LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Tuesday 31st May 2022
A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE MAN
Scripture Reading: Mark 5
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. Mark 5:3–5
The presence of evil spirits in this man’s life had turned him from an otherwise productive person into a self-destructive person. At first sight, an onlooker would wonder why anyone would behave in such a way. But we have insight into the cause of his unfortunate actions.
▪ He was ungovernable: The man was uncontrollable, unrestrained, untamed, wild, mad, violent-tempered, and often possessing super-human strength. All human efforts to help him had failed. He could not be helped, nor controlled, nor tamed. He represents the uncontrollable evil or depravity of man and the helplessness of man to deliver or save himself.
Every effort made to bring order to his life had been fruitless. Although he had the strength to break the chains on him, he did not have the power to change his abnormal behaviour.
▪ He disturbed everybody: He cried out night and day in the tombs. What haunting cries they might have been. He cried to draw attention to his misery as well as to ward people off.
▪ He destroyed himself: He represents a man who is totally depraved, someone who is so far gone that he no longer has respect for human life, not even his own.
The man was a threat to himself and to others, inflicting harm upon himself. He cut himself with stones and other implements that he found among the tombs.
When the devil controls people, he gives them self-destructive tools. For some, the tools that the enemy places in their hands to cut themselves with is a bottle of alcohol; to others, it is narcotics; and to others, sexual perversion. It ruins their lives, but they can’t seem to help themselves, and only continue to indulge.
God is a deliverer for those who cannot help themselves from what holds them bound.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, have mercy on those whom the enemy has bound. Bring deliverance to their tortured souls. In Jesus’ name, Amen.