The Battle Between Holiness and Uncleanness

Mark 1:23-28 ESV

Almost everywhere the fellowship of believers is weakened or kept down from its great calling because spirits of uncleanness are allowed to live among and in them. The danger of uncleanness (быть нечистым) is that you cannot immediately identify it.

You may be a “good Christian”, and yet your thoughts and feelings, your goals and longings are not going with Jesus’ heartbeat. You might be a very active believer, preaching, traveling and moving a lot of activity, and yet your character does not radiate Jesus’ holiness. A person that is not deeply rooted and established in prayer is prone to be contaminated with uncleanness. Your thoughts, your imagination, your goals and motivations of life are not really pure. There is an unholy mix in your heart, and that is what is really driving you. Your daily speech is not fully honest, your lifestyle is not entirely transparent, and your life is not relentlessly given away to Jesus and the fellowship of your brothers and sisters.

Whenever Jesus appears deamons are frightened. The dark unseen world, this mafia network of the devil, cannot hide anymore when the living Jesus is invited and taking power. Where the cleaning of Jesus’ forgiveness and His holiness is personally claimed every day, God’s Spirit of holiness (the Holy Spirit) can shape your character and entire life.

Question 1: Why are the unclean spirits fearing Jesus?

Question 2: Why is an unclean spirit so dangerous for the church?

Question 3: Am I honestly confronting my life with God’s holiness? How do I do that?

Question 4: How can I grow in God’s holiness?

Question 5: Which fruits does a life in holiness show?

“Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Mark 1:16-22 (Click this text link and the ESV bible translation will show up!)

In this passage Jesus is calling people into ministry – He is ‘fishing men’ for His kingdom. We actually can learn everything from Jesus. He is the perfect ‘evangelizer’ and the most experienced ‘recruiter’. Let us intensively study the recorded life of Jesus and every little detail of His ministry. And then let us copy His lifestyle.

The Holy Spirit will help us doing that. As with every element of Jesus’ ministry so also here: He promises to His disciples that He Himself will show them how to be successful in the ‘fishing ministry’. So you can be sure that He did not forget you. OK, let’s do it!
It is of great importance to know what happened shortly before and shortly after Jesus’ first ‘recruitings’. Read the entire chapter again and see how God is working it all out. In Mark’s presentation of Jesus’ life nothing happens just by accident. Every situation and job is well prepared. Jesus always can immediately do what He is supposed to do. He would never waste time, money or thoughts.

Question 1: Why didn’t the fishermen first discuss with Jesus before they followed him? Why did they immediately follow him? (Don’t forget that He must have been a strange man for them!)
Question 2: What is the difference between Jesus’ and the scribes’ authority? Name scripture passages where Jesus and where the scribes are characterized. Am I more like Jesus or more like a scribe?
Question 3: Is there any command in the bible to go and make disciples? Name at least three.

Question 4: Did Jesus show you personally how to win people for Him and His kingdom?

Question 5: Tell us the essential steps of the recruiting/winning of non-believers. How are you doing that? Share with your experiences. Tell us about your ways of approaching others with the gospel.

Have fun and gain wisdom!