Luke 11:24-26 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”  
 
JESUS continues his teaching on Luke 11:23 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” You must know how necessary it is you are with him.
    First, as he talks of an evil spirit seeking rest. This means the demon is seeking someone to inhabit to torment. A demon’s rest is a person’s strife! But the demon returns to the “house” he left. He returned to the person he had left.
    Two questions arise here. Why did the demon leave a person? How can he go back? There is no specific reason the demon left or returned. Demonic activity is helter-skelter, moving on a whim of evil to disturb God’s creation. It is like a pickpocket surveying the crowd, deciding whom he will victimize. He will choose the most accessible and vulnerable to victimize. That is why the demon returns to the person it left. That person is empty, without Jesus. His soul is still accessible to evil. Thus, the demon can re-enter.
    Even worse, the demon brings eight more. It is the intruder who comes to steal a television. When he then finds the house easy to access, he calls his friends to come take the furniture, jewelry, and all possessions. When the “house” is vulnerable, demons enter and destroy. The person ends up much worse than he was in the lone demon possession.
    Does this sound strange to you? Do you wonder if demons really cause trouble in empty souls? But stop and consider some troubled people you know. Some have a sinful habit or destructive personality that seems to get worse over time. Sometimes, in their own ability or a “self-help” course, they are able to remove disturbing habits from their lives and become “clean”. You’ve heard the term, “I’m clean.” haven’t you? No drugs, alcohol, abuse or other addictive behavior is in that person – for a time.
    But if that person has done this without Jesus’ saving resurrection power through the Holy Spirit, he remains empty and vulnerable. At some point, the helter-skelter evil re-enters. Then as we often see in people, the person’s addictive behavior rages worse than before.
    There is only one answer to sin. Our Lord affirms how essential he is to our salvation. As we learned yesterday, he must be with us. We must welcome him to abide in our “house”, to inhabit the very core of our being. God’s Spirit under Jesus’ authority is the only power that will heal our sin. He is the only holy authority to keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil. The kingdom of evil is death and agony. God’s kingdom alone is the real power and everlasting glory.
    Who is in your house?
 
Prayer: In Jesus’ salvation, Spirit, I pray I am free of evil. The demons cannot touch me, Lord, because you are my Savior, Shield and Strength. In Jesus’ name I rejoice. Amen.

Luke 11:23 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.”
 
HOW often have you considered the word “with”? You probably use it often. “Come with me. Can I go to lunch with you? With a good plan, you will finish the work soon.” Think of it. “With” is a joining, submissive word isn’t it? It defines people being together, communicating and joining in a common purpose. “Without”, then, defines a non-submissive, self-focused individual. He rejects others, walking his own singular path.
    Barb and I use this “with” principle as we walk together each day. To begin each walk, we agree on a time and a route to walk. We communicate. We submit. We can then walk with each other.
    But things can change. As we come to a new street, we each may prefer a new direction – turn right, turn left, go straight. Again we communicate, “Go this way?” And the other submits. We do not want to walk on separately. Communication and submission are essential to be with each other.
    Jesus’ “with me against me” words come in the context of people said Jesus could exorcise demons because he was with Satan. In rebuke, Jesus drew a very sharp line. One is either is walking with him or walking without him. One submits to his teachings, or he does not. There is no middle ground.
    To be with Jesus requires we hear his true communications to us, and we submit to his direction. As Jesus taught on prayer, he urged us to speak to the Lord, listen to the Lord, submit to the Lord and go with the Lord. Otherwise, you walk without him.
    Sometimes we are eager to be with Jesus, aren’t we? We can agree with his generous, gracious words to bless us as we mourn or hunger for more of him (Matthew 5:2-11). But then there are days we hear him communicate, “Repent. Stop the sin.” (For example Matthew 6-7). It’s easier to be with Jesus when we like what he says, isn’t it?
    Be careful about being with Jesus. No person can overcome evil without the Lord’s saving power. You need his Spirit, his word and his life with you at all times. Be alert. Speak to the Lord of your desires. Submit to the Lord as you come to those crossroads on your path. Remember these life-giving words from Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, as he spoke of the Lord’s presence in Luke 1:79b “to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for communicating to me to the path of peace. I submit to your leading me. Amen.

Luke 11:21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.”
 
ONE very constant theme in Western movies of the past is about a hero who overcomes the villain. Often some “bad guy” controls a town, allowing all forms of evil as the town’s good people are too weak to oppose him. He gathers as many possessions and as much money as possible, believing the more he has the stronger he is. For a time that is true.
    But then the hero shows up. He’s better with a gun. He’s smarter and more confident than the villain. He plans. He bides his time. Then he uses his strengths to remove or destroy the villain. The town returns to peace, and the hero rides off into the sunset.
    In this parable, Satan is the evil strong man. He has a few “possessions” or souls that he calls his own. He views his possessions as his strength and authority because no one is strong enough to take from him.
    But one day Satan discovers someone stronger than he has come to the house. Jesus has waited until the appropriate time. Then he comes in the power of God to remove Satan, who cannot stand against Christ.
    God promised he would send this “hero”, our conquering Lord through Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will give him (the Conqueror) a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
    Jesus is confronting Satan throughout his entire ministry. Remember Jesus proclaimed he would overcome Satan’s strength in Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
    Yes, Jesus is the Overcomer, the Freedom-giver, the Satan-destroyer.
As Jesus’ disciple, you have the Savior’s power. Use it. Put to work the Word of God to drive out the “strong man” and release the captives. Be confident the Kingdom of God overthrows evil. Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years…10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for your great power that overcomes all opposition. You are King and Redeemer. Amen.

Luke 11:17-20 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.”
 
TWO lessons back, we saw the Jews’ accusation that Jesus was Beelzebub. This is a term relating to Satan found in 2 Kings 1:2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” The Jews of Jesus’ day looked back on this idolatrous worship to correctly condemn it. The Jewish authorities, though, accused Jesus of commanding the demons as the demons’ ruler. Instead, they steadfastly denied Jesus is the ruler of Heaven and earth.
    Have you ever accused or judged someone, and as you were speaking, you realized you were condemning your own actions? That is happened with the Jewish authorities. During Jesus’ time, something amazing was happening in Judah. See here in Mark 9:38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” We have also seen in Luke that there were people, even Pharisees, whom God empowered to exorcise demons. This was even occurring in pagan lands.
    Jesus, then, effectively responded to his accusers to in essence say, “If you accuse me of being Satan, how about you or your followers who exorcise demons? Are you not also of the devil?”
    Then our line-drawing, truth-telling Lord reveals the truth. “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” His use of “finger of God” likely had a powerful effect on the Pharisees. Again, looking to their history, they would recall Exodus 8:19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “(These plagues are) the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said. The Egyptian sorcerers knew it took just a small part of the great God to do nature-changing work.
    Jesus affirms to the Jews that the “finger of God” has come to do soul-changing work. The King of Kings has established his kingdom upon the earth. It was time for the Jews to stop denying and accusing the Christ. Time had come for them to believe all things happen in God’s authority.
   
Prayer: Father in Heaven, you are Lord of all the earth. Your dominion is over all creatures. I thank you in Jesus’ name for your magnificent work. Amen.

Luke 11:14-15 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”
 
HOW sad it is to see the Lord Jesus Christ accused of being Satan’s (Beelzebub is a name for a pagan god from 2 Kings.) agent. His ministry was marked with physical healing and eternal preaching Luke so aptly wrote here: Luke 9:11 He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. One form of that healing was Jesus’ work to consistently restore demon-possessed people to full health as described here. But too many authorities still denied the Savior’s power and viciously spoke against the One who had come to save them.
    Here is the Lord again proclaiming freedom for the captives. But the captives are refusing his chain-breaking gospel. As Christ opens the door to free them, they stubbornly remain bound in Satan’s pride, arrogance and self-righteousness. Lies imprison their souls. Death veils their eyes.
    Have you ever tried to help someone know Jesus’ freedom, but they accused you of being critical and hateful? As you attempted to love them, they rejected the gospel’s saving words. You were sad, maybe even wept for them as they refused to accept the good news you graciously offered to them. It is so much easier walk away from such people, isn’t it – unless you love them.
    Praise God for Jesus’ love. He did not walk away from the faithless. Instead, he walked into the Father’s will to destroy the evil that seeks to accuse and destroy you. Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
 
Prayer: Father, many worldly “chains” threaten to bind my heart and to reject your love. Release me to receive the freedom you have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
 

Luke 11:11-15 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
 
IN the original Greek writings of this Scripture, Jesus is recorded as he began this lesson to have said, “In other words”. In other words, our Lord is continuing his teaching on prayer from the parable of the loud, knocking man seeking bread from his friend to offer to his late-night guest.
    That lesson spoke to our heavenly Father’s willingness to fully answer our needs as we seek God’s will to be done in our lives. Jesus affirms this further as he teaches us more of God’s fatherly character.
    Here is a good summary of this passage from The Life Application Commentary: “Jesus revealed the heart of God the Father. God is not selfish, begrudging, or stingy; his followers don't have to beg or grovel when they come with their requests. He is a loving Father who understands, cares, comforts, and willingly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Because the Holy Spirit is the Father's highest gift, the Father will not refuse giving him to those who ask.
    “Believers can trust in God's provision for all their lesser needs as well. How much better the perfect heavenly Father treats his children! The most important gift he could ever give is the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.   
      See how Jesus, the Son, loves and affirmed the Father. He came to show us the Father. He taught us of the Father’s justice, love, grace, righteousness, power and provision. As Jesus taught, he knew the Father was preparing to unleash the greatest love gift of all to mankind. After all, Jesus had also taught to Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
    See how the Father lovingly gave us his Son. The powerfully he gave us his Spirit. Through the Son’s sacrifice and the Spirit’s power, we have the gift of eternal life.
    Jesus’ teachings effectively tell you: “This is your Father in Heaven. Hallow his name. Ask for your daily bread. Pray his kingdom come. Desire his will to be done. Trust his love for you. Rejoice and live in peace. Pray for and receive the Spirit’s gift of eternal life. This is all you need.”  
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your great love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
 

Luke 11:5-10 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.; 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

TO conclude our two-day lesson on this passage, we want to know, “Does God truly open the doors of Heaven to give us what we desire? After all, what about all those “unanswered prayers”? Where are the open doors? What is urgent?”
    First in this parable, Jesus teaches we are to go to the Father of the House for “bread” – for our daily needs. Seek spiritual healing and understanding. Ask for the Spirit’s fruit as defined in Galatians 5:22-23 and clothe yourself with godly traits. “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Tell God you need him. You will fully receive the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35).
    Second, be persistent. We don’t like the bold, persistent, pleading man, and we wouldn’t want him coming to our door. But God does. He wants you to be so faith-filled in your prayers that you will “loudly seek and knock” for him. Paul points to such persistence as faithful hope. “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Corinthians 3:12)
    Jesus’ third lesson is to know that as the knocking man went for his friend, you are to go to God for your friends. Care for others with your prayers. Call out to God that your friends in need will be healed, restored or revived to God.
    Our lessons in prayer are to teach us God answers true faithful prayer with his Fatherly, Friend response. As you persistently pray in the foundation of the Lord’s prayer, the Spirit will transform your mind to desire, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done.”  Faithful seeking, knocking and asking is how God wants to hear from you. In turn, he will open the doors of your heart and mind to give you of himself. As your prayers align with God’s will, he will answer you in the fullness of your desires.
    I pray you ground your prayer life in the Son’s prayer model we call “The Lord’s Prayer” and in the Father’s prayer promise found throughout Scripture, including 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
    May your prayers revive your heart, mind and soul to be more expectant of God’s provision for all you need of him.
 
Prayer: Lord, I pray I am persistent to ask, seek and knock on your door with a growing understanding of your will on my life. In Jesus’ name, amen. 
 

Luke 11:5-10 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
 
DO we really trust Jesus’ words from verse 10? To help us understand how to answer that question, Jesus has drawn from the culture of his day a vivid picture of two men in need and one able to help them. The midnight visitor seeks bread for a hungry guest. In customary hospitality laws, the seeking, knocking man must care for his visitor. Otherwise, he will shame his family and the entire village. Hospitality is a key to peace in the households. The man, then, persistently knocks on his friend’s door, urgent to care for his unexpected guest.
    Now let’s go inside the house. How would you respond, awakened to such noise and urgency? Likely your response would be, “You couldn’t wait until morning?” But the friend and father of the house knows the need must be fulfilled. He gets up not to satisfy his seeking, knocking friend personally, but to satisfy the man’s urgent need. One man gives. Two men receive. The three men will complete their night in peace.
    Then Jesus taught the prayer lesson, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
    Think about it. Is this real for your prayer life? This was true for a loud, persistent man who wanted bread. But could this principle truly apply to our praying for the things we want? If we make enough noise with an urgent “knocking”, does God open the doors of Heaven to give us what we desire? What about all those “unanswered prayers”? Where are the open doors then? What is urgent?
    We’ll pursue the answers tomorrow.
 
Prayer: Into your hands, Father, I commit my life. Teach me to seek your ways, not mine. In Jesus’ glorious name I pray, amen.
     

Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 
 
WE conclude our look at God’s life-giving revival into the United States and surrounding seas and countries. This happened through the Layman’s Prayer Revival of 1857-1859. Here is one more excerpt from “Firefall 2.0 How God Shaped History through Revivals” by Malcolm McDow & Alvin R. Reid. Let’s see the universal power of God to bring people to become one with God.
 
This awakening provided a testimony to the Word of God in revival. Of several national awakenings in America that had occurred in the 1700’s and earlier 1800’s, this was the only awakening without a well-known leader. It came unexpectedly, which may explain the great unity among believers. Differences between denominations were minimized in the prayer meetings. Churches in the same region, though of differing traditions, united for the cause of revival.
 
The evangelistic impact was impressive. Almost every denomination recorded significant increases in the late 1850s. The proportion of church members to the total population jumped by 50 percent from 1850 to 1860. Baptists saw 650 new churches birthed during this period. 43 estimates of conversions ranged from 300,000 to 1 million!
 
Although the termination date is listed as 1859, revival fires continued in certain areas during the Civil War (1861-65), especially in Illinois and Virginia. Virtually all denominations were impacted by this revival. The great evangelist D. L. Moody spoke of the profound impact of this movement on his life. The conversion of Charlotte (Lottie) Moon in 1859 under the preaching of John A. Broadus ultimately changed the mission approach of the Southern Baptist denomination.
 
    Do you see how God’s kingdom can come, his will can be done on earth right now? Even as the revival “ended” it didn’t. There are many accounts of God powerfully moving among Civil War soldiers. Some even conjecture God was saving soldiers’ souls to prepare them for eternity. Many revived soldiers went home to establish a godly way of life in their homes and revive their communities.
    And note Dwight L. Moody’s revived heart. He went on to evangelize globally. God’s anointing on this man has made many disciples of Jesus Christ to this day through the institute that bears his name. 
    If you or your church are looking at declining membership? Does your community struggle amid a culture of opposition? Are young families absent from church? Do lose hope and then wonder, “What do we do?”
    What else is there to do but pray? Isn’t prayer where God wants you to be? He has taught you to pray. Use the Lord’s prayer as your basis. Make “the Lord’s Prayer” your relevant, reviving prayer for your own life first. Then pray it for the life of your neighbors, state, nation and your church. Put aside differences. Seek leaders in other churches. Come together and pray. See how the Lord will draw you to revival. Pray all his people become one with him.
 
Prayer: Father in Heaven, keep your name holy on my lips and in your church. I pray your kingdom come in revival power to quicken dead souls to new life in Christ. Please, Father, cause your will to be done in the church. Give us a glimpse of your heavenly glory. Give us each day your Word to feed our souls. Strengthen our bodies and minds to receive and live into your Word. Forgive us, Lord. Turn our hears to forgive one another, so we can move forward as one with you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. 

Matthew 4:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 
 
WATER is a powerful image of God’s creative, cleansing and reviving power throughout Scripture. The first examples that come to mind are the Great Flood and the exodus from Egypt through the Red Sea. Many other examples are shown, especially baptism and Christ’s revival declaration in John 4:14 “but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 
    Let’s see from the book “Firefall 2.0 How God Shaped History through Revivals” by Malcolm McDow & Alvin R. Reid, how God brought revival “to the sea”.
   
Many reports of revival came from ships entering U.S. ports. It seemed there was “a definite zone of heavenly influence” across the eastern seaboard. The battleship North Carolina was anchored in New York City’s harbor with more than a thousand-man crew. Four sailors began a prayer meeting on the ship. The Spirit filled them to the point that they began to sing. Some of the ungodly crewmen heard the singing and began to mock the young believers. They were almost immediately gripped with conviction for their attitude, whereupon they began to cry for mercy. Night after night, meetings were held, and nightly, hardened sailors were broken in repentance and faith.
 
Ministers were eventually sought out from the shore to assist in ministering to the sailors. At this time, the ship North Carolina, a veritable revival center, served as a receiving ship for the navy. This ship served as the one through which crewmen changed assignments. Thus, the tide of revival literally spread across the seas.
 
    God’s will was being done on earth wasn’t it? Here is God’s dominion over all of his creation. After all, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalms 24:1) Revival from sin’s death into Jesus’ salvation is a picture of God’s creative life power demonstrated as he created the world: Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
    Think of it! God, the Holy Spirit, hovered over the dark void to create the world. In the way the Holy Spirit hovered over the ships and “breathed into (men) the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 1:7) In his reviving, new creation power, God declared, “Let there be light," and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) Then “the light of the world” (John 9:5) came into dark hearts. Indeed, in this new creation, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
    Yes, revival is very good, isn’t it? Let’s look at our own lives to rejoice that God has revived our souls. Let’s pray for God’s new creation for those we love, spurred on by the miracle, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)
 
Prayer: Speak into my soul, Lord, that I will be truly revived in you. Speak and proclaim your good, new life into souls who need your new creation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.