LifeWay Family Bible Series for Oct. 31: Christ has the power to change lives for eternity_101804

Posted: 10/15/04

LifeWay Family Bible Series for Oct. 31

Christ has the power to change lives for eternity

Mark 5:1-20

By Angela Hamm

First Baptist Church, Lewisville

Today we come to the end of the unit Looking for Change. We have discussed that one responsibility of every Christ-follower is the willingness to be changed and to be in a position where God's ways can be the believer's ways. Yet the human tendency is to hold on to what is known and to what has been comfortable. Hopefully, this series of lessons has been a challenge to move out of comfort zones and into the transformational process of becoming more like Jesus Christ.

The story

Jesus and his disciples arrive in the land of the Gerasenes. Immediately, Jesus encounters a man who is demon possessed. We are not told how the demon entered the man and took control of his life. We do know God's word tells us Satan's ultimate purpose is to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The man had lost his purpose for living.

Mark's description of this tormented man is graphic. He lives in a graveyard, sleeping in cave-like tombs. This man lives isolated from all human contact. He is so violent and out of control people are unable to restrain him. Day and night, he howls and wails. He cuts himself with broken pieces of stone. This demon-possessed man desires a changed life, and Jesus is there to initiate the change.

When the demon-possessed man encounters Jesus, he is fully aware of who Jesus is. The man kneels in homage before Jesus; he uses Jesus' divine name, “Son of the Most High God”; and he appeals to Jesus not to punish him.

Jesus asks, “What is your name?” The answer is “Legion.” The word “legion” referred to a contingent of 6,000 Roman soldiers–this man is tormented by an army of demonic spirits.

The demons beg Jesus not to send them out of the area. Jesus commands the legion to leave the man, and they leave. Jesus allows them to go into a herd of pigs. The man immediately has a changed life. He is dressed, instead of naked. He is in his right mind, instead of screaming and wailing.

Application

This story reminds us evil is alive and well in our present world and Jesus can bring freedom.

Jesus Christ can make hopeless situations into hopeful situations. Jesus has the power to change lives. He has the power to remove any stronghold in our lives. Jesus wants to invade our lives and make us more like him. He wants to cross into the places where evil has a stronghold on people's lives and give them freedom.

Let us look at Galatians 5:19-22 in order to develop an application for our lives. “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results–sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other kinds of sin.”

Looking at the list in Galatians, there may be some life tendencies with which a person struggles and some that are no struggle at all. For the things with which there is a struggle, a red flag should go up that it needs to be determined if these things are a stronghold in one's life. This list shows us God does not assign a point system to the sinful nature. In God's eye's, sin is sin. And all sin has the ability to take residence in our lives and become a stronghold.

Christ followers have two choices: We can allow the flesh to control us, which leads to destruction, or we can allow the Holy Spirit to lead and control our lives. We have a force inside of us that gives our lives strength, wisdom, power and peace.

A grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil and ugly. He is anger, envy, war, greed, self-pity, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, selfishness and arrogance. The other wolf is beautiful and good. He is friendliness, joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, justice, fairness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, gratitude and deep vision. This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other human as well.”

The grandson paused in deep reflection because of what his grandfather had just said. Then he finally cried out; “Oyee! Grandfather, which wolf will win?”

The elder Cherokee replied, “The wolf that you feed.”

What needs to be released in your life today? What is your stronghold? The Holy Spirit is waiting and willing to bring deliverance. The Christian faith is in the people changing business–the transformation of people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Discussion questions

Did anything included in the Galatians list surprise you?

What are some things you can do to live a Spirit-driven life?