Lust of the eyes and the Pride of life Part 4

"And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them."

This story from the book of Luke gives us some dark insight into the workings of demons and possession.

For one, they know who Jesus is immediately, and despite this demon possessed man being out of his mind and unable to be bound even by chains; he runs to Jesus and falls at his knees to worship him and declare that he is the son of God.

The comment "art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" shows us that they know their defeat is guaranteed and it's only a matter of time before they are cast into the eternal fire.

But what really strikes me as the most profound event in this incredible story, is the pigs.

Matthew's version of the events records that they spoke saying "If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine."

What's even more baffling is that Jesus allows it.

Which begs the question, why?

Lets read what happens next.

"they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters."

The entire purpose of a demons work has just been displayed for everyone on that countryside to see clearly.

Their sole purpose is to destroy you.

The demons of lust will persuade you, the demons of anger will incite you, the demons of despair will discourage you - but they all have the exact same goal.

They want you to perish.

They want you dead.

They want you rushing headlong into sin, into death, and into eternal damnation.

In the Kingdom of Heaven, God himself is whole.

He is complete, lacking nothing and fully satisfied.

Those who serve him, his angels, are also satisfied.

They don't need anything from us.

They don't need our worship, they don't need anything we can offer - they have all they need from the Father.

But in the kingdom of darkness, Satan and his fallen angels are desperately lacking.

They have been separated from the Father, and Jesus himself describes them as disembodied entities in agony.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none."

Now these entities want something from you, and they're willing to offer an exchange.

Nothing is free in this life, after all.

If you know anything about occult practices you'll understand that the black screen you carry around in your pocket all day is a "scrying mirror" which is used for demonic divination, and the astral entities feeding off the gratification of your flesh do so because they have no flesh of their own to satisfy their perverse desires.

They offer you the ability to gulfill every lustful desire of your flesh, but it will cost you your peace of mind, your integrity and your very soul.

But what does the Father offer in exchange?

If you deny yourself, deny the lustful desires of your flesh, take up your cross and follow Him?

He offers you eternal life.

Lets read further into the biblical account and see that the Father offers life here and now to the fullest.

The entire city comes out to see the commotion, and they, "found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."

Jesus delivered him, and put him in his right mind.

Clarity is something you simply do not have when you are under demonic depression.

How many of your self destructive thoughts that you entertained then, now sound downright insane when you think of them later after the heat of the moment has cooled.

In those moments, there isn't any logic, rationale, or reason that can save you - all you can do is run to the feet of Jesus and worship Him.

The second part of this story is just as important.

"Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee.

And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."

Later when Jesus returns to the region of the Decapolis, he is met there by a massive crowd that's already waiting for him.

Normally, Jesus tells people to keep quiet about his miracles so that word doesn't get out and he is therefore unable to move within a city for the sake of the densely packed multitude.

Yet this is different, Jesus tells the man to show others what He has done for him.

The result is the city eagerly waiting for His return.

And you, Christian man.

You have two choices.

Run to the feat of Jesus and be healed, or perish like the pigs, falling headlong into the clutches of evil.

And then, once you are free, go tell everyone what God has done for you.

They need to hear it, and you may be the reason that an entire city eagerly waits for Jesus.