Good Morning Sunshine! When God Delivers You, Who Will You Tell?

Mark 5:1-2,6,9,13,18-20 ERV ~ “Jesus and his followers went across the lake to the area where the Gerasene people lived. [2] When Jesus got out of the boat, a man came to him from the caves where the dead are buried. This man had an evil spirit living inside him. [6] While Jesus was still far away, the man saw him. He ran to Jesus and bowed down before him. [9] Then Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?” The man answered, “My name is Legion, because there are many spirits inside me.” [13] So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. They were all drowned. There were about 2000 pigs in that herd. [18] Jesus was preparing to leave in the boat. The man who was now free from the demons begged to go with him. [19] But Jesus did not allow the man to go. He said, “Go home to your family and friends. Tell them about all that the Lord did for you. Tell them how the Lord was good to you.” [20] So the man left and told the people in the Ten Towns about the great things Jesus did for him. Everyone was amazed.”

Please read Mark 5:1-20 while you are doing this devotional!

Today, you no longer need to be ashamed of what you have done! If you repented and gave it to God, He has forgiven you and He will not remind you of it again. There is no shame or condemnation, you were bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20) and the promise of that is you are no longer bound by chains! Forgive yourself and use your testimony to share with others. For if someone knew you before you were saved and they can see the new you, they will know that a change has come over you! You have been cleansed, washed (1 Corinthians 6:11) and transformed (Romans 12:2) by the Blood of the Lamb and your testimony (Revelation 12:11) is proof of it! Can’t nobody tell your story like you!

There was a demon possessed man that people knew from city to city, and they stayed away from him and that area. This man’s role was not to simply to enjoy Jesus Presence, but to tell everyone he knew what Jesus had done for him. Today and every day that God gives you breath, this is what you are suppose to be doing.

There are two types of people and two very different responses when it comes to seeing a miracle performed by Jesus that we see here. One group just wanted Jesus to get back in the boat and leave, they didn’t get the encounter that took place through deliverance, they only experienced what happened to the pigs. They begged Jesus to leave, for His response to the Gospel was too much for them. They desired peace and quietness, they wanted a natural response, nothing spiritual!

But Jesus came there and got out of the boat for one reason, to set that man free, (Jesus came to this world to set you free)! He came to expel the real spiritual uncleanness from Israel, not by natural conquest, but to rid them of the legions (demonic spirits) but by spiritual conquest (to deliver you) through the power of the Gospel that He preached and taught them about the Cross on which He died for you and me! He showed them what it looked like when Jesus heals you, and because of that, the man wanted to go with Jesus! As a matter of fact, he begged Jesus to let him come, but Jesus had something greater in mind! The man’s testimony would do more, because people all around the cities knew him before as that man! Now they will get to know him because of The Man! So, they will know that it had to be Jesus that did it. (There is a difference between knew him and knowing him, think about this in your relationship with God, either you know Him personally or you knew of Him because of what someone has told you. Just a little food for thought!)

Jesus is calling you to mission greater than what you can understand, and it is not up to you to understand but to obey and go. God wants you to fulfill the great commission, (Matthew 28:18-20). He is calling you to stop the silence and tell your testimony of what the Lord has done for you! Somebody needs to know that if God did it for you, He will certainly do it for them to, because He is no respecter of person, (Romans 2:11). God worked that thing in and out of you on purpose, and He did it for His glory and not what’s best for your flesh! (I know it was hard and it have even been ugly, but God, He uses everything, nothing is or was lost, Romans 8:28)! You must trust God and His Word, stop trying to figure it out or go ahead of Him!

God knows what’s best for you over what you know, especially when it doesn’t make sense to you. If you only follow God when it makes sense, then you are not operating in that faith, that’s all you and your flesh! The demon possessed man did what Jesus’ said, even though he wanted to be with Him, but Jesus needed him to proclaim the Gospel instead of just being a spectator! This man chose God’s plan over his, yes, his plan was good, but it wasn’t a God plan. I know you like to be in the background with others as they minister and give their testimony and maybe tell yours for you too, but somebody needs to hear yours, (I’m speaking to myself in this), you need to open your mouth, speak up and out!

As you give your testimony, some might ask you for all the details of what happened and how you got free only to choose to remain in their same space, don’t worry about the negative people. Just remember how most places Jesus went the people were bombarding Him, but the folks here just wanted Him gone, immediately. They were not ready to be free, they could only hear and see the negative of what happened to the pigs. You did your part you planted the seed, and someone else will water it and God will get the increase, (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). God has a greater plan for you, He has different places and spaces for you to occupy!

When you choose to follow God’s plan over your own, God will give you step-by-step instructions and what action needs to be taken. So, how do you begin, you pray, and you ask God to fill your mouth, and you just start telling others what the Lord has done for you, you don’t have to dress it up, the Words that God will give you will be able to stand on their own, He is just that Powerful!

My prayer for you today is that you would be like that man and go into the highways and byways telling others what Jesus did for you. For after what Jesus did for him, he couldn’t keep it to himself, he had to praise Him by honoring His Call to go! He witnessed to ten cities, to any and every one that would listen. When you truly understand and appreciate what Jesus has done for you, you should praise Him and honor His Call as well! Start with your household, your neighbors, colleagues, church family, and in the marketplace! But because you have free will, it is ultimately up to you to obey Him! You have to choose God’s way to advance His Kingdom over your good way to advance His Kingdom, because His way is always the best and it’s the only way that is true and sure to last forever!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Abba Father! Thank You for delivering me! Thank You for saving me! Thank You for leading me to tell someone else about you! Father, I will go wherever You want me to go and speak Your Word and sow into those who You want to know You better! Father, give me Your courage and strength to obey what You ask me to do and that I do it when You say, no more procrastination, putting it off until later or tomorrow, for neither one of those times are promised to me! Father, send Your Holy Spirit to fill me, give me wisdom and all manners of discernment and discipline, that I may know who and when. Father, thank You for giving me a heart that is strong enough to face the worst; a mind that forgets what is bad; and a soul that shall never lose faith in You. Father, lead me to always see me and to repent and forgive, that I may not become bitter, but that I can love like You have shown me. Father, thank You for what You have done, keep me focused on you amid the all the things that come distract me in life. Father m, You are the Creator and giver of life and You know me better than I know myself, keep me from hurting me and others. For You know where I’ve been hurt and broken physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Pour Your power out in me and among Your children that we may all be healed, renewed, and strengthened. Father, grant me Your Grace to accept the changes that come to me as I move through the seasons of life and give me unwavering faith that overcomes all of my fears. Father, put Your Word in my spirit, Jude 24-25, “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever.” In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Blessing…
Love, Minister Jean