Man with the unclean spirit. Mark1:21 , Luke 4:31
There is a part of the day I met Jesus that I dont really remember ........ the most important part.
It was an ordinary Sabbath in Capernaum and I was at the synagogue with my father and three of my brothers when Jesus stood up to teach. I had heard him before, he had been teaching in our synagogue for the past few days and many of us had been intrigued by the authority and quiet assurance with which he spoke. We had come back to listen to him today as he began to preach from the book of Zechariah. He had read the verses about the people mourning for one who was pierced and then I heard him say
'On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.2 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit.'
at which point I heard myself screech in a voice I didnt recognise
' Leave us alone Jesus of Nazareth!'
I felt a terror sweep over me as I realised that the voice that was coming out of my mouth was not my own and that I had no control over what it was saying. I felt so hot I thought I was about to explode and I was aware that my body was contorting in all sorts of weird ways. It was as though I was having an out of body experience. Part of me was completely aware of what was going on - as though I was watching in from a distance. The other part of me was helplessly struggling to get a grip on my body and my speech. I stood up and screeched across the congregation
' What have we ever done to you? Why are you here? Have you come to destroy us? We know who you are - You are the Holy one of God'.
My brothers told me later that by this time every man in the synagogue was on his feet and my father and my elder brother were trying to wrestle me back into my seat. But they said that I was unnaturally strong and that they couldn't get my body to physically bend in the middle to make me sit down. I was spitting and scratching and causing a complete scene. Safe to say nothing like this had ever happened in our small town synagogue before.
Jesus approached me. As he did I could feel my body physically recoiling from him. I backed away as far as I could before I reached the wall and Jesus had me backed into a corner. Part of me wanted to run to him and grab hold of him - as though I knew somewhere deep inside that he was my rescuer. The other part of me hated him with a loathing I had never experienced before. That part of me wanted to simultaneously kill him and run as far away as possible from him. I felt as though my body and soul were being ripped in two by this conflict that was going on inside me. Jesus spoke quietly and, looking me straight in the eye said ' Be quiet and come out of him'
At the sound of his voice my body flew forwards and I hit the ground like a sack of grain. I was now lying at Jesus's feet and immediately I started to cough. I thought I was going to vomit. From the pit of my stomach I felt something dark and ugly start to move. I felt it move from my stomach up into my throat, then in a long ugly groan I heard it escape from my mouth. I almost expected to see a dark cloud in front of me as the evil presence departed. Whatever it was left, and I sank to the floor utterly exhausted, but somehow full of joy. I dont remember what happened after that. My brothers tell me that the pharisees and elders went nuts, that Jesus continued to teach and that I just lay on the floor for well over an hour as though in a deep sleep.
Ive never been the same since that day. It is as though everything before that day was shrouded in a veil, a shadow which made everything dull and difficult and depressing. Since that day the veil has ben lifted and everything is brighter, more colourful, more meaningful. Everything is life and truth and goodness. It is hard to describe, but I am forever changed and everyone who knows me sees it.
This Jesus has the power to command spirits, heal brokenness and release people who didnt even know they were captives. Since that day I have heard that he continues to teach and preach with powerful signs and wonders and that people are healed wherever he goes. One of these days I will seek him out and thank him for what he did for me.
It was an ordinary Sabbath in Capernaum and I was at the synagogue with my father and three of my brothers when Jesus stood up to teach. I had heard him before, he had been teaching in our synagogue for the past few days and many of us had been intrigued by the authority and quiet assurance with which he spoke. We had come back to listen to him today as he began to preach from the book of Zechariah. He had read the verses about the people mourning for one who was pierced and then I heard him say
'On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.2 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit.'
at which point I heard myself screech in a voice I didnt recognise
' Leave us alone Jesus of Nazareth!'
I felt a terror sweep over me as I realised that the voice that was coming out of my mouth was not my own and that I had no control over what it was saying. I felt so hot I thought I was about to explode and I was aware that my body was contorting in all sorts of weird ways. It was as though I was having an out of body experience. Part of me was completely aware of what was going on - as though I was watching in from a distance. The other part of me was helplessly struggling to get a grip on my body and my speech. I stood up and screeched across the congregation
' What have we ever done to you? Why are you here? Have you come to destroy us? We know who you are - You are the Holy one of God'.
My brothers told me later that by this time every man in the synagogue was on his feet and my father and my elder brother were trying to wrestle me back into my seat. But they said that I was unnaturally strong and that they couldn't get my body to physically bend in the middle to make me sit down. I was spitting and scratching and causing a complete scene. Safe to say nothing like this had ever happened in our small town synagogue before.
Jesus approached me. As he did I could feel my body physically recoiling from him. I backed away as far as I could before I reached the wall and Jesus had me backed into a corner. Part of me wanted to run to him and grab hold of him - as though I knew somewhere deep inside that he was my rescuer. The other part of me hated him with a loathing I had never experienced before. That part of me wanted to simultaneously kill him and run as far away as possible from him. I felt as though my body and soul were being ripped in two by this conflict that was going on inside me. Jesus spoke quietly and, looking me straight in the eye said ' Be quiet and come out of him'
At the sound of his voice my body flew forwards and I hit the ground like a sack of grain. I was now lying at Jesus's feet and immediately I started to cough. I thought I was going to vomit. From the pit of my stomach I felt something dark and ugly start to move. I felt it move from my stomach up into my throat, then in a long ugly groan I heard it escape from my mouth. I almost expected to see a dark cloud in front of me as the evil presence departed. Whatever it was left, and I sank to the floor utterly exhausted, but somehow full of joy. I dont remember what happened after that. My brothers tell me that the pharisees and elders went nuts, that Jesus continued to teach and that I just lay on the floor for well over an hour as though in a deep sleep.
Ive never been the same since that day. It is as though everything before that day was shrouded in a veil, a shadow which made everything dull and difficult and depressing. Since that day the veil has ben lifted and everything is brighter, more colourful, more meaningful. Everything is life and truth and goodness. It is hard to describe, but I am forever changed and everyone who knows me sees it.
This Jesus has the power to command spirits, heal brokenness and release people who didnt even know they were captives. Since that day I have heard that he continues to teach and preach with powerful signs and wonders and that people are healed wherever he goes. One of these days I will seek him out and thank him for what he did for me.
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