Fetters Broken in Pieces, Chains Plucked Asunder

The story of the Demoniac shows the extent of man's ability and effort to deliver individuals from the bondages of darkness. Concerning sin, the only answer that mankind has is to lock up the individuals, if the situation becomes too bad. "Fetters and chains" are man's answer; Bondages "broke in pieces," and chains "plucked asunder," are the answer that men find when they come to the foot of the Cross of Christ and are touch by the power of the Holy Ghost. Christ and Christ ALONE are the only answer to the ills and power of sin that has billions in its grip. Without Christ men will wind up eternally lost without God and go to a place where there is no hope, no relief, no cease from torment and no end to suffering. Like the Demoniac of old, men must meet Christ!

 

By Chris McDonald

 

Mark 5:1-4
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. [2] And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, [3] Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: [4] Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

 

I like many of you watched in horror Monday afternoon April 16, 2007 as news reports surfaced concerning the awful tragedy that befell 33 souls in on the campus of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg.  A 23-year old Asian student took two 9 mm handguns and systematically killed 32 people in two separate shooting incidents before turning the gun on himself. As the day progressed, it became more and more apparent with each hour this event was more than just a small school shooting; it became America's worst single day massacre by one gunman in U.S. history.

I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday, severely burdened about the  historical shootings, not only for the families who lost their sons and daughters in this senseless killing, but for the heart and soul of our nation, which seems to be teetering on total apostasy and oblivion with each passing day. I worked at times during the night of the 16th into the 17th, up until 4 AM when I finally got into bed, but spent most of the time weeping at intervals as each new story that came on the news told of a different tale of loss, heartache and shock that was experienced by the students at Va. Tech. The shock in Virginia was not isolated for it soon went through the nation hours following this tragedy.

I quietly asked the Lord right before I went to bed, "Why Virginia Tech Lord, why did this horrible tragedy take place there;? for it to be the deadliest single day shooting in American history there has to be a reason for this and why it happened specifically on a college campus in America's oldest state." Nothing came back from the Lord immediately, so I took His silence to mean maybe there was no real reason, just a horrible tragedy as a result of a demonic intrusion in yet another son of Adam's fallen race. During the early morning hours of Tuesday I felt the Lord speak several things to my heart which I share in a separate area on our website (CLICK HERE TO READ THE PROPHETIC WORD). I don't want to repeat that here, but as I pen this journal, my heart was moved on by the Holy Spirit to deal with another man who mirrored the sad state of this young 23-year old Asian maniac who took the life of 32 others without anyone offering the REAL reason why he did such. Man's darkened heart will never understand the powers of darkness.

On Tuesday the nation watched Virginia Tech mourn their dead in a memorial prayer service where there was not ONE mention in the entire memorial about Jesus Christ other than a brief comment made by Virginia Governor Tim Kane; yet, there were three "ministers" - one from Islam, Buddhism and a female Lutheran, who in some ways was worse than the Muslim and Buddhist. The Muslim prayed to Allah in front of the students, the Buddhist proclaimed the Dali lama's words were the words that would bring healing to the souls of those there, and the Lutheran, who at least quoted Ecclesiastes from the Bible, never even mentioned the name of the God of the Bible - ONCE.

Despite the applause of the modern news media over the event, not one single commentator can answer the question as to what drove this young man to do what he did. All the answers that have come from the so-called experts have been wrapped up in humanistic psychology and theories as to the MENTAL state may have been of this 23-year old with 2 guns in his hand and hatred in his heart while never addressing the SPIRITUAL state of one of Adam's fallen sons. The words, "stunned," were used a thousand times to under score the shock not only those at Va. Tech felt but the entire nation at this awful tragedy.

A speaker from Tuesday's prayer meeting, speaking to the students, said this, "You've done nothing to deserve this," which is true in the sense no one at Va. Tech made this suicidal maniac do what he did; but in the scope of eternity the fallen sons of Adam's race ALL stand guilty before God and deserve hell itself outside the saving grace of Christ. When dealing with the sin nature inside every single human being there is no such thing as an "innocent." In the sight of God there is NO SUCH thing as "innocents," for all were born under the decree of guilt brought on by man's disobedience in the garden of Eden. When man fell, sin marred a perfect creation and the results of the Fall were felt almost immediately. Hence, every single human being, with NO exceptions, are born into this world "shapen in iniquity," and under a death sentence. Sin has a power to it that goes way beyond just an act.

Psalm 51:5

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 1:20-21
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: [21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Romans 3:18-19
There is no fear of God before their eyes. [19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

What took place Monday in this nation was more than a random act of violence, it was a picture of how depraved, fallen man can become outside the delivering power of the blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost! There was no rejoicing in heaven over the events on Monday make no mistake. Heaven never takes joy in the death of the wicked for God wills that ALL men be saved and come to repentance through faith in Christ and Him Crucified. Most, if not all, news commentators tried to push the theory that this killer's problems were tied to his mental state. Neighbor, his MENTAL state was tied to a DARKENED, FOOLISH HEART, full of sin and controlled by the powers of darkness. NO rehabilitation would have saved this young man. No 12-step program would have saved him. No rehab center would have changed him. No "guns anonymous" program would have helped him. No "psychology" session would have changed him. This young man needed to be BORN AGAIN by the Spirit of God, who through the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross, is the only one who can change hearts and rehabilitate ANYONE and break the cycle and power of sin.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Spirit of God controls those born again to varying degrees; the powers of darkness and evil also controls people to varying degrees. Some persons are extremely controlled by evil; others are just slightly controlled; some men are said to be demon-possessed, a state that something that many so-called theologians deny.

No matter how much a man is possessed and controlled by evil, no matter how wild and mean he is, Christ can deliver him. The man can experience a great deliverance. There is wonderful hope for all—even for the most wild and mean. Let me say it again. No matter the aberration of the human spirit of how bad the situation is, JESUS CHRIST is the ONLY ANSWER and HOPE through what HE and HE alone accomplished at the Cross! Allah did not accomplish it; Buddha did not accomplish it; the Dali Lama did not accomplish it; Rick Warren did not accomplish it; no Hollywood star accomplished it; NO MAN - except THE MAN, CHRIST JESUS, who IS the Son of God, the First and the Last, the Rose of Sharon, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Through His blood Satan and ALL his henchmen were defeated at the Cross of Christ atoning for ALL sin; sin was the legal right Satan had to hold man in captivity; with all sin atoned, he has no more legal right to hold anyone in bondage. He, Christ made a SHOW of them openly (what Jesus did at the Cross was in the face of the whole universe), TRIUMPHING over them in it!

Col. 2:15
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

What does this mean to us in modern times? Quite simply it means concerning sin, which is the ROOT of all evil and source of demonic bondage the ONLY answer is Christ and the Cross through the work of the Holy Spirit and faith in the Shed Blood of the Lord Jesus. This maniac at Gadarenes was bound with not just one demon but "devils," as the scripture says in verse 12. He needed more than a 2-week encounter session at the local Gadarene rehab center. He needed more than some 12-step exercise in futility and stupidity when dealing with the powers of darkness. I don't mean to be unkind but let the reader be clear.  When man's methods fail to "rehabilitate" someone the only answer man offers is prison and to lock up such individuals when the situation becomes too bad.

"Fetters and chains," are the only answer that man has. Back in the early 1900's the psychologists came up with a proposed answer to the rehabilitation of criminals, such as the one who wove a horrific web of death and destruction last Monday (April 16, 2007). Had this young man not killed himself I'm sure once the red tape got completed all the experts would have called for such. Incidentally, there is no such thing in the Bible as rehabilitation. This means there is no such thing as moral evolution. The truth is, along wit the fact that it's not possible to rehabilitate anyone, so-called rehabilitation is NOT what one needs. To shout it loud once again, one needs to be "born again!" if the cycle of sin is to be stopped.

Psychologists, especially criminal psychologists, claimed that if the prisoner could be put in total isolation for a period of several months, actually allowed to go outside about 30 minutes a day, and then not to mingle with other people, that the solitude would cleanse him from his desire to do wrong, whatever the wrong might be! The state of modern society, especially within the last seven years in our nation since 9-11-2001, we've seen point blank that MAN HAS NO ANSWER to the ills of man! Man's problem is spiritual, not mental, educational, sociological, environmental, and certainly not psychological.

I remember many years ago sitting in an evangelistic crusade in Jacksonville, Florida where the speaker used the example of a biting dog and the attempts of the dog's owner to "muzzle" the dog's "yipping," at visitors who would come to their home. A dog that is a biter really cannot be stopped from this situation. So the only answer is to put a muzzle over the dog's mouth. While he no longer can bite, the truth is, the DESIRE to bite is still there! That's why the alcoholic is encouraged by AA to say, "I am a recovering alcoholic." That's the BEST AA can do - it can give the individual some sense of conscience about his "problem," which is in reality a SIN, but AA cannot take away the desire to drink! The same can be said about rehab centers and drug addicts.

There is a ministry in our city which we will leave nameless but it's entire focus and theory is if they can get people into a certain rehab center south of town then they have "given them a Christ-centered chance" to be free. I spoke to the leader of this ministry on many occasions that rehab centers cannot set people free  and no matter how long they stay in the rehab center until they have a one on one encounter with Christ and the power of the HOLY GHOST the DESIRE to do drugs will walk right out the door with them when they LEAVE the rehab center. I don't care how many so-called Christian psychologists on staff they have or how much they "direct" them to religion. Religion is not the answer, an encounter with Jesus Christ through the power of Holy Ghost is the answer. Religion is part of the problem!

I can assure you the program used at this rehab center is not Christ-centered because each time someone went there and came out of there the glory went to the rehab center by this ministry- NOT CHRIST! That in itself told me the ministry sending the people there had their faith in the center and not in the delivering power of the Holy Ghost through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is not something new for the denominational world which has for the most part rejected the moving and operation of the Holy Ghost! When asked about how to best deal with drug addiction, most, including many in the church claim it's more money and proper legislation that will solve the problem. Some claim more education is the answer. There are some with a brain that are at least honest enough to admit that all the rehab centers in America and the world for that matter has not produced an "answer" to the widespread destruction drugs has brought to this nation. I read an article just the other day where the writer of the article asked the head of a rehab center what was their "cure" rate and the man's answer was "about one half of one percent." He went on to say in the very next sentence, "and we're not even sure of that!"

Let this writer declare to you - that the CURE RATE for ALL who have come to Christ is 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to shout it loud and louder and even louder - the CURE RATE for the HOLY GHOST and the blood of Jesus Christ is 100%. There has never been drug addict YET who has come to Christ that has not been set free from the powers of darkness. There has not been one single alcoholic who has truly come to Christ through the power of the HOLY GHOST who has not been set free! There has never been a pornographer, a whoremonger, a thief, a rapist, a hater, a murderer, a liar, who truly has come to Christ and experienced His life-giving power through the Spirit of God who has not walked away FREE!! He who the SON has set free is FREE INDEED!

John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

What is the TRUTH that sets man free? It's the TRUTH of the message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is in essence the message of the Cross. It's NOT the message or promises of some humanistic efforts by so-called counselors and psychologists! It's NOT the message to find a "purpose," in life and do it to garner favor from God. What good does a purpose do any body bound by alcohol, drugs, lust and perversion? What good does purpose do you friend when you're bound by the powers of darkness and the shackles of sin?

A Man Out of the Tombs With An Unclean Spirit

Mark 5:1-2
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. [2] And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

The young man from last Monday along with this man spoken of by the gospel writer Mark symbolizes the great mission for which Christ came to the world! It's interesting to note that He had come from the other side of the sea where a great tempest had arose and He, being the Son of Man and Son of God at the same time, calmed the storm on the sea; now, the Master of the Sea would become the Master of the storm-tossed soul and cure and calm the storm within this demonized Garadene.

Being controlled many times by unclean spirits is a judgment of both affliction AND deception! The Apostle John when speaking of the coming great Tribulation period saw three "unclean spirits," come from the mouth of the unholy trinity - the dragon, the beast AND the false prophet, going forth "doing great miracles, DECEIVING the nations,"

Rev. 16:13
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. [15] Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
 

The Holy Spirit through John called them "spirits of devils working miracles," going forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world deceiving them to go to battle of the great day of God Almighty. Those same evil spirits are already working, giving power to the mouth of the spirit of antichrist and the coming false prophet upon the earth! John said the spirit of antichrist "doth already work," among the church and friend there could be no truer statement than that in these present apostate days we live in!

These are the same spirits that controlled this man "out of the tombs," speaking to us that this was more than just aberrant "behavior," as psychologists like to term wickedness and evil today. This was a concentrated effort by Satan to Steal and to KILL and to DESTROY. Sin destroys friend! Make no mistake about it. There is a DEATH penalty for disobedience to God. We can never sin and just get by with what we do. Consequences will always be paid and reaped.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is never a time in scripture where sin is mentioned that DEATH is not mentioned along side. This means the devil wields great power even now to influence and deceive leaders of all nations, including America, unless that nation has a prayer base of people interceding against such and for the influence of the forces of righteousness

To understand the power of these unclean spirits, many of which control BILLIONS of people across the world at the present time, will one day soon during the Great Tribulation period give the Antichrist and False Prophet so much supernatural power they will be able to inspire their entire world-wide confederation to march and seek to conquer Israel. Because of the deceiving power of these spirits, all the other nations will march to protect their interest in the region, perhaps oil, but their "interest," will be more the destruction of the mightiest nation on the face of the earth outside America and that is Israel. 

The description of the evil spirits as frogs symbolizes the ability to leap and spread the deception from the dragon (the devil) to the antichrist and to his false prophet or executive officer and then to each of the nations. The picture is that of the demons working miracles. What kind of miracles these spirits do Scripture does not say, but the result of what these evil spirits will accomplish will be the gathering together of all the armies of the world to the place in Palestine called Armageddon or the valley and mountain of Megiddo. This is the great valley that runs through the middle of Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River and is about 200 miles long and ten miles wide. It is here where "the great day of God, the Almighty," will take place as the armies of the world gathered against Israel will be destroyed and all the ungodly and evil will be dealt with by the very breath of the Lord Jesus Christ. Time and history as we know it will be no more. Godliness and righteousness will be brought to earth by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Rev. 12:9 -And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Yet before that time the earth is in store for a terrible time of Tribulation, deception and death. The author of all of which is the great dragon himself, Satan, "that old serpent," called the Devil - who as John says DECEIVES the whole world! That is why there is great warning from the words of Christ in Scripture to the people of the earth to watch and be prepared. Only those who have kept themselves unspotted from the worldliness of this earth and from following the spirit of antichrist will escape the terrible judgment coming. We must be clothed in the white garment of the Lord’s righteousness. We must trust and diligently seek the righteousness of Jesus Christ or else he will be found naked and stripped of the white garment of the Lord’s righteousness. Jesus Christ says He is returning to earth as a thief, totally unexpected, but returning to the Earth HE IS! I believe it could happen at ANY second when the Trump of God sounds and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to be with them in the clouds forever and forever! Glory to God.

This man out of the tombs was bound by DEATH and deception. All those without Christ are bound by the same thing today. The homosexual who fathoms to think that he or she can be bound by this perversion and still be a person who will die and go to heaven because they claim faith in Christ are bound by these same unclean spirits! There is a BLINDNESS that sin brings to people today that beggars description. I heard a young lady say just 36 hours ago on a nationally syndicated morning show that while growing up she felt lesbian tendencies but instead of giving into those tendencies she went to church instead and as she put it "suppress" such feelings. Instead of coming to Christ and Christ Alone, later on in her life she turned to a national organization to 'help cure' her of these tendencies. It's the same organization used by a fallen minister from Colorado who was the head of the National Evangelical Association who was found to have been engaged in homosexual activity.

When asked by a sardonic and backslidden newscaster as to why she felt she even needed a "cure," this young lady with tears in her eyes said, "if I could go back and talk to that young lady in my clothes so long ago, I'd tell her that there was nothing wrong with those tendencies then and there are nothing wrong with them now. I don't need to be cured and I know that God loves me just the way I am and He will welcome me into His arms one day when I die." Read the Story/Hear the Interview

Upon first listen to the interview I got very angry then my anger turned to sadness that a woman could be deceived into thinking she could be a lesbian and die and go heaven. Friend, hear this writer. I know a former minister friend of mine in this exact same boat who not too terribly long ago left his wife of 14 years with two kids so he could "come out of the closet," and not hide the fact anymore he was a homosexual. In his telling me of this situation he boasted and bragged of how many churches he had attended in the city Lisa and I live in where SCORES of others are attending in good standing in the same state. Many he claimed came up to him at a local "gay" bar he visited right after this happened and gloated how they were "thankful," for his courage to not hide his sexual identity anymore. One smug individual laughingly said, "well I can't talk long, I have to lead worship in the morning at our church," which incidentally is one of the largest in our city. Be not deceived neighbor, for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reaped, GOD IS NOT MOCKED or made a fool of by those bound in deception and unwilling to be set free from that deception by the power of the HOLY GHOST.

Let me make it 100% crystal clear on how we stand on this issue. We love the homosexual, we care for the homosexual, we believe there is healing and grace and mercy and pardon for the homosexual - IF HE OR SHE REPENTS and turns from their wickedness and sin and sincerely seeks to live a life of RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS before God. If they refuse to do so - I don't care if they are members of 10,000 churches and claim they have been saved 10,000 times- they are LOST and if they die in that state outside Christ they will die and go to hell, the place of departed spirits. I don't mean to sound callous and cold to their struggles, but friend there IS a CURE for sin and the bondages of mankind. The PRICE for this cure was paid for 2,000 years through the MIGHTY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, shed on an old rugged Cross, and ALL THOSE WHO COME TO HIM IN FAITH CAN BE AND WILL BE AND ARE SET FREE! GLORY TO GOD.

What am I telling you? I'm telling you that the true child of God no longer lives in the tombs! I'm telling you the true child of God has been set free from the powers of darkness and brought into a marvelous LIGHT that sets us free from sin that we should longer SERVE its lusts and power! The sin nature of man was CRUCIFIED at Christ and if we place our faith in HIM, then we have CRUCIFIED the lusts of our old nature through the work of the HOLY GHOST!

Galatians 5:24
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Romans 6:3-20
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. [16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? [17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. [19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. [20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Col. 1:13-14
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col. 2:13-14
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

The Holy Spirit declares through Paul we WERE the servants of sin, not we still ARE the servants of sin when we come to Christ!! If one is still serving the homosexual tendencies of their flesh without thought or care of repentance neighbor they are the servant of sin and should they continue to obey sin's lust "UNTO DEATH and do not repent, they will DIE spiritually eternally separated from God!

Those who cling to their sin and refuse to cry out for MERCY, forsake  the intercessory work of Christ on their behalf of all who belong to Him! If we refuse to repent, there remains no more sacrifice for sins! Man's only hope is through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lamb of God, which is man's only divine way of redemption! When David would plead for mercy in Psalm 51 after committing adultery with Bathsheba, he did not approach God from a platform of valuable service rendered to Him or a life used by Him. He approached God as a SINNER WORTHY OF DEATH and destruction, pleading for God's favor and smile once more on his life. This is the ONLY TYPE OF PRAYER OF REPENTANCE GOD WILL HEAR. If we refuse and stubbornly object to this type of repentance then we have rejected and forsook our own mercy!

As Jonah prayed in the belly of hell while running from God, those who have forsaken mercy have always turned to lying vanities as a source of refuge. Lying vanities speaks to us of the same deception SIN brings along with the powers of unclean spirits, "working miracles," and deceiving the whole world into not believing God and taking what He says in His Word as what will be our standard of judgment one day.

Jonah 2:8-9
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. [9] But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

This maniac had his dwelling in "tombs," speaking to us of the wages sin being DEATH.

Mark 5:3
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

Young man, young lady, each time you take a snort of cocaine up your nose thinking it's going to bring you a "high," you're snorting DEATH. Whenever one drinks alcohol and gets so intoxicated they don't know where they live or what their name is, yet feel they can get behind the wheel of an automobile and drive in that impaired state are embracing DEATH. Death comes to the human race because of sin; last Monday we witnessed first hand the HORROR OF SIN and how it brings DEATH! This young man's problem was not his social background of ethnic heritage as so many news commentators have tried to discern, it was the fallen nature of Adam, to which demon spirits can attach themselves and work through those unwilling to come to Christ.

The most chilling part of this young man's life was actually the video he made evidently hours before he took the lives of 31 other people before killing himself. Saying, "I die like Jesus Christ," made me wander what depth of depravity had this young man went to to blaspheme the name of Christ while performing acts of murder. The answer to my question is the subject of this journal - UNCLEAN SPIRITS that drove a man to live in the tombs. And MILLIONS are facing the same onslaught of hell just like this man in Mark 5 and the young man we saw last week in Blacksburg, Virginia!

No Man Could Bind Him, No, Not With Chains

Mark 5:3
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

The Holy Spirit speaks through Mark showing the modern church world that there is no human cure for sin and the powers of darkness! The phrase "neither could any man tame him," present the conclusion THEN and the conclusion NOW! If this man were to have lived today and visited 99% of most churches in America the first place he'd been sent, if he'd even been let in the doors to begin with, would be to the church psychologist! My question though is simple, "to what degree can psychology and mind science and all this new age mumbo jumbo and all the 12-step programs and the rehab centers be of ANY service to man demon possessed???????????????????"

If, in his demon possession, he can break ropes which are 1/8 inch in diameter, could psychology help him then, but not if he can break ropes up to 1/4 inch in diameter? The truth is simple even though most get angry when you state it - psychology has NO ANSWER whatsoever,, despite the fact the Modern Church has brought this humanistic line, proverbially speaking, hook, line and sinker.

The spirit of Freud is rapidly replacing Biblical truth in most churches. Psychological counseling is a FALSE RELIGION period, and I don't care how many titles of "Christian," you try to put in front it - the ROOT of the theory comes from the same place - FREUD. The reason the church has found itself depending on Freud instead of the Holy Ghost is because we have stopped preaching the Cross and the power of the Holy Ghost. If a church preaches the Cross and rejects the Holy Ghost, then the Cross becomes of no effect. If the church preaches and seeks to operate merely in the gifts of the Spirit but refuses to lean on the foundational message of Redemption through the Cross, then that church, irrespective of the denomination, will be lead astray to "other spirits," and not be controlled by the HOLY GHOST. The Cross works hand in hand with the operations and ministries of the Spirit and the Spirit of God works hand in hand with the Finished work of Christ upon the Cross.

If the Preacher knows the Bible, thereby understanding the Cross, and he preaches the Cross as he should, that is ALL the BIBLICAL counseling that is needed! Counselors who sit in offices in Churches for hours on end, and listen to one tale of filth after the other are NOT HELPING ANYONE! It might be referred to as "Biblical counseling," but in reality it has NOTHING to do with the Bible. The Bible tells man to find himself an altar and throw himself on the mercy of God; it does NOT tell man to check himself into some rehab center or find a shrink's sofa and spill his guts to someone who is in most cases in worst shape than the one on the sofa!!

"Well Mr. McDonald do you know believe in one on one counseling?" Let this writer put it in these terms. There are times when we are preachers of the gospel need to conduct one on one sessions with those struggling with bondages and sin. But these sessions need to be centered around one word - REPENTANCE - REPENTANCE and an ever greater thrust should come from the PULPIT to begin with that points people to an old fashioned altar to cry out to God and ask the HOLY GHOST to come in and do what is necessary to bring deliverance from this horrific sin nature that is destroying BILLIONS of people and sending many of those billions to an eternal hell without God.

WITHOUT HOLINESS, NO MAN, shall see the Lord!

Hebrews 12:13-14
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. [14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
 

What part of that do we not understand? When men are looking for answers outside the Cross of Christ, then most of the time we can be sure the Preacher is either ignorant of the Cross or it is a matter of unbelief. In other words, he simply does not believe that Jesus Christ answered EVERY question, solved every problem, and overcame every demon spirit AT THE CROSS.

Col. 2:14-15
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

No matter the perversion, no matter the aberration of the human spirit, or how bad the situation is, Jesus Christ truly answered it all at the Cross. Jesus paid it ALL, ALL to Him I owe, sin had left a CRIMSON stain, HE washed it white as snow. At the Cross, Jesus Christ atoned for ALL sin, which then removed Satan's right to hold man in bondage. The Scripture says He SPOILED principalities and powers and made a show of them openly, TRIUMPHING over them in it. Satan and all of his henchmen were defeated at the Cross of Christ atoning for all sin; sin was the legal right Satan had to hold man in captivity; with all sin atoned, he has no more legal right to hold anyone in bondage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a result of Christ, Satan has no more legal right to deceive and oppress or possess ANY one who comes to Christ in true Bible faith!

Christ made a SHOW of them openly, meaning that at the Cross, what He accomplished was done in the face of the whole universe, TRIUMPHING over them in it. This triumph is complete meaning that we can WALK IN POWER and perpetual victory due to the Cross! It doesn't mean we'll never be tempted; it does not mean we won't ever fall and miss the mark; it does not mean that we won't ever sin; the Bible does not teach sinless perfection but it DOES teach that sin shall not have DOMINION over us who have placed our faith in Christ and have allowed the HOLY GHOST to crucify the lusts of our flesh on the Cross with Christ!

Romans 6:14-15
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
 

The problem is rank unbelief as well as those who do not want to FULLY and WHOLLY give their heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, they want to continue to sin, but just not be bothered by the bondage of sin and what that bondage ultimately brings. That's the case with many bound with homosexuality. And please, let the reader understand, we are not picking on homosexuals by any stretch of the imagination. This could go for those bound by anything. I've seen drug addicts in the same mental state when it comes to their sin. The same could be true of liars, alcoholics, those who abuse children, those bound by pornography and other sexual sins and the list could go on.

The other problem is the church's rejection of the Holy Ghost as Comforter and one "called along side to help." I could write 1,000 pages on the denominational world's rejection of the Spirit but we will leave that be for now. Sufficient to say that if the Southern Baptists are forbidding their missionaries to pray in tongues in their private prayer time it don't take a Bible scholar to figure out they are resisting and rejecting the operation and move of the HOLY GHOST in their churches!!!!! You can't pick and choose what you want of the Holy Spirit's ministries and then say "we believe in the Holy Spirit." NO!!!! However, my bigger concern is not for those twice dead, plucked up by the root movements who have let their religious tradition blind them to the power of God, but to those in the Pentecostal world, who are losing their way as quickly as the denominational world lost its way when it comes to the Holy Ghost long ago.

In a recent Pentecostal denomination's book to their young pastors coming out of seminary the leader of one of America's largest movements stated this:

"It is impossible to separate psychology and theology as they relate to the counseling process. The object of counseling is a human being created in God's image. Wholeness is achieved only when life is lived in the manner in which He intended. Therefore, it is not a question of whether therapists rely upon the Holy Spirit or upon their counseling skills. We must equip ourselves with the best tools available, while being certain that the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit permeates our personalities."

What this movement is really saying is this: it doesn't really matter what one uses, the Holy Spirit or their counseling skills (psychology). This article closed with this statement, "we must equip ourselves with the best tools available," which actually says that at times psychology is a better tool than the Holy Spirit. Then, they tried to gloss it over by saying that while they are using the psychological tools, they must make certain that "the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit permeates our personalities."

The problem with this is really the fight for faith in the modern church in these last days. To conclude that poor, failing, perverted man has developed greater means to deal with the human problem, as with what affected this man who met Jesus coming out of the tombs bound with chains and fetters, than the Holy Spirit is IGNORANCE at its best, and blasphemy at its worst. How can the HOLY GHOST permeate personalities who are using FALSE methods of humanistic psychology devised mostly by agnostics and atheists???

The reality and a sad reality it is is the leaders of this denomination does not believe that what Jesus did at the Cross is sufficient. They believe Jesus has to have help and His "FINISHED," work is not so finished. they believe the help they are suggesting is humanistic psychology. But what does the Word of God say about the human condition and what we as fallen sons of Adam need to become born again and walk in freedom from sin? The Holy Spirit through Peter said this:

2 Peter 1:3-4
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
 

Jesus has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED REGARDING LIFE AND LIVING through what?; the KNOWLEDGE of HIM WHO HAS CALLED US TO GLORY and VIRTUE. The "knowledge," here speaks of the acknowledgement and FAITH in what Christ did at the Cross which ALONE can provide GLORY and VIRTUE, which means POWER. It was what Christ referred to when the woman with the issue of blood touched Him and He proclaimed, "someone touched Me." The Lord knew this because "virtue," or POWER, flowed out of Him. That same term "Virtue," is the same term used in Acts 1:8 where it says you shall receive POWER after that the HOLY GHOST has come upon  you and you shall become MARTYRS for the cause of the Christ.

Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 

The divine nature spoken of in Peter is the nature of Christ by the power of the HOLY GHOST implanted in the inner being of the believing sinner and becomes the source of our new life and action! it comes to everyone at the moment they are BORN AGAIN! We escape the corruption that is the world through lust through this born again experience and through the SANCTIFICATION process of our lives as believers AFTER we are saved. Now either Peter is right and the Word of God is true or the pimp peddlers of kindergarten psychology are right. The very term "psychologist," means "a worker with souls," which when looking at the foundation of psychological teaching one must laugh because psychology does not even believe man has a soul!

The secular psychotherapist considers himself a worker of "minds," while the so-called Christian psychologist considers himself a worker with "souls." The sick sad indictment on the church is that there are not any Bible colleges remaining that we are aware of that do not require their students to take a course in psychology which lays a foundation for a subtle deflection away from the Bible and toward psychotherapy, which is a form of psychology. Instead of preachers of the gospel being indoctrinated in the PENTECOSTAL way, and that does not have reference of any denomination but to the POWER and OPERATION of the HOLY GHOST as seen on the Day of Pentecost, but instead they are steeped in the new "psychological way." Therefore, those who sit under their charge have terrible misfortune of being lead astray because friend you can't mix the HOLY GHOST and FREUD in the same pot and get divine results! And that is what mankind that is bound by the powers of darkness needs - a DIVINE intervention and sovereign move of the HOLY GHOST.

When the drug addict comes in our midst today he is usually directed to a "professional," which are not "professionals," at all. The new term and catch phrase today is "life coach." I can guarantee you this. This Gadarene demoniac did not need a "paid professional," or "life coach." He needed to meet the Master to be set free from the LEGIONS of demons possessing him. The young man who died last Monday would have been sent through the same stupid process. How do I know that? Because not one single individual this writer has heard discussing the tragedy of last week has mentioned the SPIRITUAL component to his actions. EVERYTHING stated has been centered on discussions concerning his mental and "psychological," state. I'll tell you what his mental and psychological state were - he was demon possessed and needed JESUS! Those he killed needed JESUS and I pray some of those who left this life last week were saved, I really, prayerfully do.

Those who attended the prayer service needed to hear about JESUS CHRIST, not about ALLAH, or the Dali Lama to some new age jargon coming from the mouth of a lady dressed up in religious garb posing as the "Christian" on the platform. It GRIEVED THE HOLY GHOST to see the false religions of man put forth as the answer to the hurting hearts at Virginia Tech last week and it GRIEVES HIM DEEPLY WHEN THE CHURCH POINTS MEN WHO ARE BOUND BY THE SAME POWERS OF DARKNESS TODAY TO A PSYCHOLOGICAL SOFA INSTEAD OF A HOLY GHOST BIRTHED ALTAR.

Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: [29] Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

The term "hath done despite the Spirit of Grace," means to INSULT the Holy Ghost! The writer of Hebrews ties insulting the HOLY GHOST with counting the blood of the covenant wherewith we were sanctified and set apart through the Finished work of Christ an "unholy," or "common," thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET THE READER BE WARNED AND CLEAR ABOUT THIS! When we turn to ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST for our deliverance, peace, wholeness and victory - including humanistic psychology, 12-step programs, rehab centers and the like - neighbor we are INSULTING THE HOLY GHOST! Paul cried under the anointing, "how much sorer punishment," will those who do such receive?

Sin and the powers of darkness will yield ONLY to Christ and what He did at the Cross on our behalf! This rules out ALL humanistic psychology and ANYTHING ELSE- be it the Purpose Driven Life or the "Secret," which has become the new craze in the church world these days, instituted by man to address sin's problem and plight!

Mark 5:4 -5 -  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

As we close this journal today, let us reiterate to the point of sounding stupid - CHRIST and the CROSS ALONE are the only answer to man's ills. This man who came out of the tombs with an unclean spirit had been bound with fetters and chains "often." Yet, despite all of man's efforts, the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces, speaking to us of the super human strength given to him by the unclean spirit.

 

This man was man hopelessly possessed by the devil without Jesus. As such:


a. He had an evil spirit (v.2)
b. He lived among the tombs (v.3a)See: DS2
c. He was cut off from society (v.3b)
d. He was uncontrollable, unrestrained, untamed, wild, mad, violent tempered (v.4a)
e. He was naked, v.15 (v.4b)
f. He was always inflicting wounds upon himself (v.5)

 

Sin will always put us in the tombs, cut off from society, leaving us "uncontrollable, unrestrained," untamed, wild, mad, violent tempered, and Naked. The shame that comes from sin goes deeper than the color of your skin neighbor. This is not a "white" thing or a "black" thing. It's not about skin, it's about SIN. I have a dear friend who told me earlier in the day of me writing this journal that before she came fully to Christ she had had five separate abortions because of various affairs she had with men. She had been abused as a child by a close relative and despite all the trappings of the church she sought to hold on to was living a life full of shame and hurt. The sad thing was she thought she was Christian. She told me that it took losing the kids that she did have to get her to realize the shame of what had happened and that shame brought her to a real relationship with Christ. Neighbor, sin brings shame and nakedness with it. Lady, I don't mean to sound callous, but the abortion process does not end at the clinic! Sir, the affair you're having with that secretary does not end when you both get out of the bed; a hurt wife, a hurt home, hurt children await you if you don't repent. Shame, disgrace, hurt, - all things related to the powers of darkness and things destroying BILLIONS OF SOULS at this very minute.


The Bible says he was "night and day,"  always "in the tombs, crying," and cutting himself with stones," upon himself, cutting himself with stones, a symbolic picture of what takes place with the unredeemed in the spiritual. There is never any peace for those who do not know the Lord. Sin will cause great wounds upon ourself. The whole human race is WOUNDED today because of sin!

My heart still breaks a week later when thinking of what took place in our nation last week. It was not just the shootings in Virginia, but the other shootings in Houston, Texas as well at the space center Friday and the apartment complex on Monday the 23rd. Killers overran our nation's soil "violent tempered," mad, untamed, wild and unrestrained. Those who survived the Va. Tech shootings told horrific stories of how cruel this young killer was to his victims. Not one single dead body that was recovered had less than 3 wounds in them. Some were shot as many as ten times according to news reports. ALL of this the results of the powers of darkness controlling men, the fallen sons of Adam's race.

I don't know the young man's heart but it's clear there was a deep void and more than likely deep HURT inside. Unresolved guilt is the greatest wound we can inflict upon ourselves! Yes, the drug addict jamming a needle up his vein will inflict a wound without a doubt; but that wound in many ways is skin deep. Sin is never just skin deep - it goes to the surface of man's heart and soul and that is why man needs more than a band-aid to cure it. There is NO EARTHLY CURE FOR SIN! Education is not a cure; money is not a cure; culture is not a cure; good works are not a cure; psychology is not a cure; rehab centers are not a cure; 12-step programs are not a cure; the Purpose driven Life is not a cure; being a member of a church is not a cure; I can assure you that those killed in last Monday's attack would have suffered the same fate even if they had offered this maniac a million dollars. The hate in this young man's heart was not going away with a dollar bill.

ONLY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS APPLIED TO OUR HEARTS AND LIVES BY FAITH through the operation and ministry of the Holy Spirit is the CURE. In other words, it's the Cross and the CROSS ALONE! It's the CROSS, neighbor, the Cross, the Cross, the Cross. We preach Christ Crucified.

I ask you today as we close. Has sin taken its toil on your heart and soul to where you're like this Gadarene maniac? Are you living among the tombs? are you cut off from society, which can mean being cut off from your family? Sin will do that to you sir or madam. It will drive you to places you'd never dream of going. It will cauase you to lose husbands, wives, children, parents and all family ties. It will destroy marriages in 2 seconds.  Are you uncontrollable, unrestrained, untamed, wild, mad, violent tempered? Do you feel shame as if you were wandering around naked, as this man was in Mark 5? Are you inflicting wounds upon yourself, cutting yourself with stones, crying day in and day out; crying in the night with no end to just have someone to reach out and tell you they love you?

Neighbor, this journal is God's love letter to you today. It's His arm extended to a hurting heart and soul today torn asunder by the powers of darkness to let you know He is not angry at our failures but His love refuses to allow us to remain in our sinful condition because of the great provision HE HAS MADE and PROVIDED for our deliverance and freedom from sin through CHRIST and the CROSS!!!! Some of you reading this may have even tried the psychology and all the other approaches. I am here to declare to you today the ONLY WAY and the ONLY CURE for what is destroying you! That cure is faith in CHRIST and CHRIST ALONE and what He did for you at the Cross. There is no other remedy for sin!

Thank God this story of a man hopelessly possessed does not end in verse 5 but as a result of meeting Jesus became a man changed by the Son of God! We will pick up that theme in the next journal. If you are bound by the powers of darkness we encourage you today to email us and we will pray with you and agree with you against the powers of darkness! It's getting late neighbor and it's harvest time friend. God bless.

Spiritual Life - Light of Life

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