Increase or Decrease

Matthew 8:28-29 

(28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 

(29) And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 

The devil’s asked Jesus if they were going to be tormented before the time. They know a time is set, the end of the world, when they will be tormented in the Lake of Fire. Unfortunately, man continues in sin and rejection of God as though no end is in sight. 

Jesus admonishes us to discern the time, to see what’s happening. Days are more evil, even in government, and time is going by faster, bringing about that end sooner than we think. 

Matthew 8:31-32 

(31) So the devils besought him, saying, if thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 

(32) And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 

The devils had made those men exceeding fierce so much so that men avoided the area. Yet those devils were subject to Jesus‘ commands. The devils controlled the men, but they couldn’t control Jesus. 

Similarly, when we have surrendered our lives fully to Jesus, devils have no control over us, they must flee just like they did there at the tombs. If Jesus is in control of our lives, he controls who and what enters our lives. He will keep those devils and the sin they bring out of our lives. 

Having any sort of devil in us means Jesus is not in us because they don’t want to be around him. Will they try to enter our hearts and lives? Of course. But think back to the old Dracula movies. He could never force his way in. The person had to let him in. We can refuse the devil entrance into our hearts door by utilizing the wonderful grace of our Lord and Savior. 

We should not want those devils in our lives anyway because John 10:10 lets us know, “The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus will give us increase and abundance (joy, peace, wisdom, etc.) Stealing, killing, and destroying are all things of decrease.

No matter how “high off the hog” a person may be living and thinking that they’re fine without Jesus, they are deceived. There are only 2 masters, God and the devil. You have to serve one or the other. And if its the devil, EXPECT the day of decrease. If it’s God EXPECT him to add increase to your life and a closeness to him. Amen. 

Written by Vernon L. Coleman on 01/27/25.