Are you now, or have you been, acting like an unclean spirit?
Cracked fill tank on the toilet
couldn’t shut the valve off
flooded entire apartment
extracted over 30 gallons of water out before the source of the water could be shut off
Once you let something into your life it is hard to get it back out. It may start as a crack in the porcelain, but it can quickly turn into a flood.
Mark 1:21–26 AV
21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
What is an unclean spirit?
Unclean and Evil spirits in the Bible are often in reference to Demons.
But if you are living as one of the children of disobedience
• you are unclean in your spirit
Colossians 3:5–7 AV
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Titus 3:3 AV
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Can a believer live as an unclean spirit?
Unclean spirits are opposed to God’s person and work and seek to lead people, including believers, away from him.
unclean spirits produce harmful and destructive effects in the life of the person affected
Believers can walk in the Holy Spirit or an unclean spirit.
If it were not possible for a believer to walk in darkness, we would not have warnings against doing so
Ephesians 5:8 AV
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
To have proper fellowship with the Lord, we must walk in the light
• it is your choice, but like all choices, there are consequences.
• Either good or bad depending on your choice
1 John 1:7 AV
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
The association of physical and spiritual cleanliness is, “To be virtuous and free from the impurity that is sin,”
Scientific American published March 10, 2009.
If the spirit is unclean, the whole person is corrupt.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 AV
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Mark 1:25 AV
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
An evil person who speaks the truth is still an evil person
Church attendance does not guarantee the state of your spirit
A man’s outward acts do not always determine his moral character. It is possible to have the form of godliness while denying the power. Unclean spirits may regularly go to the house of God.
Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII The Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:21–27)
2 Timothy 3:1–5 AV
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
When you attend services but are determined not to be affected by the message
Mark 1:24 AV
24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
These unclean worshippers have nothing to do with Jesus. This evil spirit cries out, “What have we to do with Thee?”
Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII The Unclean Spirit (Mark 1:21–27)
Ezekiel 33:31 AV
31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Romans 6:16 AV
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Does Jesus ever reject the worship or testimony of a person?
Mark 1:25 AV
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
The unclean need to be rebuked, even when they talk religiously, saying, “Thou art the Holy One of God.”
If sin is to be gagged and overcome within, the Holy Spirit must be allowed and trusted to exercise His mighty authority
Ephesians 5:15-21 AV
15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Would Jesus want you to speak for him today?
initially, you may think, of course, he would; he wants everyone to speak for him
but as we have seen, if you are acting like an unclean spirit
He may tell you to hold your peace
This does not get you off the hook for being an ambassador for Christ
2 Corinthians 5:20 AV
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
We will all answer for how we lived our lives as believers
2 Corinthians 5:10–11 AV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Be careful when you speak of the truth, that your life or actions are not speaking the opposite.
If we are not cautious when it comes to the spirit that we are allowing to rule our lives,
- we can become like that fill tank on the toilet.
- It starts with a small crack and then becomes an unstoppable flood.
Don’t allow the wrong spirit
to flood out your opportunities to worship and witness for the Lord.
Our hope at Irvington Bible Baptist Church is that this podcast provided some encouragement and has helped you to develop a closer relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.
