Brother George also wrote:
The testimony of Jesus was the clear counsel of God that Jesus brought to the world — the word that He spoke, and the Word that He was. But it was the Light of God — which brought fear and confrontation. When Jesus landed on the shores of Gadara — He didn’t go about arranging a meeting. But a demon possessed man came running to Him, out from the tombs which were his home, and said to Jesus "Torment me not". Jesus, a Tormentor? That’s the view they have in realms of Satanic darkness, for that’s the kind of torment they feel when the Prince of Light and Life begins to invade their territory. Yet the man of Gadara came to the Light, for Light is always more powerful than darkness. God drew the man to Himself, in spite of the power of the Legion of devils that bound him. And that is how it was in the church at Philadelphia. Here was a church that walked in the Light, and Jesus told them that He would cause the people to leave the Synagogues of Satan and come to them, and worship at their feet. The church was not attempting to open the doors of the synagogues, but the Light that shone forth drew them to the open door of salvation, and closed the door to the spirits of evil. I fear we are spending too much time and effort attempting to break down the walls of the Synagogues of Satan, instead of seeking God for the return of the Testimony of Jesus — the holy Ark of His Presence, the Light of the Seven Spirits that shine from the Seven Eyes of the Lamb.
What was the result of this mission in Gadara? And do you think Jesus was a little disappointed with the results? With only one man finding salvation? O how God desires to go before us and arrange our pathway. He will do that, if we are moving in His Spirit. Jesus spoke .. and the demons were terrified .. no screaming and yelling trying to get them to ‘come out’. The Legion of demons was terrified, thinking their time had come to be cast into the abyss, and asked if they might go into the swine instead. Jesus gave them permission, and the herd of swine stampeded down the hill and into the lake. The man was freed from his chains, and the people saw him sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.
Then what? Did the crowds come to Him, hoping He would stay around, and have a big deliverance meeting? Not quite that way. "They were sore afraid". As the news spread, the crowds certainly gathered around — but they "besought Him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear". Jesus started back to the ship, and gave the man that was healed a good word of counsel. He was to go tell his friends and loved ones "how great things God hath done unto thee" (See Lk. 8:26-39).
How will this corporate people of power and anointing deal with the inherent desire in the hearts of men to idolize God’s man of power and might? Here is your answer. The Testimony of Jesus will not make one popular — if he does not go along with man’s systems. When fearful miracles begin to happen that will cause the pigs of our resources to drown in the sea, the pigs that keep our economy alive and well — this man of God will not be popular. No matter how great his miracles, he will not be honored and respected if he is associated with this clear and powerful Testimony of Jesus. They will tell the man — "Will you please get out of here.."
Or like it was in Ephesus, they will try to drive him out. When the business men and the craftsmen in Ephesus suddenly discovered why there was no longer a hot market for the silver shrines of Diana — they had an investigation and they traced it down to a few people who had turned the hearts of the Ephesians away from their idols, and unto the Lord Jesus who redeemed them. Suddenly there was a great uproar by the capitalists as well as the craftsmen. They were very much together on this: "They were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:28). Diana was a Roman goddess, and Artemis her Greek counterpart — supposedly the goddess of childbirth, and of hunting, and of wild animals, and of nature.
Ephesus had become a great city of commerce, and very prosperous — and the center for the worship of Artemis. Can you imagine the people idolizing a miracle worker when the Gospel of Christ goes forth in such great power that people stop buying all the demonic junk that is spewing out of the mouths of men, from books and magazines, from the web, from the musical world, from the world of fashion, from the world of sports and entertainment? Many Christians imagine it is because we are a democracy that we have freedom to worship God, and freedom to send forth the Gospel. Let us prepare our hearts now for the day when the Gospel will go forth in such a brilliant Light — that the wild beasts in Ephesus will once again rise up and persecute those who love the Truth that is in Christ Jesus.