The Demon’s Dwelling Place - 9/6/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

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with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

>> Amen. I appreciate the good singing this

morning. And uh I tell you what, we

think sometimes that the fact of that

song, we think that's impossible.

The truth is it's not impossible.

>> Amen. You know what Paul told young

Timothy? He knew that Neero's chopping

block was very soon. He said, "I've

fought a good fight. I have finished my

course. I've kept the faith." He said,

"Henceforth there's laid up for me a

crown of righteousness, which the Lord

shall give me at that day, not to me

only, but to all them also that love his

appearing." Amen. I'll tell you this,

there's only one thing that'll motivate

you to serve Jesus, and that's the fact

that he's coming back.

>> Amen.

>> And I appreciate his grace and goodness

to us. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 12. You

find your place if you would stand in

honor reverence to the reading of God's

word. Matthew's Gospel, chapter number

12.

want to say again, I do appreciate you

being in the house of the Lord. I don't

just say that. That's not a filler word.

I mean it. All right. I appreciate you

being here. And uh I've preached to

empty pews before. There's may have been

a day. There may have been a day when a

preacher could say, "I've never preached

to an empty pew." But when COVID came,

everybody could say we preached to an

empty pew. And uh I want to say this,

you being here is a blessing. Amen. And

it is not overlooked. Matthew's Gospel

chapter number 12. And I'll say this, if

you're here today and you are not saved,

that's the need of this hour. Uh, that

you be saved. That's the greatest

purpose of the service today. We're

asking that the Lord would help us in

that direction. Matthew's Gospel chapter

12. Let's begin reading in verse number

39. Verse 38 rather, verse number 38 of

Matthew chapter number 12.

The Bible says, "Then certain of the

scribes and of the Pharisees answered,

saying, Master, we would see a sign from

thee." But he answered and said unto

them, "An evil and adulterous generation

seeketh after a sign. There shall no

sign be given to it, but the sign of the

prophet Jonas. For as Jonas was three

days and three nights in the whale's

belly, so shall the Son of man be three

days and three nights in the heart of

the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise

in judgment with this generation, shall

condemn it, because they repented at the

preaching of Jonas. Behold, a greater

than Jonas is here. The queen of the

south shall rise up in the judgment with

this generation, and shall condemn it,

for she came from the uttermost parts of

the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

Behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Notice verses 43 through verse number

45. It'll be our key text for the

message this morning. The Bible says,

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of

a man, he walketh through dry places,

seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he

saith, I will return into my house from

whence I came out. And when he has come,

he findeth it empty, swept, and

garnished. Then goeth he taketh with

himself seven other spirits more wicked

than himself, and they enter in and

dwell there. And the last state of that

man is worse than the first. And Jesus

says these cold and hard words to those

Pharisees,

even so shall it be also unto this

wicked generation. Now, Father, I ask

this morning humbly for a moment of time

that you would help us. God, we realize

that we stand in a place this morning

where we cannot we cannot afford to

stand alone. Lord, the purpose of this

hour and the plan that you have, God, is

too great for flesh to try to carry it

out. And so, Lord, I ask you, God, to

remove the flesh far from me. I pray

that you would clothe me in my calling.

Lord, sincerely, I ask this morning to

fill me with the spirit of God and rid

me of all sin and self. I pray God for

every person that's under the sound of

my voice Lord in this congregation or by

way of internet in days to come. I pray

God that they would hear and heed the

word of God this morning as it is

shared. I pray father it'll find a

lodging place in our hearts that we

would be challenged and not just

challenged but changed by the word of

God. I ask you God today for whatever

needs are present Lord. God I pray that

your will would be done in every

situation, every heart in life. I pray

for that one that's here today and lost.

God, I ask you, God, that you would

please put them under old time Holy

Ghost conviction even as I speak right

now. And Lord, I pray today they'd be

saved by the grace of God. And Lord,

we'll be sure to give you thanks because

Lord, you're the only one worthy of it.

And we ask it in Jesus name. God's

children said

>> you can be seated. Thank you for

standing this morning. Matthew's Gospel

chapter number 12. I love this chapter

of the word of God. This is a parallel

chapter with the Gospel of Luke. Uh

chapter number 11, I believe it is. And

I was reading this ch this text

preparing for this sermon this morning.

And I want to lay a few things on your

heart that jump out to me in this

chapter by way of introduction. Now,

what you're going to find here in this

text, this entire chapter, it is the

goal of Christ expressed in this chapter

to make clear lines of distinction

between his righteousness and the

righteousness of the Pharisees. And

there's two expressions that I find in

this chapter that declare that

distinction. Now I think about what

Christ said in one place when he said

except your righteousness exceed the

righteousness of the scribes and

Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter

into the kingdom. So we know that God

Christ has already declared the

distinction. But he's going to state

some things in this chapter that further

broaden the gap. Now, we know this

morning that the gap between Jesus and

between the Pharisees was as wide and as

far as any gap has ever been. You say,

"What do you mean?" Well, I'm saying it

was the gap between the sinner and the

savior.

>> Amen. And as lost as they were and as

great as he was, Jesus is going to

declare to them the distinction. Now, I

want to say this. Before any sinner ever

gets saved, they first have to realize

that they are what? a sin. Amen. That

they are lost and hopeless without God.

And Jesus is declaring to them their

sinfulness. Notice two things by way of

introduction. Number one, in this

chapter, I see the greatness of Christ

is declared or manifested by him in this

chapter. And you say, "What do you

mean?" Well, three expressions involve

the word great in this chapter. Notice

with me in verse number six of the text,

Matthew chapter 12, Jesus literally

Matthew 12 · chapter mention

says, "But I say unto you that in this

place is one greater than the temple."

The Pharisees in their realm of life,

there was no greater building that it

ever existed to the Pharisees, to the

Jews, than the temple. But Jesus looks

them in the eyes and says, "I'm telling

you, there's one standing here that's

greater than this building." Amen.

>> Amen. And so we see not only here the

temple that's mentioned, but you notice

in verse number 41 that there is a man

is mentioned in verse 41. The Bible

says, "The men of Nineveh shall rise in

judgment with this generation and shall

condemn it because they repented at the

preaching of Jonas." Now this is the

prophet Jonah of your Old Testament. But

listen to what Jesus says in verse

number 41. And behold, what's it say,

church? A greater than Jonas is here.

You say, "PREACHER, WHAT DOES THAT

MEAN?" WELL, as the temple was the

greatest building to the Jews, when we

think about Jonah, you say, "Preacher,

WHAT WAS GREAT ABOUT JONAH? WHAT WAS so

wonderful about Jonah's ministry?" Well,

the greatest revival that takes place on

the pages of the word of God are really

in history happens under the ministry of

the prophet John. You say, "How is

that?" Well, you turn there and look,

some 150,000 people are saved through

the preaching of one man in one time in

that town. Jesus says, "Behold, a

greater than Jonas is here." So, there

is the greater than the temple. There is

the greater than Jonah. Notice verse 42

of our text. The Bible says, "The queen

of the south shall rise up in the

judgment with this generation and shall

condemn it. for she came from the

uttermost parts of the earth to hear the

wisdom of Solomon. And again, Jesus

says, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is

here." Now, it's not hard for us to

understand the expression of Solomon in

this text that Solomon had the greatest

wisdom of any man that's ever lived. He

had the greatest wealth of any man

that's ever lived. But Jesus could say,

"And he did not tell a lie." Amen.

Aren't you thankful that Jesus when he

spoke it was truth? Amen. Jesus was

greater than the temple. Amen. That

temple was made with hands. But Jesus

was the stone huned out of the mountain.

Amen. Tumbling down into this world to

destroy the kingdoms and the temple of

men. Jesus said it this way. He said,

"You destroy this temple and in three

days I'll raise it up again." Amen. He

was greater than the temple. But I want

to say this. He was greater than Jonah.

You say, "How is it, preacher?" Well,

Jonah preached and 150,000 got saved. I

want to say this. Jesus preached and

souls are still being saved to this day.

Let me put it this way. Rather, Jesus is

preaching and every soul that's gotten

saved throughout time, past, present, or

future, is saved because of Jesus

gospel. Amen. And so Jesus is greater

than Jonah. But let me say this to you

this morning. Jesus is far greater than

Solomon. Though the wisdom that he had

gathered, though the wisdom he WAS

GIFTED WITH BY GOD, Jesus far greater

possessed the wisdom of all of heaven.

All that the father hath, Jesus had it

at his possession. Solomon might have

owned the cattle on a hundred hills in

Jerusalem, but Jesus, he owns the cattle

of a thousand hills. Amen. Of all the

world, all the souls of men belong to

him. And I want to say this to you this

morning. Jesus unequivocally is greater

than all. Amen. There's none greater

than he is. And so Jesus here is

declaring these lines of distinction. So

we see the greatness of Christ in verses

641 and 42 this chapter. I'm going

somewhere. Stay with me. But we notice

second of all the generation in this

chapter is characterized. You say, "What

do you mean?" Well, you'll find the term

generation in this chapter used no less

than six times in this chapter. Notice

verse 34. What's your Bible say in

Matthew 12:34?

Matthew 12:34

Jesus says, "Oh generation of vipers,

how can ye being evil speak good things?

For out of ab out of the abundance of

the heart, the mouth speaketh." Notice

verse number 39. But he answered and

said unto them, "An evil and adulterous

generation

seeketh after a sign." And in verse

number 41, the men of Nineveh shall rise

in judgment with this what generation.

Verse 42, the queen of the south shall

rise up in the judgment with this

generation. And you see it again in

verse 45 when Jesus says, even so shall

it be also unto this wicked

generation.

>> We say the lines of distinction are

pretty clearly drawn.

>> I want to say this. the world that says

Jesus was not confrontational, that

Jesus was not divisive, and Jesus was

not offensive. Don't know the Jesus of

the Bible.

>> Jesus looked eye to eye and stood toeto

toe with the PHARISEES AND TOLD THEM

JUST LIKE IT WAS. And it's high time

some men start doing the same thing.

>> Amen.

>> And so we notice in this text, the

distinction is clearly drawn by Christ

in these statements. And I want to say

this, the Pharisees have tried to

discredit him. You say, "What do you

mean?" Well, notice verse two in the

chapter. The disciples here in the text,

they had were hungry and on the Sabbath

day they began to pluck ears of corn and

to eat. In verse two, the Pharisees saw

it. They said unto him, "Behold, thy

disciples do that which is not lawful to

do upon the Sabbath day." And so they

try to discredit the work of Christ

because of what his disciples were

doing. And let me say this, just put

this out there. If g if Jesus is going

to be discredited in this day and time,

it's because of what we're doing and

what we're not doing.

>> That's right.

>> You hearing me? Amen. I'm saying,

friend, the world discredits him because

of how the church represents him. Amen.

That's another message for another time.

But the Pharisees have tried to

discredit him. Certainly, they have

disrespected him. In verse 24, when

Jesus here in the text deals with a man

want possessed with a devil, in verse

22, blind and dumb. Verse number 24, the

Pharisees heard it. They said, "This

fellow does not cast out devils, but by

be elabub, the prince of the devils." So

they've discredited his ministry. But I

want to say they have disrespected his

majesty. You say, "What do you mean?"

Well, I'm saying, friend, they've called

him out and called him literally a devil

or a son of the devil himself.

Then Jesus deals with the sin of

blasphemy the Holy Ghost. Later on in

this text, this nation committed that in

Acts chapter 7. He'd warned them, but

Acts 7 · chapter mention

yet they still, even though they

discredited him and disrespected him,

that was not the greatest thing. You see

that thief on the cross, he discredited

Jesus and disrespected him. But you know

what? After all of that, he recognized

that he really was the Messiah. You know

what the problem with the Pharisees was?

Not so much that they discredited him

and disrespected him, but the greatest

trouble with the Pharisees is that they

would disregard him for the rest of his

life. You say, "How is that, preacher?"

Well, notice it again in verse number

38. Then certain of the scribes and of

the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master,

we would see a sign from thee." Jesus

has given them sign after sign

>> after sign after sign. And yet they

would stand in his face and said,

"Master, we need to see you actually do

something that's real." You know what?

There's a lot of people looking in the

face of the church this day and time and

they're saying, "Won't you show us

something that's real?" And the fact

that we're here, the fact that the

church is still alive,

>> the gospel is still being preached, it's

a miracle that we're still here.

We've given them sign after sign after

sign. Hey friend, this book still is

still alive and well.

>> And it still works.

>> It's still doing the same thing it did

when they finished praying.

>> They don't need a sign. They need

salvation.

>> Notice this in the text. Jesus after

they have tried to discredit him and

they've disrespected him in this chapter

and ultimately they are completely

disregarding his person the fact that he

is very God in human flesh. Thus Jesus

will describe their demise in verses 43

through verse number 45. And I want to

preach on this thought for just a little

while if the Lord help me this morning.

I want to preach on the demon's dwelling

place. The demon's dwelling place. Jesus

in verse number 43 begins this little

short parable here describing what is

said to be in your King James Bible as

an unclean spirit. Notice see it in

verse 43. When the unclean spirit is

gone out of the man, he walketh through

dry places seeking rest and findeth

none. So what Jesus is describing here

is a personal instance illustrating a

national condition. You say, how is

that? Well, he is talking about a man

personally. Notice at verse 43, when the

unclean spirit has gone out of a what? A

man. But look how he describes it in the

end of verse 45. Even so shall it be

also unto this wicked generation. So he

is using an instance of personal demon

possession to describe the state of the

nation of Israel. So here's what we're

going to do this morning. We're going to

express to you the state of the

Pharisees in this text just as Jesus

did. But you know what? That does not

make any less true the personal

illustration.

Say, "What do you mean? Demon possession

is a real thing."

>> Amen.

>> It is.

>> And lost people, most of them, if not

all of them at some point,

>> yeah,

>> have this problem.

>> That's right. Amen. Amen.

>> Now, some would sweat at that statement,

but I don't sweat. I don't bat an eye at

it because I know what kind of world

we're living in. And you know how

they're getting into a lot of you.

>> Amen.

>> You know how they're oppressing those of

you that save?

>> Go ahead. Amen.

>> Right.

>> AND IN THIS TEXT, JESUS DEALS with

>> Jesus deals with demons on several

occasions. Well, in this very chapter,

he cast out a man who is blind and dumb

because of a demon that's in him. He

deals with that gadinian maniac in the

Gospel of Luke, chapter number eight.

And what about him? He had a legion of

devils in him. And when they left the

man, he was crying and cutting himself

with stones. And wonder he was even

alive from the influence of demons on

his life. But out of that they were

cast. And into that herd of swine they

went because man will tolerate more

demons than any other creature in this

world will. And so when that legion that

was in one man went into that herd of

swine, the swine wouldn't even tolerate

them. They run down into the lake and

drown themselves

>> because man will tolerate more demonic

influence than any other being that

exists.

>> And God Jesus in this text, he gives

this illustration. So this personal

illustration is still relevant to us of

this unclean spirit that's in this man.

It's obviously seen in the text that the

demon has departed his host. Verse 43,

when an unclean spirit is gone out of a

man. Now, the verbiage in the text

implies that this man has not had this

demon expelled from him as a work of of

God in his life. But this demon by his

own will has chosen to depart this man.

Now, they have that they have a will

just like go all of God's creatures do

and and man and then you think about the

angels that fail. They have a will. And

so, he willfully by his own valition

here chooses to depart this man. And the

Bible says in the text, he is he is

departing because he is seeking for

other rest. Notice it in the text, he

walketh through dry places seeking rest

and findeth none. What's interesting to

me about that is that this demon has not

been expelled, but by his own choice, he

is searching for other excitement. You

say, "What do you mean excitement?"

Well, if you look up that word rest, the

word rest is used two times in your King

James Bible, and it literally translates

to the word recreation.

You say, "What do you mean?" Well, the

demons of hell, you know what they want

to do? They want to make sport of you.

>> And you know what a demon does? Who

whatever its host is, they make sport of

that thing.

>> They are there. Their their enjoyment is

your destruction.

>> Amen.

>> And demons comes in a lot of shape,

forms, and fashions, but we'll get to

that in just a minute. And so, this word

rest translates to recreation. He is

searching for another host. And these

dry places, it's mentioned in verse 43,

imply that there is no host to be found.

Now, I I found this interesting.

Jeremiah 2 and verse 6 says this,

"Neither said they, where is the Lord

that brought us up out of the land of

Egypt, that led us through the

wilderness, through a land of deserts

and a pits, through a land of drought

and of the shadow of death." Notice

this. Through a land that no man passed

through and where no man dwelt. These

dry places are not talking about water.

these dry places are talking about where

there's no men.

This demon exits this man because what

does a demon do? He gets inside a person

and what does he do? He isolates them.

And so when this demon leaves this host,

he walks through dry places and he finds

nowhere else to go.

I would hate to know that my body would

be a place the only place a demon could

end up. Let me say this. All right, this

demon is going to find some place where

he can rest. All right, I know y'all

tuning me out on this, but you need to

stay with me because I'm going

somewhere. All right, he's going to find

some place where he can rest. I want to

say this. YOU SAY, "PREACHER, HOW DOES

THAT translate to my life?" Well, we got

to understand there's a man here. Verse

43, the man's still there. Notice it

again. When the unclean spirit has gone

out of a man. So, there is a man that is

left behind in THIS TEXT. NOW, WHAT DOES

a demon do? It causes a man to do things

that normally he otherwise would not do.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. And I thought about this. A man

who is known for being bent towards

wickedness often will go through periods

where he doesn't have the same veracity

for his sin of choice. You say, "What do

you mean?" Well, I I put this

illustration in my in my notes here. A

drunk's not drunk all the time.

>> Sometimes a drunk will go through a

period of sobriety.

But I thought about this. You know what

happens is many times, let me say this,

alcoholism is a demon.

>> Amen. It ain't a disease. God help you.

>> Amen. It's not a disease. You chose to

do it.

>> Amen.

>> Amen, friend. It ain't a disease. It's a

demon. Amen. And what that's there's a

reason why they call it spirits.

>> All right. I ain't got time to preach

all that, but what I'm saying this

morning is this. Just because a drunk

gets sober for a little while, that

don't make him any less a drunk.

Amen.

This does not mean that that drunk has

gotten right or straightened out. A

drunk will have times where he is sober,

but like this story, that doesn't last

too long, more often than not. You say,

"What do you mean?" Well, this man's

demon has exited him for a time. But

what do we find in verse number 44? This

demon's departure is followed by the

demon's dwelling. You say, "What do you

mean?" Well, notice the text. Then he

saith, "I will return into what's that

demon say? my house,

the demon's dwelling. It's the title of

the message, demon's dwelling place.

He's already laid claim to it. He

describes it as his house. You know

what? That's what the devil tell you.

That's what the devil keeps in the mind

of the alcoholic and the pervert, the

fornicator. Amen. That man that's a

homosexual, that woman that's a

homosexual, that's a demons what that

is.

>> And he keeps in their mind that that

that they belong to him.

>> Amen. That's what he'll tell you. Let me

say this. You're in abusive relationship

this morning. That man or that woman

that's abusing you, they'll tell you you

belong to them.

>> You know who you belong to first.

>> He wouldn't do that to you.

>> That's right.

>> You listening to me? You don't stay in a

relationship where somebody doesn't

respect your own valition.

>> Amen.

>> I love my wife as much as anything in

this world. She don't belong to me.

>> Say, "What do you mean? God gave her to

me to be barred for a little while. She

belongs to him.

>> And as much as I love my children, they

don't belong to me.

>> Amen, friend. They're gods. He just gave

me the responsibility to raise them for

a little while. You don't belong to

anybody.

>> And somebody that lays claim to you, you

just remind them, friend, you don't own

me. Now, I want to say this. It's not

for you to be disrespectful to your

parents. Youngs, listen to me.

>> All right. Let me say this. that

boyfriend or that girlfriend or that

that friend that you have. Amen. That

thinks they own you. The best thing you

can do for them is leave them high and

dry.

>> Cut them off.

>> You don't belong to them.

>> You're not their hands. You're not their

feet. Amen. And you don't walk where

they want you to walk. And you don't

hold on to what they want you to hold on

to. You do what you know you're supposed

TO DO CUZ YOU BELONG to God.

>> Demon influence a lot closer than we

think. Listen to this. The demon's

dwelling. After the demon has made his

decision to return, his findings are

very interesting. It seems as if his

host has reformed and been somewhat

repaired. NOT NOTE A FEW OF THIS demon's

finest. Jesus is speaking this. Verse

44. Then he will return unto my house

from whence I came out. When he has

come, he findeth it three things: empty,

swept, and garnished. Now, what does

that mean? All right. So this demon's

dwelling, he's departed in verse in

verse 43, but he's coming back. He's

returning in verse 44. And here in the

text, his desire is expressed. His

description is expressed. But notice his

his defining of this home. Number one, I

want you to notice the coldness of this

house. I was going to title title the

message this, the construction of count

fix. That's what this is. All right? But

but I didn't title it that. Okay? You

can if you want to. Amen. That's up to

you. But notice this. He says he findeth

it empty. Now that word empty, you know

what that implies? It means there's no

life.

>> It's coldness. I use that word for sake

of literation. But you know what this

represents? It represents the heart of a

man who's lost.

>> There's nothing on the inside.

>> See that demon left? He was the only

thing that lived there. But you know

what? When he came back, he found it the

same way he left it. Was empty. There's

no life there. nothing else was taken up

residence in the house since he's been

gone. So number one, you notice that the

demon finds it empty according to the

text. Number two, he finds it not only

empty, but he finds it swept. Now that's

interesting. So what does that mean?

Well, notice the text. He findeth it

empty, swept, and garnished. So there's

the coldness of the house is empty. But

then there's the cleansing of the house.

You see, this man has done his diligence

to remove every trace of defilement that

could be in this house.

You say, "What is that?" Well, that's

self-reformation.

This man, the demon's now gone. Well,

I'm going to be the best me I can be.

I'm going to try to do the best I can

turn out right. I'm going to turn over a

new leaf.

So, what is that? Well, he swept it out.

All that defilement that the demon left

behind, he said, "I better get that out

of here." So, you know what? The demon

comes back and he finds it empty. But it

ain't just empty. It's swept. It's

cleansed. Now, you know how good

cleansing is without Christ. It's

useless.

>> I'm going to say more about that in a

little while. All right. Notice this. He

doesn't only find it cold and cleansed,

but he also finds it composed. Isn't

this interesting? Notice verse 44 again.

He findeth it empty, swept, and

garnished. That word garnished means

decorated or put together.

This man has got things in order. Now,

you ever seen somebody that and we say

something like this, we say, "Man, they

got it all together."

That's what this is. This man had even

prepared. Now, what you say? What does

that describe in this text? Well, this

man has prepared the house to be lived

in again. The demons left. Well, you

know what? I'm going to sweep it out,

but I'm also I'm going to put things in

order. Think about a house. Uh when a a

seller, a a realtor is selling a house,

what they do? They get sometimes they'll

get that furniture it puts in there.

won't go with the house, but it goes

with the pictures, so it'll help it

sell. It's decorating. It's what?

Prepared to live in.

You say, "What does that mean,

preacher?" Well, that's a sign of a

sinner's heart who's doing everything

that they possibly can to get

straightened out, to get clean, but also

to get composed. They got it all

together. They're not only clean, but

they're trying to do the works of God.

This is what happens. This is the

illustration of the waste of selfre

reformation or turning over a new leaf.

No matter how much cleansing you try to

do or how much you try to compose your

heart in righteousness, if it's cold,

there's no life there.

>> You say, "What does that mean,

preacher?" Well, the thing is it don't

matter how much you decorate it up or

how much you clean it out. If there's

nothing living there, it's not going to

benefit anybody. Amen.

>> And when Jesus in this text he says that

this demon findeth it empty, swept and

garnished, this is the illustration that

he gives. VERSE 45, THEN goeth he and

taketh with himself seven other spirits

more wicked than himself. Let me say

this to you lost person. Your attempts

at sanctifying yourself are nothing more

than mere conformity and are invaluable

without salvation.

>> Amen.

>> Say what do you mean? Well, you can try

to quit drinking. You can try to quit

smoking that substance you ain't got no

business even knowing about.

>> You can try to quit fornicating. You can

try to quit living in sin. YOU CAN TRY

TO DO ALL of that. AND YOU CAN

STRAIGHTEN IT OUT, CLEAN IT UP, CLEAR IT

OUT. AMEN. AND PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND

LOOK RIGHT ON the outside. But if there

ain't nobody living in it,

>> we all know what happens to a house that

don't get lived in.

It destroys itself faster than one it is

being lived in.

>> Now make that make sense. What's the

natural law of decay is what it is.

>> Isn't that funny? A brand new house can

be built and if that thing sits there

for five or 10 years, you know what she

going to do? It's going to fall in.

>> That's right.

>> Cuz a house is made to be

>> lived in.

>> Amen.

>> Preach. Amen.

>> But I want to say this. It's made to be

lived in by somebody who'll care for it.

>> That's right.

>> You see, your heart was made to be lived

in.

>> Right.

>> But it was made to be lived in by one.

>> Amen.

>> Every person, some preacher said it this

way, every person has a Godshaped void

>> in their heart. You can try to fill it

with every substance known to man, but

I'm tell you this, they're going to be

cracks in it.

>> And ultimately, what it's going to do is

going to destroy the form of your heart.

>> And so, you know what? God never really

fits right in it after that. Oh, I hope

you're hearing me preach this morning.

>> You see, you see the demon in the text,

his departure. You see the demon's

dwelling in verse 44, but notice the

demon's destruction. He makes a new

decision in verse 45. Then goeth he and

taketh with himself seven other spirits

more than himself. He said, "All right,

I'm going back, but I ain't going back

alone."

This man means business. He's cleaned it

up. He's put it all together. He's

obviously serious about it. I'm going to

have to have some more help.

You think I'm joking or telling a story?

This how it works, friend.

>> You know what you do? And you try to go

to them 12step programs and you do all

of that. Look, I'm not against it, but

they need salvation.

>> You can try to do all that, but here's

what you going to find. You going to

come out worse the other side than you

are. That's

>> right.

>> At the beginning,

>> the new decision, you see, not only the

new decision, but you notice the number

of demons in verse 45. Seven other

spirits. There's eight of them. He takes

eight spirits instead of one. Not only

the number, but notice the nefariousness

of these demons, more wicked than

himself. The one demon was bad enough,

but you know what? He goes and gets his

buddies who are worse than him.

Seven of them brings them back more

wicked. Then notice the negative

degradation. I say it foriteration. What

what he said in verse 45, more wicked

than himself. And they enter in and

dwell there. And the last state of that

man is what? Worse than the first. I

want to say this. This ain't no laughing

matter. You say, "Preacher, I don't have

a demon."

Let me tell you something, friend. If

you're lost without God, your heart's

wide open.

>> You don't know if you do or not. SAY,

"PREACHER, BUT I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING

LIKE THAT." WELL, LET ME SAY THIS.

UNBELIEF IS THE cardinal sin.

>> And you know what? There's been a lot of

You SAY, "PREACHER, HOW IS THAT?" WELL,

YOU KNOW WHAT? THE SIN that sent Judas

to hell was it was unbelief. And you

know who entered into his heart?

Satan.

>> Not a demon, but the devil himself.

>> Then Satan entered in the heart of

Jesus. The Bible says he betrayed the

Lord. It was his unbelief that sent him

to hell. You know why every sinner that

dies and dies, they die and go to hell?

They don't go to hell because they're

drunk. They don't go to hell because

they're fornication. They don't go to

hell because they're an adulterer, a

homosexual. They don't go to HELL FOR

THOSE SINS. THEY GO TO HELL BECAUSE THEY

DO NOT BELIEVE.

>> And your unbelief is what's going to

send you there. Preacher, I'M OKAY.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM. SINNERS THAT GO TO

HELL, THEY DON'T BELIEVE TWO THINGS.

THEY DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYTHING

WRONG WITH THEM.

>> That's right.

>> And they don't believe that they need

what Jesus has to offer. That's

>> right.

You see, this man is a counterfeit

because even though he cleans it out,

amen, and puts it all BACK TOGETHER AND

MAKES IT REAL NICE AND PRETTY, THERE'S

STILL NO LIFE ON THE INSIDE. THEY SOME

OF YOU BEEN SITTING ON A CHURCH PEW

SINCE YOU WERE A LITTLE CHILD, BUT

YOU'VE GOT IT ALL TOGETHER. YOU'VE GOT

IT ALL FIGURED OUT. BUT THE TRUTH IS,

YOU'RE GOING TO BUST HELL WIDE OPEN

BECAUSE THERE'S NO LIFE ON THE INSIDE.

>> AMEN.

IT SADDENS ME. IT SCARES ME TO KNOW

WHO'S SITTING IN THIS CHURCH PROFESSING

TO BE SAVED. BUT ONE OF THESE DAYS IF

JESUS COMES BACK, you'll be left here.

>> Or if you die, we roll your casket up

here and try to tell your testimony

because that's all we know.

That your testimony will be nothing more

than mere conformity.

You see this man now because of this

demon's destruction, he's more defiled

in his person. He's more depraved in his

perversion. And he's more dominated in

his demon possession THAN HE EVER WAS

BEFORE. THIS IS THE DANGER OF

SELF-REFORM WITHOUT CHRIST. YOU CAN PUT

IT ALL TOGETHER. WELL, LET ME SAY THIS,

FRIEND. THE DEVIL WILL LET YOU PUT IT

TOGETHER SO HE CAN DESTROY YOU AND MAKE

IT 10 TIMES WORSE.

You see, Israel truly exemplified this.

When Jesus came into that town riding on

that donkey, the colt, the fo of an ass,

what did they cry? Hosana.

Hosana be in the highest to the Lord, to

the lamb, to the savior. He cometh

lowly, riding upon a colt, upon a colt,

the fo of an ass. And they throw palm

branches down. But just a few short days

later, those same people would be saved.

crucify him.

>> You say, "Why is that?" Because they

cleaned it out and they put it all

together, but they never allowed Christ

to get in here.

>> You say, "Preacher, what does that look

like?" Well, let me give you this and

I'm done. Tell you like, "Brother Gary,

it's 5 minutes after 12. You'll be all

right."

Amen. You see, the truth about this text

is further illustrated by the Apostle

Peter. Second Peter 2 verse number 22.

He said this. He said, "But it has

happened unto them according to the true

V proverb. The dog is turned to his own

vomit again

>> and the SA that was wash was washed who

are wallowing in the me." You say,

"Preacher, what's the illustration of

that?" Well, I say this. You can feed a

dog a gourmet dinner.

>> You know what? You can do that for some

time. You can feed him a five course

meal. Amen. Every day, breakfast, lunch,

and dinner. You can do it for weeks on

end. But you know what? What if you take

that away from him and you send him

outside? I bet it wouldn't even be a

day. You know what? He'd be eating

something's dung again.

>> That's right.

>> You know why it is? Cuz he's still a

dog.

>> All them gourmet meals ain't done a

bless fired thing for him. There's some

of you in here, you've heard some of the

best preaching that's ever been in the

last two years. I'm not talking about

me. I'm talking about these men we've

had in here and they have done some fine

preaching.

But you know why it don't help you? You

can feed a dog a fivestar meal. And if

that offends you, friend, you are lost.

>> I ain't no dog. Well, if you're lost,

that's the only reason that would offend

you. That's right.

>> You I we look your parents can give you

the best of everything to live a

Christian life, but if you still lost,

>> your problem ain't your diet.

>> It's cause you a dog.

>> Amen.

>> I know that's funny, but it's true.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "How is that?" Well, it gets

better. Peter said, "The S that was

washed are wallowing in the mire." I

want to say this. You can feed that dog

a gourmet dinner, but you turn him loose

long enough, he'll return to his vomit.

You can wash a pig,

but after a while, he'll find another

mud hole.

>> You can clean him up real nice and

pretty.

>> But you know what? At best, he's still a

pig,

>> right?

>> And what do pigs do?

>> They find the closest mud hole they can

get in. And you know why they do that?

They do that this

farm coming out in me. Okay. They do

that to cool themselves off. You know

what? That's an emblem of judgment.

You know why people wallow in sin?

Because it gets their mind off the

judgments waiting on them.

>> That's right.

>> Bible says if you're lost, you believe

not, the wrath of God abideth on you.

>> The reason you keep walling your sin is

so it can distract you from the fact

there's judgment coming.

>> Right.

You can wash a pig, but after a while

you'll find another mud hole. I want to

say this, the need's not a better diet.

Or to give you the point in our message,

it's not comp composition.

You don't need to put it together a

little better.

You don't need to get more serious about

serving God. You don't know how to serve

God. It's not a better diet. I say this,

it's not a better dousing either.

Some of you had to water the word of God

poured over you your whole life. And you

know what? You come and you do the same

thing. You still just as dirty as you

was when you started cuz you know where

the dirt's on the inside

until you get the dirty heart clean. You

know what you're you're never going to

get clean on the outside.

>> The need is not a better diet or a

better doussoning. You need a new

nature. 2 Corinthians 5:1 17. If any man

2 Corinthians 5:1

be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old

things are what?

Passed away. Behold, all things are

become new. Let me give you this verse.

Think about this. Don't miss this. 1

1 Corinthians 6:11

Corinthians 6:11. Paul said, "And such

were some of you, but you are washed,

but you are sanctified, but you are

justified in the name of the Lord Jesus

and by the spirit of God." You know

what? I'm not denoting the diet. I'm not

denoting the cleansing. You know what?

You need to be put together well.

>> Amen.

>> You need to be serious about serving

God. You need to be serious about your

sanctification. But you know what?

Sanctification and service ain't going

to do you bit of good without salvation.

>> But you know what? When you get saved,

you listening to me when you get saved,

you know what'll happen to you? You want

to get serious about sanctification.

You'll need that cleansing because the

coldness will be gone. Amen. Then you'll

want to clean the house up. Not only

will you want to clean the house up, but

you want to put it together, right?

Here's my plea with you this morning.

When you get your nature changed,

you'll get new cleansing and new

composure. But first of all, you got to

be converted. And here's my plea with

you this morning. Stop playing.

Stop playing, church.

>> Say, "Preacher, nobody knows that I'm

lost." All friend, God knows.

>> And he's sick and tired of you acting

like you're saved.

>> Amen.

>> I told you I was going to be straight.

Cuz you know what? We've had enough of

the fake stuff.

>> Go ahead.

>> Stop playing. Stop acting like you're

real.

You ain't fooled nobody.

You act like you

place your offer. You You'll put your

offering in that little envelope cuz you

don't want nobody to see what you give.

Place it in there. Make sure everybody

sees the envelope so they know you're

giving.

Make sure they see you when you leave

your house going to church. Make sure

preacher we's there.

Got there 30 minutes late.

Come in. Don't even care about being

here. You ain't noticed a thing going

on. You ain't talked to nobody. You

ain't shook nobody's hand. You say,

"Preacher, what does that have to do

with anything?" Here's what that has to

do with. You're not serious.

>> You know, people who are serious,

they're serious because God's on the

inside.

>> And this thing's bigger than you.

>> It's bigger than me. That's right.

>> And you know what it ain't about whether

you see me or I see you. And God help us

if we ever get to that point. Let's

close the doors.

>> Amen.

>> You know what it's about? It's about us

seeing him, number one.

>> And it's about them lost people coming

through those doors getting some help

that'll last.

>> Amen.

>> But you know why they ain't getting

help? It's because you're sitting in

here needing help. Won't take it.

>> Quit trying to put it together. Quit

trying to clean it up. Once you get it

on the altar and either get saved or get

right with God. Amen. And get real and

get serious about it.

As we stand, every heads bowed and every

eyes closed.

I'd hate to know that my life that my

heart is a demon's dwelling place.

You say, "Preacher,

I'm saved, but that message convicted

me." You know, last night, friend, when

I was looking over my notes,

I had to get in the floor in my living

room and beg God to cleanse me.

Cuz I don't ever want to be a tool of

the enemy.

I don't ever want to be influenced. I

don't ever want to be driven.

I don't ever want to be controlled by

anything that he is pressing in my

direction.

And if you're saved by the grace of God,

it will rip your heart out.

Let me say this. Say, some of you could

care less about the thing I've said this

morning.

You might think it's a joke, but I'm

going tell you this. One of these days

when you get to the judgment seat,

you'll wish I was joking.

When you stand before God,

your self-righteous white robe clothing

your hog lifestyle.

You know what? That robe will come off

real fast. That facade, that image of

so-called righteousness that you think

you have. Jesus made the distinction

lines very clear.

He said, "You think you've got it all

together,

but you just better realize you're

wicked.

You don't need a sign this morning. You

just need to obey what you know.

There's people on this altar praying.

Others need to come. Let me ask you, if

you died right now, sinner, listen to

me. Listen to me. Put everything else

out of your mind. We're not worried

about lunch. We're not worried about

what we're doing this afternoon.

If you died right now, and you could.

You could. If you died right now, where

would you be

if you don't know, friend? I wouldn't

sit still.

Cuz here's what'll happen. The Lord has

removed that influence, that demon

influence for just long enough so you

could hear the truth this morning. And

what you'll do is you'll walk out of

these doors again and you'll be under

the influence of something else and

you'll forget.

I hope God leaves conviction on you. But

I'm going to tell you the way

distraction works in this world today.

Sinners don't even bat an eye this

anymore at the gospel.

But I want to tell you this, you'll wish

a thousand times over you'd gotten

saved.

Say, "Preacher, I'm lost. Would you pray

for me?" Ain't nobody looking but me.

Just be honest between you and God. And

just slip your hand up. I'll pray for

you. Hey, friend, eternity is real. You

going to live forever somewhere.

You listening.

You going to live forever somewhere.

Preacher, would you pray for me? I'm

lost. Slip your hand up. Be honest.

God sees that.

God sees that you can be saved today.

There's others, no doubt in my mind,

you can be saved today. I wouldn't wait.

Come to this altar. We'll show you how

to be saved.

People on the altar praying for you.

While we wait,

let me ask you this, child of God.

Bible tells us in the epistle of John,

we're to try the spirits

cuz not every spirit's from God.

Let me ask you, if you had a spirit

influence in you that wasn't from the

Lord.

Said, "Preacher, would you pray for me?

having influence my life that I'm

fighting with that I know ain't God.

Say, "Preacher, what does that look

like?" God sees those hands. Say,

"Preacher, what does that look like?"

I'll tell you what it looks like. It

looks like a friend that ain't right.

Friend lost. It looks like somebody's

trying to get you away from your Bible.

Trying to get you away from the house of

God.

I'm going to tell you something, friend.

Anybody wants to try to take your King

James Bible from your hands, they ain't

right with God.

You get a death grip on that thing. And

do not turn it loose.

It's the only thing that's going to help

you.

I want to ask you again, if you going to

play another verse, if you lost, come be

saved. Don't wait. Let me say this. This

altar is still open. You need something

from God, be sure you get it.

Please be sure you get it.

The wonder of being a child of God is

that the devil cannot live in our heart

because the Holy Spirit lives there. But

if we're not careful, we'll grieve the

Holy Spirit to a point where we become

influenced

by the devil, by our flesh. So much so

that we can't hear the voice of God in

our life anymore.

And believe me, you will be in a

miserable place if you get to that

point.

Father, I pray in Jesus name.

Lord, in the seriousness of this time,

God, Christians are still praying. Lord,

I ask you, God, today, Father, that you

would not allow, Lord, the lost souls to

leave today.

God, I pray you wouldn't leave this

place without getting saved.

But Lord, I pray, Father, that you would

help us all realize today, God, just how

important

it is to stay clean.

But Lord, we can't afford to be cold.

Lord, the description of the church of

the last days, that led to church you

told us about in Revelation 3. You said

that thou art neither cold in our heart,

but you're lukewarm.

Lord, that's because we've been

straddling the fence too long. Well, we

won't get on one side of the other.

Lord, people walk away. Lord, they walk

away in their lukewarmness.

God, your children that get cold and

indifferent on you, that are done with

you, Lord, you just take them on home.

You won't tolerate that. But Lord, it

burdens me to see the amount of people,

Lord, that are just lukewarm, serious

about some things, Lord, could care less

about others. Lord, I please pray. I

pray Lord please God would you break our

hearts set a flame in our soul God I

thank you for the testimonies that were

shared in Sunday school this morning God

of how this mission's made and stirred

our hearts Lord I am longing God for

that to continue Lord I'm praying God

that you would please continue to

strengthen us Lord not just in our

giving but God in our praying for the

sinners that are around us

Lord I know you're not willing that any

should perish. And God, we should not be

willing that any perish. But Lord, when

we choose to forsake our time of prayer,

Lord, when we choose to not go witness,

God, that's what we're doing. We're

saying we would just allow them to

perish, God, because it might we might

be the last chance somebody has. Lord,

would you help us to be urgent? Help us

to be serious. And Lord, I pray once

again, please don't let no lost souls

leave this place today that way. Lord, I

sure love you. I thank you for loving

me. Thank you for the blood. God, thank

you for saving my soul from hell. I know

that's where I'd be today if it were not

for your grace. And Lord, I rejoice

today knowing that you've done a work in

my heart. Lord, I ask you please bless

our service tonight. Get glory to

yourself. We ask it in Jesus name. God's

children say it.

>> Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.