IN these two verses we come face to face with what is called here as demon possession. We come across this phenomenon frequently in the Gospels and its something worthy of thought and attention.

In the somewhat arrogant sophistication of our time, the idea of devil possession is denied by many who claim to be down to earth and realistic, and such afflictions as is described here is explained by some physical or mental cause, and the answer to it is treatment of some sort that is available today in the medical profession or in psychiatry. On the other hand there is an increase in interest and attention given to the occult and the paranormal, showing that many see beyond the physical and are searching after this but being carried into a spiritual world of the devil. The Bible is plain that devil possession is a real thing, and tells us plainly of the existence of Satan as the arch demon, who has many, many other demons under his authority which he commands to do his bidding. The Bible also speaks, though rather is more vague terms, of the origin of these beings as angels who have rebelled against God their creator, and whose one aim in existing is to cause havoc in God's creation, and harm human beings who are the chief of God's creation. This work of Satan commenced with Adam and Eve and he caused them to obey him and plunged the world into the chaos which has existed all down history. This is the Bible revelation of things, and it is really the only explanation which meets all the facts.

The Bible and history bear testimony to the fact that it is by God's intervention in the world in grace that Satan's dominion is curbed, and this came to head with the coming of Jesus who overcame Satan, as we are told in this chapter of Matthew's Gospel.

Now observing these two verses, and the fact of this man being demon possessed; these verses declare that a person can be possessed by demons, and under this possession a person's life is destroyed in some way. Here it is the loss of hearing and sight. This is not to deny that loss of hearing and sight can be caused by other means.

When God is forsaken, then we see more disorder in human life in all directions, and not least in physical and mental disorders. The testimony of these two verses is that the underlying cause of this increase in disorder is that, because God has been forsaken, Satan is more free to express his malice against God in the affliction of human beings in this world. If we look out on our world, surely it is a general perception that in those place where God has had least acknowledgement there is more disorder and suffering.

In the time of Jesus, with all the religious life amongst the Jews, the Jews had forsaken God. Jesus called the Jewish leaders children of Satan, and serving Satan. At the same time we have recorded this demonstration of Satan's malice in demon possession as just one of the manifestations of Satan's dominion. The Jews had forsaken God and so God had given them over to their own way which placed them under Satan's dominion. Jesus plainly taught we either serve God or mammon – God or the world and Satan.

The most marked evidence of Satan's dominion in our age and in the western world, and the UK in particular, is that within and without the church there is blindness and deafness. This blindness and deafness may not be physical in character, but it is there spiritually, and it is revealed in the fact that people are blind to spiritual things of God, and if they seek spiritual things its spiritual things which deny God. This spiritual blindness and deafness is seen in the fact that the Bible is neglected, sidelined, and its truth denied or perverted. Where the Bible's truth is declared people don't hear the message, and are blind to the meaning of the message. People can't see or hear, and so the true spiritual realm of God is denied to them.

Jesus healed this deaf and blind man. He cast out the demons and delivered this man from his affliction and the power of Satan. Jesus is the great deliverer and Saviour. When Jesus is present, then the sign of his presence is that people begin to hear and see spiritual things, and the Gospel of salvation in Jesus is understood, received, and believed in, and people are saved from the dominion of Satan, death and hell.

It is because of the power and grace of Jesus that we who believe the Gospel are able to see, hear and so believe. If our world – if our nation – is to be delivered from the deafness and blindness which characterises our society, then Jesus must return amongst us in the person and power of the Holy Spirit, and then we shall see a change. The Gospel will be preached. People will be hungry to hear it. People will flock to the Gospel and believe it, and the more people who are delivered, the more will we see the diminishing of the work of the devil in all areas of society. We will see less and less of the abnormalities which we see in people today, and the evil's we groan under today will begin to be overcome.