DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A STORY TO TELL

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A STORY TO TELL

"Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.' And he went his way and proclaimed through the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him." (Luke 8:39)

Everybody has a story and each story is different. Your story is different than mine. But each is unique. They are like fingerprints – no two are alike.

I have recently been reading the autobiography of Mike Lindell, the developer of My Pillow. You have no doubt seen his ads on TV. They are ubiquitous. It is an amazing story of a man's slow slide into addiction to alcohol, coke and crack, and gambling, bound by the demons of his own addictions. But he was changed by the power of God and is now a successful businessman.

The man who was delivered from demons had a unique story to tell of how Jesus delivered him. Luke does not tell us how the man's decline into demon possession began, but when Jesus came, he was insane, naked, living in a graveyard. The people tried to control him by binding him with chains, but under the demons' power, he broke the shackles.

When Jesus came, the man was in a miserable condition – controlled by his own demons. Jesus took authority over the demons and the man was set free. No longer was he under the power of demonic forces. Now he was liberated to the freedom of Jesus. This man had a wonderful deliverance. He wanted to stay with Jesus. But God had other plans for his life. Jesus told him to go back to his people and tell the story of his deliverance. That is what witnessing is – telling our story of the great things God has done for us – of God's grace and deliverance from sin.

In Mark's Gospel, he recorded that the man "departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him" (Mark 5:20). The area of the Gadarenes is also identified as Gerasenes or Gergesenes (as in Matthew 8:28). This was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee and was part of the Decapolis (Ten Cities). He apparently did a good job of spreading his story because when Jesus came back to this region, his ministry was well-received (see Matthew 15:28-31; Mark 8:31-37).

We also have a story. The particulars may be different, but the basic deliverance is the same. Jesus has delivered us from the bondage of sin. And we have that story to tell.

Love, Dad