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Spooked 2 – Fear of the Supernatural
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.
– Fear of spiders.
– Fear of snakes.
– Fear of heights.
– Fear of Flying.
– Fear of dogs.
– Fear of Thunder & Lightning.
– Fear of injections.
Phobia – Fear of social situations.
– Fear of being alone and unable to escape.
– Fear of germs.
– 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
man had impure evil spirits in him.
man lived in the graveyard.
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.
one was strong enough to subdue him.
& day the sound could be heard of him crying out… a haunting
sound from a man filled with demons…
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!
is the head of all principality & power. (Colossians 2:10)
things were created by him. (Colossians 1:16)
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?
View all episodes
By Redemption Church Plano Texas
5
11 ratings
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.
– Fear of spiders.
– Fear of snakes.
– Fear of heights.
– Fear of Flying.
– Fear of dogs.
– Fear of Thunder & Lightning.
– Fear of injections.
Phobia – Fear of social situations.
– Fear of being alone and unable to escape.
– Fear of germs.
– 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
man had impure evil spirits in him.
man lived in the graveyard.
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.
one was strong enough to subdue him.
& day the sound could be heard of him crying out… a haunting
sound from a man filled with demons…
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!
is the head of all principality & power. (Colossians 2:10)
things were created by him. (Colossians 1:16)
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?