The Gadarenes is a region near the Sea of Galilee and one day, Jesus went there. He was met by a demonized man who'd been oppressed by demons for a long time. Jesus expelled the demons from him and they went into a group of pigs which ran off into the sea and drowned.
Those who'd witnessed this event ran to inform the townspeople. They came and saw that the formerly demonized was now calm. The Bible notes that he'd previously beaten people and broken free from shackles. Matthew 8:34 - Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
These people learned of the miraculous power of God and rejected it. They rejected the love of the Lord because the display of His power made them uncomfortable. Think about it. They were used to the demonized man the way he'd been. That was normal. That was comfortable. For him to be healed from demonic oppression and for pigs to end up rushing into the sea to drown ... now that was a problem. And the source of that problem - Jesus - had to go.
How many of us have been like the Gadarenes in that we witnessed God move in a new way and rejected it? How many of us have judged first instead of seeking guidance from His Holy Spirit as to what our perspective and response should be?
The Holy Spirit has had to 'check' me multiple times so my eyes opened to accept and receive the new He was doing. He's taken me through incidents to teach me to be comfortable with the uncomfortable so I wouldn't walk away from a blessing that didn't follow a pre-expected design. I'm still learning and the story of the Gadarenes is a great illustration to be careful not to close the door to God's miracles just because they don't come in convenient packaging.
This doesn't mean we are not to test the spirit. After all, the Bible tells us that there have always been men with false spirits who deceive people. Believers have been called to discern the spirits behind a person or thing with the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10). We cannot shirk that responsibility. Particularly in this day and age, where we have heard of false prophets or wolves in sheep's clothing who have led countless souls astray
We need to grow our relationship with God, His Son, and His Holy Spirit so that we are steered away from those the devil is using to steal, kill, and destroy. Plus, that deepened relationship will ensure that the Spirit leads to where God's power is present so we recognize it and don't make the mistake of the residents of the Gadarenes. On our own, we are incapable of discerning such situations.
The Holy Spirit will also help us not to be like the Gadarenes who could not wrap their minds around what Jesus did to free a member of their community. The Pharisees and Sadducees of His time were no different. Same with Job's friends who predated them all. May the Lord, in His mercy, steer us on His path of righteousness so we walk in faith, discerning between spirits, and submitting to His move regardless of if it seems strange, IJMN, Amen.
FINAL MESSAGE
(Originally shared on February 28, 2025)
So, can I share a suspicion I've got? I think the messages from about August/September 2024 in this fellowship are building us up for something. I don't know what it is, but I think God is building our faith and teaching us how we will need to stand firm in the faith of some challenge - some attempt by the devil to put in question His assessment of us.
Does that make sense?
My prayer is that we shall all pass the test and endure through the blood of the Lamb, the word of God, and His Holy Spirit. Now is the time to review what's in your toolkit - go over the revelations God has given you, review the Rhema in scripture that you've received, look over your testimonies, and remember your Jericho Moments - those miraculous moments when God brought the walls down..
Here are some posts from P&P that could also help
Topic: Don't Break Faith with God
The Sin of Disbelief - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 16, 2024
Topic: Faith At Work Series
Topic: Faith, Trust, Belief in God
Yes, it's a lot of posts, but could you take your time and skim at least? The Lord will help us all.
God bless you.
CLOSING PRAYER
Gracious God, once again You permitted us to gather in Your presence and fellowship as we are called to in Your word.
Thank You for those You brought today. May their lives be blessed and may they experience all Your goodness. I pray for those who will participate at a later time, may they also be rewarded for honoring You with their praises and petitions on behalf of others.
Dear God, please remember sis QAB, sis A, sis EC, sis WG, sis JIR, sis BH, sis CD, sis DR14u, sis W, bro S, sis @Hannah L, sis BW, sis FJ, bro F, sis ML. May they always be led by Your Spirit and may they always walk as Your children and never as Gadarenes. Your word states in John 3:8 - The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” May this be their portion, IJMN, Amen.
Thank You God and keep us all till we meet again next week. It is IJN I have prayed and say, Amen!
LAST 10 MINUTES
The Lord said in Isaiah 43:19 - See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
How many of us can say we'd be able to recognize that new thing God was doing if it stared us in the face?
I don't know about you but I know to pray for this grace. That the eyes of my heart be open to see what the Lord is doing and align. As long as He is in something, I want some. Now, if He has no part of something, I want none of it. Nevertheless, I do want to be able to discern this so I keep far away and avoid being a Gadarene by His grace.
Let us pray for this privilege -
Heavenly Father, thank You for today's message and the lesson it contains. We need to walk in Your Spirit so we can see when You are doing something new. We need to submit to Your move, even if it is different from what we know, so we don't miss it the way the Gadarenes did. Help us, Lord. We pray for grace that our spiritual eyes will be enlightened to see what You are doing. We pray to perceive the new thing You are doing and accept it in all humility. That we may not ignore and thus miss out on the blessings available to us, IJMN, Amen.
Father, I want to lift up those in our midst who are dealing with the loss of loved ones. Good God, You are a loving God, so please wrap these ones in Your arms. Comfort them in their mourning and show them Your compassion for You are He who longs to be compassionate toward His people.
Lord, turn their mourning into dancing. May they receive Your joy and lift their voices in praise, even through the valley of pain. Strengthen them and give them understanding that will usher them out of the sadness. IJMN, Amen.
And for those whose loss has turned to anger against You, please have mercy. Pour out Your loving compassion on them. Heal them of their wounds and refresh them so the weariness and pain they feel dissipates. Grant them understanding of their situation. Help them to see what You are doing and have done so that they heal from their loss in a manner that glorifies You, IJMN, Amen.
Thank You Father for Your freedom, for Your word states that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Glory be to You, the God of freedom. The God of liberty. The God who has called His own onto Himself.
The God who sits on the throne and is deserving of all our worship.
I lift up every captive, dear Lord. You are El Gibbor. Jehovah Sabaoth, the God who rescues and saves. The God of the Heavenly Host.
I call on You to set the captives free. To pursue their pursuers. That their enemies flee in seven directions when they see the brightness of You.
Glory be to Your Holy Name!
Lord, I lift up Peppers in accordance with Your word in Colossians 1:9-14 -
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, /so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, /being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, /and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. /For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, /in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
IJMN, Amen.
Praise be to God who holds and pours out His oil of joy. Thank You for being the One who lightens the hearts of men, giving them cause to rejoice.
Father, I pray for those in need of Your joy. Thank You that You have made it possible to access this great blessing.
God, Your word states in Proverbs 17:22 - A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Nehemiah advised the people of Jerusalem that the joy of the Lord was their strength in Nehemiah 8:10.
Heavenly Father, please pour out Your good medicine on those crushed and weary in spirit. Let Your children be anointed with Your oil of joy per Hebrews 1:9. That the condition of their heart and inner man will be brightened by Your light, loving kindness, and compassion, IJMN, Amen.
PRAYER TIME
From JIR - The air I breathe is Yours. Everything I do is because of Your grace and mercy. I thank You for always being with me and never forsaking me. I put my trust and hope in You. You are my confidence. Thank You for opening my eyes and blessing me to realize that You are all that matters. The owner of the universe. Thank You for giving me peace and joy. You are my Rock. I will praise You all the days of my life. IJMN. Amen.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen!!!!
Glory to God in the highest!
His dominion is an everlasting dominion. His kingdom rules over the nations. His word can never fail.
Hallelujah, Amen!
From JIR - Thank You Lord for breathing life into me this morning. You are the reason I am alive and the reason I live. My life is nothing without You. You are so loving , kind and compassionate in all Your ways yet You are also Almighty, Supreme, the Alpha and Omega and the Judge. Thank You Lord for wrapping me in Your love and increasing my faith in You. All glory belongs to You. IJMN. Amen.
To the God who answers by fire. Hallelujah to You, my King!
Thank You, God, for being Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent.
The God who never fails. The Doer of all good things!
Thank You for joy, Lord. Thank You for giving us a reason to smile and rejoice. Thank You for giving us family, friends, and even strangers who say a nice word.
Help us to be the ones who bring Your joy to others as well.
[Verse 1]
Emptied of my strength, you dry my tears
Anytime, anywhere, you rearm me
I look at the sky and my doubts drown
In this star mass, I hear your voice
Where will my support come from, I feel flooded
You're, and you will always be my light
A lighthouse in the sea, guiding the wrecked ones
[Chorus]
Lost in the desert, an oasis
An oasis right in a mirage
Everyday you fill my vase
An oasis right in a mirage
Hey ya, hey-hey ya, hey ya, hey-hеy ya
Waves could have been carrying me away
Hеy ya, hey-hey ya, hey ya, hey-hey ya
But dad you dried them
[Verse 2]
Coldness almost stoned me, you rekindled a blaze in me
Now, I rush to your arms, I run to warm myself up
On my life the sun set but you reminded me that the light comes after the darkness
Floods have come
In sobs my eyes flood
Though you taught me to swim
Dive in your love fills me up with joy
[Chorus]
Lost in the desert, an oasis
An oasis right in a mirage
Everyday you fill my vase
An oasis right in a mirage
Hey ya, hey-hey ya, hey ya, hey-hеy ya
Waves could have been carrying me away
Hеy ya, hey-hey ya, hey ya, hey-hey ya
But dad you dried them
Heavenly Father I want to thank You for being concerned about the big and small things I worry You about.
Thank You for honoring Your word to give us the good things we pray for. I am grateful to be seen, heard, and loved by You.
Hallowed be Your Holy Name!
PRAISE TIME
From EC - Amen and good morning ladies!
Thank you for this. Recently I have been placed lead on a project. I didn’t know why I would place lead , when my boss who should be taking the helm of this is negative. Does not uplift and seeks to make fun and polk holes in everything. I am reminded today not to give up just because of what it looks like. I believe God is working, and shifting things into place. I will continue to praise and pray in the midst of it all. I will welcome what God is doing and trust him in the process. Most importantly I will pray for her and pray for the Lord’s desired outcome over this project and this company. I was ready to throw in the tile and say forget this . I don’t need this foolishness without seeking God on it only allowing my frustration to guide me. God is working no matter what it look like. May I be obedient and praise him in everything.
ALTAR CALL
The key to not being a Gadarene is submitting to the Holy Spirit and His instructions. This may sound strange if you've never heard of such. Let me tell you, everybody needs the Holy Spirit. I confess that He keeps me out of trouble.
No, seriously, Holy Spirit is the believer's guide. He speaks what Jesus tells Him and Jesus tells Him what God told Him. So, in essence, He is the Voice of the Lord and He helps God's children.
To get the Holy Spirit, you need to give your life to Jesus Christ. The video below explains the significance and how to submit to Jesus and become part of God's royal family. Family members have and walk in the Spirit of the Lord.
If you watched the video to the end and say that prayer, then welcome to being a child of God! I pray you receive the Holy Spirit and are led in the ways of the Lord. Send me a message and I'll answer questions and send you more material, okay?
God bless you.