HFF.CHURCH

After feeding five thousand men and walking on water, Jesus has drawn even more attention to Himself.  The Scribes and the Pharisees decide to confront Him and shame Him, perhaps to lesson His growing fame and notoriety.  They challenge Him on an issue they consider important, eating with unwashed hands.  Yet Jesus rejects their traditions and instead insists that it is not what you eat that defiles you, but the sin inside of you.  It is sin, not food that makes you unclean.  Jesus travels to the region of Tire and Sidon where a Gentile woman approaches Him and begs Him to cast a demon out of her daughter.  What follows is perhaps the most shocking statement that Jesus has made yet, He calls the woman a dog (we will see the reason for this).  Yet she responds with faith and humility.  Seeing this Jesus grants her request and casts the demon out of the girl. 

The Disciples have come back from their great “mission trip” and now Jesus encourages them to take rest. Yet they are recognized and about five thousand flock to them. Jesus has compassion and teaches them. Yet when there is a need for food the Disciples are unable to feed them. Instead, Jesus multiplies fish and loaves and feeds everyone until they are content. The Disciples go ahead in the boat and Jesus spends some time in prayer. He then catches up to them while they are struggling to cross by walking on the water. The disciples didn’t understand or have faith, which is compared against those who come to Him for healing who do believe.

Can casting out demons actually make your spiritual condition worse? Jesus' shocking parable in Matthew 12 reveals why deliverance without repentance leaves you more vulnerable than before. An empty spiritual house is an invitation for seven demons to move in. Are you focusing on removing the negative while forgetting to fill the space with God's presence?