Then Along Came Jesus
Scripture - Mark 5:1-20
Just like yesterday's passage, today we see Jesus having an encounter with someone society considered an outcast. This man's situation seemed hopeless and helpless to the human eye. Here we have a man possessed and tormented by demons, so much so he was sent to live in a graveyard because no one could help him. Not only that, but he was so tormented he resorted to self-torchure (v. 5).
Can you imagine being so mentally, spiritually and emotionally damaged that you resort to harming yourself? It must have been tough for this man. I'm sure he felt trapped in his own body and mind with no hope for help. Then along came Jesus!
In today's society people are still being tormented by "demons". We call this mental illness whether by chemical imbalance, traumatic events, or other means. So many people struggle day in and day out to find peace and harmony within only to be heavily medicated or told there's no hope for them. I've heard of situations where doctors, therapists and even preachers have told people nothing more could be done to help them gain their mental health back and pretty much wrote them off.
But none of that is an issue for Jesus. It didn't matter then and it doesn't matter today. Jesus is not bothered by what mental illness tries to attach itself to you - clinical depression, fatigue, a.d.h.d., a.d.d., alzheimer's, bipolar disease, postpartum depression, you name it. Jesus is not limited by your mental or physical circumstances.
The man in today's passage was physically unkempt, physically harmed, untamed and naked. But none of that stopped Jesus from healing Him, and although you may not be in the same condition as this man, your mental capacity doesn't stop Jesus from healing you too.
The Bible says in Isaiah 53:3-5, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.” That's not just talking about physical healing but mental healing as well.
Remember, greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), and Jesus has the Name above all names (Philippines 2:8-11) so that the name of any dis-ease be it mental or physical will bow under subjection to him.
Get this... Jesus healed this “demon-possessed” many so completely, the same people who made the man an outcast couldn't understand how Jesus had healed him so they pleaded with Him to leave their town (v. 17). Only Jesus can heal to that capacity. And because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), He can and will do the same thing for you. Have faith and believe.
Journal
- Whether you've been affected by mental illness or you know someone who has, spend time in prayer today asking God to heal you (or someone else) completely. Call out specific names of people and dis-eases and lay them lay them at the feet of Jesus.
- Look up as many Scriptures you can find on healing and write them down in your journal. Choose one each week to commit to memory and quote it as often as possible. This is how you will build your faith for healing (Romans 10:17).
Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. -Psalm 30:2, HCSB
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