Tradition: Mental/Emotional Behavioral Disorders are Common

                                                    Tradition:  Mental/Emotional/Behavioral disorders are common

                                                                       among people of today

                                                          Truth:  Spiritual disorders are common among

                                                                       people of today

     In Mark 5:1-20 Jesus performs one of the most significant miracles of His ministry as He completely transforms a desperate maniac who was totally possessed of the devil. This man is only one of many that were plagued by the devil and his ruthless demons during the Lord Jesus Christ's miracle working ministry. But, in the case of this man, Jesus made a special trip to the Eastern side of Lake Galilee, believed to be Gentile territory, on an isolated rugged shore, in order to compassionately and lovingly rescue just one man, sending him back to his home as a missionary.  Then, Jesus would, just as quickly as He came, return to His familiar area of ministry on the Western shore of Galilee.

     This Demoniac of Gadara was a 'special case' and therefore had a special place in the Lord's heart, for just as He must needs go to Samaria for the fields were white unto harvest, so too He must needs go to Gadara, for one of His chosen, this mentally and physically tortured madman, awaited deliverance!       This one transformed Spirit-filled man with his powerful testimony would reach multitudes in the ten cities of the Decapolis. Yes, this one man who was fully controlled and possessed of Satan and his legions was miraculously transformed from Madman to Missionary in a moment of time, by the power of the spoken Word of the Lord Jesus Christ!

     The devil and his demons today are still very busy influencing, controlling and possessing men, women and children in the same way they did during the time of Christ.  But, instead of recognizing Satan as the real source of the majority of mental/emotional/behavioral disorders, the medical profession treats those who are afflicted by the devil's working by using counseling, drugs, psychiatry, psychology, electro-shock therapy, heavy sedation and physical restraint instead of the all powerful Word of God! All of these other methods are man's humanistic efforts to cure a spiritual dilemma caused by a simple three-letter word called sin!  No man could tame this maniac, and so it is with the majority of mental/emotional cases of today!

     As evidenced by the demon-possessed man in Mark 5, there are at least ten different signs of demonic influence, control, and possession:

  1. Exceeding fierce (Aggressive/hostile behavior) (Matthew 8:28)  

  2. Outcast/Loner (Mark 5:2)  

  3. Unusual strength (Mark 5:24)  

  4. Self-inflicted wounds (Mark 5:5)  

  5. Continual unrest (Mark 5:5)  

  6. Continual crying out/screaming (Mark 5:5)  

  7. Desperate (Mark 5:6)  

  8. Interest in the dead/death (Mark 5:2, 3, 5)  

  9. Morals out of control (Nakedness) (Luke 8:27)  

10. Split Personality (Schizophrenia) (Mark 5:6, 7)

    

     These outward symptoms are only the results of the inner spiritual conflict that was continually raging within the heart of this pitiful demented soul. All of the above spiritual conflicts are openly demonstrated in the society in which we live today, but they are treated in a far different way than the Lord Jesus Christ treated them during His ministry. And in most cases, they are treated unsuccessfully.

     Jesus saw the real source of these afflictions and proceeded to release this man from the powerful clutches of the multitude of Satan's demons! It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ manifested through His Word, that men can truly be healed/cured of these vicious demonically induced spiritual afflictions!  He and He alone can give full and complete liberty from these spiritually induced, destructive conflicts!

     The Lord's ministry of Mark 5 reveals the only real cure for someone whose life is influenced, controlled or possessed by the devil's demons. This man, after surrendering to Jesus' will, was transformed in his appearance (clothed), attitude (right mind), and actions (sitting)! (Mark 5:15) This is the perfect picture of a complete turn around in all areas of his life! This miraculous transforming ministry of the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ is what we need in the 'mental' institutions of this world! Believe me, there are countless multitudes of men, women and children in these places that have the same symptoms as this man, and just like this man: 'neither could any man tame him'. 

     But, if given the opportunity, the Lord Jesus Christ could 'tame' them just as He did here, and on multitudes of other occasions! He would gladly turn countless Madmen into Missionaries if only He had the opportunity to do His work through His miraculous transforming Word!

     In my own personal experience, seven of these ten signs of demonic influence were afflicting me at the time the Lord Jesus Christ saved me, delivering me from sin and Satan's power. Drugs and alcohol were two of the tools the devil used to bring me into his full control. My life was plagued with spiritual conflicts described by the medical profession as 'mental/nervous breakdowns' when all of the above treatments were employed to try to 'cure' me but 'neither could any man tame' me. I was considered a hopeless case by the doctors and deacons alike, but 'When I saw Jesus' I turned in repentance to Him, I trusted Him by faith as my personal Saviour, and I was completely and totally transformed!

     The 'all of the above' traditional methods of counseling, drugs, psychology, psychiatry, shock therapy, heavy sedation and physical restraint are replaced by the one all important Word from God-REPENT!  Jesus in His initial proclamation of the Word (Matthew 4:17) offers men the only real alternative to give spiritual healing and lasting liberty from the devil and his workings within the soul! Yes, it is repentance toward God (For the sins we have committed against Him) and faith toward Jesus Christ (Faith in what He has done by lovingly dying on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sin) (Acts 20:21), the one and only cure for all of the 'uncureables' man can ever experience!

     Truth once again triumphs over Tradition! The Lord Jesus Christ and His miraculous Word rescued my soul from the torturous fires of hell and the hopeless and helpless doctoring of man, giving me instantaneous freedom from the chains and bondage of sin, being miraculously translated into the Kingdom of God!

 Chaplain L.E.Wolfe www.btmi.org I-85 Exit 35 SC  McPilot  Stop in, and please pray for our ministry!