How do we go about rebuilding what’s been broken down? Will worldly anecdotes help to fix what’s been broken down on the inside? For today’s sermon, I will use scripture from the gospel according to Mark for my key verse.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore[a] You by God that You do not torment me.”
8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”
Mark 5:6-8 NKJV
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I am what you could call a “baby” of the church. I grew up in the church and I have loved the church, God, and Jesus all of my life. When I was a little boy, in kindergarten, I would draw nothing but church buildings with a cross and steeple; it would drive my teachers crazy! They would ask my parents, “does he draw anything else?” My love of church could not be broken and could never be broken because my love is for the Lord, His way, and His will.
It is hard to break what a child love and believes in. Sadly, over time, many young children end up having their love of what they believe in break mostly because of what others think. When something is no longer “cool”, and I child happened to love it, they will quickly fall out of love with that something – their love for it breaks. Some things we never fall out of love with from our childhood regardless of how much others may beat on it or tear after it.
The human soul, like a child’s love and faith, should be something that’s incredibly hard to break, but it is not. The human soul is constantly under attack day by day and night by night. The one attacking the human soul is relentless in his pursuit of destroying and consuming the human soul. The one doing the attacking of the human soul is Satan himself. In the book of Job, we see the devil even say that he was going to and fro in the earth just to see who we could consume.
Why is the human soul so special? Let’s answer this question. Paul asked the question (1 Cor. 6:19), “know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” He asked this question to believers. We often forget that, as believers, God comes and dwells inside of the genuine believer. The temple is not a building but you yourself!
We must also remember that when God created mankind, He breathed into mankind the breath of life and mankind became a living soul. Therefore, believers and non-believers have a piece of God inside of them – the human soul. God is Holy – He is supernatural! The soul that God breathed into mankind must also be supernatural. Why? Because the soul came not from man but from God who is supernatural. I tell you, the soul, our soul, is a holy thing! Therefore, if the soul is supernatural, it would need a supernatural doctor or fixer if it is broken!
We look within, see our soul is in shambles, and we throw everything we can to fix our broken soul. We throw drinking at our broken soul because drinking solves everything, right? We throw sex at our broken soul because sex solves everything, right? We go to the doctor to see what he or she can do; they’ll prescribe some medicine and we’ll throw the medicine and pills at fixing our soul. The problem is that these worldly anecdotes are only good for worldly matters but not a supernatural matter.
The one who can rebuild what’s been broken is God. I don’t feel like there is anybody who has ever lived or living today that’s looked on the inside and did not believe they were a broken mess. I am telling you that God can fix, can rebuild that soul that He put inside of you! We’re going to take a look at something that occurred in the gospels for an example of what God can do for you.
Recorded in the gospels is an encounter that Jesus had with a man who was demon possessed. This recording of scripture will sound like something from a supernatural tv show or movie. In the country of the Gadarenes, there lived a man who was demon possessed (Mark 5:1-20). Scripture shows us that this man was in terrible of need of help but the people of the city could not help this man (Mark 5:2-4). They tried to help him but he could not be helped so they cast him out of the city and into the mountains. Have you ever felt like you were cast away because nobody could help you with what was tormenting or troubling you?
This man made his home in the mountains and in tombs as he was dealing with the demons that possessed him. He would cry out day and night from his tormenting and he would even cut himself (Mark 5:5). You see, we think that people cutting themselves is a new thing, but people have been dealing with demons for a very long time. I say this because you never know what someone is dealing with and that you could help them with this word. This man needed help but the people felt that they had done all they could and there was no helping or saving this man. They could not help him because what was tormenting him was something supernaturally and there was only one who could help and save this man.
One day, not by coincidence, this man was standing somewhere where he is able to spot the One that could help him coming to him. Jesus and the disciples were crossing the sea from Galilee and coming over to the country of the Gadarenes (Mark 5:1). It does not seem that Jesus had any other purpose to be coming to this country serve this one man. Why do I say this? Scripture does not record Jesus doing anything here in this visit but healing this demon-possessed man! That is why I say that this was no mere coincidence – there’s no coincidence when it comes to the Lord, just purpose. God had heard the cries of this man and was coming to help this man! God will hear your cries and come to you if you cry out to Him!
This demon-possessed man saw Jesus from “afar” and you will notice that this man did not walk to Jesus but ran to Jesus.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.
Mark 5:6 NKJV
Let this be a lesson: we must be willing to cry out to the Lord in the times when we are being tormented and broken, but we must also be willing to meet Him when He visits! This demon-possessed man ran to meet Jesus! We often wonder what God would say when we go to Him. Many times we fear what God would say because we’re too ashamed to come to Him. I want you to notice what Jesus says to this man who had been tormented and crying out for help.
7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the
Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”8 For [Jesus] said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”
Mark 5:7-8 NKJV
Notice who Jesus speaks to in this situation. Jesus listens to this man and He then He gives a command not to the man but to the unclean spirit that had been tormenting this man! This demon-possessed man had illustrated faith in coming to Christ and straightway Jesus heals what the people thought could not be healed! Somebody, as you are reading this sermon, is being healed when others had given up on them! My God is a good God.
I want you to see the reaction of these people that had given up on the demon-possessed man.
15 Then they came to
Mark 5:15 NKJVJesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
The people had heard of what had happened to the demon-possessed man and so they came to see if what they had heard was true. You know, there are some people who have to just “see it with their own eyes” before they believe. Remember, these people had decided that this man could not be helped. They arrive to find that the demon-possessed man was now dressed and sitting – calm and at peace. The scripture says that he was clothed and in his “right mind”.
You see, the formerly demon-possessed man was alright now because he had gone and visited the supernatural healer! When we are sick or have hurt ourselves, we go to the doctors who have studied how to heal the things of this world. When it comes to your soul, the supernatural, God has the power and will cast out whatever may be tormented you. Not only will God do that, but God will make you whole again!
The people were so afraid that they wanted Jesus to leave – after He had healed this man (Mark 5:17). You see, I told you, this was no coincidence and not only was this visit not a coincidence but it was a rather quick visit from Jesus. You know, it doesn’t take long for the Lord to work – it may seem like it at times but it does not take Him long to work. When the demon-possessed man saw that Jesus was about to leave, I want you to see what He does.
18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
Mark 5:18 NKJV
The demon-possessed man was ready to follow Jesus)! When you have been healed and you know where your help has come from, you’re ready to go with anywhere with the One that healed you! Now watch what Jesus says to this man.
19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Mark 5:19 NKJV
Jesus did not permit him to follow Him, at that moment, but tasked this man to testify (preach) of what the Lord had done for him! We should never hold back the things that God has done for us. You see, I testify to you today because I know what the Lord has done for me and what the Lord will continue to do for me! I want you to know that the Lord is also capable of fixing you and making you who again as well.
Would you believe this formerly demon-possessed man started to testify of Christ in that land?
20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him
Mark 5:20 NKJV; and all marveled.
God will heal anybody, so long as they believe in Him, and God will use anybody to testify of His name! The people stood around and marveled at what the demon-possessed man had become. My message to you today is that the Lord can fix what’s been broken in you but you must have the faith to cry out to Him and meet Him as well.
I tell you that there will be some who laugh and mock you on the journey of your rebuild – you won’t be the first believer to ever be mocked or laughed at so I am going to leave you with this final thought. In the book of Nehemiah, the Jews returned to a destroyed Jerusalem after their Babylonian captivity. The Jews began to rebuild their walls and their temples to only be mocked by Sanballat and others. I want you to see what Nehemiah had said to those that were doing the mocking and I want you to keep this close to your heart.
20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV
So long as you keep the faith, trust in Him, and be obedient to His way, the Lord will prosper your walk. I want to make clear here that the prospering that I am talking about has nothing to do with wealth. God will fix what the world, the devil and his demons have spent so much time trying to destroy. Believe it and trust in it.