A demon
possessed man encounters JESUS in the region of Gergesenes (or Gadarenes), who
has been living in the tombs. He was without clothes, very violent often breaking
the iron chains he was chained with and he cut himself with stones. He was very
scary to look at.
As soon as
the demons saw JESUS, they recognize HIM, so they fall at the feet of JESUS
saying – Son of the Most High GOD, have YOU come to torture us before the
appointed time? (Mathew 8:29, Mark 5:7,
Luke 8:31). When JESUS asks the person his name, he replies “Legion” because there
were many demons inside him. (It's the demons who speak through the man as the man is in their influence - possessed).
For the reader's understanding, demons are the agents of 'satan', who is referred as the
prince of air in the Word of GOD (Bible). He is the chief adversary of human race. He was already condemned by GOD for his sin of pride - he thought of rising above GOD - The GOD who created him. He had an evil desire to receive worship to himself. He will be judged at the end of times and will be thrown into the "Eternal Lake of Fire" prepared for him and his evil agents. He was a beautiful angel in GOD'S presence once but due to his sin, he was thrown out of heaven. He turned away some more angels from GOD who were also thrown out, and they all together became adversaries to man. This is because GOD desired to fill their place with man (created lower than angel). The satan is full of fury and jealous towards man and is putting all his efforts to push man into sin so that he is condemned in his guilt. The righteous GOD then have to punish man too and appoint him to take part in "the Lake of Fire" along with satan. This is satan's goal. That's another story which can be known from the Bible.
They beg
JESUS not to order them to go into the abyss (a bottomless pit probably prepared for the demons before judgment). There were a large herd of pigs
feeding on the hill side and the demons beg JESUS to let them go into the pigs
and JESUS gives them permission to go into the pigs.
The man
gets delivered from the demons and returns to his normal state. The people of
the town come to see the man. They find him sitting at the feet of JESUS,
dressed, completely cured and in his right mind. They couldn’t believe what
they were seeing and get utterly amazed.
What could
be the reason the person became demon possessed in the first place?!?
There can
be one or more reasons. More likely due to some of the following:
- Personal Sin
- Weakness
- Fear
- Ancestors evil or wicked practices
Satan
cannot attack or take dominion over a person without GOD’S permission. Even Job
was tormented by satan only after satan took GOD’S permission first. Job was referred to as a righteous person in Bible, who had to undergo a test given by GOD and satan gets permission to hurt him physically and mentally (Job 1: 6-12). Satan is granted permission when a person is in sin or has weakness in some areas or has fear of anything in life or there is sin/ evil/ wickedness which is following him/ her from ancestors/ parents. Sometimes, GOD allows satan to tempt a person to test him for his integrity as in Job's case. GOD tests a person especially when HE would like to delegate some important work to that person. If the person passes the test, blessing and protection comes from GOD. Satan cannot attack a person covered or hedged by GOD. However, he constantly looks for an opportunity to influence/ tempt every person and when the person yields, then attack him/ her.
It operates
in different ways. It need not take possession of every person; it can
influence a person’s thoughts without actually entering that person (on the
basis of the person’s desires). It can torment a person through disease,
problem, depression, etc.
Satan has
no physical body. It is a spirit and it needs a body to operate – through a
person’s body that has emotions, feelings, hatred, thoughts, hands and feet.
Through that person, satan operates by stealing, killing and destroying. This
is the nature of satan (John 10:10). Satan operates on the mind of a person, because it is here that the person is assessing or judging what is good and beneficial (OR) what is bad and not of use to him/ her. This is because of the fruit of "knowledge of good and evil" that man ate, now man is trying to act on his own judgment and will, and not of GOD.
GOD is also
SPIRIT. To resist the works of satan, GOD also needs a body made of flesh and
blood after the manner of men. This is why GOD sends JESUS as HIS Son, to be
born in flesh and blood. JESUS was born through the HOLY SPIRIT, to a virgin,
whose name was Mary betrothed to Joseph. That’s why JESUS is called the Son of
the Most High GOD!! GOD gave JESUS “The Spirit” – “HOLY SPIRIT” without
measure, so HE speaks only the words of GOD.
It’s written
in the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:10-11) - The Spirit searches all things, even the
deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s
thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the
thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
JESUS did not carry HIS glory or power or wisdom as GOD. HE kept aside HIS glory and came to operate in a body that's prepared by GOD for HIM, just like any other man. HE grew up learning and showed obedience to GOD in every aspect. JESUS is
anointed by the HOLY SPIRIT without measure so HE was able to understand the
mind and heart of GOD. HE had to operate in flesh and blood just as man, so HE
needed the Spirit of GOD to help Him and guide HIM. HE became an example unto
man how to have a continuous fellowship with GOD the FATHER, so that man can be
anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT - to understand GOD’S mind and HIS heart, and also
to do great things.
By pushing
man into sin, satan is able to gain authority over man. To condemn the works of
satan, GOD needed a man who is blemish less and without sin, who is willing to
shed his righteous blood so that because of the righteous blood that was shed,
man can be saved.
It’s the principle
that no righteous person should ever be punished unfairly. Even though many
unrighteous persons may escape punishment, no righteous person should suffer unjust punishment. When this
principle gets tampered, when a righteous person receives punishment for no
offense, then, sinful man can be saved through the blood of this righteous
person. The injustice done to the righteous person can alter the laws. GOD did not find any righteous person on planet earth who can fit HIS
plan. Hence HE HIMSELF had to come down in the form of ‘SON’, born of HIS HOLY
SPIRIT to a virgin. Hence we know how JESUS CHRIST got manifested on Earth born
to a virgin woman – Mary. JESUS means “HE will
save HIS people from their sins” (Mathew 1: 21).
Why
Virgin..?
Adam fell
when he was tested. The original Adam (first man created by GOD in the Garden
of Eden), was blameless when created, later became sinful by his disobedience
to GOD’S commandment and eating of the forbidden fruit (from the tree of knowledge of good and evil). When he fell, he
carried sin in his body – in his DNA. This is carried in the DNA of every human
since then. By birth, man is born in sin. His sinful traits show up even from
infancy – showing disobedience – for example – a baby shows up curiosity to do
those things that her parents/ elders forbid (disobedience). JESUS, hence,
cannot be born in the natural way as the sin will be inherited in this way. GOD
brought Him into this world through “The HOLY SPIRIT”, born without sin, but
tempted in all ways as Adam or just like any other man is tempted. However, JESUS withstood every trial and temptation, HE did not fall like every other man though HE was in nature same as any other man and was open to the same emotions, feelings and flesh.
JESUS
stood strong and blameless because of the continuous fellowship HE maintained
with HIS FATHER in heaven.
This is the
reason GOD chose a virgin woman to carry out HIS righteous plan. JESUS is not
born in the natural way where sin can be inherited. HE was born by the
overshadowing of the HOLY SPIRIT upon Mary, who is still a virgin.
For a person
to take privilege of this “free gift of Salvation” that has been offered so
benevolently by GOD, the person has to believe upon GOD’S benevolent act of mercy
and truth, HIS great plan of escape that HE made available to mankind through
the blood of HIS righteous begotten SON – JESUS CHRIST – born of The HOLY
SPIRIT to a virgin woman.
By the blood
that was shed by this righteous person “JESUS”, one can get saved by confessing
that he/ she is a sinner and that he/ she has committed sin knowingly or
unknowingly against GOD, by the sinful nature that’s prevailing in man and ask
for GOD’S forgiveness. This is the simple act of confession that GOD desires
from every person so that HE can save them from GOD’S wrath and judgment. It’s
HIS plan to save all mankind from hell.
Upon doing
this, GOD is expecting the person who is saved to also show the same forgiving nature
towards others who hurt him/ her consciously or otherwise. This is because the
person received great forgiveness from GOD. If the person wants himself/ herself
to be forgiven by GOD, the person also should show the same mercy towards
others.
Through
"Salvation", GOD is also empowering man with power and authority in HIS name to
defeat satan’s plans, trials and temptations. For this purpose, JESUS came into
this world to make "Salvation" available to everyone freely, in HIS name, by HIS
righteous blood.
The blood
of JESUS sets us free from every sin and sickness and worry. Now, JESUS, after
accomplishing this righteous act upon the cross of Calvary, has risen from the
dead on the third day just as HE had been saying from the beginning. After
spending some time with HIS disciples and empowering them to preach the good
news of Salvation to the ends of the world, HE is now ascended unto HIS FATHER in
heaven and sitting on HIS right hand side awaiting HIS return to earth.
Now that HE
has made available such a great gift – “Salvation” to mankind, HE will return
back to settle account and sit for judgment. Those who are not saved through
HIS grace have to face HIS wrath because HE is righteous, so HE judges
righteously. Every person's acts and thoughts will be judged. Intentions behind every act will be judged. A person may have some good works to his/ her account but the intentions behind these works are weighed. And then, who can stand in the judgment - in the balance? It’s
very difficult for a man to save his/ her soul through his/ her own works, having
denied such a great gift from GOD. It's almost impossible to meet the high standards of righteousness that GOD had set. If the standards are not met, the punishment would be "the Lake of Fire" after judgment, shared with satan and his agents.
Salvation
through Cross is getting saved by the grace of GOD and not by one’s own works. (Ephesians 2: 8-9) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not
by works, so that no one can boast.
“Salvation
through Cross” is the gift of GOD to mankind, HIS unimaginable and incomparable
love He has expressed through the death and suffering of HIS righteous and only
begotten SON on the Cross. This is GOD for man and not man for GOD.
The blood
of goats and oxen can only cleanse a person from his bodily ailments but the
conscience of a person is purged and cleansed only by the righteous blood
offered by a guiltless and blameless person with a clear and un-defiled
conscience before GOD (Hebrews 10:4, 9:13-14).
That is JESUS CHRIST – the Messiah - the Savior of the world.
Once a
person believes in JESUS CHRIST and GOD’S plan of Salvation, it is GOD’S work
to cleanse and purge a person and his/ her conscience. We can see great things
and amazing miracles manifest in our life when we believe in the name of JESUS
and fellowship with HIM daily.
May GOD
purge every one’s conscience and bless every one with wisdom to take the right decisions
in life and empower with strength to overcome difficult situations, amen
