After teaching in parables all day, Jesus decided to cross with His disciples to the other side of the Lake of Gennesaret to rest. While they were sailing, a violent storm battered the boat. The situation was so serious that the disciples, many of them experienced fishermen, thought they were going to die. But Jesus, with just a few words, calmed the wind and the sea. The astonished disciples asked themselves, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (Mark 4:41).
When they reached the region of Gadara, they encountered another terrifying scene. Two demon- possessed men, who usually frightened people away, approached. But this time something different happened. Upon seeing Jesus, one of them ran toward Him and bowed down. Even though he did not know it, he was standing before the One who had the power to free him.
When Jesus asked his name, the evil spirit replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many” (Mark 5:9). When Jesus ordered them to leave, the demons begged to be sent into a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus gave them permission, and the pigs ran into the sea, where they drowned.
The men who cared for the pigs ran to notify the people in town. Soon a crowd arrived. But instead of rejoicing at the deliverance of these men, they were afraid. For them, Jesus represented an economic threat. They begged Him to leave before they lost more possessions.
This story shows us three forces at work:
The enemy: his mission is to destroy. Jesus warns us: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). We do not know how these men ended up being demon-possessed, but we see the consequences: they lost their home, their family, their peace. This is Satan’s work: destroying all the good things God has given us.
Society: good intentions, but powerless to heal. People tried to control the possessed men with chains, they isolated them and avoided them, but nothing solved their problem. The same thing happens today. Society seeks political, economic, or scientific solutions to human problems, but the suffering continues. No human system can transform a person’s heart.
Jesus: the only One who can set you free. Jesus went through a storm to reach those men. He was tired, but He did not hesitate to come to their rescue. His love and power were greater than any obstacle. As a result, the once frightening men were now sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in their right mind (Mark 5:15). Instead of desperate cries, there was now gratitude and praise.
Jesus has the same power to set you free today. No matter what chains imprison you—sin, fear, guilt, your past—He can break them. You only need to meet Jesus. If you long for real change, come to Him. There are no chains His power cannot break, no darkness His light cannot dispel. Like the Gadarenes, you too will be able to tell “what great things the Lord has done for you” (verse 19).
Breaking the Chains
The enemy wants to destroy you. Jesus came to give you abundant life (John 10:10).
No human solution can heal your heart. Only Jesus can transform your life.
Jesus weathers storms for you. Even when He seems far away, He always takes the initiative to meet you.
You are not too far away to be rescued. If you allow Him, neither demons, nor fear, nor your past can stop Jesus from setting you free.
Roberto Correa holds a master’s degree in Theology and coordinates Hispanic churches in the Midwest. He writes from Lincoln, Nebraska.
