Sunday Message: God Is Bigger Than Your Problem

Everybody Greg Laurie here.

You're listening to the Greg Laurie podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast.

Everybody welcome the Harvest at Home.

I'm Greg Laurie and I have a message for you from the word of God is from our series on the Gospel of Mark that were calling the gospel for busy people. Here's my message title. Listen, God is bigger then your problem out is that sound. I'm sure in talking to somebody right now that is facing the problem of some kind so I have a very hopeful message for you today. Starting with this thought. There is a God in heaven who deeply loves you if you forget everything else. I see you in this message. Just remember that you are loved by God and God wants to reveal his custom-made plan that he has just for you. He wants to flood your life with love and peace and joy and purpose, and then if that's not enough.

And that's a lot. He wanted to spend all eternity with him in this amazing place called heaven when my favorite verses from the Bible is Jeremiah 2911 or God says I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord God said, peace, and not to be able to give you a future and a hope. So yes, it's true. God loves you and God has a plan for your life and God has a future for you know. Listen to this. Just as surely as there is a God in heaven who loves you. There is a devil from hell who hates you. He's a hateful spiteful wicked creature who opposes God and opposes anybody follows God, the Bible describes him like a roaring lion skulking about, seeking whom he may devour Jesus ended up this way.

He said in John 1010 the thief speaking of the devil comes only to steal, kill and destroy. But in contrast crisis but I have come that you might have life and that more abundantly.

So the devil he wants to stop you from following Jesus Christ. He wants to ruin your life when you're being tempted you are to remember the words of the great evangelist Billy Sunday who said quote hell is the highest reward. The devil can offer you for being a servant of his. While hell is the highest reward without a mind. Why would anybody ever given to the temptations of the devil answer. Sin makes this stupid. I mean think about it. Think about the people you know that are intelligent individuals who've gone and done the craziest things under the sway and power of sin.

That's why we give into these things. So though the devil is powerful.

Don't forget this God is way more powerful. Listen, the devil is not God's equal God is the Almighty Creator of the universe. The devil, Lucifer, Satan is a fallen angel, a powerful one for sure, but not anywhere near the equal of God and the Bible reminds us that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. So God is more powerful than Satan and God is bigger than your problem. I want to tell you a story from the Bible Mark chapter 5, but encourage you to turn over there with me right now. It's a story of a man who had been completely taken over by the power of the devil, tortured, miserable, suicidal shell of a man in what appeared to be an absolutely hopeless situation that is until Jesus came along. What we see in this man is the devil package deal. If you will that he has in store for any person who is in his grip. You see, the devil will start with just a foothold and then he'll take over. Give them an inch and he'll take a mile. Once he has you worry want you to chew you up and those spit you out Judas Iscariot is a classic example of this. One of the handpicked disciples of our Lord. But of course we know that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. I get some money look pretty appealing to Judas but then after the devil got what he wanted from Judas Iscariot. He kicked him to the curb like yesterday's garbage so Judas found out the end result of doing the wrong thing. The story before us illustrates these points and more. We see three forces at work in the text that were going to be looking that we see Satan society and the Savior are another way to look at it we see chaos, culture, and then Christ now is our story begins, we see that Jesus is on his way to reach this tragic man who had actually been taken over for the power of demons.

Not one demon, not 10 demons, but many demons as it turns out, and so is Jesus is on his way a storm comes on the Sea of Galilee, effectively sent by the devil to stop Jesus from reaching this man but Christ would not be stopped and reminds us of God seeks us out how God loves us. Jesus told the story about of the shepherd to add 100 sheep and one cheap one astray, and he left the 99 sheep and sought that one stray lamb and found it wrapped it around his neck and brought it back rejoicing.

That's how Jesus says he's going to reach that person like that tragic woman at the well from Samaria who had ruined her life and Jesus had an appointment with her like little Zach. She is the tax collector who lived in Jericho.

Jesus thought about and Jesus will not take no for an answer.

Years ago I was with my son Jonathan is now in his 30s, but then he was just the little guy probably around five years old so we were in a hotel and tell he loved to push the button and let them do that in so he is always running head together in the elevator and so I said wait for dad Jonathan.

Then he ran ahead around the corner.

I come around the corner and just as I got to the elevator. The doors were closing with little Jonathan in there all by himself. While I almost had a heart attack by pushing the button. By the way, when you push a button on an elevator over and over doesn't make you come faster but it makes us feel better pushing the button pushing to pushing the pushing it. It seemed like an eternity. Finally, the doors open. No Jonathan, oh my gosh, so identity elevator I go down to the lobby. I go to the front does is gives me the latest on the phone excusing kinds gives me discernment don't know excuse me I need to type yet yes what is it, my son got on the elevator and I don't know where.

Yes I need you to call security. I need you to call the police. I need swatting here.

I need total force help me find my boy will hold on one second search again and Seneca so I run back to the elevator and I pushed every button on every floor in acid elevator would go to the floor. The doors open, and I yell out his name and after about five floors. The doors opened and there he's man. I got a minute I was so thankful to find that was a very scary situation will look I was gonna find my son. Nothing was going to stop me from locating him I would've not been every door in that hotel until I found them. God is going to seek you out. He loves you. We cares about you, but the devil tries to stop Jesus from reaching this man that brings us to our text Mark chapter 4 starting in verse 35. By the way I'm reading from the new living translation. As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples. Let's cross to the other side of the lake you might underline the phrase a come back to it.

That's close to the other side of the lake so they took Jesus in the boat and started out leaving the crowds behind them. The other boats follow soon appears store and came up in high waves were breaking into the boat and began to fill with water.

In verse 38.

All of this Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat with his head on a cushion had hit a pillow that's nice. He was comfortable in the lower part of the boat is a storm is raging. The disciples will come up shouting teacher.

Don't you care there were going to drown Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves. Silence. Be still. Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm. And then he asked them where you are freight. Do you still not have any faith that I love this last verse. The disciples were absolutely terrified saying who is this man is even the wind and the waves obey when we stopped for a prayer father speak to us now through your word. I know there are people watching right now were facing great troubles and obstacles in challenges and I pray that this message will comfort them. I know there are people watching right now, they don't know you yet.

I pray that this message will reach them and that they will come to believe in Jesus Christ, we commit this time a Bible study to you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Storms happened all the time on the Sea of Galilee. Apparently this is a pretty bad storm because the season sailors themselves were freaking out and then we find the Lord coming up on deck and stopping the storm. I wonder if I'm talking to somebody right now, who's going through a storm when they see a storm I meet up hardship or difficulty. Perhaps even the tragedy. It's a big powerful storm and you feel like the disciples are saying of the Lord, Lord, don't you care that I'm suffering don't you care that I'm in trouble right now. Are you even paying attention. Storms come into our lives as Christians. Sometimes God himself will send the storm as in the case of Jonah, who was so disobedient to God, the Lord, and Lord called him to go and preach to the city of Nineveh and he said no, God said, go Jonah said no, God said, although God always has the last word so you might see that Jonah was the original chicken of the sea going the wrong direction running from God what happened. The Lord sent a mighty storm and of course to pursue that storm that God God the attention of Jonah. Sometimes we bring these storms on ourselves because our of our disobedience. You might be in the situation right now we are effectively reaping the consequences of your actions chickens have come home to roost. If you well and is in war is ugly me you actually brought it on yourself.

So sometimes God will send a storm. Listen to this. Sometimes the devil will send a storm as in the story before us, but God allows it. Sometimes we call in the Lord any stop the storm like the story before us.

Other times, the Lord sustains us through the storm.

But know this wherever you read your storm has a beginning, middle and and then one more thing I would add your either pulling into a storm.

Are you coming out of the storm. They'll be another one coming just know that. And please don't let that sound depressing.

I hope it doesn't because Jesus is with you and your storms as well as when he is with you on your sunny days and the fact of the matter is you learn things in the midst of storms or hardships or trials that you will not learn anywhere else. And besides, there's no reason to panic. Wife Jesus said to the disciples in Mark 435 let's cross to the other side of the lake.

Now Jesus and said let's get on the boat and go to the middle of the lake and die.

I probably would not aborted that over. That's not what he said. He said let's go to the other side of the lake. He did not promise smooth sailing, but he did promise a safe arrival.

He promises the same view right now. He never said life is going to be easy. He said in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. But you'll get you to the other side. Then, and ultimately for us as Christians. The other side is when we get to heaven let's go to the other side he was on board. Listen to this. Better to be in the storm would Jesus and anywhere else. Without him, so whatever you're going through. If you're a Christian, Christ is with you. And if you're not sure if you're Christian, I'll tell you how to become one in just a few moments and I find it interesting that the storm did not awaken Jesus from his sleep. I guess he was a deep sleeper, but the cry of the disciples did they see in verse 38 don't you care there were going to drown as it ever see me was a God is sort of asleep well in this sense, Jesus really was asleep. Remember he was fully God.

He was fully man and he was really exhausted and drained from the activities of the day. He really was asleep within a broader sense God never sleep. The Bible says he that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps in God's always aware of what your going through. But listen to this. In this story Satan was trying to stop Jesus, but he failed, by the way, when Jesus went out to the storm and said, peace be still, it could better be translated.

Peace be muzzle as though he was talking to crazy aggressive wild animal or dog. My wife and I were out walking the other day we went to this one street there's this big dog no lease in these parking tenant coming out us and I can to push her back at home. Let's go down that street. I know with the owner was up to, but that dog was clearly think this is my street.

You know what to say. Usually the big dogs a bike you and bite you with those little yapping dog. We recently are a while ago. I should say where walking through another area of our neighborhood with there's this tiny little parking and where walking on a little sidewalk and a lady was approaching with one of those small gap. The little dogs and when I see personal dog. I always go around the dog. I don't trust him. They might bite it. Sure enough that dog bit Kathy in the ankle and it broke the skin. It was not a good thing and that's always a happy dog Juno white of the bike so much.

Maybe they're just upset. I'm little I knew you happy I am and not an attractive dog, even a cat is better than me and they know it like the little Chihuahuas are always shaking one of the shaking because her thinking. I'm not a rat.

Don't feed me to a snake. I don't know, but she got bit by the park and the funny thing is that whenever we walk near that park is a let's go through dog bite part, so we've sort of memorialize the blood Jesus was speaking to the power behind the storm, which was the devil like a wild animal, or an aggressive dog. Peace be still or peace be muzzle listen when the devil has a person under his control the sunken to give them up easily.

He's sort of like a lion with a kill.

Nothing's going to happen without a fight. That's why it's so hard to get somebody go to church with you.

That's why it's so hard to get somebody. We even watched this service harvested home with you. Well I don't know if of the things to do and if the devil holds on to his prey.

But again, remember God is more powerful than the devil, and God is bigger than your problem so they come across a sea of Galilee. Jesus is stop the storm and what is waiting for them on the other side but a man who was possessed by demons turned out in Mark chapter 5, read verses one through nine, which says so they arrived in the other side of the lake in the region of the Gadarenes and when Jesus climbed out of the boat and then possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him.

This man lived in the burial caves and can no longer be restrained even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles as he often was he snap the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue them in day and night.

He wondered among the burial caves in the hills howling and cutting himself with stones. When Jesus saw him some distance away. The men saw him and ran to meet him and bowed before them with their streaky screen wire you interfering with me, Jesus, son of the most high God in the name of God, I beg you don't torture me and Jesus had already said to the spirit come out of this menu. Evil spirit out what what the story.

This is downright spooky. Now this is Halloween weekend then and we see all of the little tombstones on people's lawns and skeletons in chains and all that. I think this should be a good moment for some scary sound that had a reason for going to go so this is a pretty scary situation of frightening evil man with super human strength hanging around in a graveyard screaming and howling another one of the gospel accounts tells us that wasn't enough, the guy was naked so is running around nobody wanted to go near that graveyard. No one would want to go. You know up either respect to their loved ones would pass in my run into the crazy naked guy who broke chains and so everyone wrote this guy off and he's out of his mind is under the power of the devil and notice it since he cut himself is not interesting, you know, cutting her self injury is that sometimes called, is becoming far more widespread among young people today kids cutting themselves as sharp objects like razor blades and by the way girls do it more often than boys. Most of the teenagers that cut our young adolescent girls from the age of 11 to 12, and these kids are in deep pain at the end of my message him and to tell you a story of one of these young people. Young girl named Nikki who cut herself in with very despondent what God did for her.

How this guy ended up in this day worries cutting himself in and so tormented.

We can only imagine this man was dead spiritually. The Bible says that were dead in our trespass and our sin. The Bible also says that she that lives for pleasure is dead while she is living. You know when guards will leave the condemned man down.

The prison hallway. They would call the words dead men walking dead men walking here that's exactly who this guy was. He was a dead man walking.

So Jesus stops the storm becomes of the other side, and these demons speaking through the sky say in verse seven. Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, son of the most high God in the name of God, I beg you don't torture me. We see some interesting and surprising things here about the devil and demons.

Number one. This point may surprise you but it's true demons. The wicked are actually quite Orthodox in their beliefs. I'm not suggesting they believe in Jesus. It's the opposite there in rebellion against Jesus but there are certain things they actually believe it should not surprise you to know that the devil is neither atheist nor agnostic. For instance, the devil believes in the existence of God because the Bible says the demons believe in Trumbull, the devil believes in the deity of Christ, which means he believes Jesus is God because when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, Satan says to him, if you're the son of God turn this rock into a piece of bread and a better translation would be, since you're the son of God, Satan was acknowledging the Christ is the very son of God. Listen, the devil believes the Bible is the word of God. He hates every word of it, but he knows it's true. And the devil believes that Christ is coming back again.

He's a wicked creature, a member. One is a brand-new Christian, I mean like maybe a few weeks old, and the Lord. I was a little meeting where we were singing some songs and praying and someone came up with the bright idea. Hey, why do we pray for Satan's conversion. Think how great things will be of the devil comes to Jesus and think in this is nuts. Even as a new Christian, I thought that's that's not possible and no it is not possible Scripture is clear about the origin agenda and the ultimate destruction of Satan already mentioned this verse. James 219 it says the demons believe in Trumbull. Another translation would be the demons believe in shutter the Burberry care occurs only here in the New Testament it means to bristle, and it conveys the picture of a horror causing the hair to stand on. In my case, that would be singular.

One hair standing on end.

But why did the demons Trumbull answer because they know the Christ as supremacy over here that the demons ask Jesus. Have you come to torment us before our time. The devil knows that a time of judgment is coming. He knows he's ultimately going to end up in the lake of fire. Revelation 1212 says he knows he has but a short time and that is why in these last days and I believe we are in the last days. I believe Jesus is coming back again. That is why these last days. The devil is pulling out all the stops.

Listen to this. Even if some liberal theologians don't believe it. Satan believes that Jesus Christ is coming back again and his goal is correct as much havoc as he can until that day, as Christians, could we be at least as motivated as a demons are there out there doing all their dirty work trying to destroy lives, what are we doing for the Lord one's last time you shared the gospel was someone so we see three forces at work in this story.

As I said, Satan, society and the Savior are another way to put it chaos culture in Christ. So we've already seen with the devil did in this man's life as he brought complete chaos was Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the U.S. Senate who made this statement years ago and I quote the choice before us is plain. Christ or chaos, conviction, or compromise discipline or disintegration." And so true Christ or chaos. One of the devil do for this man. He brought chaos. He brought destruction.

He brought bondage supported society do for his chain them up will give society do lock him up chain them up though there's not really anything else we can bring to the table.

You know in America right now we have riots in our streets in some cities we have out right outright anarchy and the potential is there for her to get far worse. Those that service and law enforcement have never had it harder and they have it right now the family continues to disintegrate and break apart and by the way, that's at the root of most of our social ills today society and culture cannot cope with the problems caused by Satan and sin social media. Most of us carry one of these things around with us in our pocket smart phone social media Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, tick-tock, all these things are supposed to bring us closer together but I think social media in many ways is divided us and driven us apart. Again, the good times I'm sitting in a restaurant. There's a family all sitting at a table. II think you'd they went to gob a meal together but everyone is just looking at their phone they're not even paying attention to one another. They don't talk anymore.

I read article in Forbes magazine about this with the headline, the more we use social media, the less happy we seen to be another article said multiple studies have found that there's a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts, society has no answers for this man society or culture has no answers for us either. But what the chains could not do Jesus did in one word and that brings us to the third force, if you will, in the story the Savior wanted Jesus to for this man.

First of all he thought about in this spooky little graveyard and he offered him hope now here's a bizarre twist in the story. You can read it therein.

Our chapter 5, but the demons actually operable requesting sick really, because this out of the sky Cassis into something and there was a herd of pigs feeding nearby, and Jesus cast the demons into the pigs and then the kids all ran off the edge of a cliff and die. It was a mess. Sue we side no activity but it was the first case of devil him in human history. But the good pigs possessed by the demons all over the side while pretty scary, so would culture could not do Jesus could what religion cannot do. Jesus can what treatment programs cannot provide the Lord can listen, you don't need a 12 step program to be the one step program come to God through Jesus Christ and ask him to help you. So this man is radically transform all these demons of love him and they got into the pigs and in the people come and see this man in his right mind, and they can't remember. This is the guy that they've known all this time. Now let's look at the amazing transformation of this man Mark chapter 5 verse 15 when they came to Jesus. They saw the man who would been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed in his right mind so it's a reaction they were afraid those would see that told the people what it happened that the demon possessed man and they were told about the pigs as well. The people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. How now this man is so change you couldn't even tell it was the same guy you know you meet some Christians and it's hard to believe that they used to be who they were. I think of some people I've gotten to know quite well, like Darrell strawberry great baseball player for the New York Yankees and other teams, but he became the bad boy of baseball and he was known in many ways more for what happened outside of the game arrested for drugs all kinds of problems in this life, but God ultimately got a hold of him and transformed him and I'll tell you what I think I would Darrell. It's hard to believe he was ever that guy the Lord is transformed to repair your brakes go to the liver very successful life because appointment you would baseball put a beautiful morning talk well you make a lot of money should be happy money to make you broken on this are broken as real as it does about how much money you make. Almost baby health view broken on SR and I was broken forever put the uniform I'll see my pain but Midsummer greatness, greatness would eventually become a destructive behavior because if you never well the inside is going to lead you to all those habits I just copy that that such a great state and see that statement again my praying led me to my greatness right from our greatness.

Let me to my destructive behavior by you is is is pain that usually lead us to being who we want to become in everything because of all of hurting a rejection of what what's happening. My father was alcoholic and no he just beat merely because a barely reserved for certain elixirs record most people never knew that was already broken before full uniform. While we want to look at people from outside job and purpose. My whole life a little behind communiqu�s visa dollars at home is caused but I had nothing I was just baseball blown up with the uniform all hidden home as I was in pain how to become a manager I met Jesus on the Jesus I became a man that I think of my friend Michael friends eats a mobster. His father Sonny frenzies who died recently in up and that that moment was the oldest living mobster in America. He actually made it past 100 a Sunday was an enforcer or a hitman for the Colombo crime family and his son Michael was being groomed to become the next Godfather of that family. Michael was arrested. He was sent to prison and he came to Christ while he was imprisoned. The last 20 years I realize we go through this process and I was show. I idolize my dad and I was so much a product of that life that this incident happened really before it came to Christ, but I know God how to use that incident to break the tie that I had with my daughter because I realize it. If my own father can betray me.

What kind of life really is and what God use that incident. Years later to like it said to break that time made me realize that really the only the only person life. We can really rely on hundred percent will never let us down as God. That's right so his wife. You don't read the Bible through the school but then he picked it up later and you'll put it up in the verse jumped out at you open up an opener Proverbs in Norstar reading as you love. This book is brilliant and normal I'm a pretty analytical guy, you know you're on the street you don't buy into things too easy.

I wish it had so me to Brooklyn Bridge will pay attention. I start to read Proverbs session. This book is brilliant and those who really attracted my attention and then I came to a verse that is just not me, and I realize that's the first time God spoke to my heart that I listen because I was desperate and should Proverbs 16 seven which is when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord. Even his enemies repeats with now I had. I was so 1 foot in 1 foot out Christian I accepted Christ because I wanted my sins forgiven but I wasn't willing to surrender Jesus because I didn't understand the concept of surrendering my life, mom got on the control my life so I had 1 foot in 1 foot out was self-serving when I became a Christian and I got convicted, and I presume as if God was with me in that situation only should you know we always really pleasing to me or or as a solo of fa�ade you and you you don't really lie to yourself when you're in that situation and then I may hide nothing but enemies at night the government was against my father betrayed me divorce my family. A contract option. In a nutshell, I am alone and it's almost to the order should I know you got enmities enemies but you come with me and I can take care of that and you know I wish edition people you realize this. You can read a verse in the Bible 20 times and will have 20 different meanings to you because God speaks through that verse according to your needs at that moment and I really needed to hear that and really encourage me and it started to put me on on the pathway to Jesus who was my hero in my idol in life. Now that and finally Alice Cooper when you think of dollars you think of him as may be the godfather of shock rock you know as a scary guy with the snake around his neck and but Alice Cooper was living a crazy life. Believe it or not, he was a son of a pastor, but he rebelled against God, and almost died without rock of cocaine. The size of a softball, and Doug God got hold of Alice and turned them around and he's a different man. After about two weeks.

Shirley got she going to Chicago and sent I get watches right but the cocaine was speaking a lot louder than her and finally I said. I looked in the near and it looked like my makeup but it was blood coming up. I think I might've been hallucinating. I don't know flush the rock down the toilet and went to bed for three days and I woke up I called her and I said it's done.

She was right. You know she's you have to prove, and that was you that was the beginning of our relationship coming back course, one of the deals was we start going to church because I was prodigal son number. I grew up in the church. My dad was a pastor my granddad was evangelist and when the when the band happened. It took me as far away as you could possibly I was a poster boy for everything wrong and then when I got sober and everything came back to the church realizing that's where I belonged there. So we started going to and you know a lot of people say you know II came to Christ because my love of Jesus I came to Christ as my fear of God. I totally understood that hell was not getting high with your Morrison hell was going to be the worst place ever in fear.

I came back to the Lord, but I went to another church and that pastor preached the love of Christ which now you put the two together and it was exactly right. And I knew that it was.

I knew Christ.

Jesus Christ was and I was denying him because I was living my own life and I was living my life without him. I knew that there had to either come a point where I either accepted Christ to start living that life or if I died in this. I wish you a lot of trouble. So how do people react to this amazing demonstration of the power of God. We should have read and the people all give glory to God. But no, one of the gospel tells us commenting on the same story.

The people were afraid you see this demonstration of the power of God frighten them. They should have been rejoicing, but instead they were afraid and they should have been pleading with Jesus to stay with them but they did the very opposite. Apparently, the guys who own the herd of swine were pretty ticked off because they made a lot of money off those pigs. Hogs were big business on this side of the lake in 2000 hog that so many went over the cliff is a lot of vacant another on the bottom of the lake to go ham anyone. So Jesus was bad for their business. Is Jesus bad for your business. I hope not. Whatever career choice you've made. If you can ask the Lord, the blessed, maybe you need a new career. I think that a step further. If you can say to the Lord, hallowed be your name over what you're about to do, then don't do it. And so Jesus was bad for their business and they wanted him to go away.

They didn't want him around down here as we come to the end of the story is an interesting twist.

We have three prayers offer we have the demons prayer. We have the people's prayer and then we have a prayer offered by the man who had been formally possessed by demons.

Jesus answered to the prayers with a yes and the final prayer with the no. First there was the demons prayer. What was they said to Jesus, cast us into their herd of pigs and Jesus granted the request and that's exactly what happened.

So you could say this since he answered their prayer. Then there's the people's prayer. They pleaded with Jesus to leave their city. He answered their prayer if you will, and left their city hey listen careful what you pray for you might get it. And here's the interesting quest.

The formerly demon possessed man also prays, but Jesus did not answer his prayer in the affirmative look of Mark chapter 5 verse 18 when Jesus got back in the boat. The men would been demon possessed begged to go to but Jesus said no go home to your friends and tell them what wonderful things the Lord is done for you and how merciful he is been an interesting Jesus answered the prayers of the demons and the hardened people but not his own follower but let me say this. Thank God for unanswered prayers. Thank God when the Lord overrules your request because he knows what's best for you looping back to what I said in the beginning of the message God has a plan for you and know this is plan for you is better than your plan for yourself. So never be afraid to commit an unknown future to unknown God and said Jesus send this man only says go home. Tell your friends tell your family tell people what the Lord is that this guy had an amazing testimony because everybody knew him. He is a crazy dude that hung out of the graveyard running around naked breaking chains and shrieking and howling and now he's is saying man is been transformed by Christ they could say hey, remember me while God is change me. Jesus says transform my life.

This story shows that no one is beyond the reach of God. So keep praying for them to know a person that seemed to be completely under the power of the devil, and you said yourself there's no way I could ever see that person believing in Jesus.

What are you talking about.

The Bible says with God all things are possible.

Keep praying for that person. Look at this man that he transform and I wonder if I'm talking to somebody right now that finds himself under the power of the devil. Maybe it's an addiction. You can't break free from. Maybe it's a guilt that you can't get rid of. Maybe it's a hopelessness you cannot shake. If so, call out to him call LTM it will hear your prayer.

The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be say I mentioned earlier about how young people are cutting themselves and I received a letter a while ago from a young lady named Nikki who came to one of our harvest Crusade events. This is what she wrote no just read it. She says my life lately has been in the slumps. I was freaked out about school. I was having boyfriend trouble. I was stressed to the max and to top it off my family life hasn't been the greatest so Nikki says I started to cut myself to cope with all of this. It was just hurting the more I tried to stop but I was addicted to reach young lady like this. She's at the harvest Crusade, hearing the gospel. She said I heard the Christ saves lives. So I decided to give it a chance. After attending your service. I thought my like my life is made a complete turn around. I committed my life to Jesus and I decided to stop hurting myself at the time I thought God would never forgive me for what I done to myself and all the sins I committed. But after hearing what Greg had to say God opened my eyes and the king concludes I'm now living my new life as a Christian is no great story by talking to a young person like Nikki. Right now it's been cutting themselves a young person that has a family that's falling apart. My talking to an older person that's lost hope in life, whoever you are, wherever you are. Christ is the answer. So you have a choice like the people in the city you can say Lord stay with us, you can say Lord go away there really no other alternatives. We either asked Jesus to come in them are our lives we turn him away. We all know that statement were Jesus says behold I stand at the door and a knock in the future my voice and open the door on commit. Now think of Jesus standing on your porch at your door knocking right now but add another thought to it. Let's say you have a glass door which means you can see him and he can see you so you can say just ignore him will go away.

He knows you see him there on your porch, knocking so do not open the door and invite him and is a clear rejection and Jesus said you're either for me or against me, these people said go away as I would just say that Jesus only will you say come in the my life right now. I wonder wherever you are if you would just reach out to Jesus now and say Lord forgive me of my sin. I don't care how powerful your addiction is I don't care how big your problems are.

I don't care about how big of a mess you made in your life, God is bigger than your problems.

God can transform you but you must call out to him.

Listen to this 2000 years ago Jesus Christ came to this earth on a rescue mission, and died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead. It will turn from our sin and put our faith in him we can be forgiven and we can know with assurance that will go to heaven when we die. Would you like to know that Jesus can come into your life right here right now and in the moment. I'm going to pray I'm in a prayer simple prayer you can pray with me or you will be asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. So if you need Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, pray this prayer with me right now pray this prayer with me right now. This is our prayer. We are asking Christ to come in to your life. Let's all pray father I pray for everyone that is watching wherever they are. Help them to see their need for you and help them to come to you.

We pray now if you want Jesus to come of your life. Pray these words after me, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead Lord come into my life. I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray in men everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast and the learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show. Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org