JESUS FIXES A PROBLEM
Mark 5:15-20 NKJV
15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
This is an excerpt from the passage where Jesus delivers a man who had been possessed with many unclean spirits. People don’t like thinking about the fact that demonic spirits exist, but they did not go away just because we have education and technology. If you read Matthew’s account of this story, there were actually two men possessed and were so violent that people were afraid to pass by their location. Mark gives us one man’s story.
Note how the man was crying and cutting himself with stones. He also ran around naked. Whenever we find people hurting themselves on purpose by cutting or self-mutilation, we can pretty much expect Satan’s activity. I am not saying everyone who cuts or does self-harm is possessed. What I am saying is that no one under the influence of the Holy Spirit is going to be hurting themselves. Demonic activity still exists, and while we typically don’t see this level of possession, we do recognize that evil spirits still torment and oppress people today. Paul wrote to the Ephesian church about putting on the armor of God to enable us to stand against the works of the devil. We still need the armor but always keep in mind that we are on the winning side. Satan is defeated, and we are part of the kingdom of light, not darkness.
Jesus delivers the man, and the demons go into a large herd of pigs who at once run into the lake and drown. When the townspeople come out to see what has happened, I like the NKJ version of verse 15. They saw the one “who had been demon-possessed.” He may have been a major problem in that area, but that was past tense. The man was demon-possessed, but that was no longer the case. Now the once crazy man is sitting down and wearing clothes, and in his right mind. I love that. He once was a major problem. No one could calm him, or sedate him, or even contain him with chains and shackles. But now he is calm, clothed and sane. And free.
You would think everyone in town would be thrilled with the change in the man who had been a serious problem. They were afraid. I am guessing here about why they would be afraid. Maybe it was because Jesus cast the demonic spirits into the pigs, and the people were concerned that He would do something to them. Maybe they were so amazed at the man who was once a demoniac but was now totally normal that the power Jesus had made them afraid. I am not sure why, but from our perspective, you would have thought they would have been thrilled. This could have started a major revival and deliverance for the sick and demon-oppressed people in the area. Not everyone received Jesus, and this entire area missed out on an opportunity to see help come to them.
The man who had been possessed wanted to go with Jesus. That is a wise move, and you would think Jesus would have readily received him. But Jesus sent him back to his home to testify about what God had done for him and how God had compassion on him. And that is exactly what this man did. He went back and proclaimed all over his home area what Jesus had done for him. It was great advertisement for Jesus. This man had quite the testimony.
APPLICATION
This same Jesus who set totally possessed people free in His day is still the same. Wherever we find the works of Satan, we can be confident that Jesus has answers and a better plan. No believer must live under Satanic oppression. Whom the Son has set free is free indeed. We do not have to live with oppression, depression, anxiety, and angst. This same Jesus has lost none of His power, and we are connected to Him. He fixed problems during His time on earth, and He is still fixing problems today. All things are possible to those who believe.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, that You are much more powerful than any work of the devil. Thank You that I do not have to submit to the things that would attempt to steal, kill, and destroy in my life. Thank You, Lord, for helping me and delivering me from the problems that I face. I can do all things through You as You strengthen me!