We finally got some snow and then some more. I, of course, waited until this last snowfall to try to start my snow blower. That failed. I went to get gas and found an ice cube in my gas container – after I filled it, of course. It was one of the older ones, and I must have left it out, and it got water in there. So, I had to go get some gas again. The starter on it now seems broken, so I had to pull that starter rope a bunch of times. Still no joy.
I am not a mechanic, but I remembered Brother Russ – I miss him! Russ helped me with a vehicle a couple times. He said you have to have air, gas, and fire! I popped the spark plug – yup, that was the problem! A new spark plug and some brake fluid, and then I had the pleasure of blowing all that snow. That is my testimony this morning! And why I am walking a little stiff.
Let us pray,
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You, Lord, for all that you do in our lives. Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for providing for us, physically and spiritually. I am so grateful for Your Word. Your Word is true. Your Word is perfect. Your Word is powerful. Lord, we praise your mighty name, there is no other name that saves. We are so thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Please let your Word break through hearts, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Throughout the Old Testament, there was a promise of a coming Savior, a Messiah. I would like to look at one of those scriptures:
Isaiah 61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Here Isaiah is speaking prophetically, but later on in the New Testament, we see Jesus speaking the same words
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
How exciting would it have been to be in that room where Jesus was announcing his ministry?I am not sure how many understood everything that it would mean, but it was, for me, a message in His ministry – that he would preach, heal, deliver, recover the blind, and free those lost to sin. And he did exactly that!
Then there is a story that we see in the Book of Mark that I think, really shows just some of the things that Jesus had come to do
Mark 5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters
What is a fetter? I had to look it up, it usually referred to shackles, usually on the ankles
and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
This man has some serious issues, to be sure. And I find it interesting that Mark spends significant time describing this man’s condition.He is a hopeless man. His future appears only to be full of agony and despair.
One can only imagine how lonely the man must have been and how separated he was from everything. I also find it interesting that where he is living out this horrible existence – in a graveyard of all places – living among the dead.
I find this to be a rather vivid illustration of what Jesus had come to do for the world. Amen? A very forward vision of the world we live in. He had come to set people free and give them life, life more abundantly. Freeing them from whatever may have been enslaving them – physical, perhaps mental, demonically, and most significantly spiritually.And there is a significant truth that we all were enslaved by sin before Jesus came. The Bible continues:
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
So it begins But when he saw Jesus afar off. The Bible does not say how far, but it must have been some distance. I think that whatever was evil in this man recognized the power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who had just arrived. They understood his position.
I know for me, in my past – I was walking around in a graveyard. I am not glorifying the past at all, but in the worst days of my life, I pretty much felt dead or, at times, wanted to die. The chains of my sin shackled me, fettered me, with no hope for any future.
In the day-to-day drama of my addiction, I only cared about how to feed the very demon that was enslaving me. There were those around me, like this man, who had tried to help me from hurting myself – but like this man in the bible, I would break any attempts of others to help me. I pushed them away. And I was left with myself. Digging my spiritual grave deeper and deeper with every choice and action. But thank God, Jesus did not leave that man where he was. And He did not leave me!
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
I have spoken on this scripture before and discussed the value of the pigs and so forth, but I saw something a little different as I was preparing this message. The death of these pigs, from what I understand to be 2000 pigs – that is a lot of bacon – I figured it out – more than a ¼ of a million dollars.
I have often wondered why Jesus sent the demons into the swine. The more I think about it, the more I think maybe he wanted to show the real intention of these demons and show all of us – the intention of the enemy. I think that the truth is that they, the demons, wanted to destroy the man just as they destroyed the pigs. Their intention was the same for both: to kill and destroy.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jesus has come to set the captives free – so that they may have life. The Bible continues:
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
The man is healed. The very same people who had tried to put him in chains and failed, the same people who had seen the man wander the tombs. The man whom they had known would be crying. The very same man who would cut himself with stones. The one that WAS under the influence of evil – was sitting, in his right mind, and clothed – and most importantly free!Hallelujah and amen, Jesus can free us!
Now it says that the people were afraid. I can’t blame them. I mean, what has just happened is miraculous.Even the disciples reacted that way when Jesus calmed the storm.
Mark 4:41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
But not the one whose life was impacted. What does he do?
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
And who would not want to be with Jesus when he just saved him from a terrible life with no hope? How many of us instantly turned to Jesus after we were saved and pursued Him with all our hearts?I am not sure if he wanted to serve or just to be in His powerful Presence. But Jesus has other plans for him
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
What I see here is that Jesus did not just free this man FROM something; he freed him FOR something. He freed him to share about the love God had shown him, the compassion Jesus had for him, and the hope that people could have in Jesus! Jesus wants him to tell everybody about the somebody who saved him.
The freedom I get from Jesus is not about doing what I want to do, it is about living for Him and not myself. It’s about sharing our testimony with another man or woman who may be walking around in this life. Walking among the tombs and letting them know there is a liberator, there is someone who can free them. And that liberator is Jesus.No matter how heavy the chains we have created and been shackled to, Jesus can break them instantly.
Psalm 107:14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
We all know that this freedom came at a great cost. Jesus lived his life doing miracles like this and so many more and was betrayed and sentenced to die on the cross for the sins of the world. A horrible death, with a glorious resurrection and a path to salvation for all of mankind. When we come to Christ, we are freed. But we are freed with a purpose. There is no way that we could be free on our own,
Acts 13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
It’s Jesus who frees and empowers us for His Kingdom. When Jesus frees us, he does not just leave us there to figure it out.He gave us His Word so that we can learn and grow to be more like Him. His Word is power, and His Word is the promises that we have in Him.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
He does not leave us in the same state, he changes us,
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
He molds us, and as we grow in the knowledge of Him, he changes our hearts. He changes our minds. And He changes our behavior. And praise the Lord; he gives us a helper! And with the gift of the Holy Ghost, he empowers us to do whatever He needs us to do.
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
I am not good at waiting for anything, but we need to pause here and consider why they must wait. We don’t know what was going on in these guys’ minds. Maybe they wanted to get the show on the road and spread the word. Maybe they just wanted to get out of town. But Jesus tells them to wait, before they do anything, to wait for the promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Waiting for it gave it worth.Waiting for it meant that it was a promise from God, and it would come. Waiting meant it was not something they could do, create, or fabricate; it had to come from Jesus. And waiting, as I have found out, is sometimes a test, amen? And a few verses later he says this:
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I want to take a moment to elaborate on the word “power.” It is translated from the Greek word “dunamis,” which means miraculous strength, power, and ability. In the New Testament, this word describes supernatural signs, wonders, and displays of power. It means “miracle power” or “supernatural ability.”
So the Lord is telling these disciples that they would receive power. Power that would enable them to go beyond their natural abilities. He was saying that miracle power would soon be given to them by the Holy Spirit. They were about to be empowered supernaturally. He wanted His representatives to be equipped for the mission He was sending them on. This is still true today. He still wants His followers to be equipped in the same way. Jesus wanted to put them in a position to advance the Kingdom of God, preach the gospel, and heal everywhere.
Now, if Jesus put them into a position filled with the Holy Ghost and that Holy Ghost is the same spirit that we have access to, it has to mean that we have been put in a position to advance the kingdom of God as well, amen? So what, my friends, did they do that we should be doing? Preaching, teaching, healing, and, when necessary, casting out the enemy.
Now, the Holy Ghost is a gift, amen. But how do we apply it in our position as a kingdom helper? I look to Jesus and His Word. If we come across an unclean spirit? A man had a son who was possessed, and the demon was terrorizing the child, foaming at the mouth, throwing him down. The disciples could not solve the problem, so the Father went to Jesus.
Luke 9:42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God
We can and should rebuke unclean Spirits in the name of Jesus. Not because we have any power. Not because we want glory. We rebuke in the beautiful name of Jesus because that is the source of all power, and that is who will be glorified, amen?
Here is another example. Paul and the guys are being followed by a girl who is being possessed by a spirit and taunting them. What does he do?
Acts 16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
What if we see someone who needs healing? Peter and John were walking into the temple, and there was a man who had been lame since birth, carried to the temple to beg for money every day.
The Bible says he was a man. Can you imagine begging every day to live? Can you imagine the snide looks as the people walked by? Some of them think he is there again. People cross to the other side of the stairs. It’s not this man’s fault. And as a man, we want to work, we want to provide. The embarrassment that this man felt day after day after day. It had to be horrible! Then came 2 men who were put into a position to serve, a position filled with the Holy Ghost and with a mission. What happens?
Acts 3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Again, speaking to the specific situation!
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
Now, at this point, some might be tempted to say that was for back then, but that’s not for now. Wrong answer!
John 14:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
This is the same Holy Spirit that lives inside every single born-again Christian. If you read the healing accounts in Acts, you can see the followers of Jesus behaving in the same way many times. In cases where healing is concerned, sometimes they speak to the problem, representing the One they were serving.
Peter and John were acting just like Jesus did. This makes sense when Peter and John watched Jesus do things like this hundreds of times. They were imitating their teacher. They were doing what Jesus would do, and they got the same results because it was the Holy Spirit at work in them and through them.
Acts 14:7 And there they preached the gospel. 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Everywhere you go, we have the Holy Ghost! You will never run into a physical condition that He is not equipped to handle. He has chosen to work through us. To demonstrate His love and His power on the earth. We can participate by believing this and acting on it. And maybe there is something that seems too big, too monumental. Something the world says, there is no cure. Maybe it’s a situation where you see no way out.
Maybe it is someone in your family who is addicted to drugs but seems too far gone. (hand) Praying in the Spirit with our heavenly language, He can make a way. There is nothing too big for Jesus!
Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Speak to that problem. Speak to that situation. Pray the Holy Name of Jesus Christ! Don’t see results, keep speaking, keep praying, and keep believing in God’s precious Word. Don’t tell the thing how big it is, tell the thing how big God is, amen? Call out the thing, like Jesus and the apostles did, in the Name of Jesus, come out! In the Name of Jesus be healed! In the Name of Jesus be free! In the Name of Jesus rise up! Hallelujah and amen!
This morning, if you need healing, a breakthrough, or folks to stand with you in prayer, we’re going to open the altar, and we’ll pray with and for you. If you need to receive the Holy Ghost, we’ll pray for that too. It is God’s desire that you have this gift to equip you for the considerable work for the Kingdom that He wants us all to do, amen?
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Janesville Apostolic Ministries 
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