Lesson 41

LESSON 41 - Mark 1:23-28

23 Just then a man with an evil spirit in him came into the synagogue and screamed, 24"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are-you are God’s holy messenger (the Holy One of God-KJV)!" 25 Jesus ordered the spirit, "Be quiet, and come out of the man!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of him. 27The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, "What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!" 28 And so the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the province of Galilee. (Good News Bible)

What are we to learn from this passage?

Sometimes there are people who have evil spirits in them. Those evil spirits make them say and do strange things. Notice this man came into the synagogue, the worship place. That’s where he needed to be. Church should be a place where people can get freed from demons.

Notice what the demon through the man’s lips said. It used the pronoun "us". What does that tell you?

Yes, there was more than one demon in him. It said, "I know," indicating that of the demons in the man, one, probably the strongest, was the spokesman or leader.

Note how the demon referred to Jesus. The demon calls Him by His earthly name, knows His hometown, and knows His character is holy. It also knows Jesus’ mission as the Messenger of God. Since the demons knew Who Jesus really was, why didn’t the people recognize Jesus as the Messiah?

The words and presence of Jesus (and of believers too) bring fear to demons. This evil demonic spirit indicates that it knows what its future holds..."are You here to destroy us?" It also knows that Jesus will be the Judge of their sentence into the lake of fire. Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,...

Jesus told the evil spirit to stop talking. He didn’t need any demon’s endorsement as to Who He was. His life, His words, His works would be more than enough witness for any person to believe.

Did you notice how simple Jesus’ command to the demons was? He didn’t go into a long speech or strange gyrations. He simply told the demon to leave the man.

The demons left like a stampede shaking the man and causing him to holler, but Luke's account of this (Luke 4:35) tells us the man was not hurt. Those who work in deliverance ministries like this one of Jesus’, see physical manifestations of the demons leaving the person. These are good, being signs that deliverance has taken place.

The people who saw this in the synagogue knew that the man had been delivered of those evil spirits and they were amazed at the power of Jesus’ words and the results He got. People began to spread the word about what Jesus had done and said. (Are you spreading the word of what Jesus has done in your life?)

Principle: Jesus is more powerful than any force of evil. No one is more powerful than He.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

John 17:2 As thou (God the Father) hast given him (Jesus) power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Ephesians 1:19-22 according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he (God the Father) wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet,

Philippians 2:9-10 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

This is the Lord we serve. This is the Christ to Whom we have pledged our lives and loyalty. He is the King of all kings, the Lord of all. There is none as powerful as He.

Psalm 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.