Worship Him! – Pastor Taiwo Odukoya

And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains… When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him.    – Mark 5:2,3&6

His case was totally hopeless.  At least, that was the conclusion from every possible human angle.  Although we are not told how long this mentally deranged and ferociously violent man in the country of the Gadarenes had been in that situation, medical experts must have done their best and concluded that there was no point trying anymore.  That made his relatives seek the best means to tame him.

Try as hard as they could however, no one was able to bring him under control.  He pulled apart every chain that was used to bind him and broke every shackle in pieces.  So much was the influence of evil spirits on him that he felt at home only in solitary places like the graveyard.  He was there night and day shouting and cutting himself with stones.  For all anyone cared, he was as good as dead.

Then Jesus, soon after stilling the storm, crossed over the sea to the country of the Gadarenes.  He was on a divine mission to prove to man that there is no impossibility with God, and that even the most wicked of demons were subject to His authority.

One would have expected that He would have some minutes to cool off and prepare for the task ahead when he got to the other side.  But that was not to be!  Our text says, “When He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit….”  And it was the same man whose mere appearance had sent cold shivers down the spine of everyone in that neighbourhood for years.

To the casual observer, the stage was set for an encounter that would leave Jesus and his disciples bruised and battered.  After all, no one had come out of any encounter with this man unscathed.  The hearts of many must have failed them as they saw the demon-possessed man running towards the Master.

Then the unimaginable, nay unbelievable, happened!  Instead of attacking Jesus, the mentally deranged fell on his face and worshipped Him.  Any wonder the scripture states, “…As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me….”? (Romans 14:11)   It was a clash of powers, and the lesser had to bow to the greater.  And all through history no power has been able to stand that of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Reason:  He made all things and His creation must bow to Him in worship.  Is it not amazing that the same man whose case everyone had termed impossible received his deliverance the moment Jesus gave the word?

Today that same power that torments evil spirits and sends them packing is still available.  It does not matter the area of your life you have been held bound by demons, I stand in the office of my calling and I torment every demon holding you bound, in the name of Jesus.  I break their hold, and I encourage you to receive your deliverance now, in Jesus’ name.

Remember, Isaiah 53:5 says, “…the chastisement of our peace was upon Him….”  For every kind of worry and confusion, receive your peace, in the name of Jesus.     First Peter 2:24 says, “…by His stripes you were healed.”  So, receive your healing now, in the name of Jesus.  And David said in Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.”  You will never beg for bread, in Jesus name.

Now, the beginning of your worship is your total submission to God. And you cannot truly submit to Him without accepting His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour. Will you surrender your life to Him today?