“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”
For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area (Mark 5:7-10).
This is a real conversation between Jesus and the spirit world, particularly, a demon(s) who possessed a man. The outcome of the conversation was swift and strong: Jesus cast out the legion of demons into a herd of 2,000 pigs.
I want to make an even stronger point about the conversation itself. Who is Jesus talking to? Not to the man, but to the evil spirit(s) in the man.
Can you name the unholy three?
They mimic and mock the only true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The unholy three set themselves up as God replacements. They’re good at convincing us they are better, that their ways are more pleasant and productive, so we’ll get what we want if we pledge our allegiance to them.
The unholy three is the terrible triumvirate of the devil, the world (its flawed, humanistic principles) and our sinful flesh (selfish instincts of sin in our spiritual DNA inherited from our own parents and ultimately Adam and Eve).
These evil powers deceptively deal with us every day—perhaps not in demon possession, but in our thoughts, words and actions that selfishly say yes to their lies and sinfully say no to God.
When God deals with your sin, what doesn’t he do? He doesn’t deal with you. He doesn’t punish you or pound you with his justice.
When God deals with your sins (every one of them, even the ones you haven’t conquered) … When God deals with your guilt (the past that haunts you terribly) … When God deals with your shame (it convinces you that you’re a victim, a loser) he doesn’t deal with you.
He looks past your wounds and dirtiness and he ignores it all. Instead, he deals with the evil that wants you.
Jesus condemns sin in sinners. And he did it by dying for our sins, sacrificing himself so that “by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
It was by crucifixion, and then resurrection, that Jesus cursed the unholy three and how they want to deal with you—instead of cursing you.
You are forgiven. Live less like a victim, and more like a victor in Christ.
PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for dealing with my sins by condemning them and their guilt and shame, rather than condemning me, a sinner. I am healed by the wounds of Jesus! Help me live not as a victim, but as a victor in Christ. Amen.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Read the account of Jesus healing the man possessed by Legion. Here’s more teaching from my Sunday message. I am grateful for the commentary by E. Allen Sorum in 2000 Demons No Match for My Savior: Jesus’ Infinite Power Over Evil.