Day 24, Lord over the powers of darkness, Luke 8:26-39

·        Casting demons into pigs, 8:26-39. 

o   The trial: The man suffers from seizures; that’s a problem that is still difficult for people today.  But worse than that, these seizures are related to the presence of demons in the man’s life.  The result, as is always true when Satan controls, the man’s life is miserable.  Having a legion of demons he could not be controlled, so society had tried to chain him.  He broke these and fled to a wilderness area, living in a cemetery.

o   The miracle:  Jesus cast the demons from the man.  But it is more complicated than that.  As   They asked not to be sent to the abyss, which refers to a place where fallen angels/demons are reserved for punishment (2 Pt. 2:4; Rev. 9:1-3; 20:1-3).  They wanted to maintain freedom so as to inhabit the bodies of those who opened themselves to their presence.  For that reason Jesus sent them into a herd of pigs.

often happened, the demons knew who Jesus was and spoke to Him.

o   The authority:  Jesus demonstrates His authority over evil in its most powerful forms.  He confronted Satan head-on.  But He also demonstrates authority over all creation.  Some believe He sent the demons into the pigs because it was against Moses’ law for Jews to have the pigs.  That may be, although the country of the Gadarenes was a Gentile area.  It is also possible Jesus saw the demoniac’s need as greater than that of the owner of the pigs.  (The photo above is of an area at Kursi on the east side of the Sea of Galilee where many people think this story took place.)

o   The response:

§  The man responds as you might expect.  He is in awe of Jesus and desires to be with Him as did the Twelve.  Jesus instead tells him to return to his own house and give testimony to God.

§  The people of the area also respond as you might expect, asking Jesus to leave.  They are not overjoyed at the demoniac’s liberty.  Rather they fear this One who has such power and authority.  Faithless men do not want to be in a situation where they are not in control.

Have you experienced such deliverance?  Tell what great things God has done for you.  Are you in need of such deliverance?  Jesus can be trusted because He has authority over the powers of darkness.  Do you know people in need of such deliverance?  Do not separate yourself from them.  Do not rejoice that they are chained and out of your way.  Rather seek, by God’s grace and the Spirit’s leading, to show the compassionate and powerful Christ to such as need Him!