What has God delivered from you lately? Isn’t there a time in your life when a challenging situation seemed so difficult that at the time you thought it would impossible to resolve? What was your response when suddenly circumstances changed and the problem had an answer? I’m thinking of more than a dozen times of deliverance!
Mark tells of us the fascinating story about a man fighting a war with demons within his soul. The demons torture this man day and night. No one can win this war for him. It is impossible to control the demons who are using this man to torment others in the community. Then the demon possessed man saw Jesus…
Mark 5, The Message
The Madman
1-5 They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.
6-8 When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then howled in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”)
9-10 Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.”
He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country.
11-13 A large herd of pigs was grazing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned.
14-15 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man.
16-17 Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back.
18-20 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
What seems impossible is always possible with God. The demons possessing the man knew what God’s Son, Jesus could do. They knew Him by name and knew that His power would be beyond their limited control. “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” The demons of Satan, the fallen angel from heaven, are doing the work of Satan who thinks he has control over the earth. “Don’t mess with what I’m doing—I control this man and I intend to control others.”
But the man who was blatantly demon-possessed sees things differently. He sees Jesus far down the road, has heard about what He can do, and RUNS to Him! What a battle the man is in! He bows down to worship Jesus then the demons in him howl in protest against Jesus in the same breath! Talk about conflicted! Jesus sees the work of the demons for exactly who they are. Jesus knows them as well as the demons know Jesus! And they are no match for Jesus!
TAKE NOTE: God is always in control. Read that again. I know when difficulties invade our peace, it is hard to wrap our heads around this truth but the quicker we remember, the more quickly the peace of Christ returns to our present circumstance. Trust God, He knows what He is doing. BEFORE the man’s demons ask what “business” did Jesus have here on earth, Jesus was ready to send the demons packing—into pigs? Okay, pigs are a disgusting animal to the Jews, so done! The demons caused the pigs to go so crazy they jumped off the cliff to their death.
With Jesus, everything changes! The demon possessed man has a new identity and mission! He is now known as the demon-delivered man and he has a story to tell!
Again we ask; what has God, through Jesus, delivered you from lately? Who have you told? Need help? Psalm 66 provides a litany of praise to God with words that we can use in our own testimony!
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”[a]
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
When we believe, repent, seeking God with all our hearts, minds and souls, we, too, are demon delivered with a new identity. Our new identity is in Jesus as “child of God.” In fact, when we become followers and believers in Jesus, we lose our identity of this world and embrace our identity in Christ. Our identity in Christ is being a member of His body, the church.
“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:11-13 ESV
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10
The demons have no power over the power of Christ Jesus, our Lord! “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –Jesus (1 John 4:4)
Jesus sends the demon delivered back home to tell His story of God’s goodness and grace. Wow! New identity—Preacher of the Power of Jesus to the most populated area at that time—the “Ten Towns.” Yes, God always knows what He is doing and He is always at work. Trust Him.
Lord,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Cleanse our hearts, remove all that offends you in us, send the demons packing, renew our minds, fill our souls daily with your new mercies, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within us!
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 