PT-1 “The Delivering Power of Jesus” (Luke 8:29a, 30-35)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/28/2026 9:47 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-1 “The Delivering Power of Jesus”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                          Reference:  Luke 8:29a, 30-35

            Message of the verses:  “For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man…³⁰ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

³² Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. ³³ And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.”

            John MaccArthur writes “In a typically understated report of the astounding miracle of Jesus over the forces of hell, Luke reports that the Lord commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  Jesus addressed His command to the unclean spirit who was acting as the spokesman for all of the demons.  That Jesus had the power to order the demons to leave this man is a mark of His deity, since only God is more powerful than angels.  Angels are superior to humans in intelligence, power (2 Peter 2:1), influence (Dan. 10:13, 20), experience, since they are ageless and have lived throughout all of human history, and in nature, since they are spirits who live outside the realm of the physical.”

(2 Peter 2:1)

“1 ¶  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

(Dan. 10:13, 20)

“13  The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,”

“20  Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.”

            “Addressing the man, even though He knew the demon would answer, Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’  No name for the man is given, and instead the spokesman for the demons, who had control over the man’s voice, said, ‘Legion.’  That was an appropriate designation, for many demons had entered him.  Legion is not a proper name, but a term referring to a unit of Roman soldiers, which could have as many as six thousand men.  This poor, benighted, tormented soul was indwelt by literally thousands of demons, since there were two thousand pigs in the herd, there could have been that many demons indwelling the man and his companion.

            “The panicked demons were imploring Jesus not to command them to go away into the abyss.  The abussos (abyss), or bottomless pit (Rev. 9:1-2) is a place where some demons are currently imprisoned.”

(Rev. 9:1-2)

“1 ¶  And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2  He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.”

“Some of these imprisoned spirits will be released for a brief time during the tribulation (Rev. 9:1-11); others, apparently those who indwelt men who then cohabited with women before the flood (Gen. 6:1-4; cf. Jude 6), are permanently bound (2 Peter 2:4).”

(Rev. 9:1-11)

“1 ¶  And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2  He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3  Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4  They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5  They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6  And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7  In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8  their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9  they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10  They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11  They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.”

(Gen. 6:1-4; cf. Jude 6)

“1 ¶  When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2  the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 ¶  Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years."  4 ¶  The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

“6  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day”

 

(2 Peter 2:4)

“4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;”

“They will remain in the abyss until they are cast into the lake of fire.  These demons were terrified, knowing Jesus had the authority to imprison them in the abyss to await their final sentencing to eternal hell.  In desperation, they proposed an alternative destination: a herd of many swine that was feeding there on the mountain.  Their bizarre request reflects the demons desire to continue to operate their corrupting plan in the physical world (cf. Matt. 12:43-45)—even, if need be, in animals.”

(cf. Matt. 12:43-45)

“43  "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44  Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  One of the things that has kind of been a mystery to me when looking at this passage is why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the swine.  Now I know that He is God and can do what He wants to do, but nonetheless it is still a mystery to me.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to guide me as I go through this very terrible time in my life due to the death of my wife, and also due to the terrible motorcycle accident of my grandson.  I am so thankful that my grandson has the determination to work through his injuries and go on with his life.

9/28/2026 10:53 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

PT-4 “The Destructive Power of Demons” (Luke 8:26-28, 20b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/27/2026 8:15 PM

My Worship Time                                           Focus:  PT-4 “The Destructive Power of Demons”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  Luke 8:26-28, 20b

            Message of the verses:  “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me.”…For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”

I was suppose to write this, this morning but lack of sleep has caused me to not get it done, and so I want to finishing this section this evening by quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary, and as I look it over there are not too many verses that he has added.

            “On this particular morning, the two men spotted some potential victims coming ashore.  In typical fashion, they raced down the hill toward them, shrieking and howling like banshees.  But while the two men did not recognize the Lord, the demons indwelling them did.  Seeing Jesus, the demon spokesman cried out using the man’s voice in sheer panic and the man, expressing the demons’ fear, abruptly fell before Him in a posture of submission.  The last person the demons wanted to confront them was the Lord, who is sovereign over them and has already determined their eternal destiny.

            “Aware that he was in the presence of his divine judge, the demon said in a loud voice, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?’ (cf. 4:34).”

(Luke 4:34)

34  “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

“It may seem strange for demons to give testimony affirming Jesus’ true identity.  But they, unlike their human victims, are all too aware of who He really is—God the Son, Lord of heaven and earth in human form.  Even Satan, the leader of the demons, was forced to acknowledge that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity (Luke 4:3).”

(Luke 4:3)

“3  The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

            “Specifically, this demon expressed his fear that Jesus was going to judge him before the appointed time (cf. Matt. 8:29).”

(cf. Matt. 8:29)

“29  And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

“The demons understand biblical eschatology, and know that their final judgment does not take place at Christ’s first coming.  Therefore he pleaded with Him, I beg You, do not torment me before the designated time.  The demons know their ultimately fate—eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).”

(Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10)

“41  "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

“10  and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

“They are aware that both their freedom and their power are restricted.  In the presence of his executioner, the demon could only plead that the appointed time of his and his fellow demons’ punishment had not yet arrived.”

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is a wonderful thing to know that God is in total control even over the difficult this that are going on in the life of my family.  Sat with my daughter and son-in-law for evening church listening to Psalm 33 being taught.  My daughter showed me that part of this psalm had a lot to do with my grandson’s accident and what was done afterwards.  She is a smart one.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Looks like I need to do a better joy of listening to the sermons that are being preached.

9/27/2026 8:40 PM

 

 

PT-3 “The Destructive Power of Demons” (Luke 8:26-28, 20b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/26/2026 8:10 PM

My Worship Time                                           Focus:  PT-3 “The Destructive Power of Demons”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  Luke 8:26-28, 20b

            Message of the verses:  “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me.”…For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”

I will continue to quote from MacArthur’s commentary and add the verse references that he references.

“As those terms make clear and the present passage demonstrates, demon possession involves demons indwelling their victims and taking control of their minds, bodies, and voices.  How the man in this story became demon possessed is not known, but all unbelievers are part of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and hence vulnerable.  Since this man was a Gentile, perhaps his idolatrous religion provided the entry point for the demons to enter him.

            “Having seized control of him, the demons compelled the man to behave in a bizarre manner.  First, he had not put on any clothing for a long time.  Shame has been associated with nakedness ever since the fall (Gen. 3:7; cf. Rev. 3:18; 16:15).”

(Gen. 3:7; cf. Rev. 3:18; 16:15)

“7  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

“18  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.”

“15  (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)

“Nakedness is also used in the Old Testament as a metaphor for sexual sin (Lev. 18:6-19; 20:11, 17-21).”

(Lev. 18:6-19; 20:11, 17-21)

“6 ¶  "None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD. 7  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 8  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. 9  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home. 10  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. 11  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, since she is your sister. 12  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s relative. 13  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s relative. 14  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. 15  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. 17  You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is depravity. 18  And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive. 19 ¶  "You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness.”

“11  If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.”

“17  "If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, and he shall bear his iniquity. 18  If a man lies with a woman during her menstrual period and uncovers her nakedness, he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19  You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for that is to make naked one’s relative; they shall bear their iniquity. 20  If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. 21  If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.”

“But not only was nakedness aberrant behavior, it was also physical torment for the man, who was exposed to all the extremes of weather and other dangers.  Adding to the macabre nature of his existence, he was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  He was so completely under the demons’ dominion that he was more at home among the dead than the living.  Furthermore he was a danger to himself.  Mark 5:5 reveals that he was constantly gashing his body with sharp stones.

            “That violence was also directed toward others (Matt. 8:28) on an ongoing basis, as Luke’s note that the demons had seized him many times indicates.”

(Matt. 8:28)

“28 ¶  And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.”

“He was such a threat that the people who lived nearby had done what they could to restrain him and his companion; he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard.  And yet despite their best efforts, time and again his maniacal, demonic strength would cause him to break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.  The end result was that ‘no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain…and no one was strong enough to subdue him’ (Mark 5:3-4).  The man and his partner remained a constant danger to the region.”

(Mark 5:3-4).

“3  He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4  for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.”

9/26/2026 8:30 PM

 

 

 

PT-2 “The Destructive Power of Demons” (Luke 8:26-28, 20b)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/26/2026 10:19 AM

My Worship Time                                           Focus:  PT-2 “The Destructive Power of Demons”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  Luke 8:26-28, 20b

            Message of the verses:  “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me.”…For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”

            We are in the middle of a paragraph that has many verse references in it that I began to copy and paste in last night’s SD, and so I will continue to do so this morning.

“Demon possession is a supernatural phenomenon, not explicable in psychological or physical terms (Though there can be physical symptoms associated with it; cf. [8:]27; Matt. 9:32; 12:22: 17:14-15; Mark 1:26; 5:5 [Luke] 9:42).”

([8:]27; Matt. 9:32; 12:22: 17:14-15; Mark 1:26; 5:5 [Luke] 9:42)

“27  When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.”

“32  As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.”

“22 ¶  Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.”

“14 ¶  And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15  said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.”

“26  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.”

“5  Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.”

“42  While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.”

“It should be noted too that on no occasion when Jesus delivered Jesus delivered an individual from demon possession was there a reference for forgiveness of sins.  Nor did all those delivered repent and believe.  The demon-possessed individuals whom Jesus delivered were not necessarily any more wicked than other sinners.  The emphasis is on Jesus’ power over the demons, not on the individuals being delivered.  But after Jesus and the apostles passed from the scene, the only way to be delivered from demons is through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The second phrase translates the verb daimonizomai, which appears thirteen times in the New Testament ([8:] 36; Matt. 4:24; 8:16, 28, 33, 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15, 16, 18; John 10:21), and is translated, ‘demon-possessed,’ or ‘demoniaics.’”

([8:] 36; Matt. 4:24; 8:16. 28, 33, 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15, 16, 18; John 10:21)

“36  And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.”

“24  So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.”

“16  That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.”

“28 ¶  And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.”

“33  The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.”

“32  As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.”

“22 ¶  Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.’
‘22  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

“32  That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.”

“15  And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.”

“16  And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs.”

“18  As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.”

“21  Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

“Like the first phrase, it refers to someone indwelt and controlled by a demon or demons to the point they he cannot successfully resist, not to the general influence demons have in promoting false doctrine (1 Tim. 4:1), false worship (1 Cor. 10:21-22), immorality (1 Tim. 4:1-3), and attitudes of jealousy, divisiveness, and pride (James 3:13-16).”

(1 Tim. 4:1)

“1 ¶  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,”

(1 Cor. 10:21-22)

“21  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22  Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?”

“1 ¶  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2  through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3  who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

“13 ¶  Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”

“Third, the Bible speaks of those with an ‘unclean’ spirit (Mark 1:23; 5:2) or having one (Mark 7:25).  Those phrases also indicate that demons indwell their victims.”

(Mark 1:23; 5:2)

“23 ¶  And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,”

“2  And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.”

(Mark 7:25)

“25  But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet.”

“Finally, Acts 5:16 speaks of those ‘afflicted with unclean spirits,’ emphasizing the torment demon-possessed people suffer. (Luke 1-5, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 2009], 283).

(Acts 5:16)

“16  The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  I am thankful that I am a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, and one of the reasons is that there is no way that I could ever be demon-possessed because the Spirit of God is living in me.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trying very hard to trust the Lord to deal with this high blood pressure which came upon me after the death of my wife, and soon after that the horrible motorcycle accident that my grandson got into loosing an arm and a leg.  Pray for me.

9/26/2026 11:05 AM

 

 

 

 

 

PT-1 “The Destructive Power of Demons” (Luke 8:26-28, 20b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/25/2026 10:57 PM

My Worship Time                                           Focus:  PT-1 “The Destructive Power of Demons”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  Luke 8:26-28, 20b

            Message of the verses:  “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me.”…For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”

            This evening we begin a kind of long section looking at the verses above.  This amazing demonstration of Jesus’ divine power immediately follows another astonishing miracle.  As the Lord and His disciples sailed across the northern part of the Sea of Galilee, a massive storm had arisen.  They were fearing for their lives, (not Jesus, but the disciples), and so they awakened Jesus, who had instantly calmed the wind and also the waves (this can be seen on what was written from Luke 8:22-25 which is in the last section or chapter from MacArthur’s commentary on Luke.  Now the powerful storm had undoubtedly blown them off course, and as a result it was probably daybreak by the time they made it to shore.  Luke (along with Mark [5:1]) calls their destination the country of the Gerasenes, which was opposite Galilee on the eastern shore, while Matthew refers to it as “the country of the Gadarenes” (Matt. 8:28). MacArthur writes Mark and Luke evidently referred to a small village (Gerasa; modern Kersa) near the shore of the Sea of Galilee, while Matthew referred to the larger town, Gadara, which gave its name to the region (and may have been it capital).

            “After Jesus and the disciples came out of the boats onto the land, they were met ty the shocking sight of a man from the city who was possessed with demons.  Matthew noted that there were two demon-possessed men (Matt. 8:28), while Luke and Mark, focused on the one whom Jesus delivered.  What happened to the other man is not recorded (although the use of the plural ‘demoniacs’ in Matt. 8:33 suggests that he too was delivered).  The demon-possessed man in Luke’s account was literally a maniac, exhibiting extreme symptoms of wild, uncontrollable behavior.

            “As I wrote in the first volume of this commentary on Luke, Scripture uses four terms or phrases to describe demon possession:

“First, sixteen times such people are said to have a demon or evil spirit (4:33; 7:33; [8:27]; 13:11; Matt. 11:18; Mark 3:22, 30; 9:17; John 7:20; 8:48, 49, 52; 10:20; Acts 8:7; 16:16), indicating that a demon-possessed individual was indwelt, controlled, and tormented by the demon.”

(4:33; 7:33; [8:27]; 13:11; Matt. 11:18; Mark 3:22, 30; 9:17; John 7:20; 8:48, 49, 52; 10:20; Acts 8:7; 16:16)

“33  And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,”

“33  For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’”

“27  When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.’

“11  And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.”

“18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’”

“22 ¶  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”

“30  for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

“17  And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.”

“20  The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”

“48  The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

“49  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.”

“52  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’”

“20  Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”

“7  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.”

“16 ¶  As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.”

“The repeated phrase ‘entered him’ ([8:30]), ‘cast out’ (Matt. 8:16; 9:33; 12:24; 28; Mark 1:34), ‘came out’ (Matt. 8:32), ‘come out’ (Mark 5:8), and ‘coming out’ (Mark 5:13) also indicate that demons indwell their victims.”

‘entered him’ ([8:30]),

“30  Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.”

‘cast out’ (Matt. 8:16; 9:33; 12:24; 28; Mark 1:34)

“16  That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.”

“33  And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying,, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”

“24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

“28  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

“34  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.”

‘came out’ (Matt. 8:32)

“32  And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.”

‘come out’ (Mark 5:8)

“8  For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

coming out’ (Mark 5:13)

13  So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.”

            As you may see, this is going to take a long time because of all of the verses that I want to quote.

9/25/2026 11:43 PM

 

 

 

 

 

PT-3“The Maniac Who Became a Missionary” (Luke 8:26-39)

 SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/25/2026 9:38 AM

My Worship Time                                Focus:  PT-3“The Maniac Who Became a Missionary”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 8:26-39

            Message of the verses:  “²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. ²⁸ Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me." ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. ³⁰ And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. ³² Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. ³³ And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. ³⁶ Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. ³⁷ And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. ³⁸ But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ³⁹ "Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

            John MacArthur writes:  The rarity of overt demonic manifestation does not mean that the forces of hell are not always active.  Those ‘deceitful spirits’ (1 Tim. 4:1) prefer to remain anonymous working behind the scenes disguised as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:14-15).”

(1 Tim. 4:1)

“1 ¶  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,”

(2 Cor. 11:14-15)

“14  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15  So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

“But so great was their terror in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ that they could not help revealing themselves.  Earlier in Luke’s account Jesus entered a synagogue in Capernaum and a demon-possessed man was there.  Unable to control his fear, the demon blurted out, ‘Let us along!  What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have You come to destroy us?  I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’ (Luke 4:34).  Paul stated that the Lord Jesus Christ is ‘far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [angels]’ (Eph. 1:21).

            As God incarnate, Jesus Christ displayed the power to vanquish Satan that only God possesses.  To the Jewish religious authorities, who blasphemously tried to explain away that power by claiming He was in league with the devil.  Jesus replied

I I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed.  But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. (Luke 11:20-22)

“As the Messiah and Son of God, Jesus defeated Satan and delivered His people from their bondage to him (Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 1:13; 1 John 5:19).”

(Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 1:13; 1 John 5:19)

“1 ¶  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3  among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

“13  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”

“19  We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

“The Lord demonstrated His power over the devil throughout His earthly ministry.  The incident in this passage, presented by all three Synoptic Gospel writers, is the most dramatic and extreme encounter between Jesus and the forces of hell recorded in the Gospels.  It tells the miraculous story of Christ’s deliverance of a demon-plagued manic, who became a most unlikely missionary.  As the account unfolds, three forces are revealed:  the destructive power of demons, the delivering power of Jesus, and the damming power of sin.”

Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  I am thankful for learning about the awesome power of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that He has power over everything, for He is God incarnate.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting that the Lord will continue to see me through the great trials that I am facing since my wife passed away on the 29^th of July.

9/25/2026 9:57 AM

 

    

PT-2“The Maniac Who Became a Missionary” (Luke 8:26-39)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/24/2026 8:51 PM

My Worship Time                                    Focus:  PT-2“The Maniac Who Became a Missionary”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 8:26-39

            Message of the verses:  “²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. ²⁸ Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me." ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. ³⁰ And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. ³² Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. ³³ And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. ³⁶ Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. ³⁷ And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. ³⁸ But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ³⁹ "Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

            “Christ’s coming to earth to ‘save His people from their sins’ (Matt. 1:21) and to ‘destroy the works of the devil’ (1 John 3:8; cf. Gen. 3:15; John 12:31; 16:11; Rom. 16:20; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14) touched off a frenzied outburst of demonic activity unlike anything that had come before.”

(1 John 3:8; cf. Gen. 3:15; John 12:31; 16:11; Rom. 16:20; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14)

“8  Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

“15  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

“31 ¶  When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

“11  concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

20  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

“15  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

“14 ¶  Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,”

“It should be noted, however, that the demons were not attacking Jesus; He was attacking them.  There is only one recorded instance of demonic activity in the Old Testament (along with a few allusions to demons; e. g., Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37), Genesis 6:1-4, where demon-posed men cohabitated with women (cf. 2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6).

(Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37)

“7  So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.”

“17  They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.”

“37  They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;”

(Genesis 6:1-4)

“1 ¶  When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2  the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.  3 ¶  Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years."  4 ¶  The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

(cf. 2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6)

“4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5  if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

“6  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day”

“Outside of the gospels and Acts, there are no references to demon possession in the New Testament.  Only during the future time of the great tribulation will global, open demonic activity exceed that of the time of Christ’s earthly ministry.”

9/24/2026 9:52 PM