Do some Christians experience spiritual oppression? Jesus cast out demons from people as clearly recorded in the Gospels – what does that mean for us today? What are we to think of “deliverance ministry”? In this message, I share some personal experiences from encountering the demonic as well as Scripture to begin to develop a Biblical response to those questions.
David’s interaction with Saul became increasingly difficult and dangerous. David began to experience spiritual abuse from King Saul who was insecure and self-centered. There are many applications from “David vs Saul” that can apply to leadership in the Church today.
Leadership is vital for any organization, especially churches. When church leaders exhibit questionable behavior or decisions, followers begin to wonder. Leaders should minister out of their love for Jesus with their identity and purpose securely rooted in being a child of God. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Insecurity in ministry can lead to many forms of dysfunction in any church. The story of Saul and Samuel (1 Sam. 8-15) reveals many of these insecurities with direct application to principles of leadership.
Prayer for healing, among many other needs and issues in life, may well require persistence and patience. How long until the Lord answers your prayer? Will He answer? Do you know necessarily what the answer will look like and will you be prepared for it? These are deep, searching questions when faced with depression or cancer among many other illnesses and “afflictions of the soul”.
Relativism, political correctness, and cancel culture increasingly permeate our world. None of this is new – consider Genesis 3 and a passage such as Psalm 2. Ultimately, relativism is impossible and untenable, forcing its own absolutes on the world. Better to fear the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. To those who say “all truth is relative” a first response can be “are you absolutely sure”?