And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. [Luk 8:24]
(Part 2 of How Big is Your God?)
Legion is Not Bigger Than Jesus
All too often we look at our lifes problems with the lens of fear, and the physical facts that are facing us in those problems, however, there is no trial in a believer’s life that cannot be overcome through faith. The overcoming of a trial does not mean that there may not be some remembrances or scars of that trial, however, the end result should be that we see our Creator bigger now then we did in the beginning of the trial and our character refined just a tad bit more.
The Gospels of Mark and Luke tell of a man that was possessed with many demonic spirits, this man was a host for demons, a portal of sorts. He lived in the tombs or graveyard, naked and screaming. He was so strong no chains could hold him and yet when Jesus came into the country of Gadarenes that this man lived in, this same man ran to Jesus and worshipped! At the point of worship the demons screamed out,
7 ....... "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 He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" 9 Then He asked him, "What [is] your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name [is] Legion; for we are many." [Mar 5:7-9]
As soon as this man came running towards Jesus, He told the demons to come out of the man. These demons began to beg Jesus not to cast them out into the wilderness for they needed and desired a body in order to remain in the countryside where they obviously had a stronghold on that territory. Jesus sent them into a herd of swine, but first He asked their name and they said “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Notice these demons were of one accord for one demon spoke but said “we are many.” This can show us that there is power in being of one accord, even for Satan.
After the demons are cast out, the man is found in his “right mind” and he went on to declare to multiple cities, Decapolis, all that Jesus had done for him. This man was in a bound and desperate state when he ran to Jesus and fell at His feet in worship. His struggles were obviously great for he was tormented to the point of cutting himself yet he saw a big Jesus when he ran towards Him.
The devil knows Jesus is bigger than he is and his demonic cohorts do as well. This power to cause demons to tremble is not only in Christ but it is in His followers as well because the same Holy Spirit power that resurrected Jesus Christ is in us. After Jesus sent many disciples out into the world they came back saying, Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." [Luk 10:17]. When we identify with Jesus our problems are no longer insurmountable.
A Massive Army or a Massive God
In Numbers 13 the Israelites are to go into the land of Canaan and spy, for this was land God was giving them, however, when they did so they came back, after 40 days, with a report that the people dwelling there were strong and their cities were fortified and very large. These men were staring at their problem for 40 days and during that time their problem grew as does ours when we stare at them. When we face a problem, especially one that is ongoing, we would be wise to pray every time we have to look at it or deal with it. We must use the eyes of faith when facing the challenges of life.
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they [are] stronger than we." [Num 13:30-31]
There are two reports here, one of faith and one of fear. One of a mass people of strength and one of a mass God of war. The people chose fear. This land was full of the promises of God, good fruit, milk and honey and the people had seen and heard of the miraculous God they served and that cared for them, yet their problem was bigger than He. Caleb saw how great the challenge was but he wasn’t swayed by a bad report because he knew that in the past his God had always prevailed when they were faithfully obedient.
If we cannot see God in our current circumstances then we need to return in memory to the places He showed Himself, the places of challenge in our lives where we can see God was there turning things in our favor. The past experiences in life that are overcome by faith in our big God are the things that prepare us for the next experience. If our perspective is that of faith, knowing God sees us through, then we will be able to face the next issue. If our perspective is of fear then we can be sure the warfare will overcome the situation.
"There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." [Num 13:33]
How often do we, like the Israelites, look at our problem and see it to be too big for God? We are no different than them, we have a different situation but the same God. When we choose to see our problem and not God as the solution it is rebellion and rejection of God. We not only slip into unbelief and become unable to walk in faith, which is what pleases God, we then begin to allow fear to lead us into rebellion. There is only one solution to all of our problems, Jesus Christ. He will give us the wisdom, knowledge and courage through His Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truth we will need to face any situation.
God may not take the problems or circumstances out of our lives, He may choose to allow us to walk them out thereby causing our faith to increase and our character to build. God never promised us a life without troubles, Jesus said we would have tribulation but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world and You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. [1Jo 4:4].