Freedom From Terror

A couple of years ago, I teamed up with a brother in Christ to rewrite a small book he put together that covered the occult, demonic activity, the rise of satanic worship, and an example in Scripture of what he referred to as a "zombie". His definition was based on passages in Matthew 8, Mark 5, and Luke 8 where Jesus encountered a man who was possessed with multiple demons, making his home among the dead and corrupting flesh of the tombs. He also referred to those dead in their sins as spiritual "zombies" until brought to life by the Spirit of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the story of one such man (Mark 5:1-20).

When I was a new Christian back in the 1970's and Elvis was still touring, I began studying about the end times according to the Bible and the sinful state that the world would embrace and celebrate just before the Rapture of the church. This wickedness would further accelerate under the rule of the Antichrist. The Bible says that things would worsen, and now that I am in my "senior adult" years, the evil that I read about seems to be running the show worldwide. Satanism and its perverse harvest have engulfed just about everything, including the visible church. The infiltration of satanically inspired "Cultural Marxism" has become the rallying cry in the form of "woke-ness", "social justice", the open acceptance of alternative lifestyles in direct violation of God's Word, and the rot of "political correctness" that is causing people to live in fear lest someone gets "offended" and decides to start a riot or file a lawsuit.

The words of Isaiah 5:20-21, Matthew 24:3-14, Mark 13: 9-13, Luke 21:12-19, Romans 1:18-32, 3:10-18, and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 are more relevant than ever. The world is championing doctrines of demons, and "Legion" is having a field day. Yet, these evil spirits know that their time in this world is short, and the Lord Jesus Christ will keep His word to throw them into the abyss, along with the devil and those who follow him for all eternity (Matthew 25:41). The man who had been tormented by these spirits and freed by the Lord Jesus had a wonderful testimony to tell both his family and the community. It's too bad that it was not recorded, but in God's Sovereignty, we know it had an effect and brought about a hunger to hear more from Jesus later (Mark 5:19-20). Imagine that you are a guest in the man's home and hear the story for yourself? It probably went as follows:

"I don't really remember when the troubles started. It may have begun with the times I spent in the local temples giving sacrifices and incantations to the gods and goddesses for a good harvest, or protection from my enemies, or a host of concerns that were on my mind. Those Jews who live across the lake from us had spoken about the one true God according to rumors I had heard, but I knew that could not be the case. They tended not to associate with people who did not believe as they did, citing a need to avoid "uncleanliness" from those whom they saw as "pagan". There was so much in the world that no one god could have handled, and I dismissed such talk as their own form of superstition, or so I thought."

"I began to be fascinated by the rituals of the temple priests and their call to the gods and saw that their faces took on a different expression, as if they were in "contact" with the power the gods had. I wanted that same kind of euphoria and so I started calling on them, asking for the same power and wisdom I witnessed. That is when I felt something come upon me, and then in me, over and over again. My thoughts turned towards what would be considered evil by some. I ended up leaving my family and started running around the countryside, screaming in torment, terrifying everyone and possessing a strength that could not be restrained by anyone. I left the area and soon found myself enjoying the company of the dead, living in the caves where the bones and corruption of flesh seemed to be the ideal place for someone dead to family, friends, and hope like myself."

"Then I saw Him arriving on the shore with His friends. Intense hatred, rage, and anger filled me. The spirits had not been affected by the gods of my people, but this was different. They filled my mind with the thought of killing this Man, yet there was an intense fear that I felt. He was Someone whom I felt compelled not to terrorize, but to cower in terror over the authority and power He had within Him. The things within me knew HIs name and cried out to Him in fear, as if He held their fate in HIs hands. They called Him Jesus, "Son of Almighty God". I had heard them from within begging Him not to send them to what they knew was a place of intense punishment. He asked these creatures for their name. The voice within me said, "Legion, for we are many." He then commanded them to leave me. Instantly I felt forces leave my body that had done nothing but cause misery and sorrow. I saw the herd of pigs my neighbor was tending seem to go mad, as if suffering from a sudden plague upon them. They rushed to the lake and never came back up."