Disciples Must Be Perfectly Trained for Warfare

Here we are again. Welcome back to our study of the Gospel of Mark, Lessons in Discipleship. Last week we entered a new section of Mark that records four miracles that demonstrate the power of the King. In fact, one of the commentaries I have been studying names this section of the book just that.

The Power of the King (4:35-5:43)

As we’ve already seen, Jesus had been teaching throughout Galilee, the northern region of Israel. His ministry stirred fierce opposition from the religious authorities. They went so far as to accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan and conspired with a Jewish political group—the Herodians—to kill Him. To say the Lord faced opposition would be an understatement.

This next section of Mark’s Gospel reveals that Jesus Christ has the power to overcome every form of opposition. No force of nature, no legion of demons, no sickness, not even death itself can stop Him from ushering in the Kingdom He has promised.

Last week, we saw Jesus calm a life-threatening storm with a single word. Today, we’ll witness Him confront a legion of demons—who plead with Him not to torment them. Next week, Jesus will heal a woman who had suffered for twelve years with an issue of blood, and lastly we’ll see the Lord raise a young girl from the dead.

Make no mistake: this is Jesus the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel, bringing forth an eternal Kingdom. He offers eternal life as a free gift to all who believe in Him. He is the last Adam, reclaiming what the first Adam lost.

That’s a brief overview of where we’ve been and what lies ahead in the coming weeks. But now, let’s turn our attention to today’s study. The title of today’s lesson is...

Disciples Must Be Perfectly Trained for Warfare

If you were here last week, you might notice that today’s title is similar. Last week’s message was titled “Disciples Need to Be Perfectly Trained for Life’s Storms.” There’s a lot of overlap between that theme and today’s. Previously, we focused on the importance of being prepared for the unexpected storms of life. This week, we’re shifting our focus to another critical area: being trained for spiritual warfare.

One of the most important truths we need to grasp is that we are living in the midst of a raging spiritual conflict—a battle between God and Satan. When we choose to follow Jesus on the path of discipleship, we will face opposition from the enemy.

You see, this entire world system is designed to distract us and throw us off course. It’s engineered to keep our attention fixed on ourselves and the temporary things of this life. In short, its purpose is to render believers unfruitful and to prevent as many people as possible from coming to faith in Jesus.

We might put it this way: spiritual warfare is, at its core, a battle for truth. Satan’s goal is to deceive humanity, while God’s goal is to lead people into truth. Every day, we are bombarded with influences meant to distract, deceive, and draw us away from God.

Once we understand this reality, we begin to see the vital importance of being properly trained—not just for life’s storms, but for the spiritual battles we face daily.

I showed a verse last week that really captures what discipleship is. The verse is Luke 6:40.

Luke 6:40 NKJV

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Notice the term there, “perfectly trained”. That is a single Greek word that I defined last week, and here it is again.

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament καταρτίζω

to be prepared (state) — to be made or become ready, suitable, or equipped in advance for a particular purpose or for some use or event.

So, to be perfectly trained means to be prepared, or to be made ready. It means to be equipped in advance for a particular purpose. We might even say it means to be fully trained. Another definition I found said “to be put into proper condition. And here is where I am going with this. To be a disciple we should be in constant training. When we study our Bible we are in training, and this is what prepares us for service. In other words, to be a disciple who is well trained we need to be in the classroom.

Legacy, coming to church is our class room. This is where we gather together to train each other, and encourage one another. We should be here every time the doors are open, with our Bibles out and thinking caps on. The Bible is our source of truth. It is the only thing we have in this world that is 100 percent true. Paul says the scriptures are God breathed, and it provides everything we need to be perfectly trained. Look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17 for a min.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. This phrase is a single compound word in the Greek which means means “breathed out by God”. I find that absolutely amazing. Then Paul says it is useful for doctrine (teaching), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And then He says, so that, the man of God may be complete. Now I have to show you a definition I found for the word complete.

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament ἄρτιος

ἄρτιος (artios) fitted out

Church, the word of God equips us with everything we need to live Godly lives. It trains us for life’s storms and prepares us for warfare. It is our source of truth in a hostile environment that is trying to deceive us. Legacy, we need the Word of God to be trained for warfare.

Ok, I got to move on to today’s text or we won’t have time to finish. So, Jesus has just crossed the sea of Galilee during which they encounter a storm. This storm almost sinks their boat, until Jesus stills the wind and the sea with a word. It is my belief that this was a supernatural storm caused by Satan, and now we are going to see Satan oppose Jesus once again with a legion of demons.

Before we begin our study let’s pray for God to give us understanding.

Let’s begin with our first 2 verses.

Mark 5:1–2 NKJV

1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

Now, the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee was predominantly a Gentile region. This detail is significant—it hints at the broader scope of the Gospel. While the Kingdom was initially being offered to the nation of Israel, this moment anticipates its ultimate inclusion of the Gentiles. The good news about Jesus is not limited to one people group; it’s for all.

In this account, we see Jesus intentionally entering Gentile territory—and it’s clear that Satan is not pleased. First, he attempts to prevent Jesus from crossing the sea by stirring up a supernatural storm. But Jesus calms the wind and the sea with a word, demonstrating His authority over nature.

Then, as soon as Jesus and His disciples step off the boat, they are met by a man possessed with an unclean spirit. The spiritual opposition is immediate and intense. Verse 3 says this man this the unclean spirit...

Mark 5:3 NKJV

3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,

When we see this dwelling among the tombs, our minds go to a cemetery with headstones everywhere. We picture some guy wondering around a graveyard, but that is not what this was. These tombs would have been a system of caves where a person could find shelter living among the dead. And here is something I want you to take note of. This is a picture of the kingdom of darkness. In other words, this is Satan’s territory. This is his jurisdiction, and we see Satan fiercely opposing Jesus as he invades his territory. One the takeaways from today’s lesson is the stark contrast between Satan’s kingdom of lies, death, and destruction versus the Lord’s kingdom of love, light, and life.

So we encounter this man dwelling among the tombs, and no one could bind him, not even with chains,

Mark 5:4 NKJV

4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

Apparently, safety measures had been taken to restrain this demon possessed man, but nothing worked. He had supernatural strength. Just like the storm they encountered on the sea of Galilee the night before. Simply put, Jesus continues to face strong opposition throughout His ministry. He encountered it from the religious authorities. He encountered it from His own family. He encountered on the sea of Galilee, and now he’s encountering a man possessed with a legion of demons. Simply put, Jesus is encountering supernaturally strong forces that are absolutely no match for Him. Here is our takeaway from this.

Disciples will face opposition in this life, but we overcome it by the power of Christ within.

We are able to overcome all the forces that oppose us because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). That truth is vividly illustrated in this passage. Jesus Christ is greater than Satan—infinitely greater.

In the verses that follow, we’ll witness a legion of demons fall at Jesus’ feet and plead for mercy. Their power may terrify men, but they are utterly powerless before the Son of God.

We’re introduced to this man who is living among the tombs—surrounded by death, isolated, and tormented. He is beyond human help. No one could bind him, no one could tame him. And then verse 5 says...

Mark 5:5 NKJV

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

Oh, how this man was tormented. It says, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. The Greek literally says through every night and every day he was crying out and cutting himself. This paints such a graphic picture of this man’s suffering. Now, we don’t know if the man was cutting himself or the demons were. It is possible when he had control of himself this was trying to take His own life, or maybe the demons were cutting him in some form of satanic worship. He don’t know, but we clearly see what the kingdom of darkness is like. It is death and suffering.

Let’s read on and watch the clash between Jesus and the powers of darkness.

Mark 5:6–7 NKJV

6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

Verse 6 should strike us as a bit surprising. It says that the man—possessed by demons—ran and worshipped Jesus. Why on earth would demons worship Him?

Well, the word worship here doesn’t imply reverence or devotion. It means they fell before Him—an act of submission, not adoration. They recognized His authority. And as the conversation unfolds, we see just how clearly they understood who He was. They refer to Jesus as “the Son of the Most High God.” There’s no confusion on their part. They know exactly who they’re dealing with.

What’s truly mind-blowing is what happens next. One of the demons speaks on behalf of the others and appeals to God’s mercy: “I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

Think about that. These demons had been tormenting this man day and night, showing not a single shred of mercy. Yet when they come face to face with God Himself, they fall at His feet and beg for mercy—for themselves.

The merciless plead for mercy.

This moment reveals the depth of evil in Satan and his demons. It’s the epitome of selfishness. They care nothing for the suffering they cause, yet they desperately seek to avoid suffering themselves. It’s a stark contrast to the character of Christ, who willingly bore suffering to bring mercy to others. Once again, we see the sharp contrast between the nature of God, and the nature of Satan.

In the verses that follow, Mark reveals that the Lord isn’t dealing with a single unclean spirit.

Mark 5:8–10 NKJV

8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

In the process of casting out these demons, Jesus asks for their name. To which the ring leader responds, “My name is Legion; for we are many”. We need to talk about that word “legion”. First of all it is a military term, and it suggests that these legion of demons was opposed to the work of God. In other words, Jesus is facing an opposing spiritual force put together by Satan. So, here is an interesting question.

How many demons are in this “legion”?

Scripture doesn’t give us an exact number, but we can safely conclude that it was a large multitude. The word legion is telling. In Latin, a legion referred to a Roman military unit consisting of about 6,000 soldiers. That doesn’t necessarily mean there were exactly 6,000 demons possessing this man—but it does suggest overwhelming force.

To those living under Roman rule, the word legion would have immediately evoked images of power, control, and oppression. That’s the takeaway here: Jesus is confronting a spiritual army—an organized force of great strength and terrifying influence. This legion had the ability to dominate and torment its host completely. There was no power of man that could overcome them. Hence, the reason this man is living in isolation among the dead. As far as the world was concerned, this man was a hopeless case.

But all of this changes in an instant when they encounter the God-Man. Look at what verse 10 says, “And he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country”. These demons, through their spokesman, are literally begging Jesus not to be sent out of their region or district. Simply put, they feared where Jesus was going to send them. Let’s read on.

Mark 5:11–13 NKJV

11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

As we study these verses I want us consider the following question.

Why did the demons want to drown these pigs?

While Scripture doesn’t give us a direct answer, we can reflect on a few important details that help us understand the impact of this event. First, this was an exceptionally large herd of pigs. And unless you have farming experience, you might not immediately grasp the devastating consequences their sudden death would have had on the local community.

The economic impact would have been catastrophic. This herd wasn’t just livestock—it represented livelihoods. It provided jobs for the herdsmen who tended the animals, for the butchers who processed the meat, for the merchants who sold it, and for the owners who profited from it. The loss of this herd would have left many people without work, and many more without food. In a farming-based economy, this was nothing short of a supernatural disaster.

So why would the demons do this?

I believe the reason is simple: the demons wanted to turn the community against the Lord. Satan intended for the people to see the economic devastation caused by this event and to blame Jesus for it. And as we see in the following verses, that’s exactly what happens.

When the people from the city come out to investigate, they find the formerly possessed man completely healed—sitting peacefully and in his right mind. But once the eyewitnesses explain what happened, including the death of the pigs, the crowd responds not with awe or gratitude, but with fear and rejection. They ask Jesus to leave. Let’s read on.

Mark 5:14–15 NKJV

14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

Mark 5:16–17 NKJV

16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

You see, most preachers and commentators tend to focus heavily on the demons being cast out—but in doing so, they often miss the rest of the battle. In my estimation, the confrontation between Jesus and Satan is still unfolding in these verses.

Look closely at what the witnesses say when the people from the city arrive. Scripture tells us: “And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.” That last phrase is crucial. The healing of the man—an extraordinary miracle—is overshadowed by the loss of the pigs. The final detail the witnesses mention is the death of the swine.

Why? Because they don’t want to be held responsible. It’s as if they’re saying, “Yes, that man was healed—but Jesus is the one who caused the pigs to die.” They shift the focus away from the restoration and toward the economic loss.

Then verse 17 says, “Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.” This reaction reveals the ongoing conflict between God and Satan. The people aren’t celebrating the miracle—they’re afraid of further disruption. It’s almost as if they’re saying, “Great, you healed this man, but what about our jobs? What about our food supply? We can’t afford another disaster. You need to leave.”

This is the enemy’s tactic: To twist the narrative so that the Savior is seen as the source of loss rather than the bringer of life.

Do you remember what I said earlier? Spiritual warfare is, at its core, a battle for truth. Satan’s goal is to deceive humanity, while God’s goal is to lead people into truth. This is exactly what Satan has done here. He has deceived these people into thinking Jesus was the cause of the death and destructive they’ve suffered, but in reality it was all caused by Satan Himself. The battle didn’t end when the demons left the man—it continued in the hearts and minds of the people. Satan’s goal was to turn the community against Jesus, and tragically, it worked. Now don’t miss the lesson that is tucked in here for us. Don’t let financial hardships, health problems, or suffering impact your relationship with God. This is the opposition we are facing from the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Christian life is looking past this world to eternity when everything will be made right.

So what do we do in the meantime?

We devote ourselves to the Word of God. When we do, we equip ourselves with the belt of truth and prepare for battle. Our role in this spiritual conflict is to speak truth—to study it, to live it, and to share it with a world that’s being deceived by the evil one. We are called to proclaim the truth of God’s Word and testify to what He has done in our lives.

And that’s exactly what God is about to do with this healed man—the one who had been possessed and cast aside.

Let me just say this before we finish: I love God’s style. I really do.

Once again, Satan thinks he’s gained the upper hand in this conflict. But watch what Jesus is about to do with one man—the hopeless case, the outcast, the one everyone had given up on. Jesus is about to turn him into a witness. A messenger, and living testimony of God’s power and mercy. Let’s read on.

Mark 5:18–19 NKJV

18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

At first glance, it seems strange that Jesus wouldn’t allow this man to follow Him. After all, he’s clearly committed to the path of discipleship. So why wouldn’t the Lord let him tag along?

I’ll tell you why: Jesus had another purpose in mind for this man.

The skirmish we’ve witnessed between Jesus and Satan is far from over. Jesus isn’t retreating from this Gentile region and handing it over to the enemy. Oh no—He’s about to deliver a crushing blow to Satan through this man’s testimony.

Look at what Jesus says in verse 19: “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

This is strategic. Satan had fiercely guarded this Gentile territory. First, he tried to stop Jesus with a supernatural storm. That didn’t work. So he moved to plan B: the moment Jesus steps off the boat, He’s met by a legion of demons.

And let’s be clear—this wasn’t a coincidence. These demons knew Jesus was coming. Something was happening in the spiritual realm. These minions of Satan had been informed that the Son of God was on His way. Their immediate confrontation was part of the battle.

Now, recognizing Jesus’ total authority, the demons beg to be cast into a herd of swine. But their request wasn’t random—it was sinister. They intended to bring calamity upon the city. By destroying the herd, they hoped to turn the people against Jesus. And, it worked. The people asked Him to leave.

So is that the end of the battle?

Hardly. Let’s read verse 20.

Mark 5:20 NKJV

20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

The first thing we notice in verse 20 is that this man went above and beyond what Jesus asked of him. In verse 19, Jesus told him to “go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you.” But this man did far more than just tell his friends.

Verse 20 says, “He departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.”

The word Decapolis in Greek literally means “ten cities.” It was a region where ten Gentile cities were clustered together—a place steeped in paganism and spiritual darkness. And this man, once possessed and hopeless, became a missionary to that region. One commentary I read described him as a kind of John the Baptist among the Gentiles—preparing the way for Jesus.

And it worked. Later, when Jesus returns to Decapolis, throngs of people come out to meet Him. Jesus didn’t lose this battle with Satan. He came to this Gentile region with a clear purpose: to deliver this man from the power of Satan so that he could proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles.

By sending this man, Jesus was planting a flag—declaring that the Kingdom of God was invading enemy territory. He sent a man who had no hope. A man who had wandered among the tombs, naked, bleeding, and out of his mind. It’s as if Jesus was saying:

“Watch this, Satan. I’m going to hand you defeat through the very man you tortured. I’m going to hand you defeat through the one you oppressed without mercy. I’m going to hand you defeat through the man you degraded and discarded. I will use him as My instrument and My witness.”

And in doing so Jesus kicked dust in the serpent’s face.

Oh, how unfathomable are the grace, mercy, and power of God! He is the One who restores the broken. He lifts the poor from the ashes and uses them to fulfill His perfect plan.

Legacy, this is discipleship.

As we close this morning, let’s consider what this passage means for us.

This man—the one delivered from demonic oppression—is a beautiful picture of what spiritual warfare looks like in our lives. Too often, when we hear the term spiritual warfare, our minds jump straight to casting out demons or confronting the demonic, as Jesus did in this account. But that’s not the central point of this passage.

Notice: Jesus is the one with the power to cast out demons and deliver this man from Satan’s grip. We’re not in Jesus’ shoes in this story—we’re in the demoniac’s.

We were once in the kingdom of darkness. We were spiritually dead, held under the power of sin, without hope and far from the promises of God. But God, in His mercy, delivered us.

Look at what Paul says in Colossians.

Colossians 1:13–14 NKJV

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, God rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His Son. And now that we belong to Jesus, we have a mission.

We must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. We must have our minds renewed so that we are transformed into the image of Christ.

Remember Luke 6:40 (NKJV):

Luke 6:40 NKJV

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Our calling is to be perfectly trained by the Word so that we become like our Teacher. Then we’ll be prepared for warfare. Then we’ll be equipped to teach others about the Lord. Then we’ll live according to His Word. And the world around us will see it.

This will make us faithful witnesses in a world that is being deceived.

We’ll be like this man—once broken, now restored. Once discarded, now commissioned. A faithful witness the world never expected to see.

Remember: spiritual warfare is a battle for truth.

So tell the world about Jesus. Proclaim His goodness to everyone you can. Speak of His compassion for you, and how He delivered you from darkness.

This, Church, is our warfare. Make sure you are perfectly trained for battle.

Let’s pray.