Power over the Enemy

Introduction:

Good morning Message of Peace!

Hope you had a great week! We had the second youth service last Wednesday and it was great. It is picking up fast and I believe it will be a compliment to what we do here on Sunday morning. If you have not come yet, why don’t you try this coming Wednesday?

We are having guest speakers until we get a youth pastor. Rubens is doing a great job leading the youth but we agreed that we need a youth pastor so please pray with us. We have two candidates and they will be speaking in the first two Wednesdays of March. I will remind you if you want to come to the services and be  a part of the selection process.

We also are reading the Bible through (just started the book of Numbers), praying everyday and there are small groups happening every week.

Last Sunday we had our Mission’s conference and the theme was power to witness. I am beginning a series on the Power God gives us so we can be a witness for him. It is a three part series:

• Today: Power over the Enemy
• Sunday 20th, Power to Live for Him
• Sunday 27th, Power over Sickness
• And we will have a Friend’s Day on the first Sunday of March.

Power Over the Enemy

Luke 10:19 – 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

1. We have an Enemy
   1. One of his name is the Devil, meaning the evil one
   2. Another name is Satan which means adversary
   3. We know from the Bible he is a fallen angel and with him other angels fell as well (explain).
   4. The demonic world is a real world. Paul explains it like this:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

1. 1. He is called in John 10 a thief who comes to kill, to steal and to destroy
      1. He kills physically, emotionally and spiritually
      2. He steals peace and joy
      3. He destroys lives and families.
   2. He is also called in the Bible the Tempter (Matthew 4)
   3. He is the accuser
      1. He accused and afflicted Job
   4. He is a deceiver
      1. He deceived Eve into disobeying God
   5. He usurped the authority of the world from man.
   6. He keeps people blind and in the darkness
      1. Acts 26: 18 – 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,
   7. He is the father of lies and liar from the beginning
   8. And he wants to destroy you
      1. 1 Peter 5:8 –  8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Jesus compares him in this passage with the scorpion and the serpent.

1. We Have Been Given Authority Over Him – Luke 10

1. 1. He is powerful but not all powerful
   2. Jesus is all powerful
      1. Matthew 28: 18 – 19 –  18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
      2. When Jesus conquered death he conquered Satan as well. In Revelations 1, the Risen Christ says: 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
      3. Jesus crushed the head of the serpent when he died on the cross and was declared King of Kings and Lord of Lords
   3. This power was given to us:
      1. Acts 1: 8 – 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses
      2. Remember he said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go”
      3. Mark 16 in the parallel passage says:  15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
      4. Let me go back to the passage in 1 Peter 5:

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Verse 9 says: 9 Resist him,

1. 1. 1. James 5: 7 says:  7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I want to you to hear the words of Jesus today: nothing will harm you.

Conlusion and Application:

Reading of Psalm 91