28-Apr-2024 – your testimony is a powerful tool to publish the works of God
And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him – Luke 8:39
Today God is showing us an example to publish his works. Here the portion today is about a person who once was possessed by a Legion, which is a group of many evil spirits. But now, he is in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus. Let us learn the great and wonderful works of God in his life.
And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. – Luke 8:27
Before encountering Jesus, the situation of this man is pathetic. He had devils since long time. He did not have cloths on his body. He could not stay in his house. He was staying in the tombs.
That means, his family life is ruined, his social life is ruined, his identity as a person is also ruined. He was living in the place where the dead people are buried, where the dry and lifeless bones are spread across. No life in his life.
oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness. – Luke 8:29
Some people tried to bind him to control him using chains and fetters. But the power of the devil to lead him to death was so strong and the chains were broken. The man was driven into the wilderness where there is no help so that the devils can utterly destroy and ruin his life.
Till now whatever we read is also applicable in our practical life. If you consider a person who is addicted to drugs or porn, is bound by multiple such addictions. He will give up family, society and identity for the sake of those addictions. To be frank the spirit that operates in him will give the motivation to do those things.
Sometime, the people who loves them will try to bind them with medicines, rehabilitation centres, counselling etc. But they will escape and find a way to continue in their addiction.
he (Jesus) had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man – Luke 8:29
Jesus did not talk to the man. Even that man was not in a condition to speak or to have a conversation with him. But as Jesus has authority over every unclean spirit to rebuke, He rebuked the legion and commanded to get out of the body of that person.
In our current generation Jesus is not physically with us. But in the form of the word of God, Jesus is here with us. There is power in the word of God, for those who are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. The word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, provides us the revelation in the needy time in our life. That revelation enables us to exercise the same authority as Jesus, when we are having faith and we live faithful to God.
Now, once the darkness turned into light, and the shadows of death were turned to life, the person came to his right senses. That means, he got back his identity, his social status and the family relationships. Moreover he became a child of God.
Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee – Luke 8:38,39
Once he came to the right senses, he wanted to be with the Lord. Obviously everyone in his right sense, loves to be with Jesus. But God has a purpose for everyone of us. When Jesus asked this man to stay back, that does not mean not to be with him but he gave a privilege to point everyone to Jesus. Now the man who was saved will be an ambassador for God, a herald of the king of kings.
In our life also, God took us through various situations. Many dark spots in our life are healed to become light. Many dead situations were brought to life so that we could live as the children of God.
It is our responsibility to testify what God has done in our life, how he did the things in our life. This is the sharing of our testimony. A testimony is sharing the experience of truth. If you know what God has done in your life, don’t stop but publish them. Your testimony can be a light for someone else who is struggling in the darkness.
Prayer
Dear loving heavenly Father, thank you for your love and grace. Thank you for talking to us through the life of the man who was possessed by the legion. We are also struggling with some things in our life which are not leaving us but taking over us against our will. Because of the weakness of our flesh, we are unable to overcome the drive, urge and compulsion. But today your word gave us a hope. Rebuke the evil spirits which are influencing us to drive them away so that, we could come back to our right senses and be a testimony for your glory! I pray in the name of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen!
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