They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. Mark 5:15.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Jesus often silenced and cast out demons and He told you that those who believe in His Name are to do the same. He gave His called followers that assignment from the start.
Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. . . “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” Matthew 10:1, 7-8.
And it was not limited to just the twelve, He later sent out another seventy that did the same.
The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Luke 10:17.
And those of the early Christian community were doing the same. Even clothes touched to the body of Paul would cast demons out of those upon whom they were laid, his anointing was so strong. And you can be the same. The same power that poured into and out of Jesus, also flows into and through you by the gift Jesus came to give you, the gift of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Promise of the Father.
And what do I anoint you with so that your cup overflows? I tell you, and it is the same anointing with which I anointed Jesus, for He has made you a kingdom of priests unto Me. I anointed Jesus with the oil of joy. Hebrews 1:9; Psalm 45:7. No demon can stay in the presence of anointed joy. There is no entrance. He has to find those who are in the darkness of despair through unbelief or lust.
And the first believers, despite the persecution Satan stirred up against them among their own kinsfolk, just continued on being “continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52.
Believers should be more alert to the importance of discerning and casting out demons, especially those causing illness, disease, and a host of other infirmities.
And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. . . And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” Luke 13:10-13; 16.
This is a very much needed ministry today that Jesus has entrusted to His body, the Church, just look around at all the people possessed by demons on your streets today. for if Jesus gave this priority, you must understand this is important and you are to do it. It is not a suggestion, it is a command with the authority to do so inherent in the Name.
After I raised Jesus from the dead, He affirmed this, in fact, He listed it as the first of the signs that would accompany those who believed in Him: These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons. Mark 16:17.
And casting out demons was not limited to those encountered in villages and byways but one of Jesus’ miracles very early in His public ministry took place in the synagogue at Capernaum, and it was casting out a demon in a man who, yes, had come to the synagogue.
They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. Mark 1:21-28.
And when He left the synagogue, He rebuked the fever that had attacked Peter’s mother-in-law and cast it out. And when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.” Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 1:32-34.
Today unclean spirits (demons) try to hide in the folds of humanity labeled under new medical terms and chemical imbalances, with those who harbor them often trying to medicate them with tranquilizers and anti-depressant drugs to control them but you cannot medicate a demons out, you must cast them out.
Addictions are now being attributed to chemical imbalances or a deviant gene, but the origin is an unclean spirit, such as of gluttony or other lustful indulgence of the flesh over the spirit, and if you entertain the demon by offering no resistance to the sin as the demon drives you, he will ruin your health—soul and body. And you have medical, emotional, and mental problems. Sin, demons and darkness will drive you only one way—premature death. The wicked cut their lives short. They do not live out the fullness of their days.
And today I want to take you to an extreme case of demon possession of a man who began by letting one demon in through sin and finally harbored a legion of demons within him that drove him into the wilderness in nakedness to abuse and cut himself and be an unfruitful and menacing member of society.
Be aware that if you let Satan into your life and do not check him, he will load you with more and more demons until he takes away your peace, your health, and your mind. And that is what happened to a man of Gadara that Jesus met and healed. Satan tries to reduce you to a grotesque caricature of what I made you to be. But one encounter with Jesus, with My Word of life, can change it all to a new creation in Christ. And that is what happened. All you have to do is come to Him.
Today’s conversation takes place with a possessed man of Gadara in the area of the Decapolis. This area of Israel was beyond the Jordan and was the portion allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh by Moses and Joshua. At the time Jesus walked the earth as one like you, many Greeks had moved into that area and had brought their customs in and ignored My laws. Hence, they were raising swine, which are unclean animals for human consumption, and My people had ignored My laws and were participating and working with the unbelievers in raising swine for meat and other uses, which was a lucrative business. This was forbidden in My Law and was open disobedience on their part.
Satan and his demons had established a stronghold in that area and did not want to let loose of any territory. But one person filled with My Word and faith can rout more than a thousand demons. So do not fear unclean spirits. You will see in this miracle that they are in fear of you who are in Christ. Terrible fear. But it does not stop them from trying to oppress you if you let their leader into your life. But the weak should not be oppressing the strong. It is time to walk worthy of the calling you have received.
Right before this conversation takes place, disciples and Jesus, in traveling to this area across the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum, were met with a fierce storm that Satan blew upon the lake to try to thwart their arrival at his stronghold. But he could not stop Jesus when I had told Jesus to go there. And nothing should stop you from obeying My Word either, for it is sure.
So, once Jesus had calmed the storm, they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. Mark 5:1-6.
This man had allowed himself to become completely possessed by demons. It gave him superhuman strength, not natural strength, and drove him to isolate himself from any possible help. Never allow Satan to pull you into isolation. It is not good for you to be alone. Jesus called twelve disciples to be constantly with Him and to go and preach, and when Peter and the other apostles gathered with the first believers they lived in common and took their meals together, prayed together, and studied the Word together. And they worked miracles together and received them as well. And when persecution began, they stood strong for one another.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25.
The devil and the unclean spirits that took over this man’s life made him absolutely miserable and he so despised the way he had become he was cutting himself with stones and screaming out in torment. It all began when he became offended and angry and began isolating himself and it finally became full blown possession by evil in every part of his being. And he loathed his life. But there seemed to be no way to freedom. He was trapped in the captivity of the evil one.
And then a boat pulled up on the shore and the demons knew who it was, and the man beneath that weight of oppression sensed holiness when Jesus arrived and he ran for Him and bowed in worship, for the demons in him also had to bow at the presence of the one with the Name above every other name. Every knee must bow.
“Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.” Mark 5:6-10.
The demons were talking, not the man, and they were loud. What I want you to see here is they were in great fear of Jesus. They cannot overpower a believer who knows his or her authority in Christ. And they did not want to go out of that country, they had a stronghold there and had been terrorizing the people of that region through the possessed man. And they had taken over others too in like manner. Matthew’s account also tells you of the second man that was there in the tombs in like manner. And there were many unbelievers in that area that were flagrantly disobedient to My Words and the Jewish people there were taking on their ways rather than vice versa. There was darkness, fear, anger, and sin filling that area. So much so that they tried to drive Jesus away. They refused to grab hold of their lifeline.
But the Light of the world had stepped in and that area was about to have a huge revival. And guess who led it, preaching in all the ten cities of all Jesus had done to set him free? Nothing is too wonderful for Me. I am very good at making sinners saints and qualifying the ungodly.
Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.” Mark 5:10-13.
You may be thinking this was the most unusual casting out of demons in Jesus’ ministry. Normally, He would not permit the demons to speak, but silenced them, and cast them out. And that was it. He did not talk with them or send them where they requested. Here, however, He requested the name of the demon, and it turned out there was a leader who called himself “Legion” because he, in the demonic hierarchy was over a legion of lesser demons. And you get an idea of how many there were in this man by the number of pigs they entered.
What Jesus was doing was trying to get down under the demons to pull up the man’s soul to express himself so Jesus could get to the man that was still there but was completely taken over by the demons, but even at that point, if He could just get to the man’s ear and catch a bit of faith He could free him.
“Therefore, thus says the Lord (Adonai) LORD (Yahweh), ‘An enemy, even one surrounding the land, will pull down your strength from you and your citadels will be looted.’ Thus says the LORD, “Just as the shepherd snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear, So will the sons of Israel dwelling in Samaria be snatched away.” Amos 3:11-12.
Even a person who seems hopelessly lost, fully given to the evil one, swallowed up for destruction, if you can just get a piece of his ear so he can hear the good news of salvation, you can pull him out. Never underestimate the power of speaking the Word, even to one that seems too far gone to hear.
And as Jesus rid that area of the enemy’s stronghold in the man it was fitting that He also cleansed that area of the disobedience of My people in giving themselves over to raising swine with the unbelievers who openly defied Me. The unbelievers living among them were Greek people and if you recall the Maccabee family and the revolt they led to purge the land of the unclean domination of the Greek empire that had convinced many of My people to abandon Me for the unclean practices of the pagans and be one people with them, that being one together was the loving thing to do in “modern” society, but it actually was Satan’s way of getting everyone over worshipping idols and not Me, and they did this by forcing them to eat pork and if they would not do so they put them to death.
Just read the history of the Maccabees and the origin of the festival of Hanukah and you will see that the martyrdom of My people who were faithful to Me was done by trying to force them to eat pork or die. And after so many people had given their lives not to partake of that and had finally overthrown that powerful opponent, which seemed impossible, by My fighting for them, those who had fought so hard now had their descendants raising and eating pork to be like the Greeks who lived with them in that area. It was time for revival.
The herdsman had lost their pigs and feared repercussion from the owners thereof so they ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened.
Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And strangely enough, instead of rejoicing at so great a deliverance, they began to implore Him to leave their region.
As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And Jesus did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. Mark 5:14-20.
The people came primarily to see what had happened to the swine, for this was a large herd they had lost in one fell blow, so to speak. They found the man that had tormented everyone, that no one could imprison or chain, was sitting perfectly calm, sitting down, clothed (the devil, as he did with Adam and Eve, will try to strip you naked), and in his right mind. He had his right mind back. And no matter how tormented someone has been, they can still get their right mind back if they will come to Jesus.
“Just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:21-24.
And the people were frightened by the supernatural events that had taken place. The man had intimidated them before when he was possessed and everyone stayed away from him, but to see so drastic a change and have it happen because demons had come out and entered swine was beyond their comprehension at that time and they just wanted it to be back in the status quo that they had learned to live with. Something so exciting and new scared them. They asked Jesus to leave and let them just be the way there were, but things had had a paradigm shift. Satan had lost a stronghold and the man now rose up as a fearless preacher of the good news of Jesus.
The man who had been demon-possessed implored Jesus to let him remain with Him and follow Him but Jesus only did My Will and He did not let him, I had an assignment for him and it was to bring that whole region back to Me, and particularly to Me through Jesus. So Jesus gave him his assignment and he ran with it, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and he did not just stick to his town of Gadara and go only to the family where he first let the devil begin to take over his life through his anger and offense, he started there and then he went to all the ten cities of the area preaching the good news of the Kingdom. And all were amazed.
And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. Mark 5:20.
A personal testimony is powerful, like we saw with the woman by the well in Samaria that brought her whole town to Jesus. The man now in his right mind put a great number of people back in their right minds too. One witness can change a whole region depending upon the amount of gratitude and love they have for Me. And this man was overwhelmed with gratitude to be free of the demons that had led him to live among the tombs and scream and cut himself with stones. He never let even one come in again.
The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:24-25.
And the next time He came to that area, they did not tell Jesus to leave. The brought the sick to Him to be cured.
Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. Mark 7:33-35.
I love you. You know the truth; it is time you set the captives free. Jesus was anointed to do that and so are you. Greater works will you do. He is with you.
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD.” And He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-20.