Taking Territory for the Kingdom

In the fifth chapter of Mark’s gospel, we read his report of a fascinating interaction between Jesus and a horde of demons.  The Lord has just cast these evil spirits out of a severely tormented man.  That alone would be a remarkable story of the Lord’s spiritual power.  Just imagine these demons provoking 2,000 swine to run down a hill violently, only to drown in the sea. 

But, as with most stories in the Bible, there’s much more in this passage if we search patiently.  Let’s begin with the next phase of Mark’s report. 

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Mark 5:14-17 
“So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  

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Jesus did not condemn this poor man for his outward behavior.  He discerned the supernatural cause and spoke directly to the demons, immediately and effectively.  

The herdsman in the region are naturally astonished. They frantically run to the city, and the whole town comes out to see Jesus.  This demonic man’s deliverance provoked the residents to come see Jesus!  Instead of showing gratitude, the townspeople ask Jesus to pack up and leave.  Apparently this miracle was too much to absorb.  

 Let’s replay the series of events: 

• If there hadn’t been a demonic infestation, there wouldn’t have been a reason for the miraculous deliverance. 

• If there hadn’t been a miracle that liberated the tormented man, there wouldn’t have been any astonished herdsmen. 

• If the herdsman had not been astonished, they would not have run into the city.  

• And if the town hadn’t responded, the revival wouldn’t have begun.   

Ironically, the demons were used by God to provoke people to come see a miracle.  Jesus had the faith to see past the drama into the underlying spiritual issue.  He spoke to the demons and freed the man.   

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Recall that back in Capernaum, Jesus decided to reach into the new territory of Gadara.  He encountered vicious opposition, including a storm at sea and an overwhelming demonic infestation in just one man.  In both instances, He patiently saw past the visible drama into the invisible, spiritual realm, and conducted Himself accordingly. 

Instead of becoming frightened by a sudden storm, what if we anticipated its arrival in advance of our new assignment. The problem for many of us is that the storm doesn’t seem connected to the new goal.  So we feel persecuted.  Some of us are tough guys; we have no problem fighting through opposition when it is standing directly between us and a named, visible goal.  But the enemy is so shrewd that he can send a storm days, weeks or years before your call to the new territory. He tries to wreck your confidence so that you will not persist through the preparation time on the journey to the new Kingdom territory. His attempt is to discourage you way in advance — to make you doubt God.  After all, how could God allow such storms if He really wanted to use me?   

Now, let’s carefully read the final portion of this important passage…. 

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Mark 5:18-20 
“And when He {Jesus} got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. 

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The demoniac man is so grateful for his deliverance that he wants to leave town and ship out with Jesus. But Jesus gives him a new identity – a Kingdom assignment to evangelize the region with his dramatic personal testimony.   

• “Go home to your friends” (Now that’s some strong faith, to think this man still has friends!) 

• “tell them what great things the Lord has done for you…” (Become an evangelist.) 

• “how He has had compassion on you.” (Jesus mentions the very quality which the disciples claimed that Jesus didn’t have when the storm kicked up.) 

It’s clear now that Jesus had an assignment from His Father to come rescue this tormented man.   

• He would turn out to be a gifted preacher with a rich testimony.  (“he…began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him…”) 

• Remember, the Decapolis included TEN towns scattered around the Sea of Galilee, meaning this man had an incredible missions field once he was delivered from the demonic attack.

• The demons were obviously ruining this fellow’s reputation and his peace. 

• He asked to travel with Jesus, likely because he believed his civil status was destroyed and he had no hope of fulfilling his assignment in Gadara.  But that wasn’t true…. 

Let’s rewind.  This story started when Jesus successfully quells the storm, speaks peace to His creation and educates His disciples. Once He lands in the new territory, the devil recalibrates. He incites the man to run up and to fall at the Lord’s feet in false worship, essentially saying “Okay, I couldn’t stop you from arriving here, so let’s make a deal.  Let’s negotiate.  I have been using this man for a long time. I have enjoyed attacking him and suppressing his Kingdom ministry.  All he did was scream and cut himself day and night. He’s been alone, isolated and rejected by civil society. I knew he could preach, so I infested him with devils to make him crazy.” 

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INSIGHT: the enemy knew you had a long-standing assignment from heaven. Now this is going to shock you: the Devil’s got more faith than you do. He believes in you more than you believe in yourself. He must because he prepared to derail your accomplishments and to discourage you far in advance of you entering your new territory.  The fight is not personal, so stop taking it that way.  He’s scared of you or else he wouldn’t have conspired against you. He wouldn’t arouse supernatural warfare on somebody that doesn’t matter. The enemy is afraid of what you would become; he’s fearful of the call on your life. He deliberated with his high-ranking demons: “We better start early. We better derail this guy way before he realizes who he is and what he is destined to become. I better start early before she learns scripture, before she gets washed in the blood and under the anointing.  I’m going to start a storm real early to discourage him.”  So, he kicked up a vicious storm to upset you and discourage you.  But Jesus is willing to come through the supernatural storm to get to you. 

The self-doubt, the attacks on your identity, the destruction of your confidence…these wounds were promoted by the enemy. He loves watching us say what we can’t be and what we can’t do and what we couldn’t accomplish. You think those haters were only for you?  No!  Even when the enemy says, “I’ve enjoyed convincing you that you were nothing, that you came from nothing and that you’ll never be nothing; that you’ll never be loved, that you’ll never be happy, that you’ll never be blessed, never be free and never get yourself together. I have enjoyed attacking you so I could prevent you from discovering your Kingdom assignment.” 

Truth be told, the demonic man in Gadara was never the end game; he was never the point. The real target was the region, not the man.   

Understand that Satan is organized. He may strike you with an attack that temporarily makes you disorganized, but that’s just to undermine your confidence. This battle is about the kingdoms of this world becoming the Kingdoms of our God and of His Christ.  When facing a significant storm, ask the Lord to refocus your attention on your ultimate assignment.  This will strengthen you spiritual confidence and empower you through the difficult situation.