Possessed by Devils, Now Possessed by Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about being saved from sin?

The Bible teaches that all humans are in need of salvation from sin, which is found only in Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, all men, women, and children are sinners and desperately need saving. Romans 3:23 states, 'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' The hope for salvation is found solely in Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). As Paul Mahan noted, Christ's mission was to seek and save the lost, and no one is beyond His reach when it comes to His grace and mercy.

Q: How do we know that God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

God's sovereignty in salvation is affirmed throughout Scripture, showing that He determines who will be saved. The sovereignty of God in salvation is a central theme in Scripture, emphasizing that salvation is not dependent on human will but on God's divine purpose. Ephesians 1:4-5 states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, which illustrates His preordained plan for salvation. Paul Mahan highlights that all our Lord’s actions were preordained, emphasizing that salvation comes from God alone and not from human effort or merit. The biblical doctrine reflects that all whom the Father has given to Christ will come to Him (John 6:37), showing God's absolute control in the redemptive process.

Q: Why is personal repentance important in Christian life?

Personal repentance is essential because it signifies acknowledgment of sin and one's need for God's mercy. Personal repentance is crucial as it reflects a heart transformed by the recognition of one’s sinfulness and the need for God's forgiveness. Scripture teaches that 'unless you repent, you will all likewise perish' (Luke 13:3), demonstrating the necessity of repentance in the salvation process. Paul Mahan emphasizes that true repentance is granted by God and results in the acknowledgment of the truth, leading to spiritual recovery (2 Timothy 2:25). Therefore, a repentant heart is vital for the believer as it fosters a deeper relationship with Christ and aligns one’s life with His righteousness.

Q: What is the significance of Christ's power over evil spirits?

Christ's authority over evil spirits demonstrates His divine nature and ability to deliver from sin and bondage. The encounters Christ had with evil spirits reveal His supreme authority and power over the forces of darkness. In Mark 5, Christ's command to unclean spirits to come out of a possessed man illustrates His dominion and power to deliver those bound by sin and evil. The passage emphasizes that regardless of how lost or possessed one may be, Christ can set them free. Paul Mahan stresses that when a stronger than the evil one intervenes, deliverance and salvation occur, showcasing the transformative power of Jesus Christ. This truth brings hope not only to those who are spiritually oppressed but also asserts that He has defeated sin and death.

Q: How can we identify true conversion in a person's life?

True conversion is marked by a transformed life that desires to follow Christ and share His gospel. True conversion is identifiable through observable changes in a person's life after they encounter Christ. As Paul Mahan explains, a converted individual will exhibit a desire to be with Christ and share their testimony of His grace. In Mark 5, the formerly possessed man is found sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, which signifies a complete reversal from his previous state. This transformation is rooted in God's mercy, demonstrating that the truly converted remain engaged in their faith and are eager to witness the transformative work of Christ to others, affirming the reality of their encounter with the Savior.

Go back with me now please to Mark chapter 5. Gospel of Mark chapter 5. Three stories in this chapter. Amazing what all the Lord did in one day. This all took place in one day. His whole life, every waking hour was spent with Him He said, seeking and searching for his lost sheep. Three stories of the Lord saving three people, a man, a woman, and a young girl.

All of them were desperate. All of them were helpless, seemingly hopeless. But Christ came. There are no people, men, women, or children who are too far gone, too lost, too sinful. This first story tells us that. But all men, women, and children are desperate, helpless in themselves, and hopeless, and the only hope is Jesus Christ.

Everyone, every man, woman, and child in this room needs saving, whether we know it or not. So I pray with David of old who said, oh, visit us with thy salvation. Visit that. This story of this man began in chapter four, verse 35 look at chapter 4 verse 35 the same day when the evening was come He saith unto his disciples let us pass over unto the other side He entered a ship and said we're crossing over and They didn't know where he was going or what he was doing and he didn't tell them why and They were to get in the ship and cross over the Sea of Galilee. It's 15 miles what it was.

He didn't tell them, nor does our Lord give an account of his matters to anybody. We are to just submit and bow and follow him. We don't know what a day brings forth, do we? The Lord put them through a storm. They thought they were all going to die. What a beautiful picture that was.

But the Lord knew where he was going and what he was doing. And he gave this command, let us pass over. Christ and our Lord did this because he was to meet a man on the other side. That man didn't know the Lord was coming. Nobody knew, but the Lord did. That man wasn't, looking for Christ and calling on Christ. No, no, no, no, no. You read with me. But our Lord purposed to go across that ocean a long way just to save this one man. Is he worth saving? No, he's not. Nobody is. Men say things, everybody deserves a chance to be saved. That's not so.

Men, women, and children are rebels against God. They give God no thought. They live a whole life without thinking about God, without thanking God. God does everything for us, and we hardly give Him a thought until we get in trouble. And then call on him and expect he'd just drop everything and wait on us. We bite the hand that feeds us and on and on it goes. That was me, wasn't it? But God. But he didn't deserve to be saved. But the Lord is the Savior. He's merciful. He's gracious. He came into this world to save sinners. What is a sinner? It's a person that doesn't deserve saving. Doesn't deserve to live. Live for yourself. Well, he said, let us pass over.

Christ is the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Christ was sent by God. He came into this world to save sinners, and this was purposed by God before the world began. Every single step our Lord took, every single word he spoke, every single deed he did, every single person he saved was preordained, predestined.

Most people don't like that. Well, it's true. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. All right. He said, I declare the end from the beginning, things that are not yet done, saying, this is what I'm going to do. And I'm glad. Aren't you glad God is God?

If he purposes to save, they're going to be saved. That's our only hope for our lost, possessed children and friends and people. Christ was sent by the father. He said, all that the father giveth me, Shall come unto men. So he's crossing over and lo and behold, here came a man. Look at verse one of chapter five. Read with me again.

He came over on the other side of the sea, the country of the Gadarene. This was heathen country. And when he came out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit dwelling among the tombs. No man could bind him, not with chains, because he'd been bound often with fetters and chains, and chains had been plucked asunder by him, and fetters broken in pieces, neither could any tame him. And always, night and day, that's where he was, in the mountains, in the tomb, crying and cutting himself with stone, but when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran, and the other gospels say he fell down at the feet of Christ and worshiped him.

All that the Father giveth me, Christ said, shall come unto me, and him that cometh to me. See, we won't come unless Christ comes to us. We won't come unless Christ calls us. Unless God is ordained, we won't come. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and he that cometh to me I don't know why I was cast out.

Our Lord purposed this. He had an eternal appointment with this man. He had eternally appointed this meeting with this man, a man he must save. Came into the world to save sinners. In his, John 10, he said, other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. So this man was possessed and he saw the Lord afar off and he ran and fell down and worshiped Him.

Now brothers and sisters, men, women, young people, every knee is going to bow. Most people in the world, you know, they know about this Jesus fella, and they all talk about God and everything, but most people say, no, I'll not have him reign over me.

I know God for me. I'm not going to do it. Well, this is what God has purposed and God has sworn. He said, I swear. God said it. I swear. I've sworn that unto me every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he's Lord, that he's God. When it's all over, everybody, most people are going to reluctantly be forced to say that, to bow the knee. Salvation is for God to do it to us now. Now, willingly, thy people shall be willing. When? When will we fall at his feet? When will we bow and confess and confess Christ in the day of his power? What is his power? The word, the gospel. Christ is the power of God, the salvation.

He ran to him. This man ran to him, brothers and sisters, young people. Run. Run now. Flee this city of destruction. Flee. Run for your lives to Jesus Christ. Do you hear me? Run. Run. And it says he cried with a loud voice, verse 7. Cried with a loud voice. What about to do with thee, Jesus? Do you know that all mankind is going to hear a loud voice one day? The scripture says, with the voice of the archangel. The trump shall sound. I was determined not to lift up my voice this morning. Just so you can know I can do it. But this is urgent. We know when a message is urgent. You know, when you're preaching from the heart, have you ever spoken to your children and you were so urgent and earnest with them? Did you raise your voice? Did you ever? But every human being is going to hear a voice, a voice of the archangel, and he's going to say, he's here. Loud voice. Trump shall sound. He's here. Voice of an archangel.

Oh, may we cry unto him like this man. Oh, may we say like this man, may we say here, oh Lord, when I cry with my voice, let us cry now. Have mercy upon me. Listen to Psalm 28. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock. Be not silent to me, lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit, like the swine. Don't leave me alone. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hand. Draw me not away with the wicked. O Lord, save me or I perish. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. This man cried with a loud voice.

This man was possessed with demons and devil. And no doubt, demon possession and devil being filled with demons and devils does make people do wild and, you know, become you know, raving lunatics and, and, you know, you've seen these people in asylums and all that. And modern man gives them medical, uh, you know, prog, uh, medical term, you know, bipolar. Brothers and sisters, the gospel, the scriptures only talks about being possessed by the spirit of God or possessed by an unclean spirit. And all men and women and young people, according to this book, are held captive by the God of this world at his will.

And they do his bidding. You turn to Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2. So many of you know these. This man was trying to destroy himself. And I'm to preach, I'm to those that are trying to destroy themselves. If God peradventure, Paul said, maybe God, maybe it's up to him completely. It's his decision. It's not ours. It wasn't this man's decision.

If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that they may be recovered out of the snare of the devil that are taken captive by him at his will. Now that's what this book said, doesn't it? And those who were held captive by him know it so. The only ones that know this is true are those that have been delivered.

In Ephesians 2, look at it, read it with me. Verse one, and you, speaking of God's people saved, that were dead and trespassed in sin, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world. according to the prince of the power of the air, that is, his control, his rule. The spirit, the evil, unclean spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation or life in times past. What were you doing? What does he make you do? What do you want? What did you want to do? This is all you want to do. The lust of the flesh, fulfilling desires of the flesh and the mind. By nature, the children of wrath, even as others. Wrath, mad at who? Mad at God. in love with yourself and haters of God. Go back to our text in Mark chapter 5.

The only hope of someone who is in the control of the God of this world, and our Lord said this, And you know, people mock and scoff about all talk about Satan. Yeah, they do. They say that's just the belief of ignorant mountain people that don't have any education either. Those people that all they believe is the Bible. Well, guilty. All I believe is the Bible. But to deny this is to call Jesus Christ a liar.

And I believe him. Here's what he said, and he spoke more of Satan than anybody. Why? Because he knows him. Because he controls Satan. Because Satan can only do what the Lord allows him to do. You remember Simon Peter? He said to Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired thee to sit you that way. Didn't he? Now the Lord met Satan first thing when he turned 30 years old.

And he kept telling the disciples, he's coming and I'm going to deal with him on the cross. The woman's seed. And I need to get back. But our only hope is, and our Lord said this, when a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace. That's Satan. Has people in captivity. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, Almost lifted my voice. When a stronger than he comes upon and overcomes him, you and I are no match for no preachers in a match.

It was a, in the book of Acts, there was some fellows who took it upon themselves to do exorcism. You see all this on, on movies and all that. That's Hollywood. In scriptures, there were some fellas, some sons of Siva, who took it upon themselves to try to cast out demons. And you know what happened? The demons got ahold of them, stripped all their clothes off, and they went running naked. These demons said, Jesus we know, and Paul we know, and who are you? And they come.

And men and women and young people are no match for this adversary. Eve was no match. But when a stronger than he, this is the only hope, comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor that he trusted, and he takes his spoils from him. This is why David over and over in the scriptures says, deliver me from mine enemies. There are many. What's your name? Legion. They're stronger than me. They're lively, Lord. I'm no match for them. Help me. A man among the tombs, this man was among the tombs, he was living with the dead. That's what we just read in Ephesians to him. You hath he quickened who were dead.

Tell me, how much did you think about you whom the Lord has dealt with? How much did you think about God before you heard Christ? How much Did you call on God ever? Did you thank the Lord? Did you walk with God? Did you want to hear the gospel? Did you come worship the Lord?

No, no, no. You were far off. It's the last thing you wanted to do. Dead. Dead. Alive to the things of this world. Look at verse 7. He cried with a loud voice and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, thou torment me not. Before the Lord takes possession of you. And you're in this world, and you're dead to the things of God, and you're very much alive to lust the flesh, lust the eyes, pride of life, the things of the world, doing what everybody else does, bound, captive.

I was in the 60s and 70s, a hippie generation, and that was a time of free, free, free, free. We're free, oh yeah, right. free love, and free spirit, and we're all free, and we're all so, look, look, look at what they did. Look at what we did. This whole mess started with my generation. Yes, it did. It just got worse, and the Lord's taken his hand off this world. That's when it started. Before that, in the 50s, some semblance of God fearing people, some semblance of respect, some semblance of respect for authority and all that. But the 60s and 70s, my generation, free. Oh man, we ran wild. captive, following everybody else. And like those swine, we're headed over a cliff. But God, this is one wild man. This is one fellow that the Lord took hold of him.

How about you? But you know when before the Lord takes possession of you and the gospel takes hold of your heart, the truth, it's torment to you. This fella said, don't torment me. Didn't he? Don't torment me. You know the true church where the gospel is preached, and this is one of them, and not many. There are few and far between. Just a man standing up, declaring the truth of God. That's all we do, isn't it? You've been here many times. This is all we do. There's no fun and games. There's no frivolity. There's no entertainment. There's nothing but the preaching of the truth of God, the word of God.

And the preaching of the truth, the truth of God is called a sword, a fire, and a hammer. It goes right to the heart. The truth goes to the heart. I'm preaching to men's heart. I'm not trying to entertain people. I'm hoping and praying that the Spirit of God will convict people of sin and cause them to run to Jesus Christ. It's that desperate. It's that urgent. That's why we do it every single time. Men, women, and children. The Word of God exposes the heart of man. People don't want their consciences That men, women, and people don't want...

I remember plainly, we were inviting, talking to a neighbor, some neighbors, and we talked to all of them. But this couple had two young boys, and they came. They finally came, and sat on the back row, because people want to get as far away from this preaching as they can. And I remember the look on their faces, like, This is too serious. I remember that. Well, this is, you know, this is convicting me. I didn't come for that.

Religion is fun. With all its programs and family fun and music and food festivals. It's fun. Come have fun. We're not here to have fun. We need to hear from God. We need to meet Christ. And the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. You don't sneak the truth up on people.

You take it like a fire and a hammer and a sword, don't you? There you are. That's what we need, isn't it? Yes, it did. I did. This young, wild rebel. Well, he said, don't torment me. This is torment. I remember. For the Lord took possession of me. I remember thinking, do I have to go? This is torment. What happened to this man? This is how you know the Lord's taking possession of you when it's all over. It ain't torment. It's the joy and rejoicing of his soul. It's only going to happen when the Lord gives the command.

And yet this man ran. So I say, run, call. He cried, didn't he? He cried. And the Lord said this to him in verse 8. This is what the Lord said to him. Come out of the man. Thou unclean spirit, you're unclean. That's what the Lord has to say to us lepers.

You're not gonna hear a true preacher of the gospel stand up and tell you when you come that you are glad to see you, and sure are glad to have you, and God is glad to see you, and glad you're here, and church can't be church without you. You're not gonna hear a true preacher of the gospel ever say that. Yes, the church could be church without you. It could be church without me. God doesn't need me.

But you're gonna hear a man stand up and say, you're unclean. You're a worm, you're a dog. You're a rebel, you're a leper, you're lost, you're blind, you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. That's what the scripture said. That's what God said to that church in the Laodicean. You don't know it, but you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, and you can't do anything for yourself. So I'm not gonna ask you to do anything for God. I'm gonna beg God to do something for you. And this is what God uses. This is exactly, well, people won't come if you tell them they're dogs. Oh, yes, they will tell you. Oh, yes, they will too.

That woman, Syro-Phoenician woman came and the Lord ignored her. Ignored her. And then he told her, I'm just come for the elect. And then he said, it's not fit to give this to dogs. He called her a dog. You know what she said? You see, this is one of the Lord's sheep. This is one of his elect.

And she has come because he's called her. And he that cometh to him cried, no wise cast out. And they're not going to leave. Because he called him. And her one word response to everything he said, ignoring her, calling, saying it's only for the elect. Well, maybe I'm not elect. That doesn't keep you from calling. But then you're a dog. And she said, truth. It's all true. Everything you said is true.

I don't deserve for you to hear me. I didn't hear you for years. You called and called and called, and I didn't hear you. I was possessed with other things, obsessed with other things. I had no thoughts of God. And no, I'm not worthy to receive this. I'm unworthy. And yes, I'm a dog. But even the dogs get crumbs. Please just give me a little mercy, a little grace.

And he did. Our Lord said, come out. You know what the Lord does when he finds you in Captivity, he's gonna have to call you out. Out of darkness. Christ said, this is condemnation. Light is coming to the world. Men love darkness rather than light. The light, the truth exposes men and women for what they really are. Tells us who God is, dwelling in light which no man can approach, isn't it? A consuming fire. But that's not my God. That's right, you're in darkness.

But when the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shine, the person and work of Christ, is that all y'all do? That's all there is. Christ is all, really. for men, women, and children, these three people, it was one hope for all of them, one hope, these three, for these three, and it was one, Jesus Christ. So that's why we preach Christ. That's all we do. That's all we do. Hoping, praying.

And the Lord said, come out, out of darkness, out of death to life, out of the tombs. Church means called out. That's what the name means. I don't have to go to church to be saved. Yes, you do too. If you're called out, you will be with the church. Because those that are with Him in Revelation say they're called, chosen, and faithful. What does that mean? They're sitting at His feet worshiping Him until the day He comes. They've been called. Called out. Come out. Come out. Out of religion. They had tried to bind this man. They had put fetters and chains on him. Nobody could tame him. This is a picture of people that get religion. People get obsessed with drink or drug or whatever, you know, they're wild and some, they get religion.

They go to a meeting and, and, you know, and, and he goes, runs down front to an altar and, and, and everybody cries over him and the preacher tells him he's saved and he's baptized and all that. And you're saved and sure for heaven is if you're already there and on and on it goes.

And this happened. How many in here, something like that happened to you? There's one. It will admit it. It happens all the time. There's another one. There's another one. That's not how God saved people. No, no. But they try to bind them. Then these people get religion and they quit this and they quit that. And they get rules and regulations and law. They put them under the law and they bind them with these chains to try to keep this devil at bay. Keep them from going back. Touch not, taste not, handle not, quit this, and they get real zealous for the truth and for their religion and all that.

I got saved. Now, liquor's never touched my lips again. Won't happen. That's not, reformation's not salvation. Quitting habits and this and that and the other's not salvation. Being bound and, you know, keeping yourself, keeping yourself, that's not salvation.

It's meeting Jesus Christ. It's knowing Jesus Christ. It's worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is quite often the case as with homeschooled children and people that go to so-called Christian schools, that their parents put them there to keep, tried to bind them and put them under. Okay. And just soon as they're out, and some of you probably seen this, they go wild. You can't hold them in much longer. That's a fact. That's a fact. Come out. Come out from among. Come out of religion.

You must go to him without the camp. You don't go to summer camp. You come to Christ without the camp. He's not in that camp. He's not in religion. He's not in organized religion. No, he's not. It's fun and games and food and family and all that. I read these brochures that are sent me, advertising to bring our kids to these camps, and God's name is not in it. And that means God's not in it. And that's not how God's saved, by bribing people and making them have fun, and then we'll slip in the gospel. No, he's not.

He makes people come and sit and shut up, and a man with a word from God preaches it with authority. And if God is pleased, He'll break their heart, give their repentance, they'll come to Christ. They won't come down front. They'll come to Christ. We have an altar and it ain't down here. It's in glory. It's a person. It's not a place. It's not a thing. It's a person. We come to Christ. Brother Scott used to say, come to Christ, but don't move a muscle. That's flesh. All that's flesh. Look at how many souls Billy won to Jesus. He didn't win one. Not one. It's not man's decision. It's not the preacher's power. It's up to Jesus Christ completely. He said, come out. Come out. Called him out of darkness into his marvelous light. A man possessed by demons. Possessed.

Well, how do you know that someone who's been possessed by demons is finally possessed by Jesus Christ. How do you know when the Lord really saves someone? But first of all, let me look at this, because this is maybe a mystery to you. Verse 10, this devil and this fellow besought Christ. You see, they can't do anything unless the Lord Tells them. You see that? That's the God of this. That's Jesus. Jesus is God. He does as he will, with whom he will, because he will. He's head of all principalities and powers. Satan takes orders from Jesus Christ. He can't do anything unless Jesus Christ go. Get. Come. Sit. Like a dog. Aren't you glad? Why would you want a Jesus that can't do anything unless men and devils?

Anyway, it says in verse 10, they besought him that he would not send them out of the country. See, the Lord is calling this man out of the tombs. He's calling him out of darkness into his marvelous light. He's calling him from death to life. He's calling him out of the world. He's calling his people out of the world. But that old man in there doesn't want to leave this world.

Right? He said, come out from among them. Be you separate. Be my people. Like Moses was in Egypt. Remember? And then the fullness of time came. Moses met the Lord at the burning bush, which is Christ crucified. He saw him. The Lord saved him then. And then Moses didn't want to go back to Egypt. I don't want to be with those people anymore. They hate God. You're gonna see here. We did, we read it. These people didn't want the truth. They didn't want Christ around. But they want to go back, and that old man of you wants to go back to the world, doesn't he? Doesn't he? Be honest. And look at verse, and this is a mystery.

Verses 11 and following, there were a great herd of swine feeding. The devils besought him, send us into the swine that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave, he said. He sent them. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine. And the herd, there were 2,000 of them, ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and they were choked. They were drowned in the sea.

Brothers and sister, Swine in scripture, and our Lord spoke of them, are unclean animals. They're often mentioned. Our Lord mentioned them. Cast not your pearls before swine. They'll trample them underfoot. Swine are unclean animals. They live in filth. They love filth. And that's mankind. Everybody by nature loves sin. So he has a dirty mind. Everybody does until the Lord puts them in the right mind. Yes, they wallow in filth, they wallow in, look at this world.

And if you wash them, and Luke 11 talks about that, the spirit going out of a person and cleaning and sweeping the room, and seven more spirits come back and they're worse than they ever was. That's those that just get religion and Christ doesn't take possession of it.

You can wash a pig and you can make him look pretty good and smell pretty good and put a bow on and call her Bessie or something. She's still a pig and she's going to go back and water in that mud. Now a sheep, what's the difference? A sheep called clean animal. A sheep eats one thing, grass. What do pigs eat? Anybody ever had pigs?

Sure you have. What do they eat, Ron? Everything. Throw something in there. They call it slop. They'll just, and they wallow in it. Isn't that mankind? Wasn't that some of you? And such were some of you. What happened? You made your decision? Oh, no. The Lord came calling through the gospel. But they'll wallow in it and wallow in it. A sheep may fall into the pit. A sheep may get dirty, a sheep. But you know the difference? They don't love it. They want out. And the Lord, because they're his sheep, comes along every time and pulls them back out. Deliver them from going down. You back in that pit again, sheepy? Sally, you're back there again? In the dirt and the muck and the mire and the filth? You wanna go back to Egypt again? No, no, you're not going to. And he lifts you out. Well, how do you know?

Well, look at this. They came to Jesus. It came, verse 15. And they saw him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting. Where's he sitting? He's sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, listening. You're sitting here this morning, some of you came by choice, most of you, I guess, and maybe some did not, but it's the best place you could be. And hopefully the Spirit of God has brought you here to sit and hear the Master's voice. to hear from the Lord Jesus Christ. This man, how you know that the Lord is taking possession of him, is before this he said, don't torment me, leave me alone. Leave me alone, let me go back to the tombs. No, you're coming with me. And you'll find them sitting. Isn't that what Ephesians 2, we didn't read the rest of it.

Doesn't it say, but God. He was rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. Even when we were dead in sin, that quickened us together with Christ. It's by grace you save. That's not an offer, that's an act. By grace you save. Yay. And has made us to sit together in heavenly places. Sit. Look. He is in a place now by choice. willing, wanting, desiring, loving, sitting, hearing the gospel, which at one time was torment to him. This is how you know. Sitting. Sitting. Seated with Christ in the heaven. Sitting.

Look at this. He's clothed. In the other two gospels, it said he was naked. He's running around naked. Boy, if that doesn't describe our generation. Huh? No shame, no modesty. The angels, people listen to me, young people listen to me, girls. The angels before the presence of God wear long robes and they cover their face in humility. They cover their lower parts in modesty.

But those who have, you know, filled with uncleanness love to run naked like heathen in the jungle. He's in the mountains in the jungle. We need to be clothed, don't we? Our sins need to be covered, don't we? How is a man clothed? How is a man? And the word clothed actually means covered. He wasn't running naked. Now he's ashamed and he wants covered. He wants to cover his nakedness. He wants to cover his shame. He's ashamed of himself. Look at what I am. Cover up, cover up. Oh no. before he was flaunting his flesh and his sin to everybody. Look at me, aren't I something? Pride, now he wants cover, cover his face. Modesty, shame-facedness, and sobriety. He wants to be covered.

There's only one thing that covers a sinner, that all things are naked and open to the eyes of God. It's the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That prodigal son, the first thing that the father says, bring the best robe. He's naked. He's in rags. If we try to cover ourselves with our religion, it won't cover at all. They're filthy rags, but God, he says, bring the best row, bring the righteousness of my son. It's the only thing it'll cover.

Now he's sitting at the feet of Christ, hearing the gospel of blood atonement that covers, atones, that's what cover means, atone. He's hearing the gospel of a righteousness that covers all our sins and makes us holy, unblameable, unreprovable in God's sight. He's clothed in the righteousness of Christ. and in his right mind." Oh, my. He's in his right mind. Sitting, clothed, he's in his right mind.

He has the right thoughts of God now. In religion, he didn't have the right thoughts. In his rebellion, he didn't have the right thoughts. He didn't have the right thoughts of himself. He thought he was a pretty good fellow. No, he was just unclean. He didn't have right thoughts of Jesus Christ.

Well, he's standing outside my heart door and I'll let him in when I get good and ready. No, you won't either. He's the Lord Jesus Christ. He might let you in. He has right thoughts of God, right thoughts of himself, right thoughts of Christ, right thoughts of salvation. You know what he's saying now? Salvation's of the Lord. 100%.

Well, the people came out. And they asked, they said, get out of here. Who did they say that to? Get out of here. We don't want you around anymore. Who'd they say that to? Jesus Christ. You know, they'll take a man, get religion, but talk about a holy God and a righteous God and man being a worm and salvation of the Lord. Oh, we don't like that. Get that out of here.

And they said it to the man too. They wanted him gone too. There was a fellow in the church in Ashland, he was religious, but the Lord brought him to hear the truth, and so he renounced all his religion, like Saul of Tarsus, and the Lord met him and saved him, like this man. And he went back to the steel mill where he worked, and they actually said this to him. He told it later. They said, we liked you better before. Who liked you better before? And this man, how you know, look at it real quick.

It says, how you know, he, in verse 19, verse 18, when he was coming to the ship, our Lord's leaving, got back in the ship with his disciples, and the one that possessed prayed, begged, pleaded, said, I wanna go with you. I want to be with you, Lord Jesus. Let me stay with you.

I don't want to go back to those tombs. I don't want to go back to those people. They don't know God. They don't know Christ. All the whole town, Kara, said, get out of here. They didn't love Christ. Just like this town. No, they don't. And this man said, I don't want to go back to that.

Let me stay with you. But what did our Lord say? No. No, here's what you're to do. You go home and tell your friends, your former friend, and everybody, your family and all that, what great things the Lord had done for you. Now, this is your purpose. This is what you're to do. You're going to live among these people that are still lost and that hate God. And this is your purpose. You're going to tell them. You're now a witness for me. You're going to tell them what? What great things the Lord has done for you. And somebody come up to him and say, what happened to you, Bill?

And his testimony is not going to start with. His confession is not going to be, I accepted Jesus. That's not what happened. His confession is not. I let him into my heart. I made a decision for Jesus. Well, I let him be Lord of my life. I quit this. I quit that. He's going to say, the Lord Jesus came by to me.

I was lost, dead, undone, dying, a devil filled with sin. And the Lord, in great mercy and grace, had compassion on my soul and saved me in spite of me. That's how you know somebody the Lord says, the redeemed of the Lord is going to say so. What? He redeemed me. He called me. He found me. What did you do? Sinning? I did the sinning. What did you do? I did the rebelling. The running from Him. The pleading with Him. Get out of here. He called me out.

This is the Father who is with us. Everybody that seeth the Son believeth on him, should have eternal life. And they'll never perish. This man, you'll find him in glory right now, seated at the feet of Jesus Christ. Clothed in the righteousness of Christ. In his right mind, sitting there with Mary Magdalene, the thief on the cross. All sinners saved by sovereign mercy and grace of God in Christ. All right, let's stand and sing.

Possessed by Devils, Now Possessed by Christ

What does the Bible say about being saved from sin?

How do we know that God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

Why is personal repentance important in Christian life?

What is the significance of Christ's power over evil spirits?

How can we identify true conversion in a person's life?

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Possessed by Devils, Now Possessed by Christ

What does the Bible say about being saved from sin?

How do we know that God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

Why is personal repentance important in Christian life?

What is the significance of Christ's power over evil spirits?

How can we identify true conversion in a person's life?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

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