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The Desire of Ages
had healed remained as witnesses to His power. Those who had
been mediums of the prince of darkness became channels of light,
messengers of the Son of God. Men marveled as they listened to
the wondrous news. A door was opened to the gospel throughout
that region. When Jesus returned to Decapolis, the people flocked
about Him, and for three days, not merely the inhabitants of one town,
[341]
but thousands from all the surrounding region, heard the message
of salvation. Even the power of demons is under the control of our
Saviour, and the working of evil is overruled for good.
The encounter with the demoniacs of Gergesa had a lesson for
the disciples. It showed the depths of degradation to which Satan is
seeking to drag the whole human race, and the mission of Christ to set
men free from his power. Those wretched beings, dwelling in the place
of graves, possessed by demons, in bondage to uncontrolled passions
and loathsome lusts, represent what humanity would become if given
up to satanic jurisdiction. Satan’s influence is constantly exerted upon
men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to
violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and
debases the soul. Whenever men reject the Saviour’s invitation, they
are yielding themselves to Satan. Multitudes in every department in
life, in the home, in business, and even in the church, are doing this
today. It is because of this that violence and crime have overspread
the earth, and moral darkness, like the pall of death, enshrouds the
habitations of men. Through his specious temptations Satan leads men
to worse and worse evils, till utter depravity and ruin are the result.
The only safeguard against his power is found in the presence of Jesus.
Before men and angels Satan has been revealed as man’s enemy and
destroyer; Christ, as man’s friend and deliverer. His Spirit will develop
in man all that will ennoble the character and dignify the nature. It will
build man up for the glory of God in body and soul and spirit. “For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and
of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
. He has called us “to the obtaining of
the glory”—character—“of our Lord Jesus Christ;” has called us to be
“conformed to the image of His Son.”
2 Thessalonians 2:14
;
Romans
8:29
.
And souls that have been degraded into instruments of Satan are
still through the power of Christ transformed into messengers of righ-