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Lesson 6Helps for November 2 - 8
Memory Text: (1 Pet 5:7-8 NKJV) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. {8} Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ©
1973,1978 & 1984 by the International Bible Society: Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House."
Sabbath Afternoon (Helps)
(1 Pet 5:8 NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Sunday (Helps)
Casting Out Demons
(Luke 4:33-37 NIV) In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, {34} "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" {35} "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. {36} All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" {37} And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
(Mark 5:1-17 NIV) They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. {2} When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. {3} This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. {4} For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. {5} Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. {6} When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. {7} He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" {8} For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" {9} Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." {10} And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. {11} A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. {12} The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." {13} He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. {14} Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
{Mark 5:15-17} When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. {16} Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well. {17} Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
(Luke 11:14-26 NIV) 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." {16} Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. {17} 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. {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. {23} "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. {24} "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."
(Mark 7:25-30 NIV) In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. {26} The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. {27} "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." {28} "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." {29} Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." {30} She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
(Mat 17:14-21 NIV) When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. {15} "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. {16} I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." {17} "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." {18} Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. {19} Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" {20} He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." {21}
Read Romans chapter 8
Monday (Helps)
Demon Possession
(Mat 17:20 NIV) He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Ministry - "If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." How many a sin-burdened soul has echoed that prayer. And to all, the pitying Saviour's answer is, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, "Lord, I believe; help <SI Thou <EI mine unbelief." You can never perish while you do this--never. In a brief space of time the favored disciples have beheld the extreme of glory and of humiliation. They have seen humanity as transfigured into the image of God, and as debased into the likeness of Satan. From the mountain where He has talked with the heavenly messengers, and has been proclaimed the Son of God by the voice from the radiant glory, they have seen Jesus descend to meet that most distressing and revolting spectacle, the maniac boy, with distorted countenance, gnashing his teeth in spasms of agony that no human power could relieve. And this mighty Redeemer, who but a few hours before stood glorified before His wondering disciples, stoops to lift the victim of Satan from the earth where he is wallowing, and in health of mind and body restores him to his father and his home. It was an object lesson of redemption,--the Divine One from the Father's glory stooping to save the lost. It represented also the disciples' mission. Not alone upon the mountaintop with Jesus, in hours of spiritual illumination, is the life of Christ's servants to be spent. There is work for them down in the plain. Souls whom Satan has enslaved are waiting for the word of faith and prayer to set them free. The nine disciples were yet pondering upon the bitter fact of their own failure; and when Jesus was once more alone with them, they questioned, "Why could not we cast him out?" Jesus answered them, 430 "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Their unbelief, that shut them out from deeper sympathy with 431 Christ, and the carelessness with which they regarded the sacred work committed to them, had caused their failure in the conflict with the powers of darkness.
(Luke 22:31-34 NIV) "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. {32} But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." {33} But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." {34} Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
Tuesday
Is Mental Illness The Same As Demon Possession
Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, pp. 10, 19
The Christian and Psychology Laws of the Mind Ordained by God. --He who created the mind and ordained its laws, provided for its development in accordance with them.[* NOTE: THERE IS PERFECT HARMONY BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND TRUE SCIENCE. PSYCHOLOGY IS THE SCIENCE AND STUDY OF THE MIND AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR.--COMPILERS.]--Ed 41 (1903). True Principles of Psychology in Scriptures. --The true principles of psychology are found in the Holy Scriptures. Man knows not his own value. He acts according to his unconverted temperament of character because he does not look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of his faith. He who comes to Jesus, he who believes on Him and makes Him his Example, realizes the meaning of the words "To them gave He power to become the sons of God." . . . Those who pass through the experience of true conversion will realize, with keenness of perception, their responsibility to God to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, their responsibility to make complete their recovery from the leprosy of sin. Such an experience will lead them humbly and trustfully to place their dependence upon God.--MS 121, 1902. (ML 176.) Dangers in Psychology Misuse of Sciences Pertaining to the Mind. <EB--In these days when skepticism and infidelity so often appear in a scientific garb, we need to be guarded on every hand. Through this means our great adversary is deceiving thousands and leading them captive according to his will. The advantage he takes of the sciences, sciences which pertain to the human mind, is tremendous. Here, serpent-like, he imperceptibly creeps in to corrupt the work of God. This entering in of Satan through the sciences is well devised. Through the channel of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism,[* NOTE : IN THIS STATEMENT AS PUBLISHED IN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, NOV. 6, 1884, MRS. WHITE DREW HEAVILY FROM, AND SOMEWHAT CLARIFIED A STATEMENT PUBLISHED ORIGINALLY IN, THE REVIEW AND HERALD OF FEB. 18, 1862, NOW IN TESTIMONIES FOR THE CHURCH, VOL. 1, PP. 290-302. THE REFERENCE TO PHRENOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND MESMERISM, AS HERE COMBINED, DESCRIBING THE MANNER IN WHICH SATAN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE HUMAN MIND, MAY SEEM A BIT OBSCURE TO ONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LITERATURE OF THE TIME AND ITS EMPHASIS. SCIENTIFIC WORKS DEVOTED TO PHYSIOLOGY AND THE CARE OF THE SICK CARRIED ADVERTISING LISTS AT THE BACK INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF LITERATURE AVAILABLE. ONE SUCH WORK, THE WATER CURE MANUAL (284 PAGES), PUBLISHED IN 1850 BY FOWLERS AND WELLS, CARRIES A LIST OF SIXTY-FIVE DIFFERENT WORKS ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND OF THESE, TWENTY-THREE ARE DEVOTED TO PHRENOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, MESMERISM, AND CLAIRVOYANCE. WE REPRODUCE HERE A FEW ITEMS: ELEMENTS OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM; OR, PROCESS AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION FOR RELIEVING HUMAN SUFFERING. FAMILIAR LESSONS ON PHRENOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY. MUSLIN, IN ONE VOLUME. BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED. $2.00 FASCINATION; OR THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHARMING (MAGNETISM). ILLUSTRATING THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE. ILLUSTRATED. $.40 LECTURES ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF MESMERISM AND CLAIRVOYANCE. WITH INSTRUCTION IN ITS PROCESS AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION. $.25 PSYCHOLOGY, OR THE SCIENCE OF THE SOUL. WITH ENGRAVINGS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. BY JOSEPH HADDOCK, MD. $.25 PHRENOLOGY AND THE SCRIPTURES (SHOWING THEIR HARMONY) BY REV. JOHN PIERPONT. $.12 1/2
Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, pp. 10, 19 (continued)
PHILOSOPHY OF ELECTRICAL PSYCHOLOGY. BY JOHN BOVEE DODS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- $.50 IN DR. SYLVESTER GRAHAM'S 650-PAGE LECTURES ON THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN LIFE <EI (1865), WITH "A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR," MANY OF THE SAME WORKS ARE ADVERTISED, THIS TIME GROUPED AND PLACED UNDER SUCH HEADINGS AS "WORKS ON PHRENOLOGY," "HYDROPATHY; OR, WATER CURE," "MESMERISM-PSYCHOLOGY," ETC. IN CONNECTION WITH THE EIGHT-PAGE ACCOUNT OF "THE LIFE OF SYLVESTER GRAHAM" NEARLY A FULL PAGE IS DEVOTED TO "PHRENOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION." THUS ELLEN WHITE WAS WRITING OF MATTERS WHICH AT THAT TIME WERE VERY MUCH BEFORE THE PUBLIC.-- COMPILERS.] he comes more directly to the people of this generation and works with that power which is to characterize his efforts near the close of probation. The minds of thousands have thus been poisoned and led into infidelity.
Wednesday (Helps)
Instructions For Improved Mental Health
(John 8:32 NRSV) and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
(John 8:44 NIV) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
(John 8:32 NIV) Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
(John 8:34-36 NIV) Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. {35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. {36} So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(Phil 4:8 NIV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Thursday
Mental Health And Improved Physical Health
(Prov 3:5-8 NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. {7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. {8} This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
The Ministry of Healing, p. 241
Mind Cure - The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize. Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression. Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death. Disease is sometimes produced, and is often greatly aggravated, by the imagination. Many are lifelong invalids who might be well if they only thought so. Many imagine that every slight exposure will cause illness, and the evil effect is produced because it is expected. Many die from disease the cause of which is wholly imaginary. Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul. "A merry [rejoicing] heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22. In the treatment of the sick the effect of mental influence should not be overlooked. Rightly used, this influence affords one of the most effective agencies for combating disease.
(Mat 4:23-24 NIV) Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. {24} News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.
Friday (Helps)
(Mat 10:7-8 NIV) As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' {8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
"Peace, Be Still" - The encounter with the demoniacs of Gergesa had a lesson for the disciples. It showed the depths of degradation to which Satan is seeking to drag the whole human race, and the mission of Christ to set men free from his power. Those wretched beings, dwelling in the place of graves, possessed by demons, in bondage to uncontrolled passions and loathsome lusts, represent what humanity would become if given up to satanic jurisdiction. Satan's influence is constantly exerted upon men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and debases the soul. Whenever men reject the Saviour's invitation, they are yielding themselves to Satan. Multitudes in every department in life, in the home, in business, and even in the church, are doing this today. It is because of this that violence and crime have overspread the earth, and moral darkness, like the pall of death, enshrouds the habitations of men. Through his specious temptations Satan leads men to worse and worse evils, till utter depravity and ruin are the result. The only safeguard against his power is found in the presence of Jesus. Before men and angels Satan has been revealed as man's enemy and destroyer; Christ, as man's friend and deliverer. His Spirit will develop in man all that will ennoble the character and dignify the nature. It will build man up for the glory of God in body and soul and spirit. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:7. He has called us "to the obtaining of the glory" --character--"of our Lord Jesus Christ;" has called us to be "conformed to the image of His Son." 2 Thess. 2:14; Rom. 8:29. And souls that have been degraded into instruments of Satan are still through the power of Christ transformed into messengers of righteousness, and sent forth by the Son of God to tell what "great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."