Virtual Church 2021-02-07 “What are you doing here?”

The focus on today’s sermon is on two important realities, solitude and prayer and embracing our shadow self. First, we like Jesus and Elijah need to create the solitary place so we can answer God’s question to us, “What are you doing here?”

The second focus is answering the question, “Why did the “demons,” know who Jesus was before the followers were aware of his identity? What if that which feels like it haunts and possesses us is not a destructive force? What if our shadow self was a part of are healing? Our soul knows (ginoskow) before our conscious mind is aware of who Jesus and God are. Our soul will do whatever it takes to slow us down to bring us back to wholeness. What we might interpret as evil is in reality unconditional love.

• Jesus went to a solitary place.

1 Kings 19:11-13 New King James Version

God’s Revelation to Elijah

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a]a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

• God was not in the fire, earthquake or wind but the still small voice.
• If we find ourselves being driven to be alone then ask the Spirit to help you.
• When we find ourselves feeling restless or uncomfortable when we are alone then ask the Spirit, “Why?”
• It is in the solitary places we here the Still Small Voice asking, “What are you doing here?”
• The Second Lesson —-Let’s spend a moment to redefine what a demon is.
• What if a demon is not an evil spirit that occupies our body and mind? But rather it is a part of us that is wounded. It is a behavior that originally was use to save us but eventually turned toxic.
• The demon is the dark side of our psyche, soul. It is still a part of us. It loves us. It knows god because our soul knows God. We cannot be separated from God. So when the dark or unhealthy part of us causes us to slow down then it is not acting against us. It is acting for us. It is doing all it can to slow us down so we can start to heal.
• He would not allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was.

If our demons know him can they help us to become more conscious of him?

If the answer is yes then are our demons working for us or against us?

• You soul knows what you need before you are conscious of it. If we are running full speed into a brick wall our soul will find a way to slow us down.
• What are our demons? Sickness, Addition, Phobias, Unhealthy Belief systems? Unhealthy choices in behavior or actions?
• My demon was trauma from child abuse. Dissociative Behavior. That behavior saved me as a child, but it became disabling as an adult. Flash backs and body memory is what drove me to get help. I thought I was possessed and losing my mind.
• I believe to this day that experience was what compelled me to find healing from something I was unconscious of. My soul/Demon knew what I needed before I did.

Jung shadow self in dreams.

• Story of man running away from an enemy solider.

“Some days I wrestle with my demons and somedays we cuddle.”

I asked Amy where she saw that. On a T-Shirt

• This truth is profound, deep and as obvious as a T Shirt.