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Writer's pictureCynthia A. Barrington, BCHHP, CNHP

Messy People-A Man Possessed

We live in a world of messy, messed-up people. People who are lost and struggling to find their way. You may have it all together. I applaud you if you do.


I do not.


I have a strong relationship with Jesus. I pray throughout my day, study my Bible, and try to be good to others, and yet I struggle. This world is hard. I wouldn't still be here if I didn't have Jesus. I don't know how people do it without Him. In all my mess, He never left me.

What does Jesus think about messy people?

The Man in the Country of the Gadarenes

(Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)

Before this man had an encounter with Jesus, he was a mess. Before he was a mess, he was someone's son and dearly loved.


Jesus had been teaching in Galilee and told His disciples He wanted to sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. On the other side, was the country of the Gadarenes. No doubt Jesus had heard that the area where they were going was dangerous.


Two demon-possessed men lived among the tombs. According to the footnotes on biblegateway.com, these probably were burial places built above ground or natural caves in the hillside. Cave tombs often had two chambers, one of which remained empty as long as relatives were still alive.


In Matthew, the men were described as so fierce and violent that no one could pass through that area. They had been restrained with iron shackles on their arms and chains on their feet but, they were so strong, they broke right through them. As Jesus was stepping out of the boat, one of the men, dirty, naked, hair and beard matted, and most likely covered in dried blood, came running up to Him.


This man had been seized violently by demons many times and driven out into the desert. He was known to scream and shriek at all hours of the day and night and would cut himself with stones.


When the man approached Him, Jesus said, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" He saw his need and met him right where he was. The demons caused the man to bow down before Jesus in terror and, from deep in his throat, they began to beg Jesus not to torment them by sending them into the abyss. Jesus asked the demon, "What is your name?" He answered, "My name is Legion; for we are many."


On the mountainside, there were about two thousand pigs grazing. The demons begged Jesus, if He was going to cast them out, for permission to go into the pigs. Jesus said, "Be gone!" and they went into the pigs. Suddenly, the pigs ran down the mountainside into the Sea of Galilee and were drowned.

Around the Sea of Galilee. Country of the Gadarenes

It's very possible there were two thousand demons in that man. Imagine the torment that man felt day and night. He was never able to escape the evil voices in his head. No wonder he went mad! If I had to guess, I'd say his adrenaline was off the charts. Too much adrenaline can cause insomnia, feeling jittery, and irritable. It can also affect the heart, vision, raise blood pressure as well as increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

This man was in a mess.

Filthy, naked, angry, violent, aggressive. When Jesus saw him, He didn't show contempt for this man. He immediately spoke to the man's problem. Jesus got to the root! When the demons left the man, he returned to his right mind, put on clothes, and was at peace, sitting at the feet of Jesus.


If you've ever been delivered from anything, you don't want to leave the feet of Jesus. As Jesus was leaving, the man begged to go with Him. Jesus told him to go home. He had not been home in so long.


Jesus encountered messy people regularly in His ministry on earth.


Did He reject them?


No. He went to them.


Did He talk bad about them?


No. He loved them.


Did He have bad thoughts about them?


No. He spoke peace to them.


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