Read Mark 5:1–20. What can we learn about the great controversyfrom this amazing account and, again, about the power of Jesus?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________If the night before on the lake was unforgettable, the arrival at theGadarenes the next morning was just as impressive. The history of thedemon-possessed man is laid out in heartbreaking detail. Breakingaway from all constraint, he lived in the tombs and cut himself withstones. “No one had the strength to subdue him” (Mark 5:4, ESV)—andthen he met Jesus.The man rushed at Jesus—no word about the disciples (they probably ran off). When the man came near to Jesus, he fell down beforeHim. The words “fell down” translate the Greek verb proskyneō, usually translated “to worship.” It seems the man recognized that Jesuswas Someone who could help him. But when he opened his mouth,the demons inside him shouted at Jesus, who could hear the man’swhispered plea for help above the demons’ shouts. When they askedto be released into a herd of pigs, Jesus permitted them to enter thepigs. The entire herd, about two thousand, rushed down the embankment and drowned in the water. It was a financial disaster for theowners.What’s amazing is that the demons knew exactly who Jesus was,and they also knew their impotence before Him, which was why they“begged Him” twice (Mark 5:10, 12, NKJV) to do what they asked.Obviously, they knew His power over them.This story has two overriding characteristics. First, it is filled with itemsof uncleanness or ceremonial defilement according to Old Testament law.Tombs and the dead were unclean (Num. 19:11, 16). Bleeding made oneunclean (Leviticus 15). Pigs were unclean (Lev. 11:7).But, second, overarching this litany of defilement is the back-andforth battle between good and evil forces. Jesus drives out the demons(two points for Jesus), the demons kill the pigs (two points for Satan).The townspeople ask Jesus to leave (two points for Satan), but Jesussends back the healed man as His witness (three points for Jesus). Insome ways this man was the unlikeliest missionary, but he definitelyhad an amazing story to tell.What hope can you draw from this story about the power of Jesusto help you in whatever you are struggling with?