So what do you think? Did the pig fly?
Today we are starting a message series called, When Pigs Fly. People use that expression to talk about something they think will never happen. For example, someone might ask me if I think I will ever get married and I might reply, when pigs fly! Or how about this, when will Penn State win a National Championship in men’s basketball? When pigs fly. It would be a miracle right?
Do you believe in miracles? We use that term loosely. We will say things like, it was a miracle that I found a parking spot on College Avenue right in front of the store I was going to. That’s not a miracle, that’s a happy coincidence. A miracle would be driving down College avenue and having every single car on the block pull out at exactly the same time leaving you the entire block empty and then finding that every meter still had 1 hour of parking.
But seriously, do you believe in miracles? A miracle is when God in heaven directly intervenes with things on Earth. It's when the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever present God steps into our lives to do something specific. The Bible is full of miracles. God parted the waters of the Red Sea so that Moses and the people of Israel could cross over on dry ground and escape from the Egyptian Army. God provided manna every morning for 40 years so that the people could not only eat but grow in their relationship with God. Jesus restored sight to the blind, made the lame walk, and even raised the dead. Are miracles just for ancient times or can they still take place in our lives?
This month we are going to talk about miracles and the entire idea might be challenging because you might not believe that God does miracles today. Even if you believe that miracles are still possible, you might think that they only happen in other countries or to other people. If you are thinking that God will only do a miracle in your life when pigs fly, then I would ask you to simply remain open to the spirit and power of God through this series. Let God speak to you this month and together let’s see that with God, pigs can fly.
Most of the miracles in the Bible can be put into 4 categories and we will be looking at these in the weeks to come. They are:
Miracles of Healing. Jesus physically healed many people. He healed people of fevers and years of bleeding. He made the lame to walk and the blind to see. Jesus even raised people from the dead to bring the ultimate healing. These are all miracles of healing.
Miracles of Protection. Jesus silenced the wind and calmed the sea to protect His disciples during a storm. In the Old Testament, God protected Daniel in the lion’s den, and several times God protected the army of Israel as they went into battle.
Miracles of Provision. God fed the people of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, and on two occasions Jesus fed thousands of people with just a few fish and loaves of bread.
Miracles of healing, protection and provision are acts of God we not only believe in but often pray for. We believe God can heal people, protect loved ones, and provide for us in times of need so we pray for these things to happen. We might be comfortable with these miracles, but there is a fourth category that might make us a little uncomfortable. Miracles of Deliverance.
Here we are talking specifically about seeing the power of God deliver people from demons and the spiritual forces of evil. Jesus did this often but these miracles can make us uncomfortable because we aren't sure what we think about demons and the spiritual forces of darkness today. Are demons real? Is Satan real? Jesus certainly confronted demons and He drove them out of people to restore their lives. The Apostle Paul said, 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. Ephesians 6:12
When it comes to believing in demons and spiritual forces of evil, the author C.S. Lewis said our two greatest mistakes are that we either do not believe in them at all, or that we have an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. He’s right. If we don’t believe in Satan at all and if we don’t acknowledge that there are real forces of evil at work in the world, then we will not work to stand against them. Simon Wiesenthal said, for evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing. If we are not willing to acknowledge that there are spiritual forces of evil at work in the world and that they come from the evil one, then evil will flourish and Satan will have free reign. We need to acknowledge the reality of darkness, evil, and Satan.
But over emphasizing the power of Satan can also be a problem. If every time we fail to do what God asks us to do and simply say, the devil made me do it, we absolve ourselves of any responsibility. If we see every problem as the work of Satan, then we are not acknowledging our own ability to step up and improve our lives. Not all the problems we face are demonic, some are of our own making and God might be calling us to make better and faithful choices.
What we need is to have a healthy and faithful understanding of the spiritual forces of evil and the work of demons so that we can be prepared to stand strong and fight spiritual battles. Evil and demonic forces are real. The first time I encountered them, I was working in Yellowstone with A Christian Ministry in the National Park. Every Sunday we held worship services in the campgrounds and the only way we had to advertise the services was to go campground calling. Every Saturday evening we would go into every campsite and invite people to join us for worship.
The first few weeks we kind of honed our invitation and mine went something like this, Hi my name is Andy and I’m working with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. If you want to worship with us tomorrow we have services in the amphitheater at 9 and 11.
People were always really gracious and many asked us all kinds of questions about the park. For the most part, it was fun. But one Saturday I walked into a site and said, Hi my name is Andy and I’m working with a Christian… That was all I got out. As soon as I said the word, Christian, a woman literally started yelling at me. She screamed and ranted and raved and was almost incoherent. I was stunned. The word Christian sent her into a fit. .
I was pretty shaken when I caught up with my friends and after talking for a while we decided that there was some kind of demonic force at work. Nothing else made sense. We prayed for the woman and we prayed for the people in her group and while I can’t say that our prayers drove out that demon and she sat in worship the next day, that incident showed me that there are spiritual forces of evil at work today and they stand against Jesus and they stand against us.
When I was a pastor in Lewisburg, two Bucknell students came to me one day and said that they would often find our church unlocked at night so would come in to play the piano. One night when they found the church open they both said they felt a dark and evil presence. They didn’t know what it was but they wanted me to know. I asked them what they did and they said they left. I said, what? You didn’t pray? They said, we never thought about it.
Well I thought about it, and I thought about what was going on in our congregation at that time and if it might be connected. What was going on in our church was that a few people had become very negative and they came to worship angry every week because of some of the things we were doing to grow. As more people came to worship, the angrier they became. I realized that what those students felt was the spiritual force of evil that had found a home in our church. I decided that every Sunday morning I would pray for the church, both the building and the space and the people. I asked God to not allow any spiritual forces of evil, or any demon, to enter that place. I have to be honest, things began to improve.
I share these stories not to make you feel uncomfortable or to make you think I’m a little crazy, but to simply say that I believe there are real forces of evil at work in the world and that demons are at work standing against the things of God. We need to be aware that these forces are real so we can deal with them in powerful ways because just as Jesus delivered people from demonic forces in His day, we have that same power today. Miracles of deliverance can still take place.
Once we become aware of a demonic force, or feel the spiritual power of evil at work, we can defeat them, but not with our own strength and power. Miracles of deliverance take place because of the authority we have in Jesus. When Jesus sent His disciples out to work in the world, it says He gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Matthew 10:1
Miracles of deliverance took place because of the authority of Jesus and they can still take place because of the authority we have in Christ. It is in Jesus' name that we can drive out evil. It is in Jesus' name that we can overcome darkness. It is in Jesus’ name that deliverance for ourselves and our family and friends can be experienced. Jesus said He came so that we could experience the fullness of life and He came to set the captives free. That freedom and fullness comes because of the power of Jesus and the authority we are given in Him.
So how do we put all of this into practice? How do we live in such a way that we might experience these miracles of deliverance?
1. Acknowledge the reality of evil and demons. Whenever you face a problem in life, don’t assume it’s the work of the devil, but don’t assume that it’s not. Acknowledge the power of evil and ask God to open your eyes, and the eyes of your heart, so you can see the spiritual forces around you. It is important for us to know what is a spiritual battle and what is not.
2. Do what is smart and wise and natural in any situation. In any situation we face, and especially when we face a problem, we first do what makes sense. If we are sick, we need to see a doctor. If we are struggling with depression and anxiety, we need to see a counselor. If we are over our head in debt, we need to consult a financial planner. If our children are out of control, we need to get some help with parenting. If our marriage is a mess, we need to get some relational help.
Do what is smart and wise and natural in solving problems. It’s important to do this because not all problems are demonic in nature and many times God has already opened the door for us to experience freedom and life. So start by doing what is natural and wise and smart. But don’t stop there…
3. Pray. If there is a sense that the problems we face are spiritual in nature we need to take the authority we have in Jesus’ name and pray. It is always ok to pray for divine healing. It is always ok to pray for deliverance from despair and depression. It is always ok to pray for God to help us in divine ways to get out of debt and to improve our relationships. Pray in Jesus’ name for God to step into your life and deliver you from evil. If we call upon the name of Jesus we can overcome the power of darkness.
While not all our problems are the work of demons, there are very real spiritual battles being fought in us and around us every day. It is only when we see those battles clearly that we can use the authority found in Jesus' name to help us overcome them and experience the miracle of deliverance.
Let me close with the words of Paul who again not only told us about the reality of spiritual battles but how to fight them.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6 :10-18
Paul clearly says that there are spiritual battles all around us and that the devil is at work to tear us down and destroy us, but we are not alone. God has given us power and authority in Jesus’ name to fight all the spiritual forces of darkness and evil and overcome the enemy. Miracles of deliverance can still take place if we will fight the good fight and call on the name of Jesus.
Next Steps
When Pigs Fly - Miracles of Deliverance
Which of the 4 categories of miracles are easiest for you to believe in & why: healing, protection, provision, deliverance.
Which miracles of Jesus can you name in each category?
What do you believe about Satan, demons, and spiritual forces of darkness and evil? See Ephesians 6:12
Do you believe they are real today? Why or why not.
What danger is there when we don’t believe in Satan?
What danger is there when we attribute every bad thing to Satan?
Read Matthew 10:1. What does it look like for us to take up the authority there is in Jesus’ name? Why is this the only way to overcome Satan and spiritual forces of evil?
To be open to miracles of deliverance
1. Acknowledge the reality of evil and demons. Ask God to open your eyes and the eyes of your heart so you can see the forces of evil at work in and around you.
2. Do what is smart, wise, and natural. Always seek out smart answers to the problems you face.
○ If you are sick - see a doctor.
○ If you battle depression - see a counselor.
○ If you are in debt - get financial help.
○ What first step do you need to take today to solve a problem you are facing?
3. Pray. If you sense a spiritual battle in your life, pray. Call on the name of Jesus in your spiritual battle.
Identify all the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18. Which one piece of armor would be the most powerful for you to learn to use today?
