Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters- The Wild Man-"No Longer Bound"

Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters- The Wild Man-"No Longer Bound"

Summary: This is a message I did on the wild man, an eyewitness of Christ. Sermon on the encounter of Christ, and the man who lived among the tombs! This is the series I did on witnesses Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters.

Date: 31 October, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39

Series:Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters

Opening

For the individual upon whom we focus today, as has been true of Mary, Martha, Bartimaeus and Jairus, our four previous studies, it might be said that opportunity knocks once. This is a truism for many people. Bartimaeus had one opportunity to seek healing from Jesus; Jairus’ daughter lay dead in her bed. Both seized the opportunity to receive healing from Jesus; today, we look at a wild man with the same opportunity. 

And the conclusion? Carpe diem- seize the day.

Scripture Reading

This morning, I want us to take a look at another encounter Jesus had with, A wild man who appeared in  Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39

Mark 5:1-20

5 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.5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Luke 8:26-39

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. May the sweet Holy Spirit add His manifold blessings to the text this morning... in our hearing. Amen! You may be seated in God's Presence.

Introduction

It is often said that the greatest accomplishment the devil has done is that he convinces people that he does not exist. What the devil does so many times is he tries to cause people to believe that some of the events that happen in your life simply are accidental, fate, or happenstance, because he knows that if he can convince you to believe that lie then he knows that you are one step closer to killing your destiny. Destiny simply is the plan God has for you, in you, and through you; therefore, to kill your destiny is the abortion of God’s plan in you, for you, and through you.

The Bible reads: “And they came over to the other side of the sea into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit”

As I read this account, I am reminded of the words of our Lord in 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." Understand that the mission of the devil is to kill, steal and destroy. He doesn't care anything about you, he just wants to try to abort God’s plan for you. He tries to keep you bound, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

He understands that if you are free that you will realize the potential God has placed in you, that you will realize that because you are free and through Jesus Christ that you can turn this world upside down and he does not want that. Therefore, he places a stronghold on the minds of people today not just the people of the world but sadly the church folk also. You must first understand that a stronghold is a mind-set that is impregnated with the spirit of hopelessness, helplessness, depression, discouragement, despair, and anxiety that causes a person to accept as unchangeable and irrevocable a situation in their lives even though they know it goes contrary to the Will of God. 

This is the nuclear weapon of spiritual warfare the devil use today. He understands that if he can cause you to accept a situation in your life that is contrary to the will of God that you will never be able to raze hell (RAZE) and tare his kingdom down. It is because of this stronghold and deception by the devil that people are being bound in their minds thinking this is the way it is supposed to be.

Because of this way of thinking people are bound physically, emotionally, and spiritually unable to do what thus saith the Lord. Many in society and even in the church are being incarcerated mentally, physically, and spiritually. Although free from the human judicial system, they are regretfully imprisoned in a far crueler and ultimately eternal prison. They are sentenced with a life sentence of emotional emasculation, depression, anxiety, low/no self esteem, and phobia’s; some are on the habitual death row of deadly narcotics, alcohol, and careless, unsafe, and uninhibited sexual activity. Others have been placed in a solitary confinement of physical pain, discomfort, and disease. They are being held captive behind these seemingly impenetrable bars and inescapable walls, being made to believe that this is all there is to life. Mentally messed up, emotionally emasculated, and spiritually lost, they are aimlessly wandering through life bound hopelessly waiting to die, imagining that if everything would be over, if what they have experienced to be life would just cease from being that they would be free. They are disappointingly unable to see that God has a far more excellent and abundant life. They are bound.

Sermon

Like a game of cat, and mouse, the devil is toying with his prey before he finally leads him to utter destruction. Look at the pitiful plight of this possessed man. First of all when you see the phrase in the Bible a man or a woman, or a certain man or certain it’s different than saying there was a man named Job. When the name of a person is given there is something about that person that God wants us to see, but when there is not a name given there’s something about the atmosphere or the surrounding that God wants us to catch. That is the underlying theme of fear I mentioned earlier. Although here we are going to be dealing with the man and the unclean spirit controlling him, the atmosphere or the mind-set of the people is fear.

WATCH THIS: This man was citizen of Gadara. Gadara is the name given to this place, because this is where the tribe of Gad settled after the exodus from Egypt. Remember God told Moses to go tell Pharaoh to let my people go. God had heard their cry and remembered the covenant he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and He was going to bring the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and bring them to Canaan to a large land flowing with milk and honey. However, the tribe of Gad decided not to settle in Canaan but to settle on the East side of the Jordan. So they settled on the East side of the Jordan and began to assimilate themselves with the world around them. They began to eat that which God told them not to, that is where the swine come in to play. Over the course of time they had become so worldly that they were ineffective in the world anymore. Instead of changing the world around them the world changed them. Gad represents the church today.

1. He was Defiled By The Devil. V. 2

"Unclean"is impure, lewd, demonic

The word "with" in Verse 2 can indicate many things. In the case of this pitiful individual it means he had "given himself wholly to" a unclean spirit. He is inundated with an unclean spirit called “Legion”.

Verse 13. The word “Legion” is a military term to describe a regiment of five to six thousand soldiers. Although we have read about many different people in the Bible that have been delivered from unclean spirits like the lady whose daughter was vexed by an unclean spirit, and we read about Mary Magdalene that was delivered from seven demons, this man was by far the worst of them all. Secondly this man is in a horrible, pathetic, and pitiful condition. The condition we find this man in is literally beyond human conception. 

Are there individuals in this condition today? 

Absolutely! 

How does one get into such a state of spiritual ruin? 

a. Beware of his deception.

John 8:44 "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

b. Beware of his distortion.

Gen 3:3-4 "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die."

c. Beware of his disguises 

2 Cor. 11:14-15 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

d. Beware of his devices.

2 Cor 2:11 "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." The devil wants to rob you blind! Don’t underestimate his power to deceive!

e. Beware of his darts.

Eph. 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

Ill. Many years ago, a strong young south Indian decided to climb to the summit of a nearby snow-capped peak. He donned his buffalo hide shirt, wrapped his blanket around him, and set off. When at last the reached the summit, he swelled with pride. Then he saw a motion hat his feet. It was a snake, which promptly and pitifully spoke to him. "I’m about to die" said the snake. “It is too cold for me up here, and I am freezing. There is no food, and I am starving. Please wrap me under your shirt, and take me down to the valley where it is warmer, and where I can find food." "No” said the young man. “I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake, and if I pick you up you will bite me and kill me." "No, said the serpent. I will treat you differently. I will not harm you... I promise" At last the youth gave in to the snakes pleading and tucked the snake under his shirt. After arriving down in the valley, he removed the snake from his shirt, and laid it down on the ground.Whereupon the snake immediately coiled, rattled, struck and planted his fangs into the young man’s leg. "But you promised said the young man as he fell, feeling the effects of the deadly poison now entering his blood. The snake responded... "You knew what I was when you picked me up!"

Remember the words of Paul in 2 Cor. 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ

2. He was Dwelling Among the Dead.

V. 3 "his dwelling among the tombs;"

Maybe he was a father that lost his job do to a failing economy.

Maybe he was the victim of child abuse in the past.

Maybe he was molested as a little boy.

Maybe he was a 40 ounce tottin, pill poppin, marijuana smoking, crack dealing, street hustling, and gang banging brother that got caught up, whatever it was it was something happened that caused a separation of his mind, body, and spirit. He was possessed and out of his right mind. 

The Bible says "he made his dwelling among the tombs." The tombs are the place of the dead.

Although this man was a citizen of Gadara but he made his dwelling among the dead. Sadly we have folks in church that make their dwelling among the dead stuff. They may be members of the church but they make their dwelling among the dead stuff. They come to church and look on the outside like something that in all actuality they are not. Because when they leave the church they dwell among pornography, alcohol, illicit sexual activity, they dwell among lying, jealousy envy, strife, all manner of dead stuff. The citizens of Gadara tried to control this man with chains and fetters, but no man could bind him with chains or fetters, because these were worldly methods used to try to bind a spiritual being. Always day and night he was in the mountains and tombs crying and cutting himself with stones. Psychologist and Psychiatrist say that cutting is a method that people use trying to find a release from pain.

Sadly we have church folk that are being tormented day and night with the stones of discontent. They are crying silent tears on the inside saying please somebody help me. They come to church bound only to leave bound returning to dead stuff. They are bound by emotional, psychological, and spiritual chains tormented beyond comprehension. The devil has placed a stronghold on their mind and they are believing that this is just the way it is supposed to be even though it is contrary to the Will of God, they are bound.

Then the church is like the people of Gadara that try to bind them with traditionalism or man-made doctrine, but their souls are tormented and need to be delivered right now. They have tried the drug house and it didn't work, they have tried the illicit sex and it didn't work, the tried the alcohol and it didn't work. They are tormented and out of their right mind just about ready to throw up their hands and give up but they come to the church looking for their last bit of hope. They walk in the door with a legion of demons seeking help and we want to bind them with traditionalism. 

We say you have to go through six months of membership class, 3 months of new converts’ class, 3 months of how to receive the Holy Ghost class. They are thirsty and hungry looking for deliverance, they are hurt and need help now. They say you don’t understand if I go back out that door I’m not going to make it back here. See the gun is at home and before I get to the stop I will blow my brains out if I don’t get some help. I tormented inside and I am sick and tired of feeling this way. Day and night my mind is being plundered, emotionally I am emasculated, mentally I’m messed up I need help and I need it now I’m bound and I want to be free. 
Col 2:13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trepasses;" 

Though this man was alive, he like all who are without Christ, was dead.

a. He Was Dead... Without Faith.

And what did this man need? Not religious laws; he hadn't kept them. He didn't need society’s laws; ditto. His chains were of no help. No, his problem was his heart. Did Jesus know something about the man that doesn't come through in the text here? When in his  more sane mind, did he not hate the miserable existence he was living? He needed Jesus to change him from the inside out.

b. He Was Dead... Without A Future.

Supernatural demonic strength had broken all restraints. This man is representative of sin taken to its logical extreme; it controls us. The man succeeded in breaking his chains, but was he not still bound? 

c. He Was Dead... Without His Faculties.

2 Cor. 4:4 "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Throughout  time, people have been in various bondages. 

As the Pharisees asked Jesus if they ought to pay tribute to Caesar, they said, “we have never been in bondage to any man”. Jingling in their pockets were the coins bearing Caesar’s insignia; were they blind to this fact?

The bondage of these atheist friends of mine is palpable, bondage and blindness to their own narrowness of thinking, their own arrogance in some cases, the irrationality of their own cases even as they chide me for the irrationality of a belief in God. 

d. He Was Dead... Without Family.

This is how no doubt the man at Gadara felt he was tormented day and night, he was cutting himself looking for some relief. The citizens of Gadara tried to control him with worldly stuff but to no avail; however, when we get to the sixth verse we see how deliverance comes. It is in the Sixth. The number 6 is the number of man. Here we are going to see something about this man of Gadara. The Sixth verse we find the crux of this scripture and the process which truly brings deliverance. And what will make the statement “No Longer Bound” a true statement. 

3. He was Devoid Of All Dignity.

a. He had no shelter.

Luke 8:27 "...neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

b. He had no sensitivity.

Dwelling in the tombs... without sensitivity to the family and friends of those departed! 

c. He had no shame.

Luke 8:27 "...wore no clothes.”

d. He had no spirit.

Mark 5:5 "...cutting himself with stones.” Satan had so tortured, and tormented this man... that he no longer had the spirit to even live.

4. He was Deserted In His Distress.

Luke 8:29 "...was driven of the devil into the wilderness." Wilderness means lonesome or solitary. I wonder how those in the city dealt with this man...

a. by shackling him.

If they had been successful, what would they have done with him? Treated him like a one man freak show? When they bound him with chains, they weren't trying to help him, they were only trying to protect themselves.
The best society can do for the alcoholic is put him in detox, and rehab! 
For the addicts, we provide them with clean needles!
For the sexually immoral, we provide them with so-called safe contraceptives, and seek to "educate them".
All society can do with the thief is "put them away." We send the depressed to "group therapy."

My goodness... this man was already shackled... what he needed was for someone to set him free!

b. by shunning him.

When shackling didn't work, they simply hoped he would disappear into the mountains or die in the cemetery. They hoped he would just go away!

c. by scorning him.

Can’t you just hear the jokes ? Let’s all go out to the cemetery, and see the mad man! 

Where were the...

Priests ?Physicians?People who loved him?

Notice 
Mk. 5:15...they were afraid.
I wonder why they were afraid now. Earlier they had enough courage to try and "tame" him! 

Perhaps... 

they are now frightened because of how they mistreated him... insulted him... beat him... shunned him... etc. 

Perhaps... 
they fear retribution!

Note: Verse 17 they actually prayed that Jesus would leave town! 

Why ? 
But notice, there was another group of people with an opportunity; whereas “carpe diem” describes the actions of the wild man, “carpe nada” would be a better description of their response. These were the people of the nearby town, described in verses 14-17. Their reaction was one of amazement, to be sure, but not one of faith. A maniac, a total nut case, a wild man, had been totally delivered — and all they could think about was dead pigs!

Perhaps... it was because they cared more about their pigs than they did people!

5. He was Delivered From His Depravity.

We get to the sixth verse we see how deliverance comes. It is in the sixth. The number 6 is the number of man. Here we are going to see something about this man of Gadara. The Sixth verse we find the crux of this scripture and the process which truly brings deliverance.
Verse 6:  “But when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worship him”. 

WATCH THIS: here is a man that was possessed by about 6000 demons. There are no chains controlling him on the outside, but he is violent controlled on the inside. Yet when he sees Jesus afar off he ran to Him, understand that this is not the unclean spirit controlling him, but like the song says when I see Jesus AMEN. He ran and worshiped him. Now when he ran and worshiped he fell down at his feet. Every time someone came in the presence of the Lord they fell down and worshiped.
Moses said And I fell down before the LORD. Num. 22:31 says Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, (Theophany) and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. Job 1:1 says Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped. Ezekiel 11:13 says Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! Dan 3:23 says Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down. Mark 3:11 says And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. Rev 7:11 says And all the angels stood round about the throne, and [about] the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God. Rev 19:4 says the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 
Here this man saw Jesus afar off, no doubt he said Amen, Hallelujah. He ran and fell at the feet of Jesus and began to worship Him.

Understand that when this man fell in worship at the feet of Jesus he broke the control the unclean spirit had on him. He fell down in the natural realm; however, in the spiritual realm the unclean spirit was still standing. Standing in fear, trembling in the presence of the Lord.

Now the Seventh verse. The number 7 is God’s perfect number, it represents perfection. In this verse we see the perfect work of God. We read theses words: “And he cried with a loud voice (who cried – not the man but the unclean spirit), and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not". Understand this is not the man speaking this is the unclean spirit, because the man is in worship he is in a spiritual atmosphere that he hasn't been in for a long time, he’s in the presence of God in worship. The word worship comes from the Hebrew word “YADAW” and means to extend your hands and “BARAK” which means to bless God or Praise. This man is in total praise and worship. I like to believe in my mind that this man is in worship speaking in tongues.

a. He saved him!

Verse 15 "...and see him that was possessed with the devil," Jesus set him free! When the citizens of Gadara heard what had happened they came to see what was going on – just like nosey church folk. When they got there they found the man that was possessed ( PAST TENSE - NO LONGER BOUND) by the legion, the one that use to cut himself with stones, the one that they tried to control with worldly methods, the one that lived among the tombs with the dead stuff, the one they thought was lost forever sitting (This word “sitting” comes from a Greek word called “egiro” and means to be awaken or aroused from death, sleep, ruins, or non-existence) at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind all because he worshiped God in the midst of all his troubles. 

b. He suited him!

The change within is seen on the outside as this man who earlier ran naked in the hills and among the tombs is now clothed ! 

Think about it: here is a guy who had been nuts out of his mind, sitting clothed and carrying on normal conversation, talking about this Jesus guy who had been responsible for his change. Don’t you think that they might have thought about bringing out their impossible cases to see Jesus? Why not bring their sick and afflicted? Why didn't they come and sit at His feet to listen and learn? Why didn't they bow down? Here was a town with an opportunity to encounter Jesus, to receive great things from God… 

c. He stabilized him.

Verse 15 "...in his right mind" The same Jesus Who had successfully calmed a raging sea (recorded earlier) now calmed the spirit of a man possessed. This man had one opportunity for relief from the demons, and he took it 

d. He sent him.

Verses 18-19 "As Jesus departs this man wants to remain with him... but Jesus sends him back home to be a witness of what the Lord has done!"
We've all seen the commercials which advertise products which promise the change that they will make in your situation, whether it is dandruff, ring-around-the-collar, male pattern baldness, or a sluggish engine. Often, these commercials are accompanied by the proverbial before-and-after photos, proving the difference. Here is the ultimate before-and-after, is it not? The wild man had been chained, but now he was changed. 

But notice, Jesus doesn't leave the story there; he is charged... "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." 

Those who previously have been chained, but who have been changed by the grace of God, have likewise been charged by God with a mission, and that mission involves the spreading of the witness of the change that Jesus brings, the mercy that Jesus shows, and the difference that Jesus makes. 

6. He Was Different In His Disposition.

a. Notice his desire. V.18

He wanted to be where ever Jesus was!

b. Notice his departure. V. 20

Luke 8:39 "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee."
Jesus told him to return home! He obeys !That must have been difficult...but he did it!He departed from the graveyard!No longer wanted to live among the dead! 
And Jesus sent him back to the people who had rejected Jesus; instead of Jesus saying, “forget about them”, he instead sent the wild man as a missionary. 

And He still uses unworthy messengers, and He still sends them to unworthy people. That’s His plan. Are you cooperating with Him in the outworking of that plan? 

c. Notice his declaring. V 20

"... to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him..." 

Decapolis was a ten city region!

When Jesus truly changes people, it is an amazing thing. This man was a vivid demonstration of this fact. And he couldn't help doing what Jesus charged him to do. I've got a feeling that Jesus didn't even need to charge him, but rather, praise and testimony would have come naturally. I mean, if you've got a story to tell, why wouldn't you tell it? Is the fact that we don’t tell the story evidence of the lack of a story to tell in our own lives? He didn't undergo high-level witness training; he attended no seminars or workshops. He read no books on how to share his faith. He had been insane just a few minutes before he began to be an evangelist. All that he knew was that Jesus could handle a problem that nothing or no one else could, that Jesus’ power trumped a legion of demons.

Invitation And The Final Challenge

The devil is a liar........Jesus is Lord!The devil will rob you.......Jesus will redeem you.The devil will steal from you........Jesus will supply you with all you need.The devil will enchain you......Jesus will emancipate you!
The devil wants to destroy you......Jesus wants to deliver you!The devil wants to murder you.........Jesus wants to master you!To all those who knew him, and his condition... this man was totally hopeless, and helpless. 

But then along came Jesus! 

Notice what Christ did for this man!

Do you have a sense of hopelessness, and helplessness this morning? 

Jesus longs to help you, and give you hope! He is Lord! He loves you, and will deliver you!  

You may even have come to church like so many times before played the instruments, clapped your hands, and even spoke in tongues only to leave here bound by something on the inside. However, if you would just begin to give God praise, enter into the realm of worship and watch God deal with your situation. I believe that when you get into worship that thing that was controlling you on the inside will begin to have a conversation with Jesus. 

Your situation, that thing that has been controlling you and your mind has to acknowledge who Jesus is. And while you are in worship He will work it out in your life. You might be having financial problems and don’t know how your going to make it, and that has been controlling your thoughts and your actions for some time now. You find yourself crying wondering how long Lord how long, but if you just began to worship, just begin to YADAW the Lord and BARAK the Lord He will show up and begin to talk to that spirit of bondage in your life and set you free.
 You might be here today and no body knows just what it is that has you bound. You may have been able to hide it from they eyes of people only you and God know just what you o behind close doors. Only you and God know that you have a sexual perversion. Only you and God know that you are hooked on prescription drugs. Only you and God know that you struggle with homosexual tendencies. Only you and God know that you struggle with the molestation that happened in your life as a child. Only you and God know that abusiveness is controlling your life, but if you just begin to worship God He will work it out. Then you will be able to say like the man of Gadarenes No Longer Bound. I am free no more chains holding me.

Those who work with ISRO speak of a “window of opportunity”, the relatively short period of time when the conditions are right for a launch. Once that window is lost, the rocket cannot go up. And there comes to each of us, I believe, windows of opportunity. Windows of salvation opportunity, windows of witness opportunity, windows of decision opportunity. 

You’re here this morning; you've heard of the change that Jesus can bring. Your window is open—carpe diem!