Sermon From Pastor Dan Little

Sermon From Pastor Dan Little

Pastor Dan Little is one of the founding theologues of Operation Rescue. He is still faithful at pastoring his church in Bingington, NY. He is the provider of much of the theology found in the book Operation Rescue. He is a great friend of ours and a wonderful voice for pre-born children. Most importantly, he is a friend of our Lord Jesus Christ. This sermon needs to be read as if from the very heart of God. - Flip

The Landmark Church / Pastor Dan Little
February 29, 2004

Three weeks ago on February 8th we looked together at Matthew 12:22 (NLT) Then a demon-possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.

From this verse we talked about what demons are, and why they have a special interest in keeping man from his true purpose on this planet. In the spiritual realm demons are always trying to keep believers from seeing and saying the truth about God.

The reason for this is that once we see the truth about God we begin to see the truth about ourselves. Seeing the truth about ourselves leads to repentance and humility. Humility opens the way for us to move in the true glory of our place in God—having dominion and authority in the earth. If demons can keep us from seeing truth then, of course, they can keep us from saying the truth that will set others free. Blind seers have nothing to say.

The last thing we talked about was how we can be delivered from these unseen powers and principalities. We call upon the name of Jesus. Philippians. 2:9-10 (MsgB) Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, [10] so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ.

The last thing I would say this morning on this subject is this; demons leave at the name of Jesus. But what you will find is that they hang around the perimeter watching for another time, maybe when we are particularly tired, or hurt, or angry. And then they try all over again to blind and silence us. Such was the truth in Jesus’ experience. Luke 4:13 (MsgB) That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity.

And we, too, cannot count on last week’s victory for this week’s trials and temptation. We must regularly call upon the Name and live in fellowship with the person of Jesus. So shall we be saved from our enemies.

There is yet another passage where Jesus’ tells us something about how the enemy of our soul goes about to do his work of blinding and silencing the saints.

TEXT: Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV) "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

We often use this passage as a warning tool. We counsel persons to fill up every empty space in their soul and spirit with the presence of Jesus. Especially do we tell this to people who have just walked away from some long-standing bondage, and are just now learning to walk by faith in the freedom of Jesus Christ. I think this is a valid use for this passage.

Emptiness of soul should never be viewed as a passive or neutral state. It is a very dangerous state for a believer to be in.

Once evicted, a demon will continue to lurk about the perimeter of the premises, regularly revisiting the site of their old house with the hope of moving back in. And if they find the place devoid of other occupants then that single spirit will move back in, and with the idea that he will not so easily be thrown out again, he brings with him seven companions worse (stronger) than himself. "…and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

All of this is true about individuals. But when Jesus had finished speaking this truth He applied his teaching to a whole generation. "…and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

I want for us to think about this teaching in the context of Jesus’ application, and to think about it as it applies to our day.

When an unclean spirit goes out…

The whole of the North American continent has been under the cleansing influence of Christianity for about four hundred years (1620 – The Mayflower Compact). Western culture in general has been under the leavening effect of Christianity for much longer than that. And where Christianity has predominated in this world much of the filth and darkness of paganism has been put to flight. In that way it is fair to say that Western culture is the man out of whom went an unclean spirit.

With that notion before us, let’s re-read our text.

Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV) "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

"So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

The danger that lies crouched and waiting at the door of an individual who is cleansed but empty is the exact same danger that lies in wait for an entire generation (or a whole culture) that has once been cleansed but now lies empty.

Think about what Jesus said. Demons lurk about the perimeter watching for a way to get back in. And if and when they see the opportunity they enter in and bring seven spirits worse than themselves.

A whole generation such as we live in, one that has been cleansed, but now lies emptied of all values and morals and the knowledge of God, can quite find itself playing host to powers of lust and principalities of wickedness that have suddenly increased by a factor of seven times.

None of us have ever seen a more empty generation than this of our own time. The degree to which our youth have systematically and purposefully been emptied of knowledge and purpose is astonishing. And this is no less true of church youth if they are regularly sipping from the world’s ideas about life.

Only emptiness at first, but Jesus has clearly told us what must come next. The old filth comes back and brings seven worse spirits with it.

Think of what is going on in the State of Massachusetts and in City of San Francisco , or now in New Paltz, New York. Who wants to imagine what is going on this week in New Orleans (Mardi Gras)?

We are witnessing strong attempts to empty marriage and family of all meaning. The effort is to deconstruct marriage to mean nothing more than pagan filth made legal.

Are things worse in other parts of the world? Yes! But none of us have ever seen anything like our culture’s rush to embrace every kind of unclean spirit of the old pagan world. Things seem to be suddenly about seven times worse.

Jesus described this seven-time increase in filth as coming upon a generation. Is it happening in one generation?

I would say that this emptiness has come over the past 30 or 40 years. Wickedness has found the old house swept, clean and all set in order, and now quite suddenly we are seeing the "seven-times worse" results.

If this is an accurate understanding our times here in North America, it does not yet rise to the level of Issacharian wisdom, for the men of Issachar, we are told, had understanding of the times and knew what to do! 1 Chron. 12:32 (KJV) And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…

What shall we do?

God has written to us about our very situation so that we might know what to do. He gave us this inner office memo on a day when St. Paul happened to be serving as His secretary.

Philip. 2:12-18 (MsgB) …you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. 13That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

14Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! 15Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night 16so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.

17Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ's altar, a part of your rejoicing. 18But turnabout's fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me.

Let’s examine a few of Paul’s instructions for a people who are living in the midst of a squalid and polluted society.

A. 17Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice

Paul was ready to die for the faith. That readiness is the reason he lived so mightily for the faith. Am I ready to die for the faith?

As a parent am I more interested in raising beauty queens and athletes, or am I working to prepare my children to die for the faith?

As a pastor, am I making ready a people to die for the faith? Or am I afraid to tell you what the cross means and what Jesus meant when He said, Luke 17:33 (MsgB) If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms.

These are days of extreme danger for those living the life of faith. I do not believe that we can stand against the strong tides of darkness with anything less than the strength that comes from being ready to die for the faith—total commitment.

B. Paul writes: "…you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me." The mark of revival is joy. A seven-time increase in evil in this world is not a valid reason for the church to give up her infinite joy in Christ.

Feeling sorry for ourselves, that God has ordained that we do our work in this place and in this generation is to play right into the hands of demons who regularly use self-pity to blind and silence believers. By means of self-pity Satan takes God’s servants, those who have every reason to rejoice in the good providence of God, those who ought to be God’s powerful witnesses and turns them into whining, complaining, blind and speechless non-servants.

1.We joy in our worship of God because we trust Him who reigns as "ruler of the kings of the earth (see Rev 1:4 & 5).

2. We joy in our worship because 1 John 2:17 (NASB) …the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. If we are not careful we may come to think that the foundations are being moved, that righteousness is passing away. It is not. God’s will and those who do it abide forever. The world and its lusts (even if those lusts be increased by seven times), are passing away. One of these days God is going to fold up this earth like an old suit and bring a new heaven and earth to take it’s place. The Bible says the old will pass away in fiery destruction. Folks, if you are keeping your life from Christ so that you can invest it in this world, then you will surely lose your life.

The call of God is to gather a harvest out of a dying world. Our job remains the same regardless of the rising or falling tides of filth.

C.) 15 Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. What do you want people to see when they look at the life you live? Do you want them to see a believer that walks as close to the edge of the squalor and pollution of this society as he dares. Or do you hope to provide people with a glimpse of good and godly living?

We are God’s witnesses to the practical truth about Salvation. If we look to the world’s corruption to fill our soul, if we drink at their wells and adopt their non-answers, then we can not be a breath of fresh air where fresh air is so badly needed.

D.) 12 Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. …14 Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! We need to put on the garment of praise, to joy in our God, and get rid of our pagan-like fatalistic attitude, the one that says there is nothing anyone can do about the evil of the day. Not true! God is in charge and we belong to Him.

If our work and our responsibilities seem heavier than they were, then we perceive it to be the highly esteemed weight of the cross. Let us look to God our strength and redouble our efforts. We serve with joy whenever and wherever we are called. We serve and trust God for fruit.

There is a regional prayer meeting this Thursday night at Calvary Community Church at the corner of Harry L. Drive and Valley Plaza. We are going to pray for this region—that in the midst of this squalid and polluted society the churches might truly be the breath of fresh air that is so badly needed. God is looking for worshippers. Can you come?

We are not asking if you can die for the faith. We are asking if you can break away from your TV set, move from your comfortable chair, knock a hole in your busy schedule, risk your children’s health to stay out just this one night later than normal in order to come and pray "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"? I plead with you to come. There is a great need for praying people to meet in concerted and strong prayer, to cry out night and day until the church of this region becomes all that God would have her to be.