Ephesians 6:10-18; Mark 4:35-5:20
September 7, 2008
The Whole Armor of God, Part 9
“The ‘Not-So-Secret’ Secret Weapon!”
Rev. Meagan Boozer
Today, we complete our study of the weapons of warfare given to us by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. We started way back on June 29th, and only took a break from it when we met for community worship at Hammond’s Grove on August 10th, and last week when John and I stole away to get our last recharge before heading into a very exciting Fall season with you. We went back up to the 1000 Islands in New York with dear friends who keep a boat on the St. Lawrence River. We’ve been there several times now over the last 4 years, and each time we go, it is such a gift to the eyes! What beautiful country it is, and the weather was wonderful!
One of the 1000 islands is called Dark Island. On this island sits a castle built by multi-millionaire Frederick Bourne in 1905, who worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. He wanted to surprise his wife, Emma, and their children with an island “hunting retreat.” This was not your typical Pennsylvania hunting cabin. This is exactly what I said earlier: it is a castle – a 4 story, 28 room castle with a 4-story tower and an elaborate boathouse – with tunnels and turrets, a dungeon, and underground passageways. These days, it is under private ownership, and open to the public for tours. We decided to check it out one morning, and much to my delight, in various places were suits of armor on display.
Having studied about weapons of warfare over the summer, I was very interested in looking at these heavy-duty outfits. It is hard to imagine how soldiers could get around in these things, especially in warm weather - but history tells us they were worn for many years by soldiers defending their king and country.
The Apostle Paul tells us about the belt, the breastplate, the shoes, the shield, the helmet, and the sword. Those were all pieces I saw on Dark Island. But consistently I saw one more piece to the armor that is not specifically named by Paul. I saw a lance.
Lances are normally made of wood, like a pole, with a solid iron head at the end. They could be anywhere from 1 foot to 24 feet long! The ones I saw were about the height of the armor – 6 ft. or so. A lance would be used to thrust a deadly blow into the oncoming enemy, or could be hurled to hit something out of reach.
Biblical commentators, for the most part, agree that a lance would have been an important part of the Roman soldier’s weaponry. For the most part, they also agree that though Paul doesn’t name the lance, he is referring to it in his final words regarding the whole armor of God. Let’s listen, one more time, to the full text from Ephesians 6:10-18:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
Prayer is the lance. Prayer is that powerful tool that we can thrust forward or hurl into the distance to come against the powerful onslaughts of our adversary, the devil. By forcibly using the lance of prayer, we have the power to stop major obstacles from developing in our personal life.
Lances can be short or long. The iron head can be in various shapes. They can be narrow in the shaft or wide; the iron heads can be intentionally dull or very sharp, jagged, pointed, or even have multiple-blades. History shows that an average soldier in the infantry would carry five short lances and one long lance.
And so, when Paul says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication,” he is saying, “just like there are many different kinds of lances for different kinds of warfare, we must use different kinds of prayer in order to gain victory over the enemy in our lives.”
I don’t know about your prayer life, but for me, I have to say that I pray almost non-stop throughout my days. When the devil wants to show me all that’s wrong, I try not to even take a second glance at it – and instead start praying prayers of thanksgiving. Prayers of thanksgiving are powerful weapons against discouragement and negative patterns of thinking. “In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
When you’re wondering about how you will pay the oil bill this winter, a prayer of faith is a great weapon against fear. “Thank you, Lord, that I know you will take care of me. Thank you that I can count on your promises to see me through.” The prayer of faith is a powerful weapon against fear and worry.
Prayers of agreement, when you are with someone else in a time of gathered prayer, are a one-two knock out punch for the enemy. Against one he might win, but against two in agreement, the devil might as well turn and go elsewhere. Listen to these words that I often use in counsel with couples preparing for marriage, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9) Two or more in prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy, remembering always that the Holy Spirit is present, making our prayers stronger by tuning them to God’s will in perfect love and compassion.
The prayers of petition and intercession, praying for others by literally standing in the gap between Heaven and earth, is such an encouragement to those in the midst of trial and trouble. I think this is why so many people are deeply touched by the prayer shawls and lap blankets made by the handcrafters ministry, or touched by the postcards sent by the deacons when we first begin praying for someone. Just knowing others have been in prayer for you is strengthening, which makes us more prepared to fight the attacks of the devil against our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. I know some prefer to keep things private, but I encourage you to allow others to know what you need and enter into prayer for you, because it is a weapon others can use for you that strengthens the whole Body of Christ.
Prayers of supplication are prayers we pray in intimacy with our Heavenly Father. The Greek word translated supplication means “to fall into a situation” with someone else, or to “happen into a circumstance” with another. So, to pray a prayer of supplication is to fall into conversation, to happen into a conversation with God like you can have with no other. The devil can’t touch you when you are in intimate communion with your Creator, speaking to him in childlike faith, expressing yourself – your hopes, your fears, your delight in His presence. Psalm 63, that we used for our call to worship this morning, is a beautiful prayer of supplication. “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you – I have seen you in the sanctuary, and I’m going to praise you with all that I have….”
Do you think the devil likes us to pray prayers of confession? Of course not! He likes us to pile up the guilt, the shame, the anger, the unforgiveness. He likes to drag us down! The Lord calls us to confess our sins so that we can release ourselves from their burden and be free to march forward in the righteousness of Christ.
Just as there were many different kinds of lances with which to fight the enemies of the Romans, there are many different kinds of prayer we can use in different situations to keep us from falling on our knees in defeat instead of on our knees in prayer-filled victory! Prayer is conversation with God. Sometimes when I’m in conversation with a person, I’m not sure what I’m going to say, but when I take time to listen, I find I don’t need to speak in order to stay in fellowship with that person. What a blessing to be able to be in constant communion with the God of all Creation by speaking and by listening, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit!
As we wrap up this sermon series, I want us to consider a couple of things we learn from a great story in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus had been teaching the people by the sea of Galilee. I will begin in chapter 4, v. 35: “Late that day he said to them [the disciples], “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!” They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones. When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him— then bellowed in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”) Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.” He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country. A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned. Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man. Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.”
There is so much we could look at in that passage. There is so much great teaching in there. But, for today, there are just a couple of things to point out. I have to admit, I’ve never thought about this storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee as an attempt by the devil to stop Jesus from going where he was called to go. But let’s think about it: Jesus was on the way to some amazing moments in his ministry (the casting out of the demons in the country of the Garasenes, and after that the healing of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, after that the raising from the dead of Jairus’ daughter (Jairus was a prominent leader in the synagogue). That’s a big “Wow!” Jesus was about to be on a major ministry roll, and the devil wanted to stop him.
And so here’s one of the points to take home today: It is when you are really on a roll, doing the Lord’s work with great intention, that the devil will be most intentional about coming against you and your family physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. If you’re not all that committed as a believer, if you are not serving the Lord intentionally, the devil isn’t going to spend much time on you. You’re not worth his time. Now, you may say, “That sounds like a good reason to stay uninvolved – to just be a pew sitter – to not commit to membership which I know will remove some barriers to serving the Lord in ways He might choose for my life. If remaining uninvolved and uncommitted will keep the devil off my back, it’s a no-brainer what I should do.” Well, that sounds like the devil talking – the one who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants you to have a status quo, same old, same old, uncommitted life, so that you will not experience the exploding JOY of serving God in ways and in places you have never been before. Yes, the devil will come at you more consistently when you’re on the front lines, but when you’re on the front lines, remember, God has provided you all the pieces of armor you need to stay on the front lines and be part of advancing the Kingdom of God in the world. There’s nothing greater than that! Come on army! Stand up! Serve! Commit! This is the stuff of REAL LIFE that matters beyond these walls, and these mountains, and this earth and all that surrounds us. The devil didn’t stop Jesus, and he won’t stop the committed believer either!
But let’s look specifically at how Jesus did it (in this instance): He spoke out loud a prayer of faith. “Be quiet. Knock it off. That’s enough.” It seemed he was talking to the wind and the waves – (and that’s what the disciples thought, too). All of a sudden the wind just “came up” and threatened to sink the boat. Have you ever felt like that? Life is going along okay – more than okay – and then something just “comes up” that threatens to “take you down?” The devil is in that. Now, I’m not saying the devil causes all bad things to happen in our lives, but I do know that in the bad things that happen, the devil is always right there talking his talk, playing his mind games, to attempt to get us off course from believing God’s promises in the midst of the hard times.
God knows our thoughts. Psalm 139 tells us that God knows our thoughts from far away, and before a word is on our tongue, God knows it completely. The devil, on the other hand, does not know our thoughts. He cannot know our thoughts, because he does not have all-knowing power as God has. And so, by Jesus’ example, when it’s time to come against the devil, we have to come against him out loud. Jesus said, “Quiet. That’s enough.” We don’t need to shout. We just need to exercise our faith in the power that God has given us over the devil, by speaking out our authority as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Let me recap those last 2 points:
The devil will leave you alone if you’re not a threat to his evil work. But if you’re not a threat, you’re living a mediocre life for a marvelous Savior – and that just doesn’t seem right considering all he has done for us.
Once you ‘ramp it up’ and start living the passionate life of a disciple of Jesus, the devil will come against you. Speak your words of authority out loud. He has to obey you, because you have higher rank than him. But you must speak it out loud. The result is that the “storm” will not have an opportunity to “develop.” You may still get a little roughed up, a little wet, a little shaken, but you will not be overcome and you will not be turned away from the destination God has for you.
Just think how many lives were impacted by the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac! Everybody was talking about it in 10 different towns! Just think how many lives were impacted by the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. A resurrection! How far did that news travel? Just think how many people talked about how that bleeding woman only touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, and she was able to walk away free from affliction. Just think how many people can be impacted by your own life – by your own testimony – of how the Lord has saved YOU from a life of mediocrity doomed to hear these words at Heaven’s gate, “I never knew you.”
Revelation 12 should keep us on the offensive. Listen carefully as we complete this study:
“War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ. So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there, but doom to earth and sea, For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet; he’s had a great fall; He’s wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it. When the Dragon saw he’d been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God’s commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.”
We are in a war, brothers and sisters. But the war has already been won. The devil has not been destroyed, but he has been defeated, once and for all. Let us put on the whole armor of God so that we will remain standing against the wiles of the devil. Let’s remember the faith and the sacrifices of so many who have come before us. And let us make sure he does not steal our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us. Let’s make sure we know the battle plan, and let’s make sure as the Body of Christ, that we keep our shields of faith hooked together. For greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Alleluia! Amen.
September 7, 2008
The Whole Armor of God, Part 9
“The ‘Not-So-Secret’ Secret Weapon!”
Rev. Meagan Boozer
Today, we complete our study of the weapons of warfare given to us by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. We started way back on June 29th, and only took a break from it when we met for community worship at Hammond’s Grove on August 10th, and last week when John and I stole away to get our last recharge before heading into a very exciting Fall season with you. We went back up to the 1000 Islands in New York with dear friends who keep a boat on the St. Lawrence River. We’ve been there several times now over the last 4 years, and each time we go, it is such a gift to the eyes! What beautiful country it is, and the weather was wonderful!
One of the 1000 islands is called Dark Island. On this island sits a castle built by multi-millionaire Frederick Bourne in 1905, who worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. He wanted to surprise his wife, Emma, and their children with an island “hunting retreat.” This was not your typical Pennsylvania hunting cabin. This is exactly what I said earlier: it is a castle – a 4 story, 28 room castle with a 4-story tower and an elaborate boathouse – with tunnels and turrets, a dungeon, and underground passageways. These days, it is under private ownership, and open to the public for tours. We decided to check it out one morning, and much to my delight, in various places were suits of armor on display.
Having studied about weapons of warfare over the summer, I was very interested in looking at these heavy-duty outfits. It is hard to imagine how soldiers could get around in these things, especially in warm weather - but history tells us they were worn for many years by soldiers defending their king and country.
The Apostle Paul tells us about the belt, the breastplate, the shoes, the shield, the helmet, and the sword. Those were all pieces I saw on Dark Island. But consistently I saw one more piece to the armor that is not specifically named by Paul. I saw a lance.
Lances are normally made of wood, like a pole, with a solid iron head at the end. They could be anywhere from 1 foot to 24 feet long! The ones I saw were about the height of the armor – 6 ft. or so. A lance would be used to thrust a deadly blow into the oncoming enemy, or could be hurled to hit something out of reach.
Biblical commentators, for the most part, agree that a lance would have been an important part of the Roman soldier’s weaponry. For the most part, they also agree that though Paul doesn’t name the lance, he is referring to it in his final words regarding the whole armor of God. Let’s listen, one more time, to the full text from Ephesians 6:10-18:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
Prayer is the lance. Prayer is that powerful tool that we can thrust forward or hurl into the distance to come against the powerful onslaughts of our adversary, the devil. By forcibly using the lance of prayer, we have the power to stop major obstacles from developing in our personal life.
Lances can be short or long. The iron head can be in various shapes. They can be narrow in the shaft or wide; the iron heads can be intentionally dull or very sharp, jagged, pointed, or even have multiple-blades. History shows that an average soldier in the infantry would carry five short lances and one long lance.
And so, when Paul says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication,” he is saying, “just like there are many different kinds of lances for different kinds of warfare, we must use different kinds of prayer in order to gain victory over the enemy in our lives.”
I don’t know about your prayer life, but for me, I have to say that I pray almost non-stop throughout my days. When the devil wants to show me all that’s wrong, I try not to even take a second glance at it – and instead start praying prayers of thanksgiving. Prayers of thanksgiving are powerful weapons against discouragement and negative patterns of thinking. “In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
When you’re wondering about how you will pay the oil bill this winter, a prayer of faith is a great weapon against fear. “Thank you, Lord, that I know you will take care of me. Thank you that I can count on your promises to see me through.” The prayer of faith is a powerful weapon against fear and worry.
Prayers of agreement, when you are with someone else in a time of gathered prayer, are a one-two knock out punch for the enemy. Against one he might win, but against two in agreement, the devil might as well turn and go elsewhere. Listen to these words that I often use in counsel with couples preparing for marriage, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9) Two or more in prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy, remembering always that the Holy Spirit is present, making our prayers stronger by tuning them to God’s will in perfect love and compassion.
The prayers of petition and intercession, praying for others by literally standing in the gap between Heaven and earth, is such an encouragement to those in the midst of trial and trouble. I think this is why so many people are deeply touched by the prayer shawls and lap blankets made by the handcrafters ministry, or touched by the postcards sent by the deacons when we first begin praying for someone. Just knowing others have been in prayer for you is strengthening, which makes us more prepared to fight the attacks of the devil against our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. I know some prefer to keep things private, but I encourage you to allow others to know what you need and enter into prayer for you, because it is a weapon others can use for you that strengthens the whole Body of Christ.
Prayers of supplication are prayers we pray in intimacy with our Heavenly Father. The Greek word translated supplication means “to fall into a situation” with someone else, or to “happen into a circumstance” with another. So, to pray a prayer of supplication is to fall into conversation, to happen into a conversation with God like you can have with no other. The devil can’t touch you when you are in intimate communion with your Creator, speaking to him in childlike faith, expressing yourself – your hopes, your fears, your delight in His presence. Psalm 63, that we used for our call to worship this morning, is a beautiful prayer of supplication. “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you – I have seen you in the sanctuary, and I’m going to praise you with all that I have….”
Do you think the devil likes us to pray prayers of confession? Of course not! He likes us to pile up the guilt, the shame, the anger, the unforgiveness. He likes to drag us down! The Lord calls us to confess our sins so that we can release ourselves from their burden and be free to march forward in the righteousness of Christ.
Just as there were many different kinds of lances with which to fight the enemies of the Romans, there are many different kinds of prayer we can use in different situations to keep us from falling on our knees in defeat instead of on our knees in prayer-filled victory! Prayer is conversation with God. Sometimes when I’m in conversation with a person, I’m not sure what I’m going to say, but when I take time to listen, I find I don’t need to speak in order to stay in fellowship with that person. What a blessing to be able to be in constant communion with the God of all Creation by speaking and by listening, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit!
As we wrap up this sermon series, I want us to consider a couple of things we learn from a great story in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus had been teaching the people by the sea of Galilee. I will begin in chapter 4, v. 35: “Late that day he said to them [the disciples], “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!” They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones. When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him— then bellowed in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”) Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.” He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country. A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned. Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man. Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.”
There is so much we could look at in that passage. There is so much great teaching in there. But, for today, there are just a couple of things to point out. I have to admit, I’ve never thought about this storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee as an attempt by the devil to stop Jesus from going where he was called to go. But let’s think about it: Jesus was on the way to some amazing moments in his ministry (the casting out of the demons in the country of the Garasenes, and after that the healing of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, after that the raising from the dead of Jairus’ daughter (Jairus was a prominent leader in the synagogue). That’s a big “Wow!” Jesus was about to be on a major ministry roll, and the devil wanted to stop him.
And so here’s one of the points to take home today: It is when you are really on a roll, doing the Lord’s work with great intention, that the devil will be most intentional about coming against you and your family physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. If you’re not all that committed as a believer, if you are not serving the Lord intentionally, the devil isn’t going to spend much time on you. You’re not worth his time. Now, you may say, “That sounds like a good reason to stay uninvolved – to just be a pew sitter – to not commit to membership which I know will remove some barriers to serving the Lord in ways He might choose for my life. If remaining uninvolved and uncommitted will keep the devil off my back, it’s a no-brainer what I should do.” Well, that sounds like the devil talking – the one who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants you to have a status quo, same old, same old, uncommitted life, so that you will not experience the exploding JOY of serving God in ways and in places you have never been before. Yes, the devil will come at you more consistently when you’re on the front lines, but when you’re on the front lines, remember, God has provided you all the pieces of armor you need to stay on the front lines and be part of advancing the Kingdom of God in the world. There’s nothing greater than that! Come on army! Stand up! Serve! Commit! This is the stuff of REAL LIFE that matters beyond these walls, and these mountains, and this earth and all that surrounds us. The devil didn’t stop Jesus, and he won’t stop the committed believer either!
But let’s look specifically at how Jesus did it (in this instance): He spoke out loud a prayer of faith. “Be quiet. Knock it off. That’s enough.” It seemed he was talking to the wind and the waves – (and that’s what the disciples thought, too). All of a sudden the wind just “came up” and threatened to sink the boat. Have you ever felt like that? Life is going along okay – more than okay – and then something just “comes up” that threatens to “take you down?” The devil is in that. Now, I’m not saying the devil causes all bad things to happen in our lives, but I do know that in the bad things that happen, the devil is always right there talking his talk, playing his mind games, to attempt to get us off course from believing God’s promises in the midst of the hard times.
God knows our thoughts. Psalm 139 tells us that God knows our thoughts from far away, and before a word is on our tongue, God knows it completely. The devil, on the other hand, does not know our thoughts. He cannot know our thoughts, because he does not have all-knowing power as God has. And so, by Jesus’ example, when it’s time to come against the devil, we have to come against him out loud. Jesus said, “Quiet. That’s enough.” We don’t need to shout. We just need to exercise our faith in the power that God has given us over the devil, by speaking out our authority as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Let me recap those last 2 points:
The devil will leave you alone if you’re not a threat to his evil work. But if you’re not a threat, you’re living a mediocre life for a marvelous Savior – and that just doesn’t seem right considering all he has done for us.
Once you ‘ramp it up’ and start living the passionate life of a disciple of Jesus, the devil will come against you. Speak your words of authority out loud. He has to obey you, because you have higher rank than him. But you must speak it out loud. The result is that the “storm” will not have an opportunity to “develop.” You may still get a little roughed up, a little wet, a little shaken, but you will not be overcome and you will not be turned away from the destination God has for you.
Just think how many lives were impacted by the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac! Everybody was talking about it in 10 different towns! Just think how many lives were impacted by the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. A resurrection! How far did that news travel? Just think how many people talked about how that bleeding woman only touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, and she was able to walk away free from affliction. Just think how many people can be impacted by your own life – by your own testimony – of how the Lord has saved YOU from a life of mediocrity doomed to hear these words at Heaven’s gate, “I never knew you.”
Revelation 12 should keep us on the offensive. Listen carefully as we complete this study:
“War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ. So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there, but doom to earth and sea, For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet; he’s had a great fall; He’s wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it. When the Dragon saw he’d been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God’s commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.”
We are in a war, brothers and sisters. But the war has already been won. The devil has not been destroyed, but he has been defeated, once and for all. Let us put on the whole armor of God so that we will remain standing against the wiles of the devil. Let’s remember the faith and the sacrifices of so many who have come before us. And let us make sure he does not steal our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us. Let’s make sure we know the battle plan, and let’s make sure as the Body of Christ, that we keep our shields of faith hooked together. For greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Alleluia! Amen.
