by Adesuwa Iluobe
After surviving the mob at my village, though Peter said I did not survive it, ‘C’mon Master, you more than slipped away fro
m those people, like this minute you were in their grip and next thing you were walking away.’ Peter was beside himself with awe as his eyes widened with every word he spoke.
‘Thats a miracle!’ James had added.
I remembered grinning and walking ahead of them, my eyes set for Capernaum. Peter, James and the rest of them followed me, asking me loads of questions, which I asked the HolySpirit for patience to answer because I needed to gather my wits for what I was going to teach in the synagogue at Capernaum but, their questions were valid too.
Soon I found myself teaching. Earlier when we walked into the synagogue, It did not take time for me to be recognised and it was not long before I stood before the people. I saw the looks in the eyes as I taught the heart of the Father, some starry eyed, others just hollow in deep thought. The HolySpirit worked in me as I spoke, providing the right words, nuances and expressions that carried my words far beyond the imaginations of these people. I saw as my words cut deep into their mindsets and beliefs that held them captive, I saw their very thoughts rise up to fend off my words but fell to the ground at the truth.
James, Peter and the others stood huddled together at corner, their eyes beseeching me to stop and get off the podium, Luke and Matthew stood a little farther from them. I could hear their minds. They did not want a repeat of what had happened at Nazareth, maybe this time, I would not be lucky to slip off a mob threatening to throw me down a cliff. I bid them to relax with a smile.
As I wrapped up my teaching, a man rose from the back and walked forward, then he screamed, ‘Ah! What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth?’
Murmurs and snickers from the people rose, and I saw Peter from the corner of my eyes lunging forward, his fists clenched.
‘Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are: you are God’s holy Messenger!’ He came to stand before me.
I saw the beginning of his life as I and My Father had moulded him and purposed for him to be light to the World, but somehow it was no longer him who spoke to me now. The prowling liar had brought legion to reside in this precious one, my child. I looked him in his eyes beholding the very essence of him, seeing the child that he was, all wrapped in the love of my Father. All I saw was love, oppressed by deceit, lies and venom! I saw the foreign inhabitants of him, aliens to his spirit but claiming residence. I noted each of them and saw as they cowered before me.
‘Be quiet and come out of the man!’ I said.
One by one, they left. Their attempt to resist me was laughable, because they could not. They could only manage to knock my child down flat to the ground, but away they went. I could hear the people speaking to themselves in words that became akin to an uproar. My eyes never left my child.
He was not harmed.
He laid there before me unmoving for some minutes. When he opened his eyes, he saw me and knew.
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Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4: 31–27 NIV (Mark 1: 21–28)