Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
While it’s not often part of mainstream conversation, have you given much thought to HOW the dark kingdom works in our world today and what some evidences are when people, even your friends or family, might be harassed or oppressed by dark kingdom forces?
Why do I use the phrase “Dark Kingdom”? Because Colossians 1:13 describes genuine Christians as people God has rescued: “For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”
These days we are traveling with Jesus and His disciples in the early weeks after Jesus selected 12 men to spend almost full time with Him so He could teach and train them in knowing God; understanding God’s truth about how to maximize our human life experience; and preparing these men to represent Jesus to the world after Jesus returned to heaven.
Now let’s pause and take a deep breath. Did you get all that? Have you ever tried to imagine what it would have been like to be one of those 12 disciples or perhaps one of several women who were close to Jesus? Did you know Luke 8:2 says this: “Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and various diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” (Luke 8:1-3)
Now we understand Jesus’ selection of 12 men to follow Him but what about these women and what does it mean that they ‘were helping to support them out of their own means’? And did you notice it appears each of these women had been miraculously delivered by Jesus from either dark kingdom forces or diseases?
While we have no specific record of the circumstances of their deliverances, it seems clear to me, as part of their gratitude to Jesus for His life changing miracles in their lives, these women may have taken turns traveling with Jesus and the men, from time to time, buying and preparing food for them. Have you ever thought about what it would take to feed 13 hungry guys every day for several months?
Mary Magdalene is perhaps the most famous of these women and she appears in several significant Biblical scenes with Jesus, perhaps none more significant than standing with Mary, Jesus’ mother and John, at the cross while Jesus was dying. (John 19:25) Or Mary’s encounter with resurrected Jesus on that Easter Sunday morning. (John 20:11-18)
But did you notice Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus had set Mary Magdalene free from the strongholds of seven demons? (Luke 8:2) To more fully understand that let’s join Jesus and His disciples today as they continue their journey from yesterday when Jesus calmed a storm on Lake Galilee, remember? (Mark 4:35-41)
This remarkable story is found in Mark 5:1-20 & Luke 8:26-39. When Jesus and His disciples finally arrived at the far side of the Lake after the storm, they were suddenly confronted by a crazy man rushing from a cemetery toward them. Luke describes this chaotic scene: “When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man… For a long time, this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but he had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, the man cried out and fell at Jesus’ feet, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!’ For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man.” (Luke 8:27-29) Wow! What do you see happening here my friends? What does it tell us about Satan’s ‘kingdom of darkness’ and the powers of that dark kingdom in the lives of normal people like you and me?
Look closely, do you see evidence of the strong influence of the dark kingdom in the life of this man?
First, this man preferred living among the dead rather than living with his family or the people of his town. A fascination with death is an obvious evidence of the work of the dark kingdom in someone’s mind and heart. Why?
Because while Jesus came to show us how much God loves the human race He made in His image, and God is a God of life and joy and loving relationships; Satan is exactly the opposite. The dark kingdom works to draw people into isolation from those who try to love them. The dark kingdom draws people to depression or all forms of darkness suffering or even death.
Do you remember Jesus said to Nicodemus: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3:19-21)
The demon possessed man lived an out-of-control life in a cemetery. His traumatized reaction to Jesus, the living LIGHT, Emmanuel, God among us, is the demonic dark kingdom response to Jesus. I’ve seen demon-influenced people respond like that to God honoring worship and to the reading of God’s Word and even to a person praying in Jesus’ name! When you see a person repulsed by the Name of Jesus or a sense of the Presence of Jesus you can be sure the dark kingdom is present and active!
Did you notice Luke tells us the demon possessed man was not wearing any clothes? (Luke 8:27) Another evidence of dark kingdom influence with people is a fascination with nudity or sexual dysfunction. God has designed our human bodies magnificently wonderful, and we honor God as we care for and respect our bodies and the bodies of others. The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.“ (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Of course, we know the price with which we are ransomed from our sin is the atonement death of Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 1:18-20) Therefore anything that distorts the holiness and wonder God has created in our sexuality, is clear evidence of the dark kingdom at work. So, look around your world, even your extended family. What evidence do you see of dark kingdom activity in distorting or defiling the glorious work of God in His holy design for human sexuality?
I think we should pause right here friends. We’ll continue on Monday and probably Tuesday for there is so much happening here in this encounter with Jesus and this demon possessed man which the Holy Spirit wants to teach us about dark kingdom involvement in our world today!
Very important “Lessons Learned” notes are ready for you to consider at the “Grand Narrative” link below and of course a wonderful worship song praising our Lord Jesus. And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow. May I pray for you as we say goodbye today?
Today’s Scripture: Mark 5:1-20 & Luke 8:26-39.
Choose below to read or listen.
Mark 5:1-20
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Luke 8:26-39
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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