Luke 8:29-31 For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. (NIV)
Some people think that God and the devil are equal and opposite forces like opposing teams in a football match, where human beings are the ball. Not so! God has the supreme right to rule and Satan can only operate by permission. People are not the passive victims of a heavenly struggle, for they can and do choose who will be their master. Legion had made his choice, and yet was taken prisoner by his own demonic house-guests, and was manipulated by them into unpredictable violence.
When Jesus confronted the demonised man, Satan's agents knew that they could not win. They knew that Jesus was about to terminate their 'residence permit'. The only question was where would they be sent? The fact that they repeatedly begged Jesus not to deport them to the place of the dead showed that they were struggling for the power to continue to demonise the living; but they knew that they were ultimately subject to the authority of Jesus.
The good news is that those who want to be released from Satan's bondage can have complete confidence that Jesus has the power to deal with the problem. There is no power that Jesus cannot break. So why don't more people come to Him? Perhaps they have never heard, or if they have, they still believe the lie that they are the helpless victims of an eternal struggle, and there is no certainty as to who will win! Of course Jesus will win (Revelation 20:7-15 is quite clear about that). What they need is to be told the truth; and who better to do that than you! But many would say that lots of other Christians could say it better, explain it more clearly and answer questions with greater confidence. Maybe: but are they near your troubled friend, are they in your workplace, do they have refreshment breaks at the same time, do they travel on the same train? No! But you are there, on hand to minister in the Name of Jesus! So, wherever you find troubled souls, tell them that Jesus has the power to set them free.
Some people think that God and the devil are equal and opposite forces like opposing teams in a football match, where human beings are the ball. Not so! God has the supreme right to rule and Satan can only operate by permission. People are not the passive victims of a heavenly struggle, for they can and do choose who will be their master. Legion had made his choice, and yet was taken prisoner by his own demonic house-guests, and was manipulated by them into unpredictable violence.
When Jesus confronted the demonised man, Satan's agents knew that they could not win. They knew that Jesus was about to terminate their 'residence permit'. The only question was where would they be sent? The fact that they repeatedly begged Jesus not to deport them to the place of the dead showed that they were struggling for the power to continue to demonise the living; but they knew that they were ultimately subject to the authority of Jesus.
The good news is that those who want to be released from Satan's bondage can have complete confidence that Jesus has the power to deal with the problem. There is no power that Jesus cannot break. So why don't more people come to Him? Perhaps they have never heard, or if they have, they still believe the lie that they are the helpless victims of an eternal struggle, and there is no certainty as to who will win! Of course Jesus will win (Revelation 20:7-15 is quite clear about that). What they need is to be told the truth; and who better to do that than you! But many would say that lots of other Christians could say it better, explain it more clearly and answer questions with greater confidence. Maybe: but are they near your troubled friend, are they in your workplace, do they have refreshment breaks at the same time, do they travel on the same train? No! But you are there, on hand to minister in the Name of Jesus! So, wherever you find troubled souls, tell them that Jesus has the power to set them free.
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