August 11: Living among the tombs #2

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God, don’t torment me!” For He had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” “What is your name?” He asked him. “My name is Legion,” he answered Him, “because we are many.” And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.    (Mark 5:6-10 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)

(Today’s passage is a continuation from yesterday)

Isn’t it strange how Christians and churches today ignore the whole concept of evil spirits and possession? Very few talk about it or actually make prayers against evil spirits, even though it was a daily routine for Jesus and His disciples. In fact, what would people do with the man living among the tombs today? They’d medicate him and have him committed to a mental institution. Any talk of evil spirits and prayer would be met with laughter, rolling of the eyes, and ridicule. Yet that was Jesus’ answer 2000 years ago. Was he ridiculous? Should we laugh at Him?

We have to ask ourselves why this passage, and others like it, are included in the Bible. One reason would have to be that God wanted us to be aware of the existence of evil spirits, and how to cast them out. This man lived in a cemetery, cut himself with sharp stones, and had a legion of demons — an extreme case — but in the Bible and today we know that demons also work in more subtle ways like fear, depression, suicidal thoughts, unemployment, marriage problems, repeated failure, “bad luck”, addictions, and so forth. Because of this, each one of us needs to assess whether or not we are completely free from demonic influences. Many times people are totally unaware that they are possessed. They assume that what they’re going through is life, nothing else; and because they don’t know the real source of their problems, they can’t fight them.

Jesus’ name and power bring total freedom from evil spirits. But the devil plays lots of “games” with people. Many who serve him (the devil) pretend to “help” people. People involved in the occult and Wicca, or who are fortune-tellers, tarot-card readers, mediums, and psychics are all using the power of Satan to do what they do. They may say beautiful things about the spirits of nature, or about how they’ve always had a gift for seeing the future or sensing psychic activity, but they are dangerous and will open doors to evil spirits if we go to them or believe what they say. Do be deceived by these things. Focus on the Lord Jesus and His Word — that’s where the power is.

Though the man from the Gerasenes had a legion (a unit of 3,000 to 6,000 men in the ancient Roman army) of evil spirits, they begged Jesus not to send them out of the region. This means that they are no match for Jesus, and since we believe in Him, they are no match for us.