Jesus in the Church, in the House, and in the Street

by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut




While Jesus was speaking in the church, the service was stopped by the loud screaming of a furious man who had come in.

This man was suffering with a terrible evil, worse than any disease. Into his body had come in some way an evil spirit, a demon. This demon controlled the man and drove him to wild acts and words.

The words which were spoken by this man's tongue were not his own, but the words of the wicked spirit within him. The spirit, using the man's voice, shrieked aloud:

"Ha, you Jesus of Nazareth, let us alone! What business have you with us? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are; you are God's Holy One!"

But Jesus at once said to the wicked spirit in the man, "Be still, and come out of him!"

At these words the demon threw the man down upon the floor, as if to kill him; and then went out of the man suddenly, leaving him almost dead. Soon they found that the man, whom everybody had feared before, so fierce had he been, was now perfectly well and quite free from the evil spirit.

Then surprise and wonder came upon all. They talked about it to one another, saying:

"What does all this mean? What new teaching is this? Why, this man speaks to the evil spirits with power, and they obey him and come out."

As the people left the church they told everyone whom they met of this mighty act of Jesus. These men and women told others, and soon the news of Jesus' power went through all the towns and villages in that part of the land.