Mark 5:1-20 KJV
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

How many know what it like to worship Jesus before and after a storm in our human life. Most would never look at a storm and worship that way but perhaps we should in this story. The man had come through man storms with his illness of possession of demons that caused him to injure himself. Most would say oh this is just a mental illness that causing this man to act this way, some type of chemical embalance perhap. Yet Jesus speaks to Legion the demon that has authority over the other demons. This was more then a simple schizophrenic behavior or Multiple Personality Disorder, because in reality it backs the paranormal experience in relationship to evil spirit controlling this man violent behavior. Most skeptics walk out the door and say no way this experience is recorded in scripture or has any validity to it. However King Saul is said to have . There are records of it being recorded among the kings and some believe it had to do with mental issues caused by a similiar evil spirit. Other health issues were known to cause mental illness, even Sexual Transmit Disease like Syphilis(King George's time error discovered). Yet were these cases in scripture because of mental health or demonic activity God knows man does not. How many issues might of been consider here by man knowledge before Jesus takes and literally have the demons flee into a herd of pigs, and they go screaming over the cleft into the water below kiling them. The skeptic is going to look at the story and say I receive Christ as being a good human, a good prophet, a good teacher and maybe the sacrifice for sin, but this thing on demons is to far fetched in thinking beyond my known reality. Even with religious program showing possessed people being exoricized does it help the human reality of such an event or are people afraid to talk about experiences because warning from God not to be involved with divination dealing with the occult.

Now how many people think I lost my mind this morning. Perhaps that were raised with the teaching of this passage in scripture, but it is for those that have never heard the story a mystery based on myth and legends of evil spirits, that stop and say perhaps i am not sure I believe it. That were faith that something happened to this man that was acting mental in the grave yard and literally cutting himself on a regular bases must be ask how do you feel after Jesus kicked those demons out of your life into a herd of pigs, what about the herdmen of those swine. Let alone the people in the village that seen this man calm, dressed and in his right mind once more. When did the calm for the man begin, before or after the casting out of demons. The minute the man seen Jesus afar off he came running to worship Jesus. He was calm and in his right mind, but the demons were coming out with verbal words that it was not the man speaking. It was evident that demons spoke and declare who Jesus was in more then one story, but this violent man naked was not violent, but calm before Jesus. Demons knew they were going to be sent away and so Jesus sent them into the heard of swine(pigs). The village desire Jesus to leave, but the man desire to go with Jesus, and Jesus left him behind to be a witness to the people of his deliverance. Jesus had cost the herdmen their livilihood that day.

We either believe Jesus calmed this man storm even before the demons left, or we believe Jesus power came at the point of exorcism. In truth it came before, when the man seen the man that could heal him. Had he heard of Jesus I really have no idea, but he seen him and came and bowdown in worship of Jesus. The multiple personally gone from this man, the scrizophrenic behavior gone from this man. The occultic behavior gone from this man. Something had happen, and his friends, neighbors, surrounding areas would hear this story, knowing Jesus had delivered this man. Do we believe? The calm before the storm, the calm that would come after the confusion of the town after they realization this man was delivered from evil spirits. Jesus would return here according to scripture and he would be welcome, but not at this present time, until the truth of the matter could be understood. After all Jesus may of been known about but he was still stranger with men in his company. Easier to send him away and learn of the nature of the matter. The storm of having to let Jesus go on to the next town, heart breaking to the man delivered, but he remains to be a witness in his village of the power of God.

This is one of those stories one might struggle with as being a fact, until one witnesses such event, or experiences the power of Jesus in their own life in form of some type of healing, or the healing of a friend. God has the power to heal the mind. The power to destroy the enemies corruption. If you need the corruption in your life gone continue to pray for that deliverance in the name of Jesus. Calmly as possible continue to worship at the feet of Christ at the altar. Knowing he hears you and God and him will deliver you in his time frame.

Dear Heavenly Father continue to work in the life of those that struggle with facts of scripture. Continue to work in their hearts Lord and help them to know your power to heal even them and their friends from demons. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Countdown to Thanksgiving day 13: Thank you for the calm before and after storms in my life.

Continual Scripture Study: Psalm 107:22-30 KJV
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.