In His Right Mind

“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.” Luke 8:35 

There was a man in Gadara who was possessed of many devils. These evil spirits had such power over him that he could no longer function in society. He was a wild, raving madman who lived in the graveyard. Mark tells us that this man went about crying and cutting himself with stones. The authorities had tried to help this man in every way that they could. They had arrested him and put him in chains, but every time they did he broke the chains and went right back out to the graveyard. The community wanted to reform him, but what he needed was spiritual help.

When this man saw Jesus, the evil spirits within him cried out against Jesus. They recognized Him as the Son of God, and they were afraid that Jesus would immediately send them to hell. When Jesus commanded the evil spirits to come out of the man, they begged Him to allow them to enter into a herd of pigs on a nearby hillside. Jesus allowed them to do so and the entire herd of pigs ran down the slope and drowned themselves in the sea. The keepers of this herd were afraid and ran into town to tell what had happened. When the townspeople came out, they found this man that they had been unable to help in his right mind. “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world,” (I John 4:4). What this world needs is Jesus!