We liken this to how Satan gets hold of our minds before conversion. Here is one who can deliver us from this condition. Christ commands and causes that wall around us that prevents us knowing God to break. Only one can bring proper feelings into a life, and take away sin. We can’t mend our ways or deserve heaven ourselves.
They were afraid. Are you of being converted, ruled by God? This is about irresistible grace, and it applies to the worst of us. Maybe some resemble much more the crowd, who pleaded with him to go, leave them alone. Some may say to God, ‘Leave me alone.’ It is terrible if that is your only prayer. Your whole heart says it and longs to be as far as you can be from Christ. The tragedy is that some should spurn the only one who can help them.
This man was clothed and in his right mind. None of us can be in our right mind until our rebellion against God is ended. We are not what we were meant to be. We must be clothed with a new living spirit. We must be clothed with the righteousness of Christ so that we do not appear naked before God.
Did you know that conversion is a deeply internal work. Not just that you turn from sin and act differently, but you are changed in your whole character. You are still the same person – the outgoing person will still be outgoing – but sin is no longer in control of all you do. Certain new drives come in, new powers of self-control; God changes you. Only by coming to him and repenting and trusting in Christ, can you be changed. It is a deeply internal work. It is a legal work. The legal aspect is that you have a record before God and a charge sheet which might fill a book. All the charges stand against you. That charge sheet has to be cancelled. Only Christ can do this. We describe this as being justified before God. God deems you as not guilty. Then there is a relational aspect. You have to be related to God and adopted into his family. You have to have communion with God and know him and love him. Oh, the extensiveness of conversion!
We do not always see for ourselves what is the best way ahead. We must consult the Lord at every significant step, for God has a specific plan for each one of us which he has chosen.
Christ puts us through deep experiences so that we will be prepared with a testimony that we could not otherwise have. The extreme terror that this man had known, would be turned into a testimony of the power of Christ which no one else could render. He would speak to his terrified countrymen from his personal experience, and, according to the Lord, he was already equipped with all that he needed to carry out this difficult work. Some are called to service very early in the Christian life. Personal testimony will always be a major part of Christian witness. What energy and conviction this man would speak with, after being so transformed. He spoke to his neighbours and those who knew him and then further afield to the peoples of the ten cities. Just as his reputation for evil had preceded him, so his reputation for deliverance at the hand of Christ would follow him.
The months would go past and in no time Christ would go to Calvary, and all would fall into place in this man’s mind. He would have words like Wesley: ‘And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Saviour’s blood?’