Recognizing the Work of Satan

Francis Chan
Oct 17, 2021
5 min read

Updated: Jan 16

Matthew 8:1-13

The demon-‐possessed man comes up to Jesus. The crowd was amazed, but some in the crowd questioned him. Beelzebub is the prince or the Lord of the house. Sata as the ruler of the demons, was the power they accused him of using. The religious leaders were attacking him.

When you look at the first verse, Jesus cast out the demon was mute. Not the person, but the demon was preventing him to speak. When we talk about demon possession, many ask, could that happen to me? You don’t just become demon possessed. You are possessed by the Holy Spirit as a Christian, no one can take you from His hand.

You have to allow Satan to come into your life. The houses I have been to, there tends to be a past with Ouija boards, or satanic worship. It starts so subtly. I don’t know many people who say, “I want to be possessed.” Satan is not an idiot. He is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. A cunning, sneaky way of gaining access to a person’s life. 2 Corinthians 11:13, “masquerades as an angel of light. Servants of righteousness.

False teachers don’t walk in to a church and declare themselves. But they say, “We follow Jesus.” He appears beautiful. Do you ever just get curious about evil? I tried a séance in college. Can I see the power in a Ouija board, or to a palm reader? Is there magic in that? That seems harmless. I watched horror movies-in college. I remember we’d housesit and watch horror movies. Even when I moved down as a college student. Where Manson lived…I visited where he sacrificed chickens….I just want to see what it’s like. Then I read the Bible in Deuteronomy 18:9:

Talking about the Israelites: Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations around you.

You must be blameless to the Lord your God. God hates that stuff. Someone pointed this out to me as a young man. God says stay away. He hates it. Satan has a way of making evil not so bad. If I minimized sin, you wouldn’t put up with that. If I put music to it, if I made a movie with it, we tolerate it. Satan makes something beautiful and harmless.

God doesn’t want to consult (seek) the dead, or communicate with the dead. Their lover passes away, “Ghost” came out, beautiful story. All of these stories of love, communicate after death. The loved one came back and said something to me. “It’s my Grandpa…” You are seeking the dead. “I’m asking him to pray for me, talk to God for me.” You are pursuing those who passed away. It takes away from the character of God. God is omniscient, omnipresent. You don’t need another mediator. You have Jesus. We need to be fulfilled by Almighty God.

Saul did that with the Witch of Endor-calls up Samuel from the dead. Saul was in his sin.

God wants you to talk to Him. He wants to be your #1. God says it’s time to move on.

Satan is alive and well.

Isaiah 14:13, Ezekiel 28, Satan wanted to become like God. God gives the picture of the cherub in the Garden before the Fall. “I will make myself like the Most High.” Picture of Satan wants to rise up. He wants you to believe that you can become like God. Maybe there is some bizarre sect. God is Himself is once as we are now. Psalm 90:2. Error said “God was like us.” Joseph Smith said that. Michael the Archangel is our Father and Our God. Our father is Adam the Ancient of Days, with Eve, but is Michael our God. Brigham Young said that. Mormons have the beautiful temples, they are famous for valuing family. It goes against the core of what they believe.

We must defend who God is. Satan is trying to tell the world that you can become God. God is the I Am. Not I Became. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. I say that with a broken heart.

2 Corinthians 11: They pose as Ambassadors of Christ. You believe Jesus is the spirit brother of Satan? They believe that! I am not here to bash anyone. You have to know the Word of God.

It’s all about packaging. The Pharisees who are against Jesus were not these horrible people. They have the greatest intentions. They are separatists. They were worried how the pagan culture was corrupting God’s people. Suddenly they became self righteous. They made more laws. That’s why they refused to believe in Jesus.

They had to come up with something when Jesus cast out the demon-They didn’t want to believe in Jesus.

Jesus said “I did this by the power of God.” Verse 21-

If you have a strong man, he’s going to guard his house. Suddenly someone stronger comes into the house. V. 23-He who is not with me is against me.

I want you to understand-Satan wants you to be neutral. You are scattering. There is no middle ground. Everyone must say, He’s the only way. If you say there are many other ways to God. I want you to know if you are not following Jesus, you are against. You don’t want to say Jesus is a liar! If you don’t believe, wasn’t telling the truth….but He wasn’t lying. You have to take a stand.

House swept clean. The final condition is worse than the first. The demon will go right back into the person. He’ll even bring more. If your house is empty, you’d better fill it with something, the Holy Spirit.

I hate cats. I don’t like them. They go all over my back yard. I could chase them away, but if I occupied my yard with a pit bull, then the cats won’t come back. Stick the Holy Spirit, the Pit Bull in your backyard.

As Jesus was saying these things,

“Blessed rather those who hear the word and obey it.” Even then people were trying to elevate Mary. We’ve got to stick to the Word of God.

The reason why we falter is because the Word of God is not filling us up.

I have candy up here. Ever since I’ve been married, my house is filled with candy. The Reese’s is so good. I like to suck on it for awhile. The candy is such a temptation. It’s hard for me to resist. If I will eat just a bunch of healthy food. There is still some temptation. It’s so much less. But if you have an empty stomach and all you have is candy around.

I can eat in the morning, and a few hours later I’m hungry again. We all have an apetite. If we are not filling us up with the Word of God, we will fill ourselves up with other things, sinful, worldly things.

“Be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Be continuously filled throughout the day. Once a week, on the weekends, you will be toast.

Resist Satan’s temptations.

I know some of you are being tempted. There is so much junk in your life, and whatever the opportunities, they don’t come from nowhere. Satan is busy. You need to give your life to Jesus. You don’t have power to change on your own.