Luke 8:26-29 - "Bound With Chains and Shackles"

Luke 8:26-39 tells us the story of the demon possessed maniac of Gadara who found deliverance from his bondage by the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Do you know anyone who is addicted to drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs, sex or pornography? They are caught up into an addiction they cannot break, they are enslaved in it, and it seems they have lost their minds, they are making terrible decisions, and literally they are on a pathway to death. Well, this passage gives us a vivid picture of such people.   When you read this story, we are the ones who must get in the boat with Jesus to go and tell people all around us who are in bondage to sin and Satan how they can be set free! And the only way they can be freed is through the power and message of the cross of Jesus, His crucifixion, His death, and His resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:18).   Luke 8:26-39, along with Matthew 8:28-34 and Mark 5:1-20 give us a pretty complete description of the effects of a person under the demonic powers of addictions of any kind. This man was violent, he was naked, he was homeless, he was cutting himself, he was “out of his mind”. He lived in the tombs, the place of death. Think of the multitudes of countless people who are living this way today all around us. We have the phenomenon of young people afflicting themselves with physical pain by cutting themselves on their arms to try to kill the emotional and mental pain and the sin pain they feel on the inside of their soul.   “He lived in the tombs” (v. 27). The Bible teaches us that a person without Christ is “dead in their trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). In 1 Timothy 5:6, Paul described a person living in pleasure as “dead while they live”. Proverbs 14:12 reminds us that, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”   This man was under the power of Satan, in bondage, and without any hope. “He was driven by demons into the wilderness”. A place of violence, corruption, wickedness, darkness, and predators (v. 29). People in this condition no doubt feel like the psalmist in Psalm 142:4 “I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.” They are in a deep dark hole and there is no way out and they think that no one cares.   The world has no cure for his man. They tried to keep him under guard, they bound him with chains and shackles. But with demonic supernatural power he broke them and was driven into the wilderness and his last condition was worse than his first. Usually that is what the cures of the world does for these people.   “But when he saw Jesus, he fell down before Him…” (v. 28). Mark’s Gospel says, “When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him” (Mark 5:6). When you run to Jesus you are running to the right Person. “He worshipped” which meant he acknowledge that only Jesus had the position, power, and authority to set him free. But immediately the demonic power put up a fight to keep residence in him. The demon then reveal his presence by speaking to Jesus and telling Him not to torment him.   James 2:19 tells us that the demons believe in God and tremble. When we accept the challenge and invitation of Jesus to get in the boat and go to the other side to bring the message of deliverance and salvation to the precious souls around us, we must realize that we will face demonic opposition. The devil does not give up his captives very easily. Paul tells us our task is: ”In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).     We can’t give up on anyone who is under the power and addictions of sin and Satan. We have the “Truth” and a greater power Who is on our side! His name is Jesus!   God bless!