In the most dramatic fashion, the story of the man delivered from a legion of demons paints a picture of the awful reality of Satanic dominion, and, more importantly, of the matchless, irresistible power of he who is greater than Satan, Jesus! What an encouraging reminder that there is One who speaks and demons flee, who speaks and minds are healed, who speaks and hope is restored, who speaks and a future is birthed where there had been none. You have to love it when Jesus speaks, because life gets set straight!
The Journey: Mark 5:18-19
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.”
What an amazing story this is! A man is in such complete bondage to so many demons that they call themselves “Legion”—which literally meant thousands. This demonized man roams the hills, barking mad, terrorizing the locals, and is so supernaturally strong by the power of Satan that no one can subdue him. Yet with just a word from Jesus, the stunned demonic powers flee and their pitiful victim is free.
You just gotta love it when Jesus speaks, because things happen!
In the most dramatic fashion, this story paints a picture of the awful reality of Satanic dominion, and, more importantly, of the matchless, irresistible power of he who is greater than Satan, Jesus! What an encouraging reminder that there is One who speaks and demons flee, who speaks and minds are healed, who speaks and hope is restored, who speaks and a future is birthed where there had been none.
You just gotta love when Jesus speaks, because life gets set straight!
But that’s not the end of this incredible tale. Jesus actually carries on a conversation with the demons—which was not a pattern he was setting for future deliverance ministries, mind you—and the suddenly evicted hoard of demons request new residence in a herd of pigs. And Jesus obliges them! Poor pigs—why couldn’t it have been cats?
You just gotta love when Jesus speaks, because devils submit!
But wait—there’s more. A man has just been set free from the most awful prison of insanity and hopelessness, so now he wants to give the rest of his life to following and serving this Great Emancipator. However, in a stroke of kindness, Jesus sends him back to his family, which no doubt has long ago given up on their son. Jesus doesn’t parade him around as a trophy of his healing ministry like some so-called “faith healers” would most likely do today, he just quietly sends him back to the ones whose years of tears and hours of prayers will now be rewarded with unbridled joy.
You just gotta love when Jesus speaks, because relationships are restored!
But best of all, Jesus reminds this man—and you and me, by extension—that the real story here is not the sensational encounter with the legion of demons, nor the extraordinary deliverance of the Gadarene demoniac, and not even the dramatic swan dive of the swine off the Galilean cliffs. No, the real story here is how merciful God is. And whether you’re a Gadarene demonic or just a garden-variety sinner posing as a church-going saint, the only and best hope you have is the mercy of God.
Truly, you just just gotta love when Jesus speaks and mercy flows.
I love how Charles Spurgeon put it: “There is mercy with the Lord; this should encourage the miserable to approach Him; this informs the fearful that they need bring nothing to induce Him to bless them; this calls upon backsliders to return to Him; and this is calculated to cheer the tried Christian, under all his troubles and distresses. Remember, mercy is like God, it is infinite and eternal. Mercy is always on the throne. Mercy may be obtained by any sinner.”
Yes, Mercy is forever on the throne, and sinners can obtain it.
Jesus told the man delivered from demons to go home to his family and tell them all that God had done and how merciful he had been. Since God has been both kind and merciful to you, should you do that, too? Tell that to someone today.
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