Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. Mark. Mark chapter 9. Mark 9, verse
14. On Sunday, I was trying to explain some truth
from this text. And I just want to start from
this particular text. Because there are some
things that I needed to not only clarify, but
to give evidence. Because the essence of Bible
teaching is that we're able to give sufficient
evidence, sufficient proof to the things that
are in the scriptures, that by them we have conviction
and understanding. Mark chapter 9, verse 14 to
29. When he came to the disciples, he saw a great
multitude around them. and scribes disputing
with them. Immediately when they saw him, all
the people were greatly amazed and running to
him, greeting him. And when he asked the scribes,
what are you discussing with them? Then one of
the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I brought
to you my son who has a mute spirit. Wherever
it sees him, it throws him down. He foams at
the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.
So I spoke to your disciples that they should
cast it out. But they could not. Verse 19. He
answered him and said, O faithless generation,
how long shall I be with you? How long shall
I bear with you? Bring him to me. Then they brought
him to him. When he saw him, immediately the
spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground
and wallowed, forming at the mouth. So he asked
his father, has this been happening to him? And
he said, from childhood. And often he has. Thrown
him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But you can do anything. But if
you can do anything, have compassion on us. Help
us. Jesus said to him, if you can believe, hallelujah,
if you can believe, all things are possible to
him who believes. Hallelujah. What are the all
things? Context. Amen? All things are possible
to who? All things are possible. All things are
possible to him who believes. Immediately, the
father of the child cried out and said with tears,
Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. When Jesus
saw that the people came running together, he
rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it, deaf
and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him
and enter him no more. Then the spirit cried
out and convulsed him greatly and came out of
him and he became as one death. So that many
said he is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him up and he arose. And when he had
come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, why couldn't we cast it out? So he
said to them, this kind come out by nothing but
prayer and fasting. Hallelujah. And we say that.
The reference in this verse 29 was specifically
not to the demon, but actually to their unbelief,
the unbelief of the disciples. Instead for them
to be carriers of solution, especially to the
situation at hand. And I believe so much that
in our generation, God is counting on us. All
right. There are people that they've been oppressed
in ignorance. They've been oppressed with sicknesses,
by demons, and by all kinds of things, especially
sometimes even in our families. And what God
wants to do with our lives is that What God is
making with our lives is that he makes us solution
carriers. Hallelujah. That we, by the faith of
God that we have in our hearts, by the power
of the spirit of God in our hearts, that we will
be able to provide solution to all these situations.
Hallelujah. And we cannot be a solution in our
families, in our nation, in this campus. wherever
we find ourselves if we don't believe what the
word of god has said oh he's saying about us
we must believe that god has walked in us that
ability hallelujah now we keep saying this every
day we keep saying this every week we gather
here in church that we have the power of the
spirit of god in us and our trust is that we
will agree with what we are saying amen that
we will subscribe to the words that we're explaining.
It's not just enough to know that you carry power.
It's not just enough to know that you are a child
of God. It's not just enough to know that these
are all the things that God has made available
in you. But that we see that you are rising up
every single day and you are living in dominion.
And dominion simply means that you are living
fully expressing the character of God, the power
of God that is in you. That is our desire. All
of us daily, we grow in the manifestation of
the power of God. So we grow daily in the manifestation
of the power. It's not just to know, but let
what we know be seen visible and in expression
in our lives. But then we see in these disciples
that, They doubted, all right? They doubted.
They came to him privately. Why could we not
cast it out? Let it not just be that people will
come to you trusting that you are a believer,
you know, and then here you talk about God and
what God can do. But when it's an opportunity
for us to show what God can do or what God is
doing, then we fail because of unbelief. Hallelujah.
So they came to him in verse 28 and they asked,
why could we not cast it out? Why could we not
cast it out? On recognizing that there was a
failure, they wanted to understand why. And the
why to our inability. To manifest faith is unbelief.
It's not that there's no power in us, but it's
unbelief. And unbelief is us allowing an information
that is not the information that God has given
us to have preeminence in our hearts, thereby
limiting the power of God at work in us. So,
Jesus pointed... The problem to them, the issue,
and the issue is the issue of unbelief. Now when
we look at Matthew chapter 17, where the same
story was given and was narrated in Matthew.
Matthew chapter 17, verse 20. Matthew chapter
17, verse 20. So Jesus said to them, the same
place. He says, because of your unbelief. Let's
read. Verse 18 from verse 18. And Jesus rebuked
the demon and it came out of him and the child
was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples
came to Jesus privately and said, why could we
not cast it out? Why could we not cast it out?
So Jesus said to them, because of what? Because
they didn't pray and fast? No. Because This can
come only by prayer and fasting. But look at
it here. Because of your unbelief. For surely
I say to you, if you have faith, how? If you
have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to
this mountain, move from here to there, and it
will move. And nothing will be impossible for
you. If you what? Have faith as what? As a master.
Now we are not saying that faith is countable.
Okay? Faith is intangible. We are not saying
that faith is small faith in the sense that some
people have a small quantity of faith or some
people have a large. You know, quantity of faith,
no. What we are saying here, what Jesus is saying
here is that even if your faith is as little
as a mustard seed, it's sufficient enough to
do what? To exhibit the power of God. Hallelujah.
But we don't have a mustard seed faith. We have
actually the completeness of what God has done
in Christ in us. Amen? So let our mind and our
heart, our mind and our heart, our consciousness,
our awareness, our... Let there be an agreement
in what God has said concerning us. Hallelujah.
Let there be unity with what God has said in
his word and what our circumstances are and whatever
is happening in our lives. So the issue here
is the issue of unbelief and not that the demon
is so powerful that in need, you know, prayer
and fasting, the day might cast it out. Now,
I just want to build on and give more clarity
on this so that we'll move on to the next thing.
If we check in the scriptures where Jesus, you
know, in the gospels especially, performed you
know, casting out of devils. We will not see
any instance in the Bible where Jesus, before
he cast out the devil, right? He first of all
prayed, fasted, then he cast out the devil. You
know, the manifestation of the things of the
Spirit should be as natural to us as breathing.
They should be to us, the church, as natural
as breathing. Amen? Now, some of us have come
up to a certain level that when you want to pray,
you don't know when you even start. You begin
prayer by praying in tongues. All right? Do you
believe the tongues that you are praying? Do
you believe that you are speaking to God when
you pray in tongues? Obviously, you are praying
in tongues because you believe that you are the
child of God, so you speak in tongues. So if
you can easily express The love of the Spirit
in tongues, equally, it should be as natural
to us as what? Demonstrating the things of the
Spirit should be as natural to us as we speak
in tongues. Now, let's go to Scriptures and see,
then we move on to the next thing. Matthew 8,
verse 16. As I said, we'll see instances in Scripture
where Jesus Christ cast out devils and then,
you know, he didn't have to. Pray or fast so
that that will happen. Matthew chapter 18 verse
16. When even had come, they brought to him many
who were demon possessed. And he what? He cast
out the spirit with a word. And heal all who
is sick. So Jesus cast. He cast out the spirit
with what? With a word. And heal all who is sick.
Matthew chapter 8 verse 28. Another. situation,
Matthew chapter 8, verse 28. When he had come
to another side, to the country of the Gergesens,
Gergesens, yes, there met him two demon -possessed
men coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce,
so that no one could pass that way. For I, 28,
29. And suddenly they cried out, saying, what
have we to do with you, Jesus, you son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the time?
Now, a good way off from them there was a herd
of many swine feeding. So the demons begged him,
saying, if you cast If you cast us out, permit
us to go away into the herd of swine. And he
said to them, go. So when they had come out,
they went into the herd of swine and suddenly
the whole herd of swine ran violently down the
steep place into the sea and perished in the
water. Then those who kept the field and they
went away into the city and told everything including
what had happened. a demon possessed man there
are several instances another one matthew chapter
9 verse 32 34 and all these are instances where
we see jesus christ having an encounter with
a demon possessed man a woman whatever and then
we see him speaking to the situation casting
out the devils in the authority that he has as
they went out behold they brought to him a man
mute and demon possessed and when the demon was
And when the demon was cast out, it was 33. And
when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke.
The multitude marveled, saying, it was never
seen like this in Israel. Another one in Matthew
chapter 12, verse 22. Matthew 12, verse 22. Matthew
12, verse 22. Then one was brought to him who
was demon possessed, blind and mute, and he healed
him so that the blind and the mute man's body
spoke and so. And all the multitude were amazed
and said, could this be the son of David? Now
when the Pharisee had it, they said, this fellow
does cast out demons except, does not cast out
demons except by, Beelzebub, the ruler of the
demons. But Jesus knew their thoughts and said
to them, every kingdom divided against itself
is brought to dissolution. Every city or house
divided against itself will not stand. If Satan
casts out Satan, he's divided against himself.
Now, how then will his kingdom stand? And if
I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom your
sons cast them out, therefore... You shall be
your judges. Another text, Matthew 15, verse
21. You can write that down. Matthew 15, 21 to
28. We'll see another instance where Jesus has
cast out devils. And then Mark 1, verse 21 to
28. Another instance. Mark chapter, give me Mark
chapter 1, verse 39. Mark 1, verse 39. Mark 1,
verse 39. Yes, and he was preaching in their
synagogues throughout all Galilee and what? And
casting out demons. Mark 16, verse 9. Mark 16,
verse 9. Mark 16, verse 9. And he was preaching.
Now, when he rose early on the first day of the
week, he appeared. Is it the text? Yes, yes,
yes. Talking about Mary. When he had cast what?
Seven demons. This is just a reference of what?
Luke 9, verse 37 to 43. Luke 13, verse 10 to
17. In all these instances, we see where Jesus,
you know, exercised authority. Okay? It seems
as though he has special affinity, so to say,
for demons. And wherever they are, what he did
was to cast them out. And we have also been given
that authority by the Spirit of God to set the
captives free by the power of God. Even when
we go through the book of Acts, we'll see also
in the life of the apostles that the same way
by which Jesus demonstrated the power of God,
they also, even though, of course, prayer was
characterized, characterizes their life, but
recorded in personal demons themselves. The records
in Acts chapter 8, verse 5 to 7. Let's read that
one. Acts chapter 8, verse 5 to 7. Then Philip
went down to the city of Samaria and preached
Christ to them. And the multitude with one accord
heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and
seeing the miracles which he did. For what? For
unclean spirit on the spot when we read the context
and the story. On clean spirit, time with a loud
voice came out of many who were possessed. And
many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
Right? Were healed. Yes. And then we'll see Paul
also in Acts chapter 16, verse 16 to 18. Acts
16, verse 16 to 18. Now it happened as we went
to prayer. It's not that you were going to the
synagogue to pray, okay? That exciting slave
girl possessed with a spirit of divination met
us, who brought her masters much profit for fortune
telling. This girl followed Paul and us and cried
out saying, these men are the servants of the
most high God who proclaim to us the way of salvation.
And this she did for many days, for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to
the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her. And he came out that
very hour, that very hour. Hallelujah. So we
see extraordinary miracles of casting out demons
was done. Of course, there's one also in Acts
9, verse 11 to 12. Let's read that one too. Acts
19, Acts 19, 11, 12. Acts 19, verse 11 to 12
says, God worked unusual miracles by the hands
of Paul, that word, so that even handkerchiefs
or aprons were brought from his body to the sick
and the diseased. Diseases left them and the
evil spirit went out of them. The evil spirit
went out of them. So these records were not recorded
for us for... For entertainment's sake. Hallelujah.
It was not just recorded for us to just see the
power of God and wish that we were in that generation.
You know, once upon a time, there was a time
when I was very, very, I was young in Nigeria
before I came to Cyprus. You know, it was a conversation
between believers. I don't want to give us a
context because I'll share this somewhere. with
the pastors. There was a conversation with some
believers. I was there. And what believers were
saying is that in this generation that nobody
has the power as in the days before to walk on
water as Jesus did. So they've relegated the
Bible stories to ancient stories. Stories that
has no relevance today. That when they see the
things that are recorded in scriptures, They
see them as historic facts that has happened.
They believe that it happened because they hold
the Bible in high esteem as the word of God.
And the records today are things that have happened
and they believe them. But they don't see themselves
in the pages of the scriptures. They see what
has happened as what has ended probably in the
generation that they were done. And there's no
longer relevance of such kind of power at work
in our generation. Now, we are supposed to be
the continuity of the record of Scripture. All
right? The work of God is supposed to continue
with us. As much as we see in Scriptures the
demonstration of the power of God in the miraculous,
the healing of the sick, the casting out of devils,
and all the preaching of the gospel and the work
of ministry that was done by the apostles, we
are expected... to carry on the work of ministry.
And this work of ministry, as we always emphasize,
is the work of faith. And we must see God walking
through us and believing. Sometimes when I read
the book of Acts, every time I read through the
book of Acts, and I see what God walked through
ordinary men. Men by virtue of qualification
of education in our generation today, we are
much more educated than them. You know, we are
the most exposed generation when it comes to
information. But in the simplicity of faith,
they believe what God is saying, they believe
in the work of the Spirit of God, and they are
able to demonstrate the power of the Spirit of
God. And to us today, we must also understand
the power of God. We must also come to terms
with what God is doing and anticipate. In the
work of God. Hallelujah. So. Here we've established
clearly that. The issue of unbelief was the matter.
With the disciples. And of course Jesus Christ.
Pointing it out to them. You know that. The matter
is a matter of faith. Now let's look at another
example. Where. You know doubt is an operation.
How the enemy. by the power of contrary opinions,
he raises issues to interrupt the work of God
in our lives. Doubts, questions that God has
said, doubting what God has said by what the
enemy is bringing as an opinion. Now in Acts
chapter 13, we see how the enemy operates also
in Acts chapter 13. And I want us to look at
this carefully and gently in Acts chapter 13.
We will see how the devil works, how he operates
cunningly. Acts 13, from verse 1. Now in the
church that was at Antioch, there were certain
prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon, who
was called Nija, Lucius of Cyrene, Manion, who
had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and
Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called
them. So now, there's an affirmation of the call
of God upon your lives. Okay? And the call of
God upon your lives is to go out and preach the
gospel. Then having fasted and prayed and laid
hands on them, they sent them away. So being
sent out by the Holy Spirit, now the Holy Spirit
is the one that sent them. We can see the proof
that the word came as they were praying and they
were fellowshipping and they were sent out to
do what? To preach the gospel. Now the fact that
they were sent out to preach the gospel does
not mean that the devil will not be involved
in what, will not be interested in what they
were going to do. That's what I want to bring
to our notice. So being sent out by the Holy
Spirit, they went out to Seleucia and from there
sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis,
they preached the word of God in the synagogue
of the Jews here in Cyprus. They also had John
as their assistant. Now, when they had gone through
the islands to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer,
Paul, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was by
Jesus, who was with the proconsul. Sergius Paulus,
an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas
and Saul and sought to hear. What was he seeking
to hear here? Verse 7. He was seeking to hear
the word of God. Hallelujah. He was sent by God
to go preach the gospel. Now the leader here
wants to hear what God has sent him to proclaim.
So. Verse 7 again. Who was with the proconsul,
Sergius Paulus? An intelligent man. This man
called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear
the word of God. But Elimus, the sorcerer, for
Saul his name is translated, withstood them.
The sorcerer withstood them. Even though, all
right, they were to preach the word of God, they
were to speak the word of God, there was an opposition.
There was an opposition to what God has called
them and have sent them out to do. Verse 8. But
Elemas, the sorcerer, for so his name is translated,
withstood them, seeking to do what? To turn the
proconsul away from the faith. Now, when we're
thinking, we're thinking, this is sorcery. All
of us are from Africa. You know what sorcery
is. This is juju. Right? He was trying to do
some spiritual things to shift away, you know,
the man from hearing the word of God. This is
satanic. And sometimes when you go to preach
the gospel, you don't know why people are so
aggressive. You don't know why some people, when
they just look at you, they become offensive.
Even before opening your mouth, they become whatever
they are. Because Listen, the gospel is spiritual.
Are we together? Faith is spiritual. It's a spiritual
reality. Unbelief is also a spiritual reality.
Fear is also a spiritual reality. So as you go
to speak, know that what you are engaging is
a spiritual activity. So when you see a physical
manifestation, Just know that it is a physical
manifestation of a spiritual condition. That
is why when we go out for evangelism, you must
understand that it is a spiritual activity. You
are not just going for a social program. Walk
around, you know, city center in case you see
somebody you just talked to. And then, you know,
try to socialize with the person. No, you are
engaging in a spiritual activity. It is a matter
of life. Hallelujah. So the devil, what I'm trying
to say is that the devil is also interested in
that thing that you've been sent to do. So you
must understand how the devil works. Whenever
it has to do with the work of God, whenever it
has to do with the plan and the purpose of God,
the enemy automatically is interested. No wonder
there's been a nod in your heart to go out to
preach. But you don't just know how, you just
find yourself, you know, either. slip off, right?
You can remember anything you can remember, but
when it comes to evangelism, you easily can't
forget. Or immediately fear comes into your heart,
you know? So we must understand that it is a
spiritual activity. The devil equally is interested
because his plan is to oppose whatever God does.
So we see in the case of Elemas here, The sorcerer.
He was seeking to turn away the man. Away from
the faith. Because when they preach to him. They
are bringing the message of faith. And when the
message of faith comes to him. He is going to
believe. And he will what? And he will come into
union with God. So. Verse 9. Then Saul who is
called Paul. Still with the Holy Spirit. Looked
intently at him. And said. Full of deceit and
all fraud. Does it look like Genesis 3? Does
it look like the character in Genesis 3? The
serpent that comes subtly, deceitfully, cunningly,
fraudulently. And that is the consistency of
what? Of the activity of Satan. Hallelujah. So,
he says, you full of all deceit. And thought,
you son of who? Son of the devil. You, enemy
of what? All righteousness. These are all characteristics
of the devil. You, enemy of all righteousness.
Will you not cease perverting the straight ways
of the Lord? Which means that Elymas was trying
to make it crooked. Elymas was trying to bring
about diversion to the truth. Will you cease
to do what? To perverting the straight ways of
the Lord? And now indeed, now, Paul, you know,
walk in authority. The hand of the Lord is upon
you. And you shall be blind, not seeing the sun
for a while. For a while. Pastor Victor and we've
been training center. We said that this is for
a while. All right? We suspend the activities
of the devil with the authority of God in us
for a while. We are not saying that with the
Spirit of God you can tell people, you can do
wicked things. No. We say for a while, which
means that he will receive his side later. But
for standing against the work of God, he has
to use the authority that he has in Christ. And
bringing down the argument, bringing down the
opposition, uprooting the perversion from elements.
And now indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon
you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun
for a time. And immediately a dark mist fell
on him, and he went around seeking someone to
lead him by the hand. Now look at verse 12 carefully.
Look at verse 12. Then the procreant said, what
did he do? He believed when he saw what had been
done, being astonished, At what? What did he
believe in? Is it in the casting out of the devil?
I believe that a man at that level has seen spirit.
He has interacted with spirits. Alright? So,
those miraculous things, the Bible was very specific
about what he believed. He believed what? Astonished
at the teaching of the Lord. Hallelujah. Now,
we'll move down to verse 12. We'll see that they
left that place. Okay, verse 12. Then the procurator
believed, yes, yes, it was starting. Now when
Paul had and his party set sail from Paphos,
they came to Perga in Pamphylia and John departed
from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they
departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in
Pisidia and went into synagogue on the Sabbath
day and sat down. Yes. And after that, after
the reading of the law and the prophets, the
rulers of the synagogue sent to them saying,
men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation
for us, for the people, say on. Then Paul stood
up, mounting with his hands, said, men of Israel,
and you who fear God, listen, the God of these
people, Israel, choose our fathers and exalted
the people. When they dwell as strangers in the
land of Egypt and with an uplifted arm, he brought
them out of it. Now he began to tell them the
message of the gospel. Okay. But I want you to
look at verse 38. Down to verse 38 is his explanation
of the gospel message. Okay. Now look at verse
38. Yes. Verse 38. Yes. Therefore, let it be
known to you, brethren, that through this man.
Now. He gave a history from, and that is how,
listen, go and read this text, the entire chapter.
That is how the gospel is preached. From what
God did in the Old Testament, right? From the
prophets down to, explaining down to the person
of Jesus Christ. Verse 38. Therefore, let it
be known to you, brethren, that through this
man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.
And by him, everyone who believes is justified
from all things from which you could not be justified.
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the
Gentiles begged that these words might be preached
to them the next Sabbath. The Gentiles also wanted
to hear this message again. Now, when the congregation
had broken up, many of the Jews, devout postulates,
followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to
them, persuaded them to continue in the grace
of God. So, there are people that encouraged
them to continue in the grace of God. Everything
was moving fine. Verse 44, on the next Sabbath,
almost the whole city came together. To hear
the word of God. You see, the progress of the
gospel, the prosperity of the word of faith,
right? But when the Jews saw the multitudes,
what happened now? The devil comes in, right?
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were
filled with what? Envy. Is it by the spirit?
No, the devil is walking here. They were filled
with envy. With envy, what did they do? Look
at the next verse. The last seems like what the
devil... He's doing? Contradicting. Okay? The
patterns of the enemy. Contradicting what? Contradicting
and blaspheming. What did they oppose? They opposed
the gospel. What Paul? Opposed the things. What
are the things Paul was speaking about? The things
concerning Christ. They were what? Contradicting.
That is, Paul would say, hey, They will say it's
not true. It's B. Contradicting what Paul is
saying. Opposing what Paul is saying. Blaspheming
what Paul is saying. And that is what the enemy
does. To the gospel. The word of God. He comes
contradicting what God is saying. Blaspheming
what God is saying. Opposing what God is saying.
Verse 46. Then Paul and Barnabas be bold. Opposition
should not be an excuse, right? These men were
called. These men were sent by the Holy Ghost.
And we see almost every step they move, there
is an opposition to the word of faith. And also
the one that you receive as a believer, there's
an opposition. In your heart, there's an opposition.
And the goal is to ensure that there is no progress
in your life. The word of God does not. Find
free course in your life. Then Paul and Barnabas.
Be bold and say. It was necessary. That the word
of God should be spoken to you first. That is
to the Jews. But since you reject it. And judge
yourself. Behold we turn to the Gentiles. For
so the Lord has commanded us. I have said. I
have said to you as a lie to the Gentiles. You
should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.
Now, when the Gentiles had this, they were what?
They were glad and glorified the word of the
Lord. And that is how we should, that is should
be our disposition to the word of God. And as
many as had been appointed to work to eternal
life, believed. I don't want to talk about that
appointment, but, and the word of the Lord was
being spread to all the regions. So the opposite,
see, the word of God always tries. The Word of
God has the power to triumph above whatever form
of doubt. What I want you to see is the authority,
the power of the Word of God. No matter the resistance,
imagine in ages, over 2 ,000 years, there has
always been a rise of opposition against the
gospel. But what we see is that the gospel has
continuously expanded. irrespective of the opposition.
In fact, opposition actually split the gospel
by opposition. Hallelujah. I saw somebody, someone
is a very intelligent professor, I think in America
or wherever, that he's afraid of the, he made
it this way, that he's scared of the gradual
coming to the end of Christianity. Because if
Christianity ends, you know the world because
in his own i don't know whether he's a believer
in his own you know perception that christianity
has brought order in society and the development
that christianity has brought about you know
men believe god and all these things but he's
he's he's beginning to feel that he said it is
coming to an end many people are not believing
like before i said no this man does not understand
the bible doesn't understand what works it's
his own perception about what god is doing hallelujah
amen So opposition does not stop the Word of
God from having its power and its authority.
So even in your own life, the contradictions,
the contradicting things that the enemy brings
does not have power. You are the one that can
limit the Word of God from finding expression.
You are the one that can limit the Word of God
from what? From finding expression. And the word
of the Lord was being spread throughout all the
region. Verse 50. But the Jews stayed up the
devote. Look at the enemy. They stayed up the
devote. And prominent women. Prominent women.
And the chief men of the city. Power. Now it's
political now. It's political. Rays of persecution.
Against who? Against Paul and Barnabas. And what
did they do? They expelled them from their region.
But they shook off the dust from their feet against
them. And came to Iconium. Hallelujah. The word
of God must spread. The word of God has power.
It has ability to move us. And the disciples
were filled with joy. And with what? With the
Holy Ghost in the midst of the opposition. Hallelujah.
So the devil. He's interested in what we have
and he wants to steal it from us. Let's look
at Matthew 13 as we begin to run up. Matthew
13. Matthew 13, the operation of the enemy. That's
what we're investigating to see how he operates
through his devices and how he works. Matthew
13, verse 1 to 11. On the same day, Jesus went
out of the house and sat by the sea. And great
multitudes were gathered together to him, so
that he got into a boat and sat, and the whole
multitude stood on shore. Then he spoke many
things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a
sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some
feet fell by the wayside, and the birds came
and devoured them. Some fell on the stony places,
where they did not have much earth, and they
immediately sprung up, because they had no depth
of earth. But when the sun was up, as they were
scorched, and because they had no root, they
withered away. And some fell among the thorns,
and the thorns swung up and choked them. But
others fell on the good ground, and yielded a
cup from a hundredfold, sixty from thirty. He
who has ears to hear, let him what? Let him hear.
And the disciples came and said to him, why do
you speak to them in parables? He answered and
said to them, because it was been given to you
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
But to them, it was not been given. Hallelujah.
Let's move down to verse 18. Therefore, hear
the parable of the sower. They came to him. Give
me verse 17 rather. Verse 18, yes. Which verse
is that? 14. 13, sorry. Yes, therefore I speak
to them in parables because seeing they do not
see and hearing they do not hear, nor do they
understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah
is fulfilled, which says, Hearing you will hear
and shall not understand, and seeing you will
see and not perceive. For the hearts of the people
have grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed, lest they should
see with their eyes and hear with their hearts,
so they hear with their hearts, lest they should
understand with their hearts and turn, so that
I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes
for they see and your ears for they hear. For
surely I say to you that many prophets and righteous
men desire to see what you see and do not see
it and to hear what you hear and do not hear
it. Therefore, hear the parable of the sower.
Now he began to interpret to them the parable.
Verse 19. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom,
Because he's trying to explain to them a spiritual,
a kingdom matter. The story of the sower and
the plant is not agriculture he's teaching them.
He's not agriculture planting and sowing and
reaping that he's teaching them. He's not crop
rotation that he's teaching them or soil science.
He used natural things that they could understand
to bring about the communication of a spiritual
reality. And here he's interpreting what he has
just given them in a parable. When anyone hears
the word of the kingdom, the word of the kingdom,
the message of God, the word of God, and does
not understand it, then who? The wicked one.
That means we hear the message of the kingdom
and you lack the understanding of it. Then the
wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown
in his heart. This is he who receives it by the
wayside. Okay? But he who received the seed.
I skipped verse 18. Verse 18. Okay. Go back to
the previous verse. But he who received the seed
on the stony place is he who hears the word.
Which means that the seed in the parable is the
word of God. It's the word of the kingdom. The
message of the kingdom. But he who received the
seed on the stony place is he who hears the word
and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he
has no written himself, but endures only for
a while. When tribulations or persecutions arise
because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
Now he who receives it among the thorns is he
who hears the word. And the cares of this world
and the deceitfulness of riches shock the world,
and he becomes unfruitful. Now the desire of
God is that we become fruitful. We become fruitful.
The things of the spirit. Okay? That we become
fruitful in the things of the spirit. In the
things of the spirit. That we are fruitful in
the things of the spirit. So, Satan steals the
word when taught and not understood. When the
message is taught and not understood, Satan comes
in and then he takes advantage of what I have
preached. Okay? He steals it away. What brings
lack of understanding? Lack of understanding
can come from teaching. Okay? When the word of
God is not taught properly, when the word of
God is not explained properly, the devil will
take advantage of the word when it's not properly
explained. When any message is taught without
understanding of Christ Jesus, the devil comes
and he steals the word. How does he steal the
word? Of course, we know what he does. By bringing
contradiction, right? Accusations, imaginations,
mockery. Steals the word away from the heart
of he who is and does not understand. Which means
that it is necessary that we understand. When
we don't understand, the devil takes advantage
of what has been spoken. Okay? Stealing the word
is figurative. It doesn't mean that he comes
and he takes the word. No. He rendered the world
ineffective. That's what that still means. He
renders the world ineffective in the life of
the man because the goal of the world is to bring
about fruitfulness in our lives. For example,
on the concept of prosperity, you know, when
the idea of prosperity, some of us have been
in an environment so much that when we hear the
issue of prosperity, we think, no, this man wants
to be cunning here. And we have so much belief,
we've positioned ourselves that we don't believe
that God prospers people. Alright? We believe
so much that we've come to a place that we don't
think that God prospers people financially. Why?
Because the enemy has taken advantage of the
message of prosperity. And he has tweaked it.
He has rebranded it with his own ideas. He has
sprinkled it with a lot of inaccuracy. And then
it becomes a message and the order of the day.
But the will of God is that we prosper, using
prosperity as an example, to tell us how when
the world is not preached properly, when the
world is spread, and there's no understanding,
and lack of understanding can come by lack of
proper teaching. Okay? So, God's will for us
is to prosper. But the devil comes and steals
this idea of prosperity. He pollutes the idea
of prosperity by the lack of understanding. People
could be ignorant concerning what God is saying
about our finances. Okay? We look at lack of
money and poverty as a sign of righteousness.
What is God's idea about prosperity? For instance,
The essence of wealth and finance should be understood
within the context of the word of God. The idea
about prosperity should not come from the world
because that is where the church has gotten it
wrong in many instances where we measure our
success financially with the lenses of the people
of the world. What influences our desire for
material wealth? is the worldly system, not the
word of God, not the word of God. Read 1 Corinthians
1, chapter 6, verse 7. Give me 1 Corinthians
6, verse 7, one of the scriptures. You see, Paul
was writing to the church. And what is he saying?
Now, therefore, it is already 1 Corinthians 6,
verse 7. Yes? Now, therefore, it is already an
utter failure for you that you go low against
one another. Yes. Why do you know that? I don't
know. This is a wrong one. 2 Corinthians 9 verse
8. 2 Corinthians 9 verse 8. Sorry. Yes. So Paul
was writing today. He says, and God is able to
make all grace abound towards you. And you, always
having all sufficiency. Because this is the purpose
of God for the believer. That a believer, having
all sufficiency, will do what? Will abound, right?
In all things may have abundance for what? What's
the essence of having sufficiency? That you will
be abundant, that you abound in what? For every
good work. Okay? So the desire of God is that
the believer prospers. So what does the enemy
do if this message is not understood? He took
this message of prosperity, okay, and then he
twists it. And then it becomes unfulfilled even
to the believer. Philippians 4, verse 19. Philippians
4, verse 19. Philippians 4, verse 19. And my
God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus. There are several
scriptures. Matthew 6, verse 33. Of course, we
know about how God prospers the righteous man.
3 John, verse 2. 3 John verse 2 that talks about
the prosperity of the believer. But there are
several scriptures that speaks about God's desire
for the believer to prosper. Not only in the
things of the spirit, but in material things.
Alright? But when the devil comes against this
world, he seals it, the world, and renders it
unfruitful. He renders this message of God's
plan and purpose for the believer unfruitful.
And of course, In Matthew chapter 13, we see
where Jesus Christ is explaining a parable, a
second category of people, verse 20, particularly
says, but can you receive the seed on stony place?
This is he who hears the word and immediately
receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself,
but endures only for a while. When tribulation
or persecution arises because of the word, immediately
he stumbles. The first category of people are
people that do not even understand the word.
Alright? Not understanding the word becomes an
opportunity for the devil to take advantage of
the righteous word of God. Not understanding
it. Secondly, we see somebody here that have
received it with great joy. Yet, what happened?
He himself is not rooted in nothing that he has
received with joy. So, understanding is key.
Being rooted is important to being fruitful.
For a while, for one tribulation, because Tribulation
will come on the account of what you've received.
Are we together? Tribulation will come on the
account of what you've received. For when tribulation
or persecution arises, because of what? Because
he stole something? Because if the word that
you have, immediately he stumbles. So those who
received the word accepted, but there was no
root, no foundation, no conviction, no decision
to do the word. We see challenges coming on the
account of the world that they have. You know,
you probably look at the scriptures and you see,
oh, God's plan for you, for example, let's go
back to the issue of prosperity. God's plan is
to prosper you. He will tell you that, you know,
God will prosper you. Your hand should be, you
should get a job and do something. And you went
to Sinai, you get your job and you're doing,
you believe that God has given you, God has led
you to having a job. God is prospering you in
the place of work. Suddenly they sack you. Then
you begin to wonder. Is it not the prosperity
of the Lord? Why did I lose the job? Because
probably you have no real understanding of what
God has done. Suddenly you have a problem in
your finances and you begin to question about
whether God exists. Suddenly a loved one in the
family dies and you begin to question the character
of God, the God that you've loved and worshipped.
The God that you've gone out to preach about.
Suddenly, one thing comes up and then you begin
to question the character of the God that you
serve. Because you have no root in what you've
received. You stumble because of what? On the
account of the what? Because of lack of understanding.
And the third category of people in verse 22.
Now, he who received the seed among the thorns
is he who hears the word. And the cares of this
world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the
world, and he becomes unfruitful. Now, those
who already have their own desires, this is talking
about those who have desires. The believer can
have the word of God, but he has, he's still
holding on to fleshy desires. We're together.
Holding on to desires that are not in alignment
with the will and the purpose of God. That also
is a mechanism by which the devil, because you're
holding in your heart what belongs to the devil.
And even when the word of God comes, it becomes
unfruitful. It becomes unfruitful. So, they already
have their own desires. They are lustful, you
know, lustful worldly things. Worldly desires.
Alright? So, when a world, listen, when somebody
has a lustful desire in his heart, okay? What
is inspiring his heart is the loss of the flesh,
the loss of the eyes, and all that is in life,
the preaching of life. If you preach that man
the gospel of prosperity, you will not think
with the mindset of the man that is in Christ,
even though he's a believer. So what is already
in his heart influences how he will receive the
word of God and how the word of God will be fulfilled.
Because of the desires that is already in, embedded
in his heart. That he has allowed desires that
are excellent to be in his heart. Therefore,
making the word of God ineffective. Lossful desires.
What did they do? They choked the word. For example,
in 1 Timothy 6, verse 17, you see where Paul
speaks to believers concerning the same matter
of prosperity. Same matter of prosperity. 1 Timothy
6, verse 17. It says, command those who are rich
in this present world not to be haughty, not
to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God who gives. What does he give? He gives us
richly all things to enjoy. Verse 18. Let them
do good. Okay? That's the essence of having the
riches. Let them do good that they be rich in
good works, ready to give and to share. That
is the essence. Of a believer prospering. It's
not that you will buy bags. Because you've seen
a Gucci bag somewhere. Maybe you saw my sister
here. The black dressing. Well you've seen her
clothes. She's wearing a very nice gown. And
you're converting this in your heart. If you
hear the message of prosperity. That's where
your mind will go to. Because deep in your heart.
There's a lustful desire for what is not yours.
So even when the word of God is preached. It
doesn't become fruitful. Even when you have.
You can't share. Because your heart is somewhere.
Hallelujah. So we must check the desires that
are in our heart because there is a system built
by which the enemy can take advantage and render
the word of God ineffective in our hearts. And
of course, the fourth category, 23, but he who
received the seed of the good on the good ground
is he who hears the word. And what? He didn't
only receive it, he understands it. Amen? That's
the plan of God for you. That's the plan of God
for me. He understands it. That means it has
been properly taught. That means that deeply
in his heart are not lustful desires for the
things of the world. Okay? In his heart is an
understanding the word is properly taught in
the light of Christ. Okay? The word of God is
taught properly in the light of Christ. He understands
it. Who indeed bears what bears fruit and produce
some eight hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some
thirty and... So when we hear the word, whatever
word that is preached in Christ, properly in
the light of Christ, with good desires in our
hearts, the word of God grows and prospers. And
we see the effect of God's word in our life.
Hallelujah. So how can we deal with doubt? How
can we deal with that? Because all this, how
can we deal with this mechanism of the enemy?
How can we deal with this? schemes of the enemy
hallelujah let me read this one version we close
philippians of the one verse six there must be
a level of persuadedness in the heart concerning
the word of god see paul will say i am give me
verse five for your fellowship in the gospel
from the first day until now Being what? Confident
of this very thing. Okay? That he who has begun
a good thing in you will complete it the day
of Jesus Christ. Now, what I would have expanded
on is the issue of his confidence. All right?
There are scriptures I would have read that Paul
would say, I am persuaded. Confidence and persuasions,
okay, is what will deal with the issue of doubt.
Confidence and persuasion in the word of God.
Paul would also write about Abraham that he did
not stagger. That text, whenever I come across
it, every day I read it, it challenges my faith.
It stirs me up. Because of the confidence he
has in God, he didn't stagger. Hallelujah. That
is where God will bring us into. As we give ourselves
to the ministry of the word, as we expose our
faith to God's word, understanding the word of
God, and allowing the word of God to have preeminence
in your hearts, we'll see our faith strengthened.
We are strengthened in faith that we stand against
opposition, we stand against the plans of the
enemy, and by no means the enemy will have place
in us. Hallelujah. We appreciate you being here
today. We hope you carry this word with you throughout
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
for additional insights. stay connected with
us through our website or follow us on social
media if you are encouraged share this message
with someone you care about until next time stay
blessed