Truth vs. Tradition-Madman to Missionary

Tradition: Mental/Emotional/Behaviorial disorders are common among people of today
Truth: Spiritual disorders are common among people of today


In Mark 5:1-20 Jesus performs one of the most significant miracles of His ministry as He completely transforms a desperate maniac who was totally possessed of the devil. This man is only one of many that were plagued by the devil and his ruthless demons during the Lord Jesus Christ’s miracle working ministry.

But, in the case of this man, Jesus made a special trip to the Eastern side of Lake Galilee, believed to be Gentile territory, on an isolated rugged shore, in order to compassionately and lovingly rescue just one man, sending him back to his home as a missionary. Then, Jesus would, just as quickly as He came, return to His familiar area of ministry on the Western shore of Galilee.

This Demoniac of Gadara was a ’special case’ and therefore had a special place in the Lord’s heart, for just as He must needs go to Samaria for the fields were white unto harvest, so too He must needs go to Gadara, for one of His chosen, this mentally and physically tortured madman, awaited deliverance!

This one transformed Spirit-filled man with his powerful testimony would reach multitudes in the ten cities of the Decapolis, yes, this one man who was fully controlled and possessed of Satan and his legions was miraculously transformed from Madman to Missionary in a moment of time, by the power of the spoken Word of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The devil and his demons today are still busy influencing, controlling and possessing men, women and children in the same way they did this man during the time of Christ. But, instead of recognizing Satan as the real source of the majority of mental/emotional/behaviorial disorders, the medical profession treats those who are afflicted by the devil’s working by using counseling, drugs, psychiatry, psychology, shock treatment, heavy sedation and physical restraint instead of the all powerful Word of God!

All of these other methods are man’s humanistic efforts to cure a spiritual dilemma caused by a simple three-letter word called sin! No man could tame this maniac, and so it is with the majority of mental/emotional cases of today!

As evidenced by the demon-possessed man in Mark 5, there are at least ten different signs of demonic influence, control, and possession:
1. Exceeding fierce (aggressive/hostile behavior) (Matthew 8:28)
2. Outcast/Loner (Mark 5:2)
3. Unusual strength (Mark 5:24)
4. Self-inflicted wounds (Mark 5:5)
5. Continual unrest (Mark 5:5)
6. Continual crying out/screaming (Mark 5:5)
7. Desperate (Mark 5:6)
8. Interest in the dead/death (Mark 5:2,3, 5)
9. Morals out of control (Nakedness) (Luke 8:27)
10. Split Personality (Schizophrenia) (Mark 5:6, 7)

These outward symptoms are only the result of the inner spiritual conflict that was continually raging within the heart of this pitiful demented soul. All of the above spiritual conflicts are openly demonstrated in the society in which we live today, but they are treated in a far different way than the Lord Jesus Christ treated them during His ministry.