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What are YOU, the reader – or listener afraid of? What really gets on to you and bothers you? The real question needing to be asked, is – are you spooked by anything?
I hope you are having a spooktabular October. My name is Chris Fluitt and this is Redemption Church of Plano Tx. We are in the 2nd week of our message series – Spooked.
Last week we talked about the fear of men. What spooks you?
Here is a list of common phobias.
- Arachnophobia – Fear of spiders.
- Ophidiophobia – Fear of snakes.
- Acrophobia – Fear of heights.
- Aerophobia – Fear of Flying.
- Cynophobia – Fear of dogs.
- Astraphobia – Fear of Thunder & Lightning.
- Trypanophobia – Fear of injections.
- Social Phobia – Fear of social situations.
- Agoraphobia – Fear of being alone and unable to escape.
- Mysophobia – Fear of germs.
- Homilophobia – Fear of Homilies or sermons. (I hope you don’t fear this one today)
Did you find yourself on this list? Is there something that scares you? Are there thoughts that scare you? Are there situations that scare you? Are you spooked?
Today we are going to talk about Phasmophobia – the fear of the supernatural
Fear of the Supernatural
The natural is scary enough. But when our minds start to think about things that go beyond the natural, it can be paralyzing.
I remember being a young kid in day care… I was probably in pre-K. And I remember vividly a commercial coming on the TV. There was a pretty young girl running from something. She looked very scared. She was running in a dark alley and reached a dead end and there was nowhere else to run. Then the camera showed us what she was running from. It was a shadowy figure walking toward her.
Everything I was seeing in this commercial was possible in the natural. It was plenty scary already, but then something happened that blew my little 4-year-old mind. I would spend the next years thinking about what I am about to describe to you.
The shadowy figure walking down the alley held out his arms and his arms grew. Those arms stretched out past what was natural, so that they blocked the entire alley.
Freddy Kreuger
Here is a picture of what I saw. It was a commercial for the 1984 film “Nightmare on Elm Street” and I later found out the shadowy figure was Freddy Kreuger.
The natural is scary, but the supernatural can be that much scarier.
My 4-year-old self tried to imagine trying to run around the long arms of the shadowy villain. No matter how often I imagined it and day dreamed about it, I never could get past his long arms. If he could do that to his arms… what other things might he be able to do?
The Supernatural is Spooky
Ghosts, haunted houses, devils, demons, vampires, werewolves, mummies, zombies, spirits… they are all 2 things. #1 Scary and #2 Supernatural (beyond the natural).
The Supernatural can be very spooky.
There is a spooky story in your Bible that I want to talk about today. It involves a town being completely terrified by the supernatural. Our story is found in Mark 5 (and Luke 8).
Mark 5:1 (NIV2011) They went across the lake…
Mark 5:2 (NIV2011) When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
Mark 5:3 (NIV2011) This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.
Mark 5:4 (NIV2011) For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
Mark 5:5 (NIV2011) Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
This is a scary dude. The Supernatural is spooky.
The Supernatural is Spooky
- This man had impure evil spirits in him.
- This man lived in the graveyard.
- The people of the nearby village tried to chain him up. They chained him hand and foot but he tore the chains apart with a supernatural strength.
- No one was strong enough to subdue him.
- Night & day the sound could be heard of him crying out… a haunting sound from a man filled with demons…
- He would mutilate himself with stones… cutting his skin…
This guy was scary in the natural, but then when you add the supernatural element, it becomes terrifying.
This demoniac scared everyone. No one could solve this problem. Don’t you know that this man was the real life boogeyman to all the children in nearby villages? The people in that area where trying to manage a supernatural problem… they were haunted by the demoniac.
The Supernatural is spooky. It is easy to see why some may fear the supernatural. …But should we be spooked by everything supernatural? Let’s see what happens when a supernatural demon possessed man comes in contact with the supernatural Jesus Christ.
Mark 5:6 (NIV2011) When he (The demoniac) saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
No one could handle this supernatural demoniac, but at just the sight of Jesus… Not a sermon, not a prayer, not a miracle, not a resurrection, or ascending into heaven… Just the sight of Jesus caused the demon possessed man to run to him and fall on his knees and worship. On our knees is a position of worship… On our knees is a position of a disciple.
Nothing gives Jesus the spooks
This demoniac was supernatural, but nothing is more powerful than Jesus Christ! It doesn’t matter what the supernatural entity is… nothing gives Jesus the spooks. Every power and authority will end up bowed before the Lord… Angel & demon must bow. Atheist & believer must bow. Holy Spirit filled worshipper & demon filled sinner must bow. Little children & world government leaders must bow. Every other false god must bow… Buddha must bow, Muhammed must bow, Zues must bow, and Shiva must bow. All sickness must bow. All of our sin & failure must bow. Even death must bow.
Philippians 2:10 (NIV2011) …at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Philippians 2:11 (NIV2011) and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Nothing gives Jesus the spooks
Jesus Christ is Supernatural and every other supernatural entity will end up just like this demoniac… bowed in reverence at the feet of Jesus!
Jesus is not afraid of the Supernatural!
- He is the head of all principality & power. (Colossians 2:10)
- All things were created by him. (Colossians 1:16)
- All power in heaven & earth are given to him (Matthew 28:18)
Jesus is the only one who was not scared of the demoniac. In fact… the demoniac was scared of Jesus.
Mark 5:7 (NIV2011) He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”
The man ran and worshipped, but these voices right here are the voices of the demons.
Mark 5:8-9 (NIV2011) For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
A legion was a Roman military term to number the amount of soldiers. A legion was a grouping of thousands of soldiers, between 4 and 6 thousand.
This demoniac was filled with many demons… this is why it was called legion. There could have been thousands of demons within this demoniac… And Jesus looks at it in the eye and commands “come out of this man!”
Mark 5:11-12 (NIV2011) A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.”
Who is in charge here? Jesus, the demons, or the man? Jesus is fully in control. The demons are begging and pleading with Jesus… Jesus is in control.
It also needs to be pointed out that thousands of demons could not stop the man from running toward Jesus. All the power of hell could not stop the man from bowing at the feet of Jesus. What can separate us from the love of God?
Romans 8:38 (NIV2011) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
Romans 8:39 (NIV2011) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus is in charge! And no demon can keep you from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Mark 5:13 (NIV2011) He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
Mark 5:14 (NIV2011) Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
Mark 5:15 (NIV2011) When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
They were happy right? They were worshipping God right? They were rejoicing and thankful right? They were joining the man by also sitting at the feet of Jesus right? They were lining up for Jesus to do miracles in their life right? NO! They were afraid.
Afraid of Jesus?
They see the demon-possessed man, no longer demon-possessed. They see him sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. No more chains… No more cutting himself… No more spooky moans… It is a miracle, yet they respond so strangely to this miracle.
2 verses later the people of that region plead with Jesus to leave the area. How could this happen?
The Supernatural is Spooky
If we aren’t careful we can become afraid of everything that is supernatural.
The people were afraid of the evil spirits of the demoniac, but they were also afraid of the Holy One, who by the power of the Holy Spirit, delivered the demoniac.
Do we do this today? Is it possible that we are afraid of the supernatural power of God?
Does the idea of praying out loud for someone else spook you?
Are you spooked at the idea of living by faith… giving sacrificially… Are you spooked by giving not from your wealth but from your need?
Are you spooked by the idea of laying your hands on someone else and praying?
Are you too spooked to step out in faith?
Are you spooked at the thought of worshipping God openly and letting your emotions show? Are you afraid to laugh or cry because of the presence of God?
Are you spooked by the thought of lifting your hands and jumping and dancing before the Lord?
Are you spooked by miracles?
Are you spooked by the moving of God’s Holy Spirit? ..The Anointing of His Spirit?
Are you spooked by prophecy?
Are you spooked by speaking in tongues and the other gifts of the Spirit?
Does baptism in water spook you?
Does baptism in the Spirit spook you?
Does sharing your faith and testifying spook you?
If Jesus showed up in this moment and delivered someone today like He did in Mark 5, would you think about grabbing your stuff and leaving?
If Jesus cast demons out of someone… healed someone, baptized someone in the Holy Spirit… would you be spooked?
There are a lot of Christian denominations who are spooked by Jesus. In this very city, in this metroplex, there were Christians who, like the villagers in Mark 5, have asked Jesus to leave their Church service.
There are Churches who believe God no longer does miracles.
There are Churches who believe that God no longer pours His Spirit out like He did in Acts 2.
There are Churches who believe water baptism is just an empty relic of Christianity… they don’t believe anything Spiritual happens when people are buried in Jesus Christ. They literally say “it is just getting wet.”
There are Churches that if you had an emotional display they would ask you to calm down or leave…
Who is in charge here? Jesus, the demons, or the man?
The demons wish they were in charge… Jesus shut them up. Jesus is the Supernatural power here… Yet, although Jesus is in charge, a group of men cause him to leave.
We are more in charge of the supernatural than we understand. We can be the man who runs toward the supernatural Jesus and bows down before Him… or we can be the people who are afraid of Jesus and ask Him to leave.
Redemption Church, Who are we going to be today? We get to decide… we are in charge here. Are we going to be the one who runs towards Jesus and bows in worship and receive the Supernatural presence of Jesus, or are we going to be the villagers who see Jesus and are afraid.
Redemption Church, let us embrace a supernatural Jesus.
Embrace a Supernatural Jesus
I declare that God’s power has not changed. He parted seas, healed blind eyes, and raised the dead, AND he still does!
Malachi 3:6 (NIV2011) “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV2011) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
His power is not changed! His power is the same! Will you embrace this powerful God? Or will you deny His power?
The Apostle Paul warns us that in the last days people will have a form of Godliness but deny the Power of God.
2 Timothy 3:5 (NIV2011) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Do we realize there is a supernatural battle going on?
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV2011) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
You need the supernatural power of God to fight against the spiritual forces of evil. “NOT TODAY SATAN.”
2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV2011) …I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
You don’t need to fear the supernatural forces of the enemy. You need to embrace a Supernatural Jesus.
There is a supernatural enemy, but you have a supernatural savior.
Will you embrace a supernatural Jesus today?