With Halloween coming up in a couple weeks, people are decorating their yards and houses with all kinds of skeletons, ghosts and demons. Some of the demons are really scary looking. When little kids see these demons, they are often terrified. So, their parents need to assure them that these things are only made of plastic and are merely “make-believe.” It’s fine to tell children that Halloween lawn decorations are only “pretend demons.” But, it’s not fine to think that demons don’t really exist. They are quite real, and they are very active today. Sometimes the demons who torment people are spiritual beings serving Satan. Other times, they are products of a person’s particular worldview. I will explain that in just a few minutes.
In fact, chapter 5 of Mark’s Gospel describes Jesus’ healing of a man who had been possessed by some very real demons. Jesus and His disciples had just crossed the Sea of Galilee and came ashore in the region of Gerasenes (Juh-RAH-suh-neez) on the east side of the sea. Immediately, Jesus was confronted by a homeless,[1] madman who lived in nearby burial caves. The source of this man’s madness was derived from the fact that he was demon-possessed. When Jesus demanded to know the name of the demon who had invade the man’s body, the demon responded, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” (Mark 5:9, NLT2) The word “Legion” referred to a Roman military unit that could have as many as 4,500 to 6,000 soldiers.[2] In other words, this head-demon was saying that there were literally thousands of demonic spirits haunting this man’s innermost being. These demons were causing the man all kinds of torment. Mark 5:5 tells us: “Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.” (NLT2) The people of the nearby town had tried to restrain him with shackles and chains, but the demons inside him gave the man superhuman strength. He would break these restraints as if they were mere spiderwebs. When Jesus approached the man, the head-demon was terrified and cried out: “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” (Mark 5:7, NLT2) Then, Jesus commanded, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” (Mark 5:8, NLT2) The evil spirits responded by repeatedly begging Jesus not to send them “to some distant place.” (Mark 5:10, NLT2) When this same incident was described in Luke’s Gospel, it becomes clear that these demons needed to inhabit someone or something—otherwise, they would be forced into the bottomless pit of Hell.[3] And so, the demons begged Jesus to allow them to enter into a large herd of pigs that was foraging on a nearby hillside overlooking a high cliff that descended to the waters of the great lake below. When Jesus consented, “the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.” (Mark 5:13, NLT2) When the people of the nearby town came out to investigate what had happened, they were astounded at what they found. That man who had once been full of violent rage, naked and terrifying was now sitting there fully clothed, completely sane and in a state of perfect peace. You would have the town’s people would have been overjoyed. This man who had suffered so much and had created such chaos in the community was now serene and at rest. But, that is not how they responded at all. Rather, they seemed to care less about the miracle of the man’s healing than they did at the loss of their herd of filthy pigs. Then, at the end of this, Mark’s Gospel provides us with some very sad words: “The crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.” (Mark 5:17, NLT2) They simply did not want to hear anything that Jesus had to say. He’d come so far to teach them His ways, but they’d rather embrace their pigs and the worldly income derived from them.
If you have any doubts regarding the dangers posed by demons, then consider Paul’s warning to the Christians in Ephesus: “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.” Ephesians 6:12 (TLB)
Now, some people will scoff at Paul’s words. They’ll say that a belief in demons in today’s modern society is ignorant and superstitious. But, Paul’s warning is just as valid today in the 21st century as it was in the 1st century A.D. It wasn’t long ago that a news article appeared in which Pat Collins, an Irish priest who specializes in exorcisms, issued a plea to his superiors requesting more priests who are trained in dealing with demon possessions. Father Collins reported that he had witnessed an unprecedented rise in demonic activity. He is quoted as saying that only in recent years has the demand for such priests “risen exponentially.” Collins’ observations have also been echoed by the International Association of Exorcists which is a Catholic organization well accustomed to dealing with demons and their evil activities.[4]
Now, this rise in demonic activity can strike fear in some Christians. They think to themselves, “Oh my, will I be next?” But, experts in this field tend to think that demons do not randomly descend upon just anyone. Rather, as Christian theologian Charles Kraft surmises, demons are like rats. They are attracted to “spiritual garbage.” Spiritual garbage exists in a person’s life when they engage in a persistent pattern of sin—especially when they are raised under the family influences of generations of sinful lifestyles. Kraft points out that people who fall into that category have chosen an evil lifestyle that makes them more susceptible to demonic possessions. However, when a person eliminates such “garbage” from their lives, the “demonic rats” find them less desirable as targets to feed upon.[5]
In any event, all of this highlights our need to carefully consider Jesus’ healing of this madman in Mark’s Gospel. Before Jesus came to Him, he was possessed by Satan’s minions. And so, his “worldview” was dominated by Satan. But, you don’t necessarily have to have actual demons residing within you to be “possessed by Satan.” You can be possessed by Satan if you simply hold a “worldly” view of life. You see, as it presently stands, Satan is the ruler of this world.[6] He is also the father of lies[7] who would love to convince you to accept a worldview endorsed by him. So, if you live by the standards of this world, then you will automatically be leaning toward a worldly worldview that is influenced by Satan. Notice that I said a “worldly worldview.” It is a view of life, of morality, and of reality that is completely apart from God and His plan for your life. And, there are severe consequences for those who adopt any worldview that fails to accept God and His mandates for your life.
The Barna Group is a Christian research organization that gathers data and information pertaining to cultural trends and matters regarding faith. One of its latest surveys revealed a definite connection between a person’s worldview and the overall soundness of their mental health. The research confirmed that: “Individuals who lack a biblical worldview are more likely to struggle with” mental health issues, including “frequent presence of anxiety, depression, or significant fear.” Although the report acknowledged that doctor-prescribed medications are essential to meet many mental health issues, such medications are not a “cure-all.” The report found that: “Instead of turning to mental health treatments, the best prescription for millions of Americans is to embrace a more reliable and proven worldview.” The Barna Group concluded that the best “healthy” worldview is the one laid out in God’s Holy Word—the Bible. On the other hand, unhealthy [worldly] worldviews that so many people embrace tend to produce “the emergence of anxiety, depression, fear, and even suicidal thoughts.”[8]
That is an interesting conclusion. So, how has this worked out in places where a biblical worldview has been rejected? Well, consider what has happened in the United Kingdom—that sphere which includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. According to a recently completed three-year study by Queen’s University Belfast: “The number of people in the United Kingdom who identify as atheist is [now] greater than those who say they believe in God.” A related statistic seems to lend weight to the Barna Group’s conclusion that, where unbiblical worldviews are adopted, there tends to be a corresponding rise in mental health problems. In this regard, during the shift in the United Kingdom to an atheistic worldview, there has been a corresponding rise in mental illness in the form of depression and other serious stress related problems among the national workforce. For England alone, in 2022, mental illness resulted in costs exceeding the equivalent of $392 billion—an amount that is about double the country’s entire National Health System budget. In addition, deaths of workers in England and Wales related to mental illness and behavioral disorders soared to over 41,000 in 2021.[9]
So, how does all of this relate to Jesus’ encounter with the demon-possessed man? Well, think about a few of the characteristics of that man before his demons were driven out. He was living among the dead; he had lost all self-control; he was violent; he was wandering aimlessly in life; he was howling like a wild animal; and, he engaged in self-destructive behavior by “cutting himself with sharp stones.” (Mark 5:5, NLT2) He was so much like many of the people that we hear about on the six o’clock news every evening or read about on social media. The people who lived nearby had tried to change him by shackling him with strong chains. But, that didn’t work—he simply broke the chains. Today, when kids misbehave our society generally uses a different kind of “shackles and chains” in the form of medications that sometimes only mask the deeper problems. Now, don’t get me wrong—there are many people who need prescribed medications to address legitimate mental health issues. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But, as the Barna report indicates, there are many others (both young and old alike) who suffer from their misguided worldviews that only intensify their difficulties. Their problem resembles that of the demon-possessed man before he met Jesus—because prior to then, the man had no purpose in life and no hope. Those who cling to worldly worldviews eventually find out that they have the same problem. Why?—because their perspective fails to provide any purpose in life, and/or denies the reality of a life beyond the one on this world. But, Christianity is so very different. The Christian worldview gives us both purpose and hope. Our purpose is to come to know God[10], and to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.[11] Our hope is a “living, sure hope” in the life to come through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.[12]
The madman suffered due to spiritual demons who had invaded his body and turned his worldview into a satanic one. Similarly, today, the problems of anxiety, depression, fear, suicidal thoughts, and a host of other destructive mental and emotional maladies arise from people’s misguided worldviews. And the reason their worldviews are so distorted is that they simply do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Yes, the man in Mark 5 was possessed by demons. Little has changed in 2,000 years—today, many people are still possessed by “demons” as well. But, their “demons” do not call themselves “Legion.” No, they go by different names. One of the most prevalent “demons” that inhabit people today are related to the twin demons of self-centeredness and self-absorption.
Just before Rev. Ernest Shannon preached on the Monday evening of our revival, I met him and two friends at Rhet’s Grill in Zion Crossroads for dinner. A couple, who appeared to be husband and wife, sat at a table across from us. I don’t think they said two words to each other the entire time. Rather, both had their heads bowed down to their smartphones completely absorbed in their own self-centered little worlds. A couple of weeks ago, the same thing happened when Flo and I were eating in a restaurant in Luray, Virginia while I was there to officiate Christian’s and Trinity’s wedding. Only that time, it was the husband who buried his head in his smartphone while his wife sat there silently eating her meal. The only interaction he had with his wife was to occasionally reach across the table and steal a French-fry or two from her plate. I am not joking—people who live like that have a spiritual and mental illness born of a worldview that lacks love. It is a lack of love, not just for a spouse, but a lack of love for life itself. If you are a Christian and find yourself more attached to your smartphone than to your loved ones, you must be demon-possessed. The thing is that demon is you! If that is the case, you need to repent because life is passing you by!
There are other “demons” as well that torment so many victims today. There are the “demons” of worry, uncertainty, doubt, guilt, shame, anger, confusion, loneliness, envy and sexual lusts—which could be homosexual or heterosexual in nature (to name just a few). These are “demons” that people harbor in their minds. And then, there are those “demons” that people welcome into their bodies voluntarily: The demons of illicit drugs and alcohol. But, drugs and alcohol are not the only “demons” that people ingest. Perhaps the most tolerated, and even more prevalent, “demon” today in America is the demon of gluttony. This “demon” sits with you at the dinner table and breeds its own mental and physical health problems associated with “stubbornness, rebellion, disobedience and wastefulness.”[13] Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit—we are called to keep it holy.[14] We can’t meet that responsibility if we neglect to properly maintain the temple of our body.
So, here is the crucial point: You will find, like the man in Mark’s Gospel, that any lasting remedy against these “demons” cannot come from any worldview, apart from God. Nothing helped that demon-possessed man until he encountered Jesus Christ. The same holds true for you. In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul said: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (NLT2) Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you.” (TLB) That’s how it was for the madman Jesus healed. When he changed his worldview to one of submission and trust in Christ, it gave him peace of mind, forgiveness, restoration, the removal of guilt and most importantly, eternal life. And oh, what a difference it made in his life!
When the man’s neighbors came, they didn’t recognize him. There he was: Clothed and not naked, and at perfect peace and not raging in a destructive war with himself. How could that be? The answer is that this man had become a committed believer in Jesus. And because of that, he wanted, more than anything else, to spread the Good News to everyone he met. There is something else that the neighbors didn’t recognize. They failed to see just how lost they themselves were. In fact, they were worse off than this former madman. The man had the excuse that Satan’s demons had taken over his will and rendered him powerless to resist. But, the neighbors didn’t have that excuse. They were completely sane. Like so many people in our community who are not in church this morning, they had full control over their free will. There before them stood Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He had come to teach them the way to eternal life. But, they were more concerned about some pigs that had plunged over a cliff. And, they were clueless to the fact that they were living lives that would one day hurl them over a very different cliff where they’d join those demons in the pit of Hell. Like the people of Gerasenes who rejected Jesus and told Him to go away, there are many this morning who have consciously decided to go about their worldly lives instead of worshipping God in His House. If they don’t change their worldview soon and turn to Jesus, it will be a decision that they will eternally regret. Don’t be like them.
Just as Jesus healed the madman, He yearns to heal you of the “demons” that are tormenting you. Could it be that financial woes happen to be your “demons” these days? Maybe you are contending with “demons” related to your physical health or that of a loved one. Or, perhaps, you are concerned about the spiritual sickness of someone you hold dear, and their eternal fate weighs heavily on your mind. In facing these “demons,” are you finding that your old worldly worldview simply isn’t providing you with the relief you so desperately need? Let Jesus change your worldview when He changes your heart.
Or, maybe you already have adopted a biblical worldview. But, you have gradually allowed your biblical worldview to be compromised by the views and standards of this world. Sometimes we let our guard down and allow Satan’s worldview to creep into our lives and don’t even realize it. When that happens to Christians, it causes a big problem. It allows spiritual garbage to accumulate in your heart. Let Jesus back into your heart and He will clean up that garbage and give you a new heart. If you will do that, God promises that He “will give [you] a new heart and a new mind.” He “will take away [your] stubborn heart of stone and will give [you] an obedient heart”[15]
Jesus is the Great Physician[16] who longs to heal those who let Him into their hearts. And, when you let Him in, He will drive out those demons that seek to rob you of the peace and joy of life. So, when you feel life’s demons pressing down upon you, whatever form they may take, remember the madman in Mark 5. Once he met Jesus, he was completely changed. The turmoil in his life came under control as he experienced the serenity only Jesus can offer. When you allow the Holy Spirit to change your worldview, you too can have that peace as well. Jesus said: 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB) You don’t have to be a madman or mad-woman any longer. The madman found rest and peace for his soul. In Christ Jesus, you can as well!
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
October 13, 2024
©2024 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Luke 8:27 “As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.” (NLT2)
[2] Mike Mitchell, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), s.v. “LEGION,” WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
[3] Lou Barbieri, “Mark,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2014), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 1527. See Luke 8:31 which states: “The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.” (NLT2)
[4] Catholic News Agency, "Irish priest asks for back-up as demand for exorcisms rises 'exponentially'" , cited in PreachingToday.com (January 28, 2018)
[5] Stephen Seamands, Wounds That Heal: Bringing Our Hurts to the Cross, (Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois) p.93, cited in PreachingToday.com.
[6] John 12:31 “The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.” (NLT2) 2nd Corinthians 4:4 “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (NLT2)
[7] John 8:44 “[Satan] has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (NLT2)
[8] Billy Hallowell, “New Study Points to True 'Consequences of Anti-Biblical Worldview,'” https://cbn.com/news/world/new-study-points-true-consequences-anti-biblical-worldview (October 6, 2024).
[9] Michael Gryboski, “More people in UK are atheist than believe in God: report,” Christianpost.com, https://www.christianpost.com/news/more-people-in-uk-are-atheist-than-believe-in-god-report.html (October 5, 2024).
[10] Jeremiah 9:24 “But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD.” (NASB)
[11] Mark 12:30-31 30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second most important commandment is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. There is no other commandment more important than these two.” (TEV)
[12] 1st Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a LIVING HOPE through the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST from the dead.” (NASB)
Romans 8:24-25 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (NASB)
[13] Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England, ed., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), s.v. “GLUTTON,” WORDsearch CROSS e-book. See: Deuteronomy 21:20 “The parents must say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’” (NLT2)
[14] 1st Corinthians 6:19-20 19 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (NLT2)
[15] Ezekiel 11:19 “I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart.” (TEV)
[16] Mark 2:17 [Jesus said:] “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (NLT2)
