A Christian friend, Dr. Brown, who was a graduate from the same college in which I studied for some years, went to India as a missionary. After some years he came back and visited us in the college. He told a wonderful story concerning the power that is in the name of Jesus, the Son of God.
It was the doctor’s privilege to carry the gospel of Christ to the Hindus in a certain Indian city. At the entrance of this city was a cave in which there lived a poor Hindu man possessed by a demon. This man was the terror of the countryside. Often he had been handcuffed by the police, but so violent was he and so great was his strength that he would break the handcuffs off from him and no one could tame him. Each afternoon at four o’clock he would come from his hiding place in the cave, and go through his devilish incantations, and so dreadful was his manner at such times that all who passed by were terrified at him.
Dr. Brown pitied the poor man and after much prayer he decided to visit him and while he was in the midst of his devilish incantations, to stand and call out in his presence the name of Jesus. So it was this particular afternoon he stood before the man who was making such frantic and hideous gestures, cutting himself with a knife and punishing his body with a whip.
Suddenly the man heard a voice calling out: “JESUS! JESUS!” At once he stopped his fearful gestures, and glaring at the doctor he demanded: “Cease from calling on the name of your God.” Before the doctor knew it the possessed man was on him, and attacking him violently. He threatened to knock the doctor’s brains out if he did not stop calling on the name of his God.
Though borne to the ground by his attacker, the Christian persisted and kept repeating: “JESUS! JESUS! JESUS!” At last the man ceased his attacks, his hand dropped, and he fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth. The demon had left him never to return.
The missionary asked his friend the doctor what happened to that man.
“Brother,” said he, “that man is now the brightest Christian in that city, and he is carrying on a work for the Lord Jesus. He was delivered from Satan’s power and brought to the Saviour’s feet from just hearing that Name—the Name of Jesus.” Then he added: “Eric, there is power in the Name, as there is power in the blood of Christ.”
“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind.
“Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought Him that he might be with Him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” Luke 8: 35,38,39.
ML 07/30/1967