King Jesus Setting the Captive Free!

Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”

In the four gospels there are 38 accounts of Jesus delivering the demonized. Yet today the church has been so seduced into deception and error that it believes demonization doesn’t exist today and even if it does, casting out demons is not worthy of its attention. The typical Christian believes that if you ignore the problem of demonization, it will go away, or that it is healthier to disregard the enemy than to run the risk involved in active, ongoing deliverance of Christians from demons. For this reason, the devil and his demons walk roughshod all over the body of Christ, unchallenged, unrecognized, and unperturbed.

One of the great instrumental causes of the advance of the Church in its early history was its head on confrontation and exorcism of the demon spirits that energized the pagan religions. Because of the unbelief, or better still the belief in our own abilities, we have forfeited the power of God which alone is capable of dealing with the powers of darkness that so mercilessly oppress people today.

We need to heed the words of the late Merrill Unger as he declared: "Certainly there is no excuse for the church to surrender its charismatic power to heal and deliver from Satanic oppression. In the very measure that it does it advertises its spiritual bankruptcy and makes itself a weak institution that no longer commands the respect of the spiritually needy mass. No wonder multitudes are seeking spiritual reality in Oriental religions, non‑Christian faiths, and occult‑oriented perversions of Christianity. Christian faith is so devitalized by apostasy and so contaminated with men's opinions and a defective presentation of Jesus Christ that it is becoming a hollow shell, powerless to affect men's lives.”

Concerning the man in Mark 5, the poet songwriter wrote: "From home and friends the evil spirits drove him, among the tombs he dwelt in misery; He cut himself as demon powers possessed him, then Jesus came and set the captive free."

The Bible teaches that God's design for us is freedom, that His method of freedom is truth, and His full revelation of truth is Jesus the Christ. Only King Jesus can break the power of canceled sin and set the captives free!

1. The Reality of Demonization – Mark 5:1-10

Jesus has just calmed the sea, rebuking it and commanding it, “Silence! Be still” (Mark 4:39). The sea immediately became calm, provoking the disciples to ask, “Who then is this?” They are about to get their answer but from an unlikely source – a demonized man.

Crossing a now-calmed Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the Twelve arrive in the area of the Gerasenes. Gadara was a major city in the region (cf. Matt 8:28; Luke 8:26, 37). South of the town called Gerasa was a steep slope only 40 yards from the shore. Two miles from there were cavernous tombs in the sides of the mountain.

As they got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs to meet Jesus. Because he was demonized, this man was defiled. Additionally, a Jew would view the touching of a dead body as an act of great defilement, and here was a man living among the dead.

The people of his town had driven him away. Defiled and captive to supernatural powers, he descended into a life of filth, loneliness, torment, and terror. People feared him because of his Herculean strength, but they did not respect him. It is shameful to see what the demons had conquered and captured.

I want to digress for a moment from the narrative and briefly address the issue of demons and demonic activity in biblical times and today.

A. The Fact of Demons

Demons pose a theological problem in that we are not told where they came from, what they are and why they are almost entirely absent in the Old Testament until Jesus comes on the scene. Then all of a sudden, there is a flurry of demonic activity once Messiah comes to Israel. The casting out of demons is so frequently linked with Jesus’ proclamation of the Gospel that it appears to be an essential theological component of the New Covenant.

We see in the New Testament that demons are evil spirits that inhabit the physical bodies of living individuals (Luke 11:24-26), and who are cast out by Jesus and his disciples by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 8:16; Luke 10:17). Their presence sometimes causes physical infirmities like blindness (Matt. 12:22), deafness (Mark 9:17-29), or epilepsy (Matt. 17:15-18), as well as mental insanity (Mark 5:15). Many of them can inhabit one body (Mark 5:9) and bring great strength to the host (Mark 5:4).

But where did these evil spirits come from? In the Old Testament, there is very little explanation of demons. God sends an evil spirit to torment King Saul in 1 Sam. 16:14. Based on Saul’s insane behavior it is safe to say he was most likely under the control of that evil spirit (v. 15-23). 1 Kings 22:22-23 reveals that God sends a “lying spirit” into the mouths of false prophets. Demons? Probably. But certainly subservient to God’s interests. Even Satan is depicted as a restricted servant of God’s will in the Old Testament (Job 1:12). Pagan idols are often referred to as demonic (“sheddim” Deut. 32:17; Psa. 106:34-37; Lev. 17:7; 2 Chron. 11:15) exposing the spiritual reality behind their earthly façade of graven images and foreign deities.

Other than these few examples, there is a dearth in the Old Testament of the kind of activity we read about in the New Testament, with raging demoniacs being delivered by Christ and his disciples. It seems like the demons knew that the presence of Messiah was the final countdown of their own demise and they were throwing fits and tantrums. As if the Seed of the Woman was crushing the Seed of the Serpent’s head and the body was wriggling in pain.

The most common Christian idea of the origin of the devil and demons is that they are fallen angels. This comes from the belief that three passages of scripture in particular gives the answer to their origins - Isaiah14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-16, Revelation 12:4. But I have come to the persuasion that none of these passages apply to a satanic fall from heaven. Isaiah 14 is the likening of the monstrous pride of the king of Babylon to a Canaanite myth of arrogant deities. Nothing about Satan there. And there is no reference to any others joining him either. Ezekiel 28 is a condemnation of the king of Tyre by likening him to Adam’s fall in the Garden, not Satan. This passage also fails to mention anyone in collusion with the arrogant prince. One must import a foreign idea of the fall of Lucifer/Satan into these passages.

Lastly, Revelation 12 is not about a satanic fall or war in heaven before the Garden of Eden, or even in some future end of the world scenario. It is an apocalyptic parable that is describing the war of Satan at the incarnation of Christ, his ascension to the throne of authority over all principalities and powers, and his suppression of Satan’s power as the Gospel goes forth into the world.

So in the Bible there is no evidence of angels falling before the Garden of Eden. There is a satanic “fall” or a “casting out” of heaven (John 12:31) and a “throwing down” to the earth of Satan during the time of Christ (Luke 10:17-20). But that would be too late in the game to explain the few evil spirits in the Old Testament or their presence before the arrival of Messiah.

The only other “fall” of angelic beings in the Bible is the Sons of God, the Watchers, in Genesis 6 coming to earth. There is a tradition of their origin that carries some weight beyond mere speculation. Regarding this origin, the Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible says, “The most popular myth, however, is found in the Bible, intertestamental literature, the rabbis and the Church fathers: demons are the souls of the offspring of angels who cohabited with humans.” But Brian Godawa observes: “We are right back to that ancient text that keeps rearing its head in the New Testament; the book of 1 Enoch. There we read that the giants had unique ontological status as hybrids of both human and angel. So when they died in the Flood, their spirits became roaming entities seeking bodily possession of humans.”

Personally, I don’t know who they are nor where they originated from, but I know they are real spiritual beings because the Bible says so, and also because I have had many personal dealings with them in my 54 years of ministry.

Demons, like angels, are not the product of an overactive imagination nor the superstitious designation for certain natural diseases.

Demons are persons with intellect, sensibility, and will. They are spirit beings who are morally perverted in their personality, in their doctrine, and in their conduct. Often they are called unclean spirits or evil spirits. They are normally invisible but sometimes may appear in hideous forms. They possess powers of supernatural intelligence, strength, and presence. The totality of their personalities and powers is directed against God and in accord with Satan's leadership.

B. The Activities of Demons

Demons' activities range widely. Basically, they promote Satan's program of the lie, extending his power and promoting his philosophy. As does Satan, they oppose God and His program by promoting rebellion, positing slander, promoting idolatry, rejecting grace, and fostering false religions and cults. In their wickedness and cruelty they oppress mankind, distressing through natural phenomena, degrading man's nature, distracting from truth, afflicting the body, causing mental problems, driving men to injury, destroying life, and dominating through almost total control of their lives.

They oppose believers by waging spiritual warfare on all fronts. They seek defeat of individuals through attacking confidence, tempting to sin, and inflicting maladies. They seek the defeat of the Church through creating divisions, counteracting the gospel ministry, and causing persecution. In all these activities, God's sovereignty and grace overrules, using them in disciplining the  believer, defeating the ungodly, and displaying God's righteousness.

 Demons work by:

Intimidation, Infiltration, Insinuation and Imitation (1 Peter 5:8, 2 Cor. 11:14; Gen. 3:1‑6)

Subversion, Diversion, Perversion (James 3:14‑17; 1 Tim. 4:1‑4)

Oppression (outside), Obsession (invades mind), Possession (takes over the person)

C. Marks of the Severely Demonized

Much of the confusion today about the work of demons has come from the King James Version’s translation of the Greek word “daimonizomai.”  as “possessed.” However, the literal meaning of the word is “to be demoned,” that is, to be in some way and to differing levels, under the influence or power of demons. This word should have been translated “demonized,” – “influenced by”, or “to have demons.”

The severely demonized person still has some control over his or her own life. The demonized man from the region of the Gerasenes met Jesus when he came across from Galilee; his coming forward to meet Jesus was perhaps an indication that he wanted healing.

Inhabiting demons exercise influence episodically, often precipitating epileptic‑like seizures with convulsions and other symptoms like rigidity, screaming, and foaming at the mouth. For example, when the demonized Gerasene saw Jesus, "he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice" (5:7). Sometimes the attacks are self‑destructive, and they may last for only a few minutes or go on for several days.

Evil spirits may actually reside in a severely demonized person. Scripture says that "many demons had gone into him" (Luke 8:30). They take over almost complete control of the person at will, even blotting out the person's consciousness. Sometimes the person may be unable to speak or hear (Mark 9:25; Luke 11:14). He or she becomes a slave to the demons, their tool.

Frequently a severely demonized person has unusual physical strength. "Many times it (the evil spirit) has seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places" (Luke 8:29; see also Acts 19:16).

The severely demonized person frequently projects a new personality. The demon speaks directly to others through the person it inhabits. The demon refers to itself in the first person, bystanders in the second person, and the person it is inhabiting int he third person. The man approached Jesus when he first came ashore, then the demon in him threw him down and begged Jesus not to torture it (5:27‑28).

A severely demonized person has a strong resistance and opposition to Jesus. "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" is what the demon said when Jesus came near (5:7).

A severely demonized person often has the ability to convey knowledge that the inhabited person did not have access to in his or her normal state. The man knew immediately who Jesus was, even though the man had never met him before. He also recognized Jesus' authority to cast the demon out ( Mark 5:7; Acts 16:16‑18).

Severely demonized people often speak with voices and languages other than their own. The man was described as "shouting at the top of his voice," an unnatural way to speak (v. 28). Many times I have witnessed people who spoke with strange voices-for example, women who spoke like men. Later, after a demon is cast out of them, they do not speak with that voice again.

Severely demonized persons are marked by moral depravity, depending on the personality of the demon who inhabits them. Frequently they go about naked. This man had "for a long time...not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs" (Lk. 8:27The Ministry of Deliverance – Mark 5:11-20

The Demon’s Confession – 5:7 - The demon’s confession in 5:7 answers the disciples’ question in 4:41. The demoniac knows who Jesus is, and he knows his future existence is at stake. His time has run out.

The title “Son of the Most High God” is nothing less than a recognition of Jesus’ deity. Still, “The full address is not a confession of Jesus’ dignity but a desperate attempt to gain control over him or to render him harmless, in accordance with the common assumption of the period that the use of the precise name of an adversary gave one mastery over him” (William Lane, Mark, 183-84). The demon actually appeals to God for protection, though his request will certainly not receive a positive response. Jesus has commanded him to come out and come out he will.

A Captive of Demons is Set Free – 5:15-16

The full impact of the control and horrifying grip this demon had on this man now becomes painfully evident (Mark 5:9-10). The demon gives his name as “Legion ... because we are many.” A legion is a contingency of 6, 000 Roman soldiers. This man was not possessed by just one demon but by thousands of demons working as one evil force. Captured by this alien army, his natural mind, will, and emotions had all but been destroyed. These soldiers of Satan had trampled his soul. His only hope was in a Deliverer whose power and authority were greater than what now possessed him. That Liberator was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In a microcosm of the battle between good and evil, Jesus gives a preview of the fate of Satan and his demons. The demons, through the voice of the man, keep begging Jesus not to send them out of the region. The tormentor is now the tormented as he contemplates his destiny. Luke 8:31 is more specific: “They begged Him not to banish them to the abyss,” a place of spiritual confinement before final, eternal judgment.

The demons attempt to bargain with Jesus. A large herd of pigs were there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Him, “Send us to the pigs.” Jesus complied, giving them permission to transfer hosts. The tormented man had met his Savior, his Deliverer.

He was Changed by Jesus - When the pigs ran down the mountain and killed themselves, the servants who were tending the herd went to town and told their masters what had happened. The townsfolk came to see for themselves. When they arrived, they heard all the details and they could see the evidence of a changed life right before their eyes. No longer is he running around, crying out and cutting himself. Now, he is calm and seated beside Jesus! What a change!

He was Clothed by Jesus - No longer is he naked, but now he is clothed! What we need to notice here is that what Jesus does in the heart of a man is ALWAYS worked out on the outside of a man, Matt. 12:35!)

He was Calmed by Jesus - We are told that he is in his right mind! Where there has been turmoil and agitation, there is now perfect peace! He has been changed spiritually, physically and mentally!

He was Commissioned by Jesus – 5:18-20 - Jesus wouldn’t permit this newly liberated man to get in the boat and go with him. Instead, he gave him a commission to go into the Decapolis – ten cities around where he lived - and tell them what great things the Lord had done for him. This is quite amazing in that the liberated, new believer had no follow up or formal discipling. Yet he took the assignment seriously with great impact and kingdom extension. How do we know? We read in In Mark 7:31, “Then he (Jesus) returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.”  His ministry there continues on into chapter 8 with many saved, healed, delivered from demons, and the feeding of 4000 people with seven loaves. In all probability part of the reason for Jesus success is due to the previous witness of the man delivered from a legion of demons.

Bringing the issue of evil supernaturalism up to the present, the fact is that Western Christians have been so desensitized to the supernatural that we usually don’t recognize evil when it’s staring us in the face. And as powerless Western churches debate demonic existence and activity, Western Culture continues its fascination with the supernatural especially with darkness and evil. Today the occult is the “in” thing and is growing in leaps and bounds. People are embracing Gothic darkness, demons, vampires, werewolves, mummies, zombies, the dark side of the force, ghosts, mediums, witches, etc., like never before. Based on recent studies, estimates for the number of practitioners of witchcraft in the U.S. is 1.5 to 2 million people identifying as Wiccan or pagan.

This fascination and attraction to the demonic is not all bad news for Christians. It means that people are turning from the emptiness of a humanistic, rationalistic, scientific approach to life and are open to the supernatural, even though it is in the kingdom of darkness that they naturally turn. This gives us an abundance of opportunities to proclaim and demonstrate that greater is He that is within us than he that is within the world.

The urgency of the times demands that we Christians repent of our unbelief, or better still the belief in our own abilities, and correct our ignorance of spiritual warfare and begin to walk in the authority and power of the gospel of God which alone is capable of dealing with the powers of darkness that so fatal attract and mercilessly oppress people today.

The Basic Tools Needed to Set the Captives Free:

Faith in the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus’ name - (Mt. 11:22-24;18;18-20);

Confidence in the power of His atoning blood – (Rev. 12:11);

Courage to claim and use our delegated authority in resisting evil – (Lk. 10:19);

Total trust in the immanent power of the Holy Spirit, and the availability of all the gifts of the Spirit!

Pastor Erlo Stegen, was white pastor who started a mission to the great Zula tribe in South Africa. After several years, with very little effort and much embarrassment at their powerlessness to deal with the demonized, they began a study the book of Acts and seeking the Lord for revival. Eventually God showed up in their lives and the little mission church. Just as with Jesus, the first person who came to church was a demonized woman. A witch came to Erlo Stegen, directed only by the Holy Spirit, and said: "I'm looking for Jesus. Can He set me free? I'm bound with the chains of hell. Can He break these chains?"

Pastor Stegen, along with five other co-workers, formed a circle around her and began to sing and pray. Suddenly the woman's eyes lit up with an evil glare, she writhed around like a wild animal that wants to attack and tear apart its prey. Then this woman began to make noises, first like many dogs barking, then it sounded as if a herd of pigs were screaming within her. There was no doubt that they were dealing with demon possession. Erlo Stegen commanded these evil spirits to leave her in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Then the voice of a man speaking in English, came from within her, refusing to leave. Erlo and his team continued to wrestle in prayer, struggling against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Then the evil spirits began to leave the woman with screams that sliced the air. The next moment her face was transformed, it shone like one who had already lived in the presence of the Lord for a long time. While joy shone from her eyes, she called out: "How wonderful! Jesus has set me free! He has broken the chains of hell!" Everyone was awestruck.

The Spirit of God had come into their midst in power. After months of searching the Scriptures, persevering in prayer, searching their hearts and confessing their sins, the moment had arrived when the fire of the Holy Spirit, for which they had desperately longed, was set ablaze in them.

From that time on, many people came to get right with the Lord. In the mornings, Pastor Erlo would come out to find over a hundred people in the front garden: witches, witchdoctors, demonized people, the desperate and the unsaved - people seeking help. Nobody had sent them - they just had the inner compulsion that they must go to Mapumulo to make get right with God. Many came with tears, most left with great joy.

The changes in so many lives was incredible. Thieves returned all that they had stolen, people made restitution. There were fire services, where witchcraft charms and fetishes, and occultic books and symbols were brought by the new converts and consigned to the flames.

In 1970, the Mission was moved to a farm called KwaSizabantu, situated between Kranskop and Mapumulo. Since that time, the Mission continues to grow and there has hardly been a day in all those years in which someone hasn’t been saved, delivered from demons, or healed in their bodies and they have never had a healing service or a deliverance ministry, or an evangelistic campaign!

At the name of Jesus, sins chains are broken, the captive set free!