Why is deliverance from demons so important?
1. Deliverance is an essential part of the preparation of the bride of Christ (church) for Christ’s return.
2. Demons are the enemies of the gifts and fruits of the Spirit.
3. Satan and demons are not to be the blame for all of our problems and struggles; however, they do invade our lives and we should be earnest about getting rid of them.
Who was Mary Magdalene?
False stereotypes:
1. Mary was Jesus’ wife/lover.
- “Jesus Christ Superstar”
- “Da Vinci Code”
- “Gospel of Jesus’s wife”
Mary did not marry Jesus.
- Jesus was single throughout His public ministry.
- God would not marry humans.
2. Mary Magdalene was a former prostitute.
Assumptions
- Prostitute who washes Jesus’ feet. (Luke 7)
- Unnamed woman caught in adultery (John 8)
So, who was Mary Magdalene?
1. Transformed person.
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
Luke 8:1-3, ESV
- Mary is delivered by Jesus’ ministry.
- Mary is a servant/disciple in Jesus’ ministry, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
Luke 8:3, ESV
2. Compassionate presence,
But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
John 19:25, ESV
3. Faithful persistence.
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said t them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
John 20:1-2, ESV
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” >
She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 1Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him. and I will take him away.”
John 20:11-15, ESV
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (Which means Teacher).Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to the Father;
John 20:16-17a
but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord’ -and tht he had said these things to her.
John 20:17b-18
Mary Magdalene is courageously counterculture!
Mary is the portrait of a disciple/follower of Jesus………..
- Transformed
- Generous
- Compassionate
- Faithful
- Persistent
- Courageous
How did she become that?
How does someone move from demonic to disciple?
Mary became who she followed.