“When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him.” (Mark 5:2 nlt)
One of the most memorable stories in the Gospel of Mark is Jesus’ encounter with a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. Over the next few days, we’re going to look at this encounter from different perspectives. Today, we’re going to focus on the fear the man inspired.
The description of the man in Mark 5 reads like something out of a horror novel. “This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones” (verses 3–5 nlt).
The people of the region were understandably frightened of the man. Jesus, on the other hand, was not. Jesus could see that, underneath the horrendous exterior, lay a tortured soul. He could see Satan at work in the man’s life, trying to destroy him.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (nlt). God has a wonderful plan for people because He loves us.
The devil, on the other hand, has horrible plans for people’s lives because he hates us. In John 12:31, Jesus refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (nlt). But he’s a lame duck. He’s already been defeated. His judgment is certain. And his reign will end when Jesus returns. Until that time, though, he will do everything in his power to interfere with God’s plans for His people. Because he hates us.
And one of the tactics he uses is fear. The people of the region of the Gerasenes were limited in what they could do about—and for—the demon-possessed man because they were afraid of him. Jesus, because He had no fear of the man, could see the situation from a clear-eyed perspective.
The apostle Paul wrote, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 nlt). David wrote, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 nlt). Fear need not be an obstacle for God’s people.
Whether the potential frightener is a person, a diagnosis, job insecurity, a financial hardship, a relationship problem, or some other circumstance beyond our control, believers can claim God’s power and remove fear from the equation. Just as Jesus approached the demon-possessed man, we can approach the havoc our enemy creates in our lives from a godly, clear-eyed perspective.
Reflection question: How can you remove the spirit of fear from a situation you’re facing right now?
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Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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