Jesus > Demons

This happened after Jesus and His disciples have been traveling all night. Remember it was the evening before when Jesus got into the boat and the storm came.

This is the morning after Jesus has calmed the storm.

The moment that Jesus stepped onto dry land He is met by this man. The man tormented by demons who no one else was able to help is right there.

Some might say luck that Jesus landed on that exact beach, at that exact time. Luck doesn’t exist. This is by the providence of God.

This was so that Jesus could meet this man.

Jesus healing this man from the demons.

The man had been traumatized by demons for a long time. This is when Jesus decided to come and heal the man.

Just like when Jesus came, as Ephesians says, in the fullness of time.

Sometimes we desire God to work sooner than He does. Be patient, He knows when to move.

All things happen according to the perfect timing of God.

The time when God will send them to the abyss

v.31- The demons begged not to go to the abyss. Now I believe that they would be better off in the abyss…but I’m not all knowing. God has a reason and a timing.

He decided to hold off sending them to the abyss, to wait for the right time.

Matt 25:41 Tells us that hell is a place prepared for the devil and his angels. He will go there, at his appointed time.

We look at evil this way. Why doesn’t God just get rid of all the evil people? Why can’t he just stop all the evil in the world?

Matt 13:24-30

Matthew 13:24–30 ESV

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

God doesn’t want to destroy the good with the bad.

I know that if God were to get rid of all the evil in this world, He would have to get rid of me and you. None of us live up to the standard of God. because of man’s free will, God allows it.

All evil will be done away with, but in God’s time.

What are you impatient about?

The man with the demons probably wanted it to be over, we want the demons and angels to be gone. We probably also want the corona virus to be over, or the season where our kids never listen to be through. Or maybe a family crisis that has happened.

Don’t be anxious, don’t get in to big of a hurry, God’s timing is perfect and He is using whatever season you are in to help you grow.

1 Peter 5:6-11

No one is to far gone

This poor man, he no longer sought habitation among the living but among the dead. He would flee to the desert many times.

They tried to contain him

They used chains, tried to bind the man, but he broke them.

They put him under guard, but the guards couldn’t stop him.

This was man’s best attempt to contain him. But man’s efforts failed.

I really do wonder if today we have demon possessed people among us whom they try to chain with medication.

Jesus Free’s him

Not with a long draw out exorcism, but it says that Jesus simply gave them permission. They were already no match for Jesus so He gives permission for a direction they desire to exit.

The man was feeling the same love that Paul speaks of in Romans.

Rom 8:35-39

Romans 8:35–39 ESV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is speaking of no one being able to bring a charge against the elect of God. You are spotless by work of that Jesus has done in your life.

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of Jesus.

In this man’s circumstance not even demons. We see Jesus crossing the sea of Galilee during a storm with the purpose of saving this man, for nothing can or will separate us from the love of Jesus.

Are You in Bondage?

Is there something that has control of your life? You feel like you will never be able to be close to God because of that thing.

Or a loved one who you think will never be able to change, someone who you say they are so deep in sin they are without hope. In their own strength it is not possible but with God all things are possible.

I’m sure the demon possessed man felt that way, distant from God, hopeless, tormented. But he was loved by God, why? I don’t know but it is evident through the actions of Jesus.

Just because you think you can’t change doesn’t mean God can’t work a miracle in you. The miracle of taking your heart of stone and giving you a heart of flesh.

When you will say it doesn’t matter what I go through, it is not and will not separate me from the love of Jesus.

Fear of Jesus

The Demons Fear Jesus

In the scary, thriller movies we always see demons and ghosts. They over run the powers of good.

Jesus has a legion of demon’s on their knees.

A Roman legion was 6,000.

v.28- They recognized Jesus’ divine identity.

The disciples didn’t even do that in the storm. They were terrified of Jesus but they asked, “who is this.”

The God who we serve has the demons terrified of him.

The things of your nightmares tremble before your God. That should give you confidence.

The People Fear Jesus

v.34-35

This man who they had tried to cure, maybe even tried to go to the Greek pantheon of gods for a cure and nothing helped the man.

Now they meet Jesus, who was able to instantly cure the demon possessed man, had him fully clothed, sitting and listening.

They knew that Jesus had the power of God, the power to control even demonic forces, and they were scared.

Rather than going to Jesus. In v.37, they asked Him to depart.

The fear, the awe that comes from the holiness of God will either cause you to flee or draw near. I pray that as you spend time with God, You will continue to be filled with awe at who He is, and continue to draw nearer.

God Calls us to Action

v.39- Return home and declare how much God has done for you.

This man wanted to go with Jesus.

Sometimes we believe it’s better for us to be in one place or another.

Jesus wanted to use the man where he was.

Are you serving God where you are at, in whatever capacity He has gifted you with.

Wrap up

All things happen in God’s timing.

No one is to far gone to be saved by Jesus.

We should have a fear of Jesus, but the type of fear that stems from awe and causes us to draw closer to Him.