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Help for the Tempted
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Jesus rebuked the demon, saying, “Hold thy peace, and come
out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he
came out of him, and hurt him not.”
Mark 1:24
;
Luke 4:35
.
The cause of this man’s affliction also was in his own life. He
had been fascinated with the pleasures of sin, and had thought to
make life a grand carnival. Intemperance and frivolity perverted the
noble attributes of his nature, and Satan took entire control of him.
Remorse came too late. When he would have sacrificed wealth and
pleasure to regain his lost manhood, he had become helpless in the
grasp of the evil one.
In the Saviour’s presence he was roused to long for freedom; but
the demon resisted the power of Christ. When the man tried to appeal
to Jesus for help, the evil spirit put words into his mouth, and he
cried out in an agony of fear. The demoniac partially comprehended
that he was in the presence of One who could set him free; but when
he tried to come within the reach of that mighty hand, another’s will
held him; another’s words found utterance through him.
The conflict between the power of Satan and his own desire for
freedom was terrible. It seemed that the tortured man must lose
his life in the struggle with the foe that had been the ruin of his
manhood. But the Saviour spoke with authority and set the captive
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free. The man who had been possessed stood before the wondering
people in the freedom of self-possession.
With glad voice he praised God for deliverance. The eye that
had so lately glared with the fire of insanity now beamed with intel-
ligence, and overflowed with grateful tears. The people were dumb
with amazement. As soon as they recovered speech they exclaimed
one to another, “What is this? a new teaching! with authority He
commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
Mark
1:27
, R.V.
Deliverance for Those in Need Today
—There are multitudes
today as truly under the power of evil spirits as was the demoniac of
Capernaum. All who willfully depart from God’s commandments
are placing themselves under the control of Satan. Many a man
tampers with evil, thinking that he can break away at pleasure; but
he is lured on and on, until he finds himself controlled by a will
stronger than his own. He cannot escape its mysterious power. Secret