Good Morning All!!
Luke
8:27; “When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city
who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in
a house but among the tombs.”
He must have been quite the sight.
The community tried to chain him down but he even broke the chains. Yet at times, he became so possessed that nothing
contained him. He no longer lived in the
city rather he lived among the graves.
He didn’t wear any clothes; he must have been quite a sight.
But this is the 21st century, certainly you don’t believe in
demons and the like do you? I remember
talking to an educator who had dealt a young grade school boy. This young man wasn’t even ten yet but he
would launch into a violent fit and it would take two adult men to hold him
down. He told me his eyes rolled back in
his head and it all looked scary. The
educator said if there was demonic possession- that was it. If you speak to ministers or missionaries who
work on the Native American reservations or work in Africa, they will tell you
of things that are really quite unworldly.
There are things we cannot explain but even some things we can explain
leave an impression.
I remember speaking to a man who battled extreme depression. He described the feelings and emotions when
he was in that depressed state. He had
thought of suicide but mostly just felt he had no value, no worth and no reason
to go on or even live. He was diagnosed,
on medication and seeing a counselor. He
was getting the help he needed but it fell short sometimes. We may have a name and a way to treat it but
at times, in the depths of his despair, this man knew demons.
Most people at one time or another experience what may be described as
demons attacking us. It may have been
bouts of depression, self-doubt, incredible fear all without a reasonable or
rational reason to occur but it is very real.
It is not uncommon; if you have experienced this you aren’t the only
one.
It can be unnerving but God
provides us with help. We begin with
prayer, asking God to relieve us of our suffering. This should always be our starting
point. We should not be afraid to talk
with our fellow believer, seeking their comfort and prayers. We should not be afraid of talking to a
professional who has been trained and uses the gifts that God has given in
order to help care for his creation. The
devil and his demons want you to hide this and to “live in the tombs” and suffer. Yet it is God’s desire to bring you healing
and to give you relief from your pain. God
desires that you live life and live it abundantly.
Father,
there are times of great darkness and fear.
Yet even in this time of pain, you are there to comfort me and to bring
into the light. Free your children from
the sadness and sorrow that the devil desires.
Guide us by your Spirit and keep us safely in your arms. Be with those who battle their demons. Send your healing and bring them into your
loving embrace. In the precious name of
Jesus we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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