At least the demonic spirits that controlled him didn’t. Once the evil was removed from his life he was not only at peace, he was eager to talk about how the Lord Jesus had had mercy on him. Quite a change.
Distinguishing the evil influences from a person’s own will is difficult. But it helps to recognise that evil lies at the heart of resistance to the mercy of Jesus. Exorcising the evil seems a simple solution – and sometimes it is. More often, as Jesus said on another occasion, prayer is needed to dislodge the evil power in the lives of those opposed to Jesus.
This story also helps us understand that it is not the aggressive objection that needs to be dealt with so much as what lies behind it. What is it that sets people free from the evil that ensnares them?
Prayer and the gospel is the simple answer. Aggressive people will often demand answers to their questions – and we should be prepared to give answers to real questions. But people are not set free by getting answers to their objections. They are set free by believing and obeying the gospel of Jesus, who sets them free on his terms not theirs.
Paul ran across the problem of different groups demanding that the message should conform to their way of thinking. But he decided that preaching Christ crucified not only undermined their demand but was the only way they could find salvation. It is still the case.
Dale