A Demonized Man Set Free
The way in which demons cause those that they posses to act in the most unseemly and untoward way is astounding. People may look at people who are demon possessed and think to themselves that person is crazy. However, we miss the spiritual connotations associated with that “crazy” behaviour. This demons possess mad man was fettered with chains, but had strength enough to break them off! Although the powers of darkness may be strong, Jesus is stronger. The demons recognize His authority, a force and power which will always overcome darkness. To cast a demon out doesn’t require striving and aggravation in manor of speech and sound. Jesus simply said, “come out of him.” The demons know there is a God and tremble. All of darkness must bow to Jesus. Demons can’t do anything to you unless you allow it or unless they see a weakness in you that they can exploit.
When the demons were cast out of this man, they wanted to go into some other living creature in order to continue to torment and terrorize. There were 2000 hogs on a nearby hill which the demons asked to be cast into. Its quite remarkable that Jesus gave them permission to do this, as before they were so a frightened that He would cast them out of the region. The Gospel of Luke says of this account that they feared being cast into the deep. They went into the pigs and caused the pigs to drown themselves in the ocean.
After the demons were cast out and the demonized man regained his composure and sanity, the people of the town wanted Jesus to leave. One would have thought that they would have welcomed Him for doing such a noble and compassionate deed for a tormented and deranged man. However, with their livestock being lost, no doubt a resource of their livelihood, one could imagine they were angry and fearful instead of gleeful and reverent that God had come to them. Also, a momentous change to their environment and circumstances showed that they were a stubborn people, unwilling to change their mindset about the miraculous power of God. Even still, they were aware of this miracle, but cared more about their herds than the well-being of the tormented man.
Two Miracles: Healing and Resurrection
While Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of people who were touching Him, one woman with great faith and desperation driving her get close enough to Jesus to simply touch the fringe of His garment, was healed instantly. She had and issue of constant bleeding and she said to herself, “If only I could touch His garment, I would be healed.” Jesus honors, in regard to our healing, what our faith expects of Him. She determined if she could just touch His garment she would be healed. The Centenarian of Matthew 8, whose son was at home sick, had faith that determined that if Jesus just spoke the word of healing, healing would flow to his son being miles away. Your faith determines how you shall be healed and through what avenue you shall be. This woman and the Centenarians stories are amazing because their faith in Jesus was what made them well. Faith is extremely powerful to do things in the spiritual realm. Without faith its impossible to please Him.
During the pressing of the crowd and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, the disciples were being discipled in that instance. When Jesus said virtue went out of Him and the disciples went to a carnal mindset, they were seeing in action how power, virtue and faith come together to perform heal miracles. Jesus didn’t belittle the disciples but taught them with compassion and patience, though they were more concerned about the outward and carnal things.
When a bad report comes, like that of the death of the Synagogue rulers daughter, it creates a great doubt and causes the soul to be seized with fear and sadness. Also, the voice of reason stirs doubt. However, Jesus was trying to stir up the man’s faith by telling him not to give into fear because as we’ve seen, faith is what facilitates miracles. Who had the faith here? Jesus and the dead girls Father, though the Father’s faith was little.
Jesus took 3 disciples with Him, Peter, James & John. These three seem to be closest to Him because in other instances, Jesus chose only them to go with Him on certain occasions, such as the mount of transfiguration, and in the garden of Gethsemane. We also see in this instance, as in the one with the woman being healed of the issue of blood, that the disciples were being discipled on how to raise the dead. Peter, in the book of Acts 9, does takes very similar steps to heal a woman who died, as Jesus does here for the little girl. Jesus caused all the whalers to go out of the room, because their weeping caused doubt and sadness to be active against Him speaking life into the girl.
Summary
- Demons must flee in the presence of Jesus, 11
- Let your deliverance be a testimony, 19
- God moves in our lives with genuine, sincere faith, 34
- Faith in Christ is your best advice
- Allow your faith to overcome your fear, 33
- Your faith activates healing virtue, 28-29
- What’s your posture in the presence of Jesus, 22
- Miracles don’t always have to be publicized, 43
- Demons will obey you when your walk is true, 12
- Use discernment to know them that you minister with, 37
