Jesus restores a demon possessed man

This is written by Henrietta Blyth. She is married to Rick, has been at St Mary's for a while now and loves gardening.
Mark 5:1-20
Jesus restores a demon-possessed man
5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!' 8 For Jesus had said to him, 'Come out of this man, you impure spirit!'
9 Then Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?'
'My name is Legion,' he replied, 'for we are many.' 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, 'Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.' 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man - and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, 'Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.' 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!' 8 For Jesus had said to him, 'Come out of this man, you impure spirit!'
9 Then Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?'
'My name is Legion,' he replied, 'for we are many.' 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, 'Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.' 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man - and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, 'Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.' 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Reflection
For many years, my father was a Freemason. When I became a Christian I began to realise that Freemasonry and Christianity were diametrically opposed. After much prayer and quite a lot of discussion my family - mother, father, sister and I - went on retreat to pray through our family tree. We spent four days at a Christian healing centre talking and praying through the things that had happened to our family in previous years.
It is a long story, but as a result of these prayers the Holy Spirit convicted my father and he renounced Freemasonry. Having been a church-goer all his life he made a new commitment to Jesus and said, "for 62 years I have been a church-going Anglican, but now I realise that the Bible is actually true."
I, too, received significant ministry during this time and was delivered of a number of demons. Just like in this story in Mark 5 they spoke through me but they could not resist the power of the Cross. As they came out of me I felt a burning through my chest.
When it was over I was exhausted. And just like this man in Mark 5, I did not want to leave the place where this had happened. I was frightened about going back to normal life and that the demons would come back. I did not want to leave the people who had helped me.
Jesus would not let the man stay with him. He told him, "Go home… and tell them…"
It is amazing when the Holy Spirit heals us and changes our lives but we cannot just stay in the same place forever. We must return to our lives and tell people of the wonderful things he has done for us. This is how people hear and the kingdom of God grows.
It is a long story, but as a result of these prayers the Holy Spirit convicted my father and he renounced Freemasonry. Having been a church-goer all his life he made a new commitment to Jesus and said, "for 62 years I have been a church-going Anglican, but now I realise that the Bible is actually true."
I, too, received significant ministry during this time and was delivered of a number of demons. Just like in this story in Mark 5 they spoke through me but they could not resist the power of the Cross. As they came out of me I felt a burning through my chest.
When it was over I was exhausted. And just like this man in Mark 5, I did not want to leave the place where this had happened. I was frightened about going back to normal life and that the demons would come back. I did not want to leave the people who had helped me.
Jesus would not let the man stay with him. He told him, "Go home… and tell them…"
It is amazing when the Holy Spirit heals us and changes our lives but we cannot just stay in the same place forever. We must return to our lives and tell people of the wonderful things he has done for us. This is how people hear and the kingdom of God grows.
Posted in The Gospel of Mark
Related Posts
Recent
Archive
2021
January
The Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
September
EvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the City
October
Prayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansHow to read the bibleConquering ComparisonThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit
November
Elijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaHow to PrayPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPhilemonIntro to Advent
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments