The devil is ruthless and merciless - Do we know and pay attention to this? (Are you always in fighting mode?)

“They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, (Gentiles' place) which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his 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 impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. (The demons inside him is very powerful; but the Jesus who drove him away later on is EVEN GREATER). Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission.”  Luke‬ ‭8:26-32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”   Luke‬ ‭8:33-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Naked - in lack (in love, materials etc) --> manifest in: we're always in search for new experience, new adventure, new people, new thrills. But every excitement only satisfy us for awhile || perverted - Satan also likes to give us perverted thinking, manifest in: wrong understanding of self-worth, and misunderstand God eg always wanna short-change us.
• Not living in houses: Isolated -->reject Christ, and also be rejected. Not accepting love and encouragement from others, isolate us into our desires/ temptations --> become more self-absorbed
• Tombs: dead (deep involvement with the demons) = as good as dead (Spiritual state). You can work, live in the world, comfortable living -> but if we're under workings of devil, we're as if living in tomb (cannot get fresh love, inspiration and encouragement from God, we are not able to hear His voice) ==> no real power
• Seized and driven by demons: no rest, no freedom, enslaved --> puppet of devil (be under Devil's control). 

Important - Devil's work is always hidden! That's why it's powerful, you cannot realise it easily! He does not like to show himself, so that you won't know, so that you don't deter. 

-  coverings of religion, good work, kinship, human love

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”  1 John‬ ‭5:19‬ ‭NIV‬

Pray: expose Devil in our lives

1. Jesus has power over demons -- expose devil!
   1. • Hidden vicious roots, sinful pride, disbelief in life when the soul-piercing word of God is shared (sometimes it is not that you want, when the truth is heard, our sinful desires/ hidden pride is just exposed by itself) 
        • We may think that we're OK, modest, and not evil --> cos we're praying, attending church, know bible stories. But the more we hear the truth, the more Jesus revealed to us our hidden roots, falsehood
2. • “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NI
3. When Jesus' greatness is demonstrated, it brings: FEAR and FAITH
   1. • Demons were afraid of devil, so they begged Jesus to let them go; the people who witnessed the miracle also afraid of Jesus 
      • Hearing the word is not just enough (Lk 8:12-14 - you can sow, but Satan can steal away) ; seeing miracle is just not enough (Lk 16:31); 
      • Faith to trust Jesus (this is given by God)
        • • The believing person also has fear; but this is fear out of reverence lead them to need Jesus (even at the expense of separation from loved ones) --> follow HIm (eyes opened, there's no one else who can help them except Jesus
        • The non-believing person fear Jesus but their fear leads them away from Jesus (work of Satan)
4. In Christ, we have the spiritual upper hand

Using spiritual authority in Christ - when distractions/ tiredness/ emotions come, do we allow ourselves to be tormented by them, or we exercise spiritual authority in Christ to chase these "demonic attacks" away

When you have assurance in this upper hand, you will have this boldness emerged within!

Purpose: salvation/ conversion, discipleship. -> image of God wholeness of humanity 

• We can insert God's views in all things that are happening 
• Everything become Covenanted, grounded (after conversion) - clear, sound, right mind 
• God does more than just solving the problems at face value (money, work issues) --> He wants to patch our r/s with God; 

reconcile with His purpose (not save you, and let you continue your own way - thats why Jesus ask the man to Evangelize after driving demons out)

• You have your own fields, own stories to tell about Jesus - God uses all conditions 

Not the possessed man is in the right mind (used to have perverted mind)

Are we just a convert, or are we a follower? (Is God sending you signals through phenomenon of world, things are happening in the family?)

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• Are you in fighting mode? (What is your response when you are Sian/ numb/ emotional? Do you let it be? Then we are not too scared of devil's attack!)
• Check ourselves: we may look ok, but we may be under the influence of devil ? (Being directed by demon, hurting, self-withdrawn, doing things that do not benefit us -- uncontrollable) - are there any concealed works of devil in our lives? 
• Do we need to cast him out in certain areas?
• Spiritual upper hand - do we exercise this?
• Clear examination of self: we have been saved, but do we restore the purpose of salvation in our workplace? Are we just need-based believer, or we are in sync with a life of disciple of God?