Demons

Demonic Son is Healed

When Jesus and the three disciples returned from the mountain they found the other disciples trying to cast a demon out of a young boy but not being able to do so (vv. 37-40). They had the power and authority but apparently they had not relied on God in prayer to cast out the d …

A House Divided Cannot Stand

After seeing Jesus cast out a demon, He was accused by some of doing it in Satan’s power. They even said that He was possessed by Satan himself (vv. 14-16). Jesus answered their charges with two basic arguments: Their accusation was illogical – It would be ridiculous for …

Jesus Heals a Man With a Demon

In the last half of this chapter Jesus demonstrates His power over three areas of life:Demons – (vv. 26-39)Death – (vv. 40-42;49-56)Disease – (vv. 43-48) A demon possessed man met Jesus when He landed at Gadara on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (vv. 2 …

Demons Are Cast Out

Jesus went to Capernaum, which He later made His home since His own hometown, Nazareth, had rejected Him. He sets up His headquarters in Capernaum, the home town of Peter, Andrew, James and John. On the Sabbath Jesus gives a powerful message at the synagogue (v. 31). It is no …

IllustrationAlan Redpath Passes Through Depression

A Christian who passes through the dark tunnel of depression tends to focus on his sinful weaknesses and failures. In 1964, Alan Redpath, former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, suffered a near-fatal stroke and sank into the depths of despondency. He wrote later of having …

IllustrationGod’s Plan for Our Protection

Do we have blanket immunity from Satan’s invasion? No, that protection is conditional on our responsible participation in God’s plan for our protection. Dr. Unger writes: “The Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, ungrieved by sin (Eph 4:30) and unquenched by disobedience ( …

IllustrationAstrology is Booming and being Computerized

An upsurge in astrological interest is unmistakable evidence of moral and social decay. Occultism rises ominously in times of world turmoil, religious apostasy, and moral decline. Carroll Righter is perhaps the best known and most successful of United States astrologers. Dubbed & …

IllustrationJimmy Swaggart Defies Order of Assemblies

When Jimmy Swaggart defied the orders of the Assemblies of God to refrain from preaching for one year, he assured the public that he was free of moral defect, for, he said, Oral Roberts had cast out the demons from his body over the phone. Oral Roberts confirmed Swaggart’s …