Written by Jennifer Azubuike
Madma spun in circles while awaiting final instructions. The sight of farmers with their herd downhill enraged him. They have encroached on his territory; he thought they would know better. Maybe they didn’t hear what happened to the group before them, but he would teach them that the span of the graveyard down to the river was his alone. The rage inside him grew. He growled and cried aloud, but didn’t have a release to go, for he had masters to obey; they were ruthless in tormenting him if he didn’t wait for their command. There was no escaping them either because he housed them.
Master 1 (affliction): The stones here are no longer sharp enough. Madma, go to the hillside for sharper stones.
Master 2 (Selfishness): Stop! Why sharper stones?
Master 1 (affliction): To cut himself deeper. Pain is the only check on his soul, whether it is dead or alive. Laughs
Master 2 (Selfishness): Alright, but that’s not urgent. He needs to eat something.
Master 1 (affliction): Why? This is only the seventh day. He has gone longer without any food, and he is not complaining. Why do you care?
Master 2 (Selfishness): You fool! Wasn’t pig dung the last thing he ate? We need his body, which requires human food to stay alive.
Master 3 (Fury): What is the delay?
Master 1&2: Food!
Master 3 (Fury): Why?
Master 1 (affliction): The same question I asked.
Master 2 (Selfishness): He will do your bidding momentarily, but let him run towards the river quickly to find food. Madma, go!
Madma took off running in that direction, heading toward the river. As he approached the river, he spotted a boat that had just docked, and people were coming out of it. Fury took over and overrode the command for food.
“When will these people learn to leave us alone?” He raged and rushed towards the boat, strengthened with the might of ten men. His goal was to beat the men, tear them, and destroy their boat. It will be a piece of cake. He had done it countless times. As he sped up to them, he saw a man among them who made his masters yell “halt!”
He had never met this man, but his masters knew him. They knew Him in their spirit kingdom as one of great authority—a pure and superior kind of authority.
Madma felt confused because he had never had to pause or stop on a mission to destroy until the aim was achieved. He was at top speed and could not stop, so his masters changed the command. “Madma, you must worship Him. We can only worship Him.”
Madma fell to his knees when he arrived before this strange man. All the rage he had felt dissipated at a rate that weakened him, but he must worship. So he knelt there while his masters took over.
“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time? The demons begged this strange man of great authority, called Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
Jesus looked at Madma and saw a man created with a destiny and plenty of potential, but he also saw the demons that had claimed ownership of his body and made themselves lords over his life. This man could not attain his destiny under such evil control.
“What is your name?” Jesus asked Madma.
“Legion, for we are many,” the demons replied.
It must have angered Jesus that they had so long possessed this man that they had stolen his identity. He wasn’t having it. “Go!” He commanded them. Immediately, they separated from Madma and fled, leaving Madma faint, but Jesus reached down and strengthened him. At that moment, he restored his life, name, and identity. He even gave him a new purpose—to be an evangelist.
Only Jesus can restore hope in hopelessness, repurpose brokenness, and heal deep-seated wounds.
Reference scriptures: Matthew 8:28-32; Luke 8:26-39; Mark 5:1-20
Until next time, stay lifted.
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