Hello there,
Welcome to Jesus to the Core. I am Darryl Thomas. It is my prayer that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. Today, I want to share with you a message from Mark 1: 21-39.
And it reads,
21Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22The people were astonished at his teachings, for he taught them as one having authority and not as scribes. 23In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are---the Holy One of God!" 25Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" 26The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." 28His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. 29On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 32When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33the whole town was gathered at the door. 34He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. 35Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you." 38 He told them, "Let us go to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." 39 So, he went into their synagogues, preaching, and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
May God add a blessing to the readers, hearers, and doers of His Holy Word. For the sake of context, it is necessary to view the 27th verse again. Verse 27 says,
In the first part of this sermon, it was mentioned that the people who saw the ministry of Jesus recognized that Jesus was teaching something new. Not only that, they recognized that Jesus taught with authority. The people weren't saying that Jesus taught something outside of what in the prophets and the law. They were saying that he was not preaching the same way as the scribes and the other teachers of that day. How do we know this? For example, there was an instance when Jesus when Jesus was teaching in Matthew chapter 7.
You will find in Matthew 7:28-29 (KJV) where it says,
So, the people were surprised and some of them were offended that Jesus taught with authority. Jesus taught with great authority. We also learned that Jesus has given us the authority to take territory for the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ has given us the authority to be effective in ministry. Jesus says in Matthew 16:18-19, "And i say unto you that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth will be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This means that God has given us authority to work for his kingdom, and he has given us authority over Satan. He has given us authority to take territory for the kingdom of God and surrender no ground!
When we search the scriptures concerning the ministry of Jesus, we find that Jesus was not only a great teacher, preacher and prophet. We know Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and during His ministry He worked many miracles. Jesus opened blinded eyes. He healed people with ravishing diseases such as leprosy. He healed people with blood disorders. He caused lame people to walk. He caused deaf ears to be opened. As we look at the scripture from which this message was birthed, we also know that Jesus Christ has the power to cast out demons and devils.
Jesus Christ has the power to cast out Satan himself. The armies of Heaven have done it before. And before it’s all over, the Son of God will cast Satan and the fallen angels into the Lake of Fire. It is imperative that the Christian knows the authority and the power given to us by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. According to Matthew 16:18-19, our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the keys so that whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven. He gave us the keys so that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in Heaven. The keys that Jesus Christ has given to the Christian believer represents the authority He has placed into our care. Not only that, but in John 7:38, Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." If you'll go down to the 39th verse, it tells us that in verse 38 Jesus was talking about the Spirit of God.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witness unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." When we believe on the Jesus of the Bible, we will be endowed with the power of God given to us by His Spirit." When we are endowed with the power of God, we can be effective in ministry. We can be effective in fighting for the kingdom of God. With the power of God we can take back territory for the kingdom of God. Therefore, we know that Jesus has given us the authority to do ministry in His name. We also know that if we believe on Jesus Christ as the scripture has said, we will receive power from the Holy Ghost.
As Christians, it is critical that we understand that Jesus Christ has given us commandments concerning the ways in which we must carry out His ministry. Mark 16: 15 lets us know that the attainment of salvation is not all that the Lord is requiring of the believer. In Mark 16 :15 Jesus gave commandment to his disciples when he said, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” He commanded us to proclaim the Gospel to every creature, and in the process Jesus describes the signs that will follow those who do the work of the ministry. Jesus explained that Christian believers will drive out demons, and they will speak new languages. Jesus prophesied that Christian believers would pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. Jesus says that the Christian believer lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
These are signs that should be following us, but many of us do not believe them. I have heard prominent preachers with huge followings preach to their audiences that they cannot cast out a demon. Why are you telling Christians that they don’t have the power to cast out demons? Many preachers believe that Christ has given them the power to preach the gospel, but they reject the signs that Jesus said would be evident among those who believe. If Jesus tells His believers that they will drive out demons, who are you to tell them that they can not? If you don’t believe the scriptures, that is your right. But don’t you confuse the people with heretical teachings. If Jesus said it, and that is enough for me. Why is it that we attempt to be contrary in our theology. If we are Christian, our theology should be consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus declared in the Gospels, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man can come to the Father but by me.”
Jesus has the answers. We don’t have an answer outside of Jesus Christ! Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Jesus Christ there is no other. Jesus is the way! The bible declares in Romans 3:4 that we ought to “ Let God be true and every man be a liar.” If you are a Christian believer, you will carry out the ministry of Jesus Christ. And these signs will follow you. That’s what Jesus said, and that settles it. Away with the preachers who think they know more than Jesus. If you don’t have the courage to preach and carry out the ministry as Jesus has taught, Why are you preaching?! As Christian preachers, we are to preach the doctrine that Jesus preached. In Titus 2:1, " Paul commanded Titus "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine." We are to believe the doctrine that Jesus preached.
In Matthew Chapter 17, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into an exceeding high mountain where He was transfigured. Upon this mountain Jesus was talking to Moses and Elijah. The apostles of Jesus Christ testified that the face of Jesus shined like the sun, and raiment (clothes) were as white as the light. This is why many Christians call this particular mountain the mount of transfiguration. When Jesus and his apostles came down from the mountain of transfiguration, there was a man who was running toward Jesus out of the multitude of people. The man came kneeled down before Jesus, and he said to Jesus:
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, an sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to the disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
The Lord proclaimed that the disciples were unable to cast out the devil because of two reasons (1) unbelief and (2) the need for prayer and fasting. First, the believer must know with assurity that God has given him or her Authority and Power just as He promised. Secondly, there is a need for prayer and fasting. The apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians chapter 6, that we are to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6: 10-19 says:
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplications for all saints;
19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.
In order for us to be strong in the Lord, we must deny the flesh. I remember listening to the Apostle Herman Murray the Chief Apostle of Full Gospel Holy Temple Inc., and he described the need to deny the flesh. He said that “We must deny the flesh, because the war we are fighting is not flesh and blood.” The strength of our flesh can not profit us in spiritual warfare. The flesh actually hinders us in spiritual warfare. Therefore, we must bring our flesh under subjection to the Word of God. In Galatians 5: 17-25, the apostle Paul says:
17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornications, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.
24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Paul teaches us that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit is against the flesh. This is the fight that exists within f man. Therefore, the Christian is responsible for fasting and praying. In fasting, we bring our flesh under subjection. We crucify our flesh so that we can live and walk in the Spirit. The Spirit of God is a great liberator, and he wants to set the captives free. In 1 Corinthians 3: 17, the apostle Paul said, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Therefore, we as Christian believers are responsible for crucifying our flesh as well as the affections and desires thereof. We crucify our flesh with fasting and praying so that we can live in the Spirit. Paul teaches us that if we live in the Spirit, we walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we can walk in the power that He has endowed us with. When we walk in the Spirit, we can go forth in the power to do effective ministry.
In Acts Chapter 1: 8, Jesus promised, “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. The Spirit of God comes to guide us and give us the power to be effective in ministry. When we fast and pray, we allow the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit to reign while putting our flesh under subjection. We bring the flesh under subjection, and we crucify him. We crucify the flesh, because we want to live in the Spirit. It’s time for the church to start back praying and fasting. It is time for us to walk in the power and authority that Jesus Christ has given us.
You do not have to surrender to the will of Satan. Satan wants you to believe that you have no authority and power. He wants you to suffer. He wants you to be destroyed. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” If we will accept the fullness of Jesus Christ, we can have life more abundantly. We can have the abundant life. We can do ministry with authority, if we will receive everything He has given us. He has given us so many things such as: doctrine, the application of doctrine, ministry, authority, and power. He has given us His Spirit. It is up to us to believe, and receive. Let us pray,
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for your grace and your mercy. We thank you for life, health and strength. We thank you for your command to preach the Gospel. We thank you for always keeping your promises. We thank you for the power and authority you have given us to do your great work. We pray that you keep us with a mind to seek after Jesus Christ. Keep us with a mind to submit to the Spirit of God. Keep us with a mind to bring our flesh under subjection. Keep us with a mind to crucify our flesh and the lusts and desires thereof. We thank you for watching over us and keeping us from all hurt, harm and dangers seen and unseen. We ask that you continue to watch over us and keep us from all hurt, harm, and dangers seen and unseen. We pray that you will forever be with us, and help us to do ministry with authority. In Jesus Christ mighty name we pray,
Amen
Comments