You may have never met anyone as wild…

Not just wild but violent as the man Jesus met with in Gadara (Lk. 8:26-39). He was clearly and expressly, under the control of a demonic power that had ripped him from society and had made him a violent, screaming maniac. Jesus delivered him from Satan’s control. He put him in his right mind and made him fit for both His kingdom and His world.

Satan undoubtedly still uses demon possession to express his hatred for God and mankind. He will usually do it in less spectacular ways. For example, getting people to believe that we are nothing more than chance products of blind evolution is an idea that works very well for him today. Such a belief is attractive to many because it promises freedom from moral restraints and offers immediate gratification. But multitudes who start down the road of permissiveness are soon trapped in a lifestyle of enslaving addictions and shameless practices that rob them of self-respect, satisfaction, and hope. Essentially, Satan has them in his power, just as he had the maniac.

The good news for those trapped in sin is that Jesus Christ still delivers all who turn to Him. And the good news for those who have trusted Christ for deliverance is that we have a message of hope worth telling to others as we go.

Whatever you allow yourself to be addicted to becomes one of your masters. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters.” Paul writes, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free by the blood of Jesus shed at the cross. Walk in that freedom and liberty today.

Ask the Lord’s help in giving your service exclusively to the Lord and His purposes. Paul writes, “Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness. (Rom. 6:19)

Consider the advantages of being led by God versus the disadvantages of being led by your addiction. Paul writes, “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Rom. 8:6-8)

Choose freedom rather than slavery. Paul writes, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)

Check out our Goal Setting section on ‘Setting the Right Goals in Life’ and begin today to celebrate your victories day by day. God has a wonderful plan for your life. He wants to bless you. If you’ll take the steps you can take to obey Him, He will intervene and ’cause you to triumph’ (2 Corinthians 2: 14)

*We want to pray for you. Please feel free to share your comments with us. We love you and are praying that God will reveal Himself in a might way to deliver you. Be Blessed! MT

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