God is not dead neither is Satan

God is not dead neither is Satan.

Weekly devotion April 9^th 2015

When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.  This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain… Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” … the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; (Mark 5: 2-13)

Jesus meets a man who lived in the cemetery. He could not live at home even though he was tied with ropes or chained. He would break free.  He was a vagabond with mental issues. “Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.” (Msg Bible).  This was caused by an impure or an evil spirit.  Today we would diagnose this as psychosis and prescribe a strong sedative to keep his mind in control. I have worked in psychiatric wards and have met people in my work who are put into such drugs. They life is bounded and “chained” by drugs. But the Bible says this man had an evil spirit. A spirit of Satan.  Satan is real. As D L Moody says “I believe Satan exists for two reasons: first, the Bible says so; and second I’ve done business with him.” 

 I had severe anxiety and fears since I was 18 years of age. I literally could not go out and socialize. Unlike the man described above in the Bible I had to hide myself in my room. In medical school I was put on drugs to calm me. When I met Jesus I was delivered from evil spirits and healed completely .Through prayer of an evangelist demons came out.  The Bible says Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.  In my Muslim religion we called evil spirits jinn. In my previous religion I would hear of Mullahs visiting people and dealing with spirits from the people. I would be terrified to hear of this as young boy. We would be warned not to urinate under a tree during the time of prayer otherwise we could be possessed by jinn. We believed that bad people had power over us to work evil against us. They could do that by offering us food or just by an evil eye or some kind of evil prayers.  

 There is truth in it. Because there is truly a devil. Satan is real but hides possessing people, influencing culture, religions and knowledge seeking to steal, devour, and kill. “He promises the best, but pays the worst; he promises honor and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death.” (Thomas brooks) He steals the joy and peace of mankind. Jesus calls him a liar, a murderer, the accuser and one who can bind people with sickness and cause mental anguish, fear, anxiety and hallucinations. The Bible describes him as the angel in heaven who was called Lucifer who desired to become like God. Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lighting from heaven. Jesus defeated his temptations through GOD’S WORD, his death and resurrection Jesus has given us power over demons through His name and that Jesus in us is greater than Satan in the world. The apostle Paul says that he is a god of the world who had blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel. Jesus has the power to deliver you from Satan. The Gospel is the power of God that can turn you from darkness to light and from Satan to God. Invite Jesus in your heart, repent of your ways. And you will be saved!