Christ has power over demons

Christ has power over demons

❖ The country of the Gadarenes

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. The country of the Gadarenes was not part of Israel, it was heathen territory on the other side of the lake. The fact that Jesus was venturing into heathen territory is significant because it shows us that Jesus did not limit his miracles to the Jews.

❖ The two men.

The gospel of Mark says that when Jesus went over to this land, one man met him who was demon possessed. But the fact that Matthew mentioned that there were two doesn’t mean the gospel of Mark got it wrong, it just means that Mark omitted the fact that there were two men. Each gospel emphasizes different aspects of the same event, but the main message is the same – Christ has power over demons. Jesus didn’t just drive out a demon or two in his ministry, he did it all the time. And we can say he cracked the hardest cases. We can safely say that if men live amongst tombstones and go about naked, as the gospel of Mark states, and that they scream and shout and are so fierce that nobody can come near them, then this is a hard case!! There cannot be a needier person than one whom demons have taken possession of so that they are not only a constant threat to others but also to themselves. Have you looked at your own life and thought about your own peculiar weaknesses, troubles, and sins? Have ever thought your case too hard for Jesus, that you are too messed up, and wonder whether there is any hope for such a one as you? Well, these two demons possessed men were in a worse condition than most people will ever be. Running naked, hurting themselves constantly, a threat to others. Yet, Christ could crack this case and deliver them! He is also able to do so in your case! Your case isn’t too hard for him!

❖ The knowledge of the demons

29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

It is interesting to realize that the demons that possessed these men had true knowledge of Christ. They knew who he was, they called him the Son of God. They knew His power, His authority, and His purpose. They knew He had power to torment them, and that a day was coming in which the Son of God was going to torment them. This is significant! We don’t always think of Christ in terms of tormenting demons in the lake of fire, or people for that matter. Yet that is what Christ is going to do one day. As the book of Revelation says, one day the devil and his demons and all unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire and there they will be tormented for ever and ever. Christ will torment them. (See Revelation 20:15) The demons knew this day was coming. It is ironic that the demons feared and recognised Jesus immediately, but the Jews and religious leaders did not and even denied His deity.

❖ The fate of the demons

29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

The demons knew their fate, there was no salvation and no hope for them. They knew about the final judgment coming. They knew they stood condemned before God with no hope whatsoever. Oh, that the sons of Adam would take heed and hear the words of these demons. We all will stand before the judgement seat of God one day, to receive from the Lord recompense for what we have done in the body during in this life. Some will enter heaven; some will go to hell. Now is the time of salvation. Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. There is still time before you die: now is the time to turn to God, from your sins and from the wrath to come.

Don’t let the fate of the demons become your fate! Once you die or Jesus comes again, you will face God’s judgment – there is no more time for repentance. Give ear! He who has ears, let him hear. There is a judgement day coming.

❖ The request of the demons

31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”

Why did the demons ask Jesus to go into the herd of pigs? We don’t know. They certainly did not want to be punished and sent to hell right there and then. And that is another thing we must understand. We don’t know how the evil spirits operate, but we do know that they operate, many times, through people. Like a parasite they want a host, a place to stay, otherwise they just roam around. We again see the authority of Christ over this legion of demons. He had the power to send them away into the pigs, the power to torment them, and they were terrified of Him.

❖ The power of Jesus

32 And he said to them, “Go.” So, they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters”.

We see here, yet again, the power of Jesus and his compassion for the demon- possessed men. He spoke one word, “Go”, which sent the demons from the men into the pigs. No shouting, screaming, theatrical manoeuvre, performance, speaking in tongues, fanfare, just pure, raw, holy, omnipotent power. GO. And they obeyed. Never has anything like it been seen. The demon possessed men were delivered from a hoard of demons and restored to their right minds. Free. Delivered. This is the power of Jesus. This is the Saviour of the world. This Jesus has power over legions of demons, angels, nations, countries, winds and waves, sickness, leprosy, everything!

He is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ and the Saviour of the world, who died to set us free from Satan (Lucifer), the prince of demons. Jesus came to destroy the works of the evil one (See 1 John 3:8), to free us, deliver us from Satan’s power and dominion. The Kingdom of God came into the world with Christ.

Has he freed you from your demons? Your sins?

Has he freed you from the oppression of Satan? Has He? Has he cracked your case?

He is able! He is willing! He is powerful!He has enough power to set you free! This is the message of Matthew 8!

❖ The reaction of unbelievers

33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything,especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.”

When you read verses like these in the Bible, you are shocked. Why did the people in the village beg him to leave? They had just heard what he had done for these men, how he freed them, delivered them, made them whole. Should they not have rejoiced? Should they not have celebrated with them? Should they not, as in other places, brought their sick and demon possessed for healing and deliverance? But they begged him to leave. Maybe they were afraid of him? Maybe they realised they had lost a lot of money with all those pigs dead? This is typically how unbelievers react to Jesus. Please leave us alone. Leave us with our idols. Leave us with our sins. Leave us alone! This is sad, but it is true. People would rather have their sins and their demons and their idols than Christ. May we not be like those unbelievers. Amen