How Should Christians Respond to Demon Possession?

How should Christians respond to demon possession. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity by Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

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At 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today we have a good news story to share with you for the Clark family of Tampa, Florida quarantine means learning a brand-new song every morning and performing it for their ever-growing web audience.

Every evening dad called Clark as a professional musician and when the coronavirus it cold and his wife Aubrey suddenly found themselves with a lot more time on their hands and several kids who had a lot of creative energy to burn well. Aubrey suggested they start recording their nightly music sessions and it didn't take long before their family. Jam sessions went viral and now they've got thousands of people doing it every night hold takes the lead on their songs. 10-year-old cash plays the bass guitar eight-year-old Beckett is on the drums and their six-year-old sister Bellamy dances things back up and occasionally shakes the maracas and a drill. If you want to check them out. Google quarantine kids banned my family watched a couple of their elections last night and there actually all I bet. I bet there impressive will the maracas are about the only instrument that I know how to play that in the rain are my go to school. Are you music a little. I've played the rain stick a few times and we can have a jam session out of the game.

He wants to see or hear that lipstick answering questions about you and watch the door and say kids don't watch okay will look into our first question of the day.

This one comes from Liz who emailed us and she asks this first Corinthians 11 mean that a married woman needs to wear a head covering any time she's in public. I've read where someone said the Greek wording in that passage indicates that the women were to keep their head coverings on one praying or prophesying as if it was something they were expected to wear in public but were pulling it off in church when doing those activities are women supposed to wear these all the time. I've also heard quotes from church leaders from early in the church requiring this were they were acquiring it all the time laissez-faire question you and them and this is one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament. I think a lot of Bible scholars have recognized that personnel that this passage is not saying that women need to be wearing head coverings all the time that the context you're in first Corinthians chapter 11 is specifically worship and you get that unit throughout this section of first Corinthians be Paula talked about the Lord's supper and is going to continue talking about that you get to talk about operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit a little bit later in first grade.

In chapter 14 in the context of the worship service. He's in a talk about all things being done decently and in order and so that the real focus here in this section of Paul's letter to the Corinthians is what is taking place in corporate worship and I think you actually have a really clear indication of that here in this passage because one of the things that Paul says towards the middle of the chapter and verse 10 he says that is why wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the Angels now. Boy what an interesting phrase right there because of the angel. In other words, this is head covering, which was in that day, a symbol of authority and submission was to be wearing the context of corporate worship because of the Angels. I think what Paul is suggesting there is what we find throughout the Scriptures, and in the New Testament that angels are present with us in corporate worship isn't that phenomenal.

When you think about we gather together for worship is God's people were in the presence of Jesus and the Angels that the real clear passage to go to on that is Hebrews chapter 12 it talks about how we come before the heavenly Jerusalem in worship today coming before married of angels like that that the believers who have gone to be with the Lord that the angelic host in the presence of God surrounding his throne were joining them in worship and because were joining them.

Our worship should be done decently and in order so there's that particular order that humility that we have to operated when the presence of Christ in the Angels now personally I think it will.

The principal is important for us to follow this idea of submission and authority. The specific application regarding head coverings in my opinion is cultural and maybe two reasons.

One, Corinth was a Roman colony in Greece and this is significant because you have a clash of two cultures you have Roman and Greek culture and there's some archaeological evidence suggests that the Greeks did not have head coverings not in worship. Certainly the Roman men would Roman priest pagan priest would wear these head coverings in worship and this is something that the Greeks and the Romans clashed on so there's this difference of opinion on this very issue that could have caused confusion in the Corinthian church, which is why the apostle Paul needs to address it.

The second reason I think that this is primarily culturalist because it seems to me that the priests who participated in worship of the old covenant. The Old Testament did have their heads covered the high priest wear a turban on his head as though this this principle of head coverings for women and no coverings for men is just a sort of universal idea in worship and it would make sense that the priest under the old covenant were commanded to wear these turbines in the context of corporate worship now. What's the big take away all of this stuff regarding head coverings and it seems kind of obscure so what here's I think what you need to know, God cares about how he is worshiped.

We sometimes say to the lungs are worshiping God.

Sincerely, whatever you do is find God does demand our sincere worship of God also cares about how he's worshiped. All things being done decently and in order you think of Leviticus chapter 10, you know, God struck down data have been abiding for worshiping him the wrong way and so is not just that God wants to be worshiped is that God cares about how were worshiping in spirit and in truth in reverence and humility. I think that's that's one of the things we see here in first Corinthian's 11 so thank you for your question list it or let me ask you how you how would you apply that than to some churches that I have taken worship, so casually and it's sort of this so you know Jesus is my body is not any real reverence in the worship service. Does that somehow been contrasting with that that biblical commandment to worship in the proper order.

Yeah.

Bill Avenue erases such an important topic in question. Yeah, I think it I think it very clearly does, I think we take worship too lightly today coming in in first Corinthians get always talking about the Lord's supper.

He says that some of the Corinthians, because they weren't taking the Lord's supper the right way in repentance and faith were suffering some of your are sick and have even died. Paul said you think about that worship in one sense, before the true and the living God, the holy one is a matter of life or death doesn't mean there isn't joy and that excitement associated with worship true praise and adoration.

But the reality is, as were coming before God, who is a consuming fire Into the Hebrew says therefore let us worship him with reverence and awe, and I think a lot of our churches. We've lost that sense of reverence and all we really need to recover it when you get back to the Scriptures and what they teach us about worship and worship God. Accordingly, good counsel. This is core Christianity, and you can call us with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 and must go to one of our calls right now drill and build their own Houston. I had on again off again relationship with my mother who struggles with mental illness when things are good things are great when they're not. She can be really abusive and well I've been told by a few people that it's time to let it go for two and never received an apology so is there, where is time to let that relationship go or is that being selfish thank you hey how one let me say this is so hard and I want to encourage. Let me just begin by praying for you heavenly father.

I left Eric up to you. I lift his mother up to you. I pray for healing Lord in the relationship. I pray that you would do what only you can do Lord for your spirit, your grace out upon them for Eric.

I pray for wisdom and I asked Lord that you would give them the wisdom that only you can give so that as he navigates the situation this relationship.

In particular, Lord, that he would make decisions that are honoring to you that glorify you that are loving and yet Lord if if he needs to distance himself from his mother Lord that's the right decision that he would have the ability to do that, would you be with him and would you bless and would you be with his mother as well be at work in her heart granting her healing and restoration to in Jesus name, amen.

The first Eric II think we should always hold out hope you'll pray for your mom and believe that while she may not be able to change herself.

There is a God in heaven can do all things and she can bring her to a place of genuinely seeing where she's contributed to the rift in your relationship you have the hope that the Lord hears your prayers and that he can work even in situations that seem hopeless from our perspective, the recognizes that mental illness is so complex and and depending on the severity of your mom's diagnosis I think you also have to be sensitive to the fact that there's a serious medical issue that makes it even more difficult for her to relate in healthy ways. I don't say that to make an excuse at all for her behavior just to emphasize that she may need extra help and I guess I'd want to know if she's open to getting that kind of help in receiving it.

She have an eye doctor, counselor, psychiatrist is taking medications sometimes at least that can help people relate in ways that are healthier and more balanced and I want to encourage you in two ways.

You know what I think it's right to create distance in an abusive relationship when someone is unwilling to get help.

So if you're pursuing her and trying to care for her, but it's harming you and your family in the process. I don't know if you if you have a family, but I know that if if you're married and that I created a real rift. The real challenge there as well get your own family. She's continuing the abuse distance can be a good thing. Make sure though, I would say it's clearly defined. I think it's important that you articulate why you need to create space so that there is room for her to repent, but which are not just avoiding her and leaving her in the dark about why not also say, you know, don't give up on her.

Don't let go of hope you can you can have distance while also longing for and praying for her good sounds like the best thing for her would be to get out of this destructive cycle that she's in. But when you hold out hope you keep loving and forgiving her. It's gonna hurt Eric. There's going to be disappointment and and pain loving people who sin against us and hurt us is one of the ways that we suffer together with Christ, we say Lord I went to love people even when it's, it's hard Jesus your Savior knows what it's like to love stubborn and abusive people know he's God and you're not, but doesn't mean you encourage her behavior by just putting up with it, but I think you don't want to harden your heart to her at your heart remain soft and even if you need to create distance don't lose that love and that that desire to pray for them to see really ultimately a miracle in your mom's life. What you know, only the Lord can do and so don't completely shut the door, I would say even if you do create distance and pray. I mean, this is really an issue except your own consciences is your praying and you're seeking wisdom and your considering you is it. Do I need to create space to resist having a negative effect on me and on my family, even potentially, then I think that your you're free to do that and you can still love her even as you do so would be my thoughts though I know you work a lot with with families as well. Do you have any any thoughts on this one. I think you offered some great advice of their Israel and of the Bible's talks about letting your yes be yes and your no be no. And I think in this case with his mom.

She may not be able to do that because she's cycling or not, you know, sure. From his description, whether it's a manic-depressive illness or some psychosis or something, but I think your your early advice to him on if she is trying. If she is working with mental health professional. If she's taking her medication. That's one thing but if she is rejecting all help and she's bound and determined to live her way and it's a it's in a hurtful way of hurting Eric and his family.

I think you are right that the placing that distance for his own protection and first families protection is really key, so let's just continue to pray for Eric will encourage our listeners to pray for him and his mom as well that God will intervene in that situation in a miraculous way.

You're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and were excited about an offer that we have for our listeners today.

Thanks Bill yet.

So today were offering. It's one of our most frequently requested resources on core, Christianity.com it might surprise you which one it is to it's called nine frequently asked questions about angels and demons.

It's free for you when you sign up for our weekly newsletter. Note this is, as I said one of our most popular resources and unfortunately there's a lot of bad teaching healthcare when it comes to spiritual warfare angels and demons, so be sure to download this resource that focused on what the Bible actually teaches. When it comes to angels and demons at a record, Christianity.com/offers download nine frequently asked questions about angels and demons and of course you can always call us for that resource. Here's the number it's 833-843-2670 3833 the poor. Let's go to an email question Israel. This one came in from Mark and he's actually referring to the gospel of Mark in the New Testament is is Mark 115 states that Jesus began his ministry by proclaiming that the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe the gospel.

My understanding of the gospel is that at its core, it's about how Jesus justifies us through his finished work on the cross. Without the crucifixion there would be no gospel, but it's clear from the Gospels that Jesus did not reveal how he would die until later in his ministry.

And even when he did his disciples didn't fully understand what he was saying. So what was the context of the gospel that Jesus was proclaiming compared with the gospel that, for example, Paul proclaims in Romans seems the Jesus message is linked to the kingdom of God and if so, does that mean that our proclamation of the gospel is deficient.

If it does not include the kingdom of God. How does this all tie in with the message of justification you have marked such a good question. If you read the Gospels and in any think about what Paul says about that word the gospel in places like Romans chapter 1 verse 16, or even the book of Galatians and it seems like I was preaching through the book of Galatians recently prior to the all the things going on with coronavirus and their you know when Paul talks about the gospel. It seems like he's associating it directly with the doctrine of justification by faith alone. So I think it's okay to say like the gospel is the doctrine of justification because what Paul does there in Galatians, but that doesn't mean that the gospel is exhausted by that element of the gospel.

If you will buy the doctrine of justification obviously would Mark records the teaching of Jesus related to the gospel that becomes very clear. Mark actually begins his gospel by saying the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Now a couple of things that I did we learn from Mark's gospel about the gospel. If you look at verse 14 there and in chapter 1 it says after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God. The first we have to say is the gospel is something that is proclaimed, preached, it's a message that is hot and it's a message that is to be believed. Verse 15 says, saying, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe the gospel.

Oftentimes on this program.

We said over the years. The gospel is not something to be done. It's a message to be proclaimed and that calls us to faith were to believe the message of the gospel. The word gospel simply means good news, and other things you see about the gospel here in in Mark's gospel is that the gospel is a message that so wonderful it's worth losing your life for Marcus is good to highlight this through the words of Christ in places like Mark chapter 8 verse 35 or chapter 10 verse 29. If this message is to be proclaimed in the whole world. So in Mark's gospel. The gospel is something that is preached not practice per se, it's something to believe, not something for you to do, and whatever the message is so wonderful that it takes your whole life and not to spread throughout the whole world know this is different from what Paul teaches that all is just the gospel is is like a diamond has different facets the gospel of God's kingdom, we were talking of the kingdom of God were ultimately talking about what what we refer to as the new creation what what I John described in Revelation chapter 121 that the new heavens and the new earth. To me that's the kingdom at its fullest with the gospel of the kingdom is about King Jesus, who reigns and woos us to himself by means of his word and spirit hardening. All of our sins through his sacrificial life and death justification is the declaration of the great King.

Counting us is righteous in God's sight giving us a taste of his kingdom. Even right now here on earth. Justification is a core element of the gospel.

So the thought did your right to see that your people. As I said today they sometimes get upset when people call justification the gospel. Paul in Galatians had no problem saying that people were getting the gospel wrong because they were getting justification wrong. It's biblical to say that justification is central to the gospel, but it doesn't exhaust the good news of God's kingdom isn't the whole diamond we might say now. So what you might be thinking, look when I was a kid I remember in oak around Christmas time opening presents under the Christmas tree you know I love you. Note when you would find that straight present. You had missed you. You thought you had them all and then there's there's one hidden behind the tree somewhere tucked away in 1/4.

It was a surprise he did more than you expected the silly illustration but in the gospel. There's so much more than were often expecting isn't just that were justified were made a part of the new creation that God is restoring our bodies in the resurrection that we are going to be glorified so that that's part of what's encompassed in this message of the kingdom that the promise of the new creation that Jesus came preaching and he said to my life and ministry. It's here repent for the kingdom of God is at hand and we enter that kingdom to the declaration of the great King.

You have been justified by faith in me. Repent a great picture for said real of what the gospel is all about. This is core Christianity and we would love to hear your question you can call us at 833-843-2673 and let's go to a call we received from Barbara know one that they are demonically how to get out of the body.

While hi Barbara, thank you for that question your minds me of the story when I was in visiting a friend who was in college as my senior year of high school is visiting a friend and I got to meet one of the roommates. His roommate was really quiet real shy about a week goes by and I get phone call from my friend who says you need to pray for my roommate all of a sudden I could hear this roommate that I admit it was very quiet, very shy, writhing in the background loudly in my immediate thought was they been in some kind of an accident. Maybe there in a car accident and and this person is been severely injured or something like that and they'll listen over the phone. I could hear people trying to cast out a demon that sounded like there was a large group of people there trying to perform an exorcism and obviously I was just caught off guard and so I and I prayed for this person are all sorts of people praying there came to to find that eventually they call the pastor in it and the pastor sat down and spoke with my friends roommate and and I think everything ended up being okay. I'll never forget that experience. The danger I think was they were trying to do this sort of spiritual ghostbusters thing you know they were looking online for formulas on how to cast out demons and and grasping for straws demons leave when Jesus shows up what happened when Jesus entered a region that was demon infested the demons trembled with fear, they fell down before the King Jesus. They bowed before him what people need isn't magic words what they need is the presence of Jesus Christ and how is Jesus present by his word and spirit and in the lives of his people. He fills us by the power of the Holy Spirit. You have to understand that Jesus has conquered and bound Satan by his life and death on the cross.

If you're a Christian, you cannot be demon possessed. Because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, God is present you can come under demonic oppression and if you think you're oppressed by the devil, or if you think you're possessed by demons. You think I'm not even a Christian I feel tormented, terrorized you call on the name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names the name before which every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the father, the presence and power of Jesus has authority over the evil one. And if you're oppressed by the evil call on the name of Jesus, and he promises all call upon me. I will say thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us.

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