Our last post was of a man of God who suffered from depression and begged God to kill him. Today, we want to swing fully to the other side of the pendulum. There we meet the madman of Gadara. Very few of us would ever get so bad but we may have family members who are tending to that. They are in the psychiatric hospitals or psychiatric wards of general hospitals. Such people have frank madness and doctors have to keep them on strong medication. Otherwise, you don’t feel safe visiting them even though you may really love them.
That was the situation of the madman of Gadara. If anyone in the bible could be said to be suffering from frank madness, it was that man. His residence was the cemetery. Can you imagine the level of madness that would cause a man to choose to live in the cemetery? Or on a dumpster or in a gutter? He tore, not only his clothes but his flesh. And chains were powerless against him. What could make a man or a woman suffer from such frank madness?
People were afraid to go near him, just like you, if you know someone suffering from frank madness. But after today, the story will be different, just like the man’s story was different when he met with Jesus. With the knowledge you gain here, you should be able to help them come out of their frank madness. Perhaps they will respond and the doctors will start by removing their chains. Next, he may reduce the dose of the medication he or she is on and so on. As with any prevention or treatment, it is necessary to know the cause of the disease.
Frank Madness Is Demon Possession
A man who suffers from frank madness is possessed with demons, plain and simple. Scholars who specialize in demonology will tell you there are different levels of demon trouble. But demon possession is the highest of all and this man had it bad. What’s more, your relative may have it is why he behaves in an erratic manner. What can you do for him or for yourself if others have difficulty understanding your ways and words? That is the reason we are here today.
Recognize first of all that frank madness is not a chemical imbalance. That is what doctors want you to believe so they can pump you full of medication and make money. How many depressed or mad people do you know who ever come off their medication? That is because, far from being a chemical imbalance, frank madness is demon possession. Even the less-than-frank madness is demon possession, just with fewer demons.
When Jesus asked him his name, the crowd of demons inside him spoke. They had not only taken up residence in his life, but they had also taken over his faculties. They claimed to be legion – approximately six thousand demons. How did he come to be housing so many? Jesus told us in Matthew 12. 43-45 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
The Demonic Gateway
The question for you and me in that account is this. How did the very first demon enter the man? Through his eye and ear gates. When you think you are playing with hard drugs, the demon of drugs and frank madness is not joking. He jumps into you. When you toy with pornography, that demon is on an errand, to jump into you. Abortions, sexual deviance, fornication, adultery, stealing, and the other works of the devil are all gateways to demons. Beware. The other thing to beware of in Jesus’ story above is that deliverance should always be followed by salvation. Otherwise, the latter end is worse, and frank madness results. May that never happen to us.
In a bygone era, it was fashionable to intone “Jesus is the answer” the way we now say “God is good.” Unbelievers would always counter with “What is the question?” Well, today we see the question. Frank madness in a loved one. Now, he might not be as far out as the madman of Gadara but you wish he was saner. Jesus will not physically visit him or her but He is sending you to help him. And how do you do that?
Jesus Is The Answer
First, you recognize that the Bible is the written word about the living word (Jesus). We see that in John 1.1. You are planning to heal this man with the word and name of Jesus. Peter did so on his way to the temple. Of course, you know that that healing was of lameness not of frank madness but the same principle applies. Secondly, since you cannot give what you don’t have, you fill your own mind with the word of God. How do you know when you are filled with the word of God? You find you start to speak to your friends in psalms and spiritual songs. That is how Ephesians 5.19 says you know. 
This is critical as you approach your loved one to help him with his frank madness. That is because demons are stubborn and will argue with you. Unless you have reached the point when all that comes out of your mouth is the word of God, he will win. Don’t forget, they are older and craftier (not wiser) than you. You need the wisdom of God to counter the demons’ argument when you attack frank madness. Otherwise, what happened to the sons of Sceva might happen to you.
Finally, you begin to pour the word of God on your relative that is suffering from frank madness. He will start by resisting but don’t let that stop you. And he may not become sane in one instant like in the case of the man with Jesus. After all, you are only a representative of Jesus. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are people who can chase demons away with one word, but they are not beginners. But he will gradually become less mad.
Stay tuned!
Maranatha!
