Daily Bread 2010 - Luke 8
Daily Bread 2010 – Luke 8
The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man
26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" 29For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. 32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. 33When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
This kind of personification of evil seems more fitting in a “blood and gore” movie that many of us probably won’t not pay too much money to go see. Instead, we see Jesus dealing with a demon-possessed man, who had been tormented by evil spirits for many years. Obviously there is no one who could help him, and he was relegated to wandering around the tombs. He was, for all intent and purposes, part of the “walking dead”.
But when the man met Jesus, these spirits inside of him recognized Jesus instantly. They quickly realize his identity, and submit to his authority and power, and ask him not to send them into the Abyss (aka Hell).
For some it may seem surreal to see this kind of scene, and yet the 1st century worldview allowed for this, and obviously much of Jesus’ bring in the kingdom had to do with healing those who were physically ill, emotionally ill and spiritually ill (demonic influence). While there is a danger today in seeing a demon “in every bush”, we also make the equally opposite mistake of denying the presence of evil in its various forms.
For evil to take on a personality like in this story only makes sense, if these dark spirits are in essence angels that went to the other side. Meaning if angels can make their presence known and talk, why wouldn’t it make sense for dark angels to do the same?
Of course this doesn’t need to “freak us out”. As we walk in our identity as Jesus’ sons and daughters, and live in his authority, we can as well tell the demons to leave in Jesus’ name too. Just as they recognized and submitted to Jesus’ authority, they must do the same with us today. So if you are ever in a situation where you feel there is an evil presence, take the time to pray and remove any demonic presence in Jesus name.
There is a spiritual gift we all have called “discernment” that helps us to detect such a presence. The more you operate in this realm, the more you will recognize it and be able to respond accordingly.
Prayer: God we know that our battle, as Paul says, is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this present darkness. But we also know you have given us the full armor of God to protect us from our enemy and his forces. Help us to use the power we have been given, especially the power of prayer in the Spirit and the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, Amen.
The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man
26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" 29For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. 32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. 33When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
This kind of personification of evil seems more fitting in a “blood and gore” movie that many of us probably won’t not pay too much money to go see. Instead, we see Jesus dealing with a demon-possessed man, who had been tormented by evil spirits for many years. Obviously there is no one who could help him, and he was relegated to wandering around the tombs. He was, for all intent and purposes, part of the “walking dead”.
But when the man met Jesus, these spirits inside of him recognized Jesus instantly. They quickly realize his identity, and submit to his authority and power, and ask him not to send them into the Abyss (aka Hell).
For some it may seem surreal to see this kind of scene, and yet the 1st century worldview allowed for this, and obviously much of Jesus’ bring in the kingdom had to do with healing those who were physically ill, emotionally ill and spiritually ill (demonic influence). While there is a danger today in seeing a demon “in every bush”, we also make the equally opposite mistake of denying the presence of evil in its various forms.
For evil to take on a personality like in this story only makes sense, if these dark spirits are in essence angels that went to the other side. Meaning if angels can make their presence known and talk, why wouldn’t it make sense for dark angels to do the same?
Of course this doesn’t need to “freak us out”. As we walk in our identity as Jesus’ sons and daughters, and live in his authority, we can as well tell the demons to leave in Jesus’ name too. Just as they recognized and submitted to Jesus’ authority, they must do the same with us today. So if you are ever in a situation where you feel there is an evil presence, take the time to pray and remove any demonic presence in Jesus name.
There is a spiritual gift we all have called “discernment” that helps us to detect such a presence. The more you operate in this realm, the more you will recognize it and be able to respond accordingly.
Prayer: God we know that our battle, as Paul says, is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this present darkness. But we also know you have given us the full armor of God to protect us from our enemy and his forces. Help us to use the power we have been given, especially the power of prayer in the Spirit and the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, Amen.
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