ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

Today’s Bible Verse

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.  For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”

Mark 5:6-8 (NKJV)

About How Long Does It Take?

The description of the demoniac in Mark 5:1-20, is one of the most pitiful and wretched of anyone mentioned in scripture up to that point.  The description is raw and brutal, a picture of torment, bondage, and despair.  People tried to subdue him, yet even chains could not restrain him.  Having lost complete control of his mind, he is inhabited, possessed, and oppressed by demons.  Without rest and without sleep, day and night he wanders by himself in the mountains, howling and crying out in his pain and despair.  Without peace of mind, he beats himself repeatedly with rocks.  His body is battered, adorned with scars, bruises, open wounds, dirt and dried blood.  His is filthy and unkept, a terror to himself and to others.  Without friends or family, he lives among the tombs.  Even in life he is relegated to the land of the dead.  He is a man without peace, without a home, and without hope.  

After reading this text and getting a revelation of this man’s description, I began to ask myself how long did the devil have this young man in bondage?  How long had he been tormented?  How long was he in such a state of despair?  How long had he been in hiding?  How long was this man put on display before his entire region as a trophy of hell? 

As I began to consider this thought, the Holy Spirit immediately stopped me and said, “You are asking the wrong question! When this man encountered Jesus, he was immediately set free, healed, and delivered!!  You should be asking, about how long did that take?” 

About as long as it took Jesus to say, “Come out of him, you unclean spirit” — which in my estimation was only a few seconds — is ALL it took.  What took hell years to build, accomplish, and model, Jesus dismantled and put a stop to; and it only took a few seconds.  

Sometimes, we find ourselves still putting up with hurts, disappointments, and discouragements from our past, and so many years can go by while we remain in bondage, in torment, and in hiding, just like the man in the tombs.  All the while, God is saying to us, if you would just humble yourself before me, choose to recognize my presence, worship me, and let me in, I can change it ALL in just a matter of seconds.  I can heal you in a matter of seconds.  I can deliver you and set you free in a matter of seconds.  I can change you and send you out to be a witness in just a matter of seconds. (Marques Farmer)

An Uncommon Life

Sometimes we fail to see our significance to God.  But God knows our name, our story, and how significant we truly are.  There was a storm raging within this man.  Jesus knew about storms, having just come out of a violent storm right off the coast of the Galilean Sea (Mark 4:35-40).  Jesus knew that within this man was an equally violent storm that needed to be calmed and commanded to cease.  Jesus understood this man’s significance, that once healed and set free, he would be the key to delivering an entire region of people from their unclean and troublesome past.  The demoniac wasn’t the only one in bondage, in chains, and in need of deliverance; the entire region of Decapolis was in need of the gospel.  Before Jesus decided to send out 70 followers two-by-two (Luke 10:1), and long before he appointed the 12 disciples and sent them out into the harvest fields (Matt 10:1), he sent this man out among the gentiles – a restored demoniac who lived among pagans, who only knew Jesus from this one encounter, whose life was changed in just a matter of seconds.  It says something about God that seconds after this man’s spirit, soul and body was restored, he was chosen and commanded to GO and be a witness to the power of God.  And he wasn’t equipped with much — just a few seconds of a testimony of what Jesus had done for him, and what the mercy of God had shown him.

Today’s Declaration

I am a testimony of God’s delivering power!  My past is behind me!  I am a new creation in Christ Jesus.  He healed me, set me free, and set me apart for His glory.  I declare that I am significant to God!  I have been sent out amongst my generation to make a difference in my community, in my state, and in my nation!  Many will encounter and come to know Jesus in just a matter of seconds by the power of my testimony and the surrendering of their hearts in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Today’s Bible Verse

  • Old Testament: 1 Samuel 26-28; Psalms 106:1-23
  • New Testament: Mark 13:1-13; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?