I love to think of the example given in scripture of God the Father and Jesus, His son, being surrounded by dazzling brightness and light. Angel messengers when they come to earth are depicted also as coming in dazzling brightness, and always coming for the good of the person they are revealing themselves unto. Unlike the many depictions of Satan and his angels being clothed in black, with pitchforks, they were in heaven once in clothes of light, and can still appear in white, as if from heaven. They however come in the clothing of light in order to deceive people into thinking they represent Jesus and they do not come with the good of the person as their ultimate intention.
There are still many peoples that live today, who are in the darkness of fear and constant superstition, without happiness and peace. There is a powerful example given in three of the gospels, of the extreme outworking of the powers of darkness in the life of a person/s. Jesus had travelled to the other side of the sea, and had arrived at the country of the Gadarenes. Mark 5: 2 “And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.”
It is so wonderful, that the power of God, is so much stronger than the power of darkness, and could through His Spirit could shine a ray of hope, into the darkened, spirit deranged mind of the slave of darkness, so that he recognized Jesus for who He was; as one deserving worship. The controlling forces within, also recognized Jesus and made themselves known, V 6 – 10 “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!’ Then He asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he answered, saying, ‘My name is legion, for we are many.’ For some reason, the spirits (who could not resist the power of God) did not want to be sent out of the country, and instead asked to be go into the nearby heard of pigs, very shortly thereafter the spirits, caused the destruction of all the pigs: which is in keeping with how the forces of darkness operate. V” And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.” This of course did not please those in charge of the pigs, or other nearby people when they were told of this supernatural event.
As always when God intervenes and His light comes into the mind and heart of a person, sanity with purpose returns; bringing peace and heart devotion toward the/our divine Redeemer. V15 “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed in his right mind. And they were afraid.” How often we born in sin, become afraid of the unknown, and do not comprehend, that God has been at work, and reject what He has for each who will believe and accept; and this was the case at Gadarenes; after all no human could explain, the dramatic change in the previously violently deranged man, or the sudden mad dash of 2000 pigs, down a ‘steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.’ V 17 “Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.” This of course was not the reaction of the man set free from demon possession, for he just wanted to learn more of the message of light and love that Jesus spoke and embodied. V 18, 19 “And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to Him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.’”
How easy it would have been for this barely converted worshiper of Jesus, to follow around, learning more and basking in His presence. Jesus showed by not allowing this man to do this, that within each person, devotion and committment grows with the personal sharing of our experiences with Jesus, and in turn provides the opportunity for other people, to open their hearts to the life changing message of the gospel. V20 “And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, all marveled.”
Be my strength and power Jesus, for I desire that nothing constrain me from telling others what You mean to me and have to offer them also.