Apostle Joel Obuobisa

1 Peter 5:8 The devil is looking for people to devour. If you are not alert, you are candidate prey. Angels are helpers of our faith: fallen angel work against us in the same manner - they are the demons. 1. be conscious of their existence 2. understand the nature of their activities so you can know how to fight it. Mark 5:1-13 Nature of Demons: - they can live in people - a person can be under Holy Spirit but still be under influence of demons - demons a territorial by nature Characteristics of Demons: - the first thing they introduce into a person is fear. Fear is a spirit not an emotion. Heb 2:14-15 i) fear makes us hide from God ii) make you hide your gifts and talents iii) fear takes away your sound mind iv) fear robs you of power and courage v) fear take away your ability to walk in love. You can't trust people. Fear disguises itself in precaution. Always Crying: - always, night and day he was .. crying ... - a product of unhappiness and depression Do things that hurt them but do not stop doing it: - ...cutting himself with stones.

- One thing about Christ is He believed the Father. It is impossible to follow without believing because the things on the way require it. For Jesus, he had to die for sinful mankind. Matt 16:26 What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

- We need to understand a lot about an enemy or subject in order to deal with it properly. - The devil does not spare anyone. Luke 4:12-13 Even Jesus had to face the devil in temptaion. And the devil left Him for a more favorable moment. 1. FEAR: - The man lived in a cemetery, among the tombs. A place of fear. When fear attacks, it is a demonic spirit. Fear, frightening dreams, etc. - 2 Tim 1:7 Living in fear is yielding your life to the demon of fear. Always makes you smaller or less than you can be. - Fear leads us to irrational actions. Gen 3:9-10. We also fear a hide from God, Church, others knowing that we are Christians, etc. - fear makes you hide gifts and talents Matt 25:14-25 (its too small, it will demand too much of me, it will alter my schedule unfavorably) -Fear takes away your sound mind. You act abnormally when afraid: by taking away your peace of mind 2 Tim 1:7 - Fear takes power and courage away from you. 2 Tim 1:7 - Fear destroys love 1 John 4:18

We need to learn from both what Jesus said and what He did. Compassion: means deep feeling of sympathy or feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. - Luke 10:30- The good samaritan - His response was different because of the element of compassion inside him. Jesus Showing Compassion: -Matt 14:14 - having compassion on them, He healed them. -Matt 20:30 - having compassion on them, touched their eyes and they were opened. -Mark 1:40-45 - Mark 5:1-17 - v17 Jesus explained that what the mad man had experienced was the compassion of the LORD, and gave him it as the key to ministry -Mark 9:17- - the man begged for compassion for healing for his son. Also note that the prayer and fasting Jesus said was required for dealing with the demons, was that which He had already done. It was not now that He was going to start fasting and praying. -Luke 7:11-16 - Compassion led him to raise the dead son of the widow - v13. -Heb 4:15 - We do not have an high priest who cannot be touch with the feeling of our infirmities... -Exodus 3:5-8 God knew the suffering -Rom 9:15 - God will have soverignty in choosing who to show mercy and compassion to. -Heb 4:16 - ...come boldly before the throne of grace that you may obtain mercy and grace in time of need.

Spiritual distance is not the same as physical distance. When something is physically distant from you, it does not mean that it is spiritually distant from you and vice versa. Mark 5:6 - The man had many demons but ran to Jesus and worshipped Him. Mark 1:23  - The man had demons but was in church Matt 16:16-23 - Peter had revelations from God and was shortly thereafter used of the devil. Matt 8:8 1. Physically far away does not mean spiritually far away 2. Physically close does not mean spiritually close. 3. You can be close to someone physically but not benefit from them spiritually. a. Familiarity can block the blessing that a man of God close to you would otherwise be to you. b. Faith brings the blessing to you even when you are separated by time and distance. 4. You do not have to be physically near a person for the anointing to affect you. That is why we need to be in the habit of listening to messages. 5. You can be physically next door to evil powers and they not have an effect on you. Eph 1:18-23 - In Christ we have been placed far above every principality and power...

1. Luke 24:50-53. He lifted His hands and blessed them. 2. Matt 14:30-34. Sometimes when we strike out for the LORD, things can begin to turn out as the skeptics said it would. We begin to sink. The next thing to do is to cry out to the LORD to save us. "And immediately Jesus streched forth His hand and caught him..." 3. Mark 1:40-43. Jesus put forth His hand and touched him ... and IMMEDIATELY the leprosy departed from him... We may believe that God can make the impossible to happen. Its not beyond His power. But we wonder whether He is WILLING to help us. We need to believe like this leper that He can choose to do it for us. No one is too far gone. 4. Luke 8:41- Someone's miracle will not stop yours from coming. The woman with the issue of blood had her miracle inserted on the way to raise Jairus' daughter. 5. Mark 6:35- When the hands of the LORD touch the little you have and multiples it. Do your bit and leave the rest in the master's hands. 6. Mark 10:13. Jesus touched the children and blessed them. Do not forbid the children to come to the LORD for His blessing touch. 7. Luke 24:30-31. Jesus blessed the food ... Ex 23:25 8. When we are in doubt, it is a great time to experience the hands of the LORD. John 20:24-27. Jesus' blessed hands converting doubting Thomas into a real disciple...

Mark 5:1-17 We can see what the demons would like to do in a person's life depending on how much control they have over that life. 1. Demons occupy and work in specific places. Different demons take over specific places and it is evident in their different manifestations in the different areas. v9-10 The demons were a group and perhaps the one that spoke is the captain. When they saw they had to leave the man, they started seeking the next best option - to stay in their area. Matt 12:43-45 - Demons when cast out of a man are displaced. - They can identify a specific place or person as their dwelling. Eph 6:10-12 v12 - Principalities - rulers of a region Implications: 1. Church planting is more difficult in some places than others. 2. It will be difficult therefore for churches to grow in some places than others. 3. Prayer is more difficult in some places. 4. Marriage is also different from place to place. 5. Business is also different in different places. 6. You will not have certain problems until you go to certain places. 7. It also means you must sanctify every home, room or dwelling place that you move into. 8. It is the explanation for the peculiar characteristics of 'races', tribes and different people groups. 9. Don't judge, mock, or laugh at someone because of their particular problem - it may be because of where they are or have passed that you have not been.

- Instructions are direction calling for compliance. - As you grow you are given more room for discretion (less instruction) but now the instructions becomes way more important. Discretion replaces more and more of the less important instructions. -We walk by common sense, drive with principles, and fly by instructions. -John 21:18  When thou was young...  As you grow in the LORD, you should be looking out for instructions to obey... that may not have your taste in them. - 1 Sam 15:19-23 Obedience is better than sacrifice... - Saul lost the kingdom over what may appear as trivial disobedience, perhaps even with good intentions. Num 22:20-34 Exo 4:20-25 God was upset with Moses that he had not circumcised his son, and though He had sent him to deliver Israel and invested a lot in him, He was going to kill him for the disobedience. Prov 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction..

Mark 5:1-6  Madman of Gadara ran to worship the LORD.  Something we would not expect from a person under the control of evil spirits. Mark 1:21-26 The church member who did not fail to attend church but was still under the influence of the evil spirits. -disagreeing and arguing with the preaching is something we should be wary of when we find ourselves doing it. We may not like messages that are cutting close in our lives. Matt 16:13-23 -Peter oscilated between revelations from God and suggestions that are of the devil. Implications: -A Christian can have two spirits present and at work in him. -It explains the double standards we see in people. -Christians should not be decieved by the apparent goodness of a person. -Prospective couples should not be deceived by the apparent goodness of each other - wild things can show up later. -The Christian business people should not be decieved by the fact that the person they are dealing with is a Christian.

Heb 6:10-12 Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Be a fast follower, not slow,  sluggish. In order to have a faster way of getting ahead, learn from others. You appear more experienced than you are from using their encounters. Ruth 1 and 2 1. Ruth 1:13 Naomi gave practical advice. She had the interest of the daughters at hear and gave them some advice to rather benefit them than her. Go for things that work in life, not look good. 2. Ruth 2:19 Naomi taught Ruth that its a blessing when someone favors and takes a liking to you. Its a blessing a to noticed, liked, chosen.