Derek Prince - Supernatural Signs Should Accompany Our Message
This is a clip from the full sermon: War In Heaven And Earth - Part 2
Then we continue in Mark chapter 1 verse 39. And He preached in their synagogues in all Galilee and cast out the demons. He did two things. He preached and He cast out demons. He did not preach alone. He preached and He dealt with the problems of the people. When God brought me into this ministry for quite some time, at least two or three years, that's exactly what I did all over America. I preached and cast out demons. And I wasn't ashamed because I can't improve Jesus. The best I can do is do as much as He did. So I want you to understand that this is a regular part of the Christian ministry. It is an integral part of the ministry of Jesus. It's not something extreme or fanatical. It's just doing what Jesus did as He did it.
Let's also look at Luke 13 verses 31 and 32. On that same day some Pharisees came and said to Him, "Go and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill you." And He [Jesus] said to them: 'Go and say to that fox, [that is Herod. He was really not too polite in some respects.] Go and say to that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform healings, today and tomorrow, and on the third day I shall be finished. In other words, Jesus said, "During my earthly ministry I will do two things. I am going to cast out demons and I am going to heal the sick." That's how He started, He went on that way, and He ended that way. That is the example of the earthly ministry of Jesus. Personally, I have no ambition to improve that. If I can do even a small part of what He did, I'm content.
Now there is a very important meaning to this particular ministry of casting out demons. If you read the Old Testament I think you will see that almost all the miracles that were performed in the New were also performed in the Old. They raised the dead, they healed the sick, they fed multitudes, but there's one thing they never did. They never cast out demons. You will not find an example of this anywhere in the Old Testament. And in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 28 Jesus said, "And if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then surely the kingdom of God has come upon you."
So His casting out of demons was a distinguishing mark that the kingdom of God had come. It was a miracle that was not performed, as far as we know, in the Old Testament. It's a distinctive statement; "the kingdom of God has come". And in reality casting out demons is war between two kingdoms; the kingdom of God, the kingdom of satan. And Jesus demonstrated the victory of the Kingdom of God by casting out demons. Now let's read the instructions that Jesus gave to His disciples.
In Matthew chapter 10, verses 7 and 8, we cannot look into the background. We don't have time. But He said this: "And as you go, preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received it for nothing, give it for nothing". So Jesus said, "You must do four things. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons." That was part of their overall ministry wherever they went. Now you say, "Brother Prince, have you seen the dead rise"? The answer is "Yes, I have".
In East Africa, when I was the director of a school for the training of African teachers, two of my students died and were raised from the dead. And they each give a very interesting testimony of what happened to their minds while it was out of their bodies and what happened when their minds returned to their bodies. I'm just saying that because some people say, "Well, people don't raise the dead." The answer is: people raise the dead. They do not raise all the dead, but they raise the dead if it is God's purpose for the dead to be raised. Okay. Let's take another look at those instructions. Verses 7 and 8. "And as you go, preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' But it is not enough to preach. You must prove the validity of what you preach. That is why Jesus says, 'Heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.'"
Four things. One is the exorcism of demons. And then in Mark 16 at the end of the gospel record, Jesus gave the final instructions after His resurrection to all who would go out and preach the gospel. Mark 16 beginning with verse 15. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be damned." And those who have believed shall follow these signs: [or accompany] those who have believed: In my name they shall cast out demons; in tongues they shall speak; Let us stop here. How many has heard of speaking in new tongues? Everyone here. It's a very popular topic. But how many has heard of the casting out of demons? How many has seen it in action? Praise God. You are quite an exceptional church. But I want to point out that the first supernatural sign was not speaking in tongues, but casting out demons.
You see we have kind of gaps in our theology and our practice. Some things we do and some we don't. But the way Jesus tells us e to do it is the right way. Now let's see how they obeyed. During Jesus' earthly ministry in Luke chapter 10 verses 17 to 20, He had sent out the seventy or seventy-two to prepare the way for Him. The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." That was what excited them the most. You see, that was the new thing. Healing was not new, miraculous provision was not new, but to have authority over demons in the name of Jesus, that was exciting. And Jesus said to them, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and power over all the strength of the enemy, and nothing shall harm you."
That's what I want to emphasize here tonight because we're going to take action later. Nothing will harm you. Do not freak out. Demons have no power over a true believer who understands his right. And then there is one of the most interesting examples in Acts chapter 8. How many of you know that there is only one person in the New Testament who is really called an evangelist? Did you know? Do you know who that is? Philip. That's right. He is the only person actually designated as an evangelist. And his ministry is described in Acts chapter 8 so you can say that his ministry is the example ministry of the evangelist. And it says in Acts 8:5. And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. I'm so glad he didn't have a complicated theology. He preached Christ.
The message of an evangelist is very simple. In Samaria he preached Christ. Later, when he met the eunuch on the road to Gaza, he was preaching Jesus. That is the message of an evangelist; Christ and Jesus. And the multitudes held with one accord what was said by Philip, because they listened and saw the signs which he did. Now Philip had no commission. He had no sponsoring church. He didn't have a large conference room. He had no trained choir. I mean, all those things are good, but not necessary. What is essential is preaching the gospel with signs that follow and you always get a crowd. You don't have to invest in the cost of a hall or a choir or anything.
I had a young friend, an African friend in East Africa who was an evangelist. And he said, "Brother Prince, it is no problem in Afrikag to gather a crowd". He said, "I walk into a village and ask how many sick there are in the village. They bring them, I pray for them, they are healed and I get my audience." He said: "I need not do more". That is New Testament evangelism. I'm not criticizing other ways of doing it, but they are more elaborate and more expensive. All right, then let's move on. Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ to them [or the Messiah]. And the multitudes held with one accord what was said by Philip, because they listened and saw the signs which he did.
What attracted the public? In a word? Miracles. Precisely. Miracles are not optional; they are not accessories. They are an essential part of the ministry of evangelism. And I emphasize again that there is only one person who is truly called an evangelist in all of the New Testament. It's Philip. If he is not an example, we have no example. What kind of miracles happened? For many who had unclean spirits came out with a loud cry [it says possessed, but it is wrong] who had been demonized; and many paralyzed and lame were healed. And great joy arose in that city. That is the ministry of the evangelist. It is to preach Jesus the Messiah, it is to preach Jesus, the message confirmed by supernatural signs; heal the sick, cast out demons and you will get your crowd. I mean, success assured. You can also face resistance but that is part of the whole package. But I want you to note that they did not go for an air of solemn dignity in their meetings.
I grew up in the Anglican Church and there are many things I respect in the Anglican Church. But you tiptoed into the church. You sat down quietly. You wouldn't raise your voice. No one did anything very unusual. It was all very quiet and neatly arranged. And all those people who came in in their fine Sunday clothes spoke these neat words. I mean the Anglican prayer book has some of the most beautiful spiritual words. But as a boy watching them and listening to what they said as they walked out of church, I wondered, did they really believe what they said? I couldn't answer that question. I remember thinking to myself, "This venerable lady here. If she dropped her lace handkerchief and I ran after her and picked it up, she would be more excited to get her handkerchief back than about all the things she said in the liturgy."
So I just want to say: there is dignity and dignity there is religious dignity that is often a cover for demons I mean I was in a meeting and this saddens me so much I was in a meeting of a very well known American evangelist if I gave her name, everyone would know it. To a certain extent she was a friend of mine for a while. But in one of her meetings there was a black woman who very clearly started demonic activity. And you know what they did? There Two men came and took her by the arms and carried her out. That's all they did. That's a tragedy. She desperately needed the ministry of the evangelist. But the evangelist was afraid it would damage her reputation. people n wouldn't want to come to her meetings.
I think she was wrong. I think actually more people would have come. I respect her. She is now with the Lord. But I'll never forget this desperate black woman who screamed for help, couldn't contain herself and got dumped. That's all they did to her. They just kicked her out. When I was dealing with a demon in a woman in a church, one of the church ladies came up to me and said, "Brother Prince, do you know what they would have done in most churches? They would have said, 'Our sister needs help. Would any of the deacons take her to the basement?" That's not the biblical solution. She needs help, but not in the basement.