ARGUING with them.
Mark 9:16 “What are you ARGUING with them about?” he asked.
While religious people who do not believe in DEMONS AND DARKNESS are ARGUING about the reality of DEMONS AND DARKNESS, a child is having seizures and convulsing on the ground. While society laughs at a religious boogieman in a red suit with two horns, a pointed tail, and a pitchfork, our children are foaming at the mouth, chewing their tongues, and going into convulsions of rebellion, rage, drugs, alcohol, and homosexuality. As parents, our hearts break. While we ARGUE, Satan is ripping children’s bodies, destroying children’s lives, and devastating families. We must have parental vigilance concerning our children’s spiritual activity.
Satan is the fullness of evil, and if he can, he will possess and destroy your child and devastate your family through your child.
I want you to hear today a parent’s cry and plea for help for their child during their childhood. We know the father brought the child to Jesus, but I believe the mother was there, too. The father said, Take pity on US and help US. He could have been talking about himself and his son, but possibly the mother was present. Mothers are affected by demon-possessed children as well. Somewhere, these parents lacked spiritual intervention for their child’s life. This resulted in demonic possession of their son.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Mark 9:22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, TAKE PITY ON US AND HELP US.”
The possession doesn’t affect the boy alone. It affects US – parents, siblings, relatives, friends, etc. Can you hear the pain? The possession affects “US.” One of the saddest parts of my job is to watch the hearts of parents break into pieces when a child comes under attack of DEMONS AND DARKNESS.
Mark 9:21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “FROM CHILDHOOD,” he answered.
FROM CHILDHOOD? Parents do not want to think about that. You do not want to believe that something so evil could come upon, overtake, and possess your child when young, causing them to act with such strange behavior later. Safeguarding children is the parents’ responsibility.
The scriptures mention another childhood possession. There is such a thing as a Demon From Childhood.
Mark 7:25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose LITTLE DAUGHTER WAS POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT came and fell at his feet.
How young is a little daughter? When we ponder the thought of demonic activity in children, we wonder if this is common. When we think about it, children are far more innocent and vulnerable to attack than adults should be. Think of molestation. The child trusts the adult and is susceptible to the adult. If molestation happened and was never dealt with, what entrance would that give demonic activity? It is the same with physical or mental abuse from a parent. Would that not cause serious open doors for demonic activity?
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
THE TRUTH IS THAT MANY SERIOUS STRUGGLES PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THROUGH LIFE HAPPEN FROM CHILDHOOD.
Did you know that the parents of Adolf Hitler, the insane German dictator responsible for the deaths of millions of people, physically and mentally abused him as a child?
Alice Miller, Ph.D., writes, “The Führer once told his secretary that during one of the regular beatings given him by his father, he was able to stop crying, to feel nothing, and even to count the thirty-two blows he received. In this way, by totally denying his pain, his feelings of powerlessness, and his despair – in other words, by denying the truth – Hitler made himself into a master of violence and contempt for human beings.
The result was a very primitive person, incapable of any empathy for other people. He was mercilessly and constantly driven to new destructive acts by his latent feelings of hatred and revenge. After millions had been forced to die for this reason, those feelings still haunted him in his sleep.
The point is that Satan begins, early in children’s lives, attacking our children with DEMONS AND DARKNESS.
If Satan begins early, then parents and grandparents must start early to protect their children. Obviously, the best deliverance is the prevention of oppression and possession. If parents can prevent the spiritual attacks, there will be no possession. So, before we look at the deliverance Jesus provided for the child in our text, let’s look at prevention. What are some things you can do to help guard your children from demonic oppression and possession? I am going to give 5 points that should protect your child from demonic oppression and possession and help their spiritual well-being. Score yourself as a parent. See how you are doing.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
1. Bring your children to a good church where they can meet Jesus and receive biblical teaching to keep them aware of spiritual activity.
Also, in a good church, deliverance is available if needed.
Church attendance was never optional in our home for our children. Nor was it optional as to what church our children attended. I occasionally allowed them to visit other churches with their friends, but I wanted to know what the preacher taught them. But I guess we could argue about that. (I’m being sarcastic.) Belief and faithfulness are essential.
2. Are you aware of influences over your child?
To what spirits are they subjected? Are there demonic influences? Influences over children must be guarded. Monitoring influences in a child’s life is vital. To what music do they listen? What movies do they watch? From whom do they receive instructions? We do not know what happened in the boy’s childhood in our text. We do not see what opened a door for possession, BUT SOMETHING DID. Who or what brought into the boy’s presence the demonic influence that eventually possessed him? Pay close attention to all influences in your children’s lives. You cannot be too cautious. But, I guess we could argue about that.
3. Do you know your children’s friends?
Do you know anything about the parents of your children’s friends? All parents were once children. Do not stick your head in the sand and pretend the temptations you had as a child will not tempt your child. Instead, raise your head up and look around. Realize that today’s temptations are stronger and more deadly than your temptations. One bad friend with an evil spirit can forever ruin your child’s life. But, I guess we could argue about that. Children and demons do not come out well.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
4. How frequently do you talk about scriptures with your children?
Do you encourage them to read their Bibles? This is difficult to do unless you read your Bible. The Word of God is able to save their souls. Discussing Scriptures is vital in preventing demonic possession.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS.
It is difficult to save a soul without the Word of God. Do you discuss spiritual things with your children? Are your children aware that evil is real? Can they recognize evil? You and they need to read the Word of God. But, I guess we could argue about that. Discussing spiritual matters with your children is essential.
5. Do you pray with and for your children?
You would be amazed at how many parents never or seldom pray, much less pray with and for their children. As we will see at the end of this lesson, only prayer can handle some demonic activity. But I guess we could argue about that.
How did you score as a parent protecting your child from demonic attacks?
Let’s return to our text and see what happened to the young boy possessed by an evil spirit. The heartbroken father said…
Mark 9:22-24 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who BELIEVES.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I DO BELIEVE; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!“
The Father said IF YOU CAN do anything… Notice how Jesus threw it back to him. “IF YOU CAN?” said Jesus. The issue is not whether Jesus can. It has nothing to do with whether God can. Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who BELIEVES.” The issue is belief. Do you believe? Do you believe that a demon could attack your child? Could a demon oppress or possess your child? Or, is your child immune to anything like this? Maybe we could argue about it. It’s not only if Jesus can. Parental faith and belief are vital for your children’s spiritual wellness.
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Belief is wonderful and necessary for ourselves. However, parents, you must see that Jesus told the father that his belief was necessary for his child’s well-being. Jesus did not say the child needed to believe; Jesus specifically told the father that his belief was required here. Mom and Dad, your belief and your faithfulness to God will change your child’s life.
I love the man’s response. He said, I DO BELIEVE, BUT HELP ME BELIEVE WHAT I NEED TO HELP MY CHILD. I am constantly amazed at parents who are not faithful in expressing their belief. Do you believe? Are you faithful to God? Do you do what believers do? Parents, don’t miss this point. YOUR BELIEF is necessary to deliver your child.
Mark 9:25-29 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” HE SAID, “I command you, COME OUT OF HIM and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “THIS KIND CAN COME OUT ONLY BY PRAYER.”
Jesus delivered the boy even though the boy could not hear a word Jesus said. How did that happen? It was because of the parents’ belief.
Alone, the disciples wanted to know why they could not deliver the child. They had cast out demons before but not a childhood situation. Jesus had even given them the power to cast out demons. What was wrong this time? Were they using the wrong words? Did they scream loud enough? Or, did they need to talk in tongues or chant? Or, did they need oil, or a tiny cross, or to wave their Bibles?
Isn’t the answer of Jesus classic? No, the problem was none of the reasons you think. Jesus said the issue was that they had not been praying. We do not understand the power of prayer. THIS KIND… Obviously, some do not require prayer, but THIS KIND… The point we need to see is that prayer will EVEN defeat THIS KIND. Are you praying with and for your children or anyone under the attack of DEMONS AND DARKNESS?
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Mark 9:19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
This reaction, by Jesus, seemed so out of place when first read. However, when we learn that the boy was in this condition because someone was not praying, it makes perfect sense. It upsets the Lord, and people suffer when we do not pray.
I believe God is saying today to watch your children, cover your children, and pray for your children. Prayer for children is essential for the prevention of demonic oppression and demonic possession. So, I want to close today by doing just that. Also, I want every child and student in here to come to this altar. We are going to pray for you. School starts in a few weeks. God wants you to shut the doors through which demons can access your soul. He wants your children strong and confident, not weak and vulnerable.
Say this. IN JESUS NAME, I SEAL MY FAMILY WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. LORD, SEAL MY CHILDREN AND BLESS MY CHILDREN. LORD, MAKE MY CHILDREN WHOLE SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY. I REBUKE ANY DARK ACTIVITY OF SATAN, IN JESUS’ NAME. If you mean it, give him praise!
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Demon From Childhood: How to Reclaim Your Child’s Future
Other Related Sermons:
DEMONS AND DARKNESS sermon series
Who Will Be The Greatest Luke 9:43-51
Evil Spirits and Demons audio video notes
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