Umm Qais:
TESTIMONY OF A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN
How does it feel to have a restored life? How beautiful is it to have freedom in our life? I want to take you to the story of young man who used to live in Umm Qais (Gadara). This place is near from the border between Jordanian and Syria. Today, this place is dangerous because of ISIS terror and violence.
The true Bible story began about a young man possessed by demons. It looks like he has freedom in his life. He lived by his own will and did whatever he wanted. Nobody could chain him or control him. He lived not far from Sea of Galilee.
Many times people saw him walking around wildly in the tombs near a village called Gadara. When someone shouts loudly, there are often two possibilities: either they need help or it is a shout of happiness.
This man lived alone and had long lonely nights among the tombs and in the hills. He tried several times to commit suicide because he was suffering so much. We can know that he was not really free, but was called ‘Legion’ because he was possessed by many, many impure spirits.
No one could set him free. No one cared anymore about this poor man. But Jesus Christ wanted to set him free. He rebuked legion and cast out the demons from this young man. He was healed, saved and in peaceful condition after meeting Jesus! Yet, this is not the end of the story.
Jesus sent him back to his village with clear instructions: Go, Tell what God has done to your life! The world history records that even Jesus Christ was rejected in Gadara Village, but still the Good News spread across the ages.
Do you know that one of the church fathers who attended the Nicaea Council (325 A.D) was from Gadara? At the Byzantine era, the majority of Gadara residents were Christian. Archeologists found more than 400 crusader coins in Gadara.
It proof of what this young man had done — he followed Jesus’ instructions and told the Good News of Christ and this had a big impact on Gadara’s history.
Today God’s calling resounds with the same echo of truth. If God has ever blessed your life, saved you, healed your sickness and helped your life, now is the time to continue bearing fruit of good deeds for God’s work.
People who let God be involved in their life, will not lack God’s providence.
People who obey God’s word already blessed in their life.
