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July 7, 2025 16 mins

With a single word, Jesus casts out a demon and brings healing, but while the crowd praises Him, others plot in the shadows, rejecting His authority and claiming He works by the power of Satan.

When a man possessed by a mute demon violently attacks his friend, Joshua seeks out Jesus, desperate for help. With a single command, Jesus drives the demon out, restoring the man’s voice and mind, but not all who hear of the miracle accept Jesus’ divine power.

Today's Bible verse is Matthew 15:31, from the King James Version.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
They saw the mute speaking, the injured, healed, the lame walking,
and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of
Israel Matthew fifteen thirty one. Dear Lord Jesus, we stand
in awe of your power to heal and restore. Just
as the crowds marveled that the miracles you performed, the

(00:23):
mute speaking, the lame walking, the blind seeing. We come
to you believing in your power to make us whole. Lord,
Heal us from all that weighs us down, whether in body,
mind or spirit. Restore us to the fullness of life
that you desire for us. Free us from our burdens,

(00:47):
that we may live boldly and joyfully as your people,
unchained by fear or doubt. Empower us to walk in
freedom and to glorify You in all we do. In
your precious name, we pray Amen. Thank you for praying
with me today. This is the Jesus Podcast, Gospel inspired

(01:12):
stories told to awaken your imagination and inspire your faith.
This season, we are showcasing Jesus encounters with the Power
over demons. Has this podcast giving you hope? We'd love
it if you rated, reviewed, and shared it with a friend.

(01:32):
Thanks for making the mission possible. Clouds of dust formed
in the air. Two men wrestled one another on the ground.
One of them growl a wounded wolf. Trying to claw
his way free. He swung his arms, told the man
who had him been down. He broke free and rolled

(01:53):
over the other and sprang to his feet. He crouched low,
ready to pounce.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Nathan. You must stop this. You're going to hurt.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
Someone, Joshua pleaded with his violent friend, but the cold
stare that Nathan gave him only confirmed that his friend
was long gone. Whoever stood before him now was barely
a man any more.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
For days, Joshua watched.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
As Nathan slipped into madness, slowly losing his grip on reality.
The last of all was Nathan's ability to speak. Now,
Joshua felt like he was talking to a stone wall.
He had done all he could to help Nathan in
his deranged state. He had brought him to the priests,

(02:39):
hoping that they could free him from the demon, but
their incense and prayers only seemed to drive Nathan further
into hysteria. Nathan lunged at Joshua, his spiny fingers wrapped
around Joshua's neck. Joshua coughed as he vainly attempted to
gasp for air. He flailed sporadically trying to break free,

(03:04):
but Nathan's strength, especially under the demon's influence, was too
great for Joshua to overcombe. Joshua glanced around desperately as
his vision began to fade. He felt his fingers run
over a large rock. He firmly grasped it and raised
it as high as he could, doing the only thing

(03:26):
he could think to do to save himself and possibly Nathan.
He swung his arm down as hard as he could.
Nathan dropped like a dead weight onto Joshua. Joshua felt
the slow breaths of his fallen companion. He pushed him
off and dusted himself. He knelt down beside Joshua.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
I'm so sorry, but I'm not giving up on you.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Joshua mustered up his strength and hoisted Nathan over his shoulder.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
One way or another, I'm going to get you help.

Speaker 4 (04:01):
The enemy wants us to be silent and trapped in
our insecurities, but the Gospel requires boldness. Welcome to the
Jesus Podcast. Gospel inspired stories to Awaken our imaginations and
inspire our faith. We've been showcasing stories about Jesus and
his confrontations with the spiritual forces of darkness. Today we're

(04:23):
diving into a story that's both brief and profound. It's
inspired by Matthew Chapter nine, verses thirty two through thirty four.
At first glance, it might seem like just another healing
in Jesus's ministry, but as we peel back the layers,
we'll find a powerful message about breaking barriers and the
dangers of spiritual blindness.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Jesus and his disciples began to make their way to
the city gates, winding through quaint streets filled with the
scent of baking bread and the cheerful laughter of children play.
All seemed right the world to the disciples. These were
the times they felt like they could relax and simply

(05:06):
enjoy Jesus company.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
So, Jesus, where are we off to next?

Speaker 5 (05:11):
We will go where the Lord takes us, But right now,
I don't think it's going to be as far as
any of us thought.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Jesus pointed down the street. The man was carrying someone
in his arms. His legs trembled under him as he
moved his face was resolutely set on Jesus. A few
paces from the group, he laid the man in his
arms down.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
The man on the ground whined and convulsed.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
Eh are you Jesus of Nazareth, the one they called
the healer.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
Jesus looked from Joshua down to Nathan. Nathan shook violently
as he stared into Jesus' eyes. Joshua swiftly wrapped his
arms around Nathan before he was able to move.

Speaker 5 (05:58):
As you say, I am Jesus, praise, I don't I
I've been looking for you all day.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Please, you must help my friend. He is well. I
don't know what's wrong. He doesn't eat, he won't sleep.
I don't know what to do.

Speaker 1 (06:15):
Joshua's frantic words trailed off into silent sons. Jesus gently
laid his hand on Joshua's shoulder. Joshua looked at Jesus
through his tears.

Speaker 5 (06:25):
It's going to be okay, Your friend will be fine.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Joshua's tears turned to gratitude, trusting in his heart that
the words of Jesus were true. Jesus bent down laid
a hand on Nathan. At his touch, Nathan squealed Jesus
touch felt like a glowing red branding eyen. Nathan broke
loose from Joshua's grip and pounced at Jesus. Jesus jumped

(06:53):
back and was caught by Peter. Nathan let out a scream.
Joshua try to hold him back, but Nathan was too fast.
He clawed at Joshua, leaving four bloodied scratches across his face.
Joshua screamed as he clutched at his face. With all
the commotion, several of the villagers cautiously crept out of

(07:17):
their homes. Doors slowly opened as the wild man bounced
around the street. Mothers held back their children in horror.
A few men came out carrying daggers, preparing to do
what was necessary to protect their families against the attacker,
but Nathan gave them no mind. He was bewitched by Jesus,

(07:40):
who appeared untroubled by the demon possessed man. Joshua looked
on in despair.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
Nathan, stop this, he said, to help you, to help us.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
Joshua's cry landed on deaf ears. Nathan no longer responded
to that name. Jesus pulled Joshua behind him and boldly
strode up to Nathan. They locked eyes, anticipating one another's
next move. Suddenly, Nathan sprinted at Jesus with full force,

(08:15):
but Jesus remained steadfast.

Speaker 3 (08:19):
He stretched out his hand in front.

Speaker 1 (08:21):
Just as Nathan was about to collide.

Speaker 5 (08:23):
With him, Jesus shouted begone.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
Nathan's head struck jesus hand like an impenetrable fortress.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
The Lord didn't move an inch.

Speaker 1 (08:35):
Nathan, however, flew back several feet and skidded through the dirt.
They rolled a few times and then stopped motionless, faced
down in the middle of the street. The crowd let
out an audible gasp. Joshua pushed past Jesus and ran
to Nathan. He flipped his friend over. To his surprise,

(08:57):
Nathan was smiling, thank you for not giving up on me.
Nathan's voice was raspy, but to Joshua it was the
most beautiful sound to his ears. For the first time
in days, he heard his friend.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
Prasad I, oh my soul, you're okay.

Speaker 3 (09:18):
Joshua turned to Jesus.

Speaker 2 (09:20):
And you you are undoubtedly sent from God, for no
one could do such you work if it weren't true.

Speaker 1 (09:27):
Jesus simply replied with a satisfied smile. Joshua now turned
to the onlookers who had stayed in the protection of
their doorways.

Speaker 2 (09:37):
Let it be known to everyone here that this man,
Jesus of Nazareth, has brought healing on this day.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
The crowd began to murmur. Never before had they seen
such a spectacle. In their amazement, they poured out into
the streets and surrounded Jesus. The disciples did what they
could to keep them at bay, but their germined curiosity
was too much.

Speaker 3 (10:02):
For them to hold off.

Speaker 1 (10:04):
Jesus welcomed the crowd to gather around him. Jesus spent
the next few hours answering questions and teaching on the kingdom.
But more importantly, he was captivating the hearts. Just as
he had cast the demon out of Nathan, he was
drawing darkness out of each one of their souls and

(10:27):
leading them into glorious light.

Speaker 3 (10:31):
Soon the entire nation would.

Speaker 1 (10:34):
Hear of Jesus dance with the demon. For many, the
story was received with praise and adoration for the healer
of Nazareth, but there were some who found the news
to be utterly revolting. A band of Pharisees gathered in
the synagogue. They stirred about the quiet room in hushed whispers.

(10:55):
Word had spread of jesus exorcisms and was now at
concern for the religious leaders, but they knew they must
handle the problem with care. Jesus' works were only increasing
his popularity among the people. The Pharisees had to make
delicate work out of pulling the people back under their influence.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
Another story of this rabbi called Jesus, who does he
think he is?

Speaker 5 (11:25):
It doesn't matter who he thinks he is. What matters
is what the people think of him. If he continues
in this way, all of Israel will fall for his trickery.

Speaker 1 (11:36):
Disgust seeped from their lips as they spoke. A veil
covered their hearts, blinding them from the truth of who
Jesus was.

Speaker 2 (11:46):
If we holy men of God couldn't cast out such
a demon, by no means can he?

Speaker 3 (11:53):
Well, of course there is.

Speaker 5 (11:55):
Jesus of Nazareth does not operate under the name of Adenai. No,
his power comes from a much more sinister place. It
is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
In their pride.

Speaker 1 (12:12):
The Pharisees rejected the notion that Jesus was imbued with
the power of God. To them, only Satan himself could
command the demons in such a way. Yet they had
forgotten that even the demons were created, and they too
must obey when commanded by the authority.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
Of the creator.

Speaker 4 (12:41):
Imagine being unable to speak, trapped in silence your thoughts,
imprisoned with no voice to release them. The man brought
to Jesus was not only mute, but also demon possessed.
In those days, exorcism methods relied heavily on knowing a
demon's name, a tricky task if the person couldn't speak,
this man was considered a hopeless case, a lost cause.

(13:05):
Enter Jesus, without needing the demon's name or any elaborate rituals,
he casts out the demon, and the man speaks. Just
like that, the impossible becomes possible. The crowd is astonished,
saying nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.
What's fascinating here is that Jesus bypasses the traditional methods.

(13:25):
He doesn't need to trick the demon into revealing its name.
His authority transcends human limitations and superstitions. This challenges us
to consider. Are their traditions or beliefs in our lives
that limit what we think God can do do? We
sometimes box God in thinking that he must operate within

(13:45):
our expectations. While the multitude's marvel, the Pharisees sneer he
casts out demons by the ruler of the demons talk
about missing the forest for the trees. Instead of celebrating
the man's liberation, they attribute Gesa Jesus's power to evil.
This isn't just skepticism, It's a willful refusal to see
God's hand at work. Their reaction warns us about the

(14:09):
dangers of spiritual arrogance. When we are so convinced that
we are right, we might become blind to the miracles
unfolding right before our eyes. Are we open to God's
unexpected moves? Or do we, like the Pharisees, dismiss what
doesn't fit in our narrative. What are some lessons for today? First,

(14:32):
no one is beyond hope. The mute man represents those
whose society deems unreachable, yet Jesus reaches him effortlessly. There's
no one too far gone, no situation too dire that
Jesus cannot redeem. Second, God breaks our limitations. Traditional methods
said this exorcism was impossible. Jesus shows that God isn't

(14:55):
confined by our rules. He operates on a divine plane,
rendering our limitations obsolete. Third, beware of hard hearts. The
pharisees refusal to acknowledge the miracle reveals a heart issue.
Let's guard against cynicism that blinds us to God's work.
And lastly, let's celebrate victories when they come. The crowd's

(15:18):
amazement reminds us to rejoice when we witness transformation. Let's
not take miracles big or small, for granted. This passage
challenges us to unmute our own faith. Maybe we're not
physically silent, but perhaps doubt, fear, or tradition has silenced
our witness. Jesus empowers us to break free. Jesus empowers

(15:42):
us to break free from whatever holds us back. Let's
be people who recognize and celebrate God's work, who are
open to his unexpected methods, and who refuse to let
cynicism dampen our joy in a world full of noise.
May our voices proclaim the miracles we will witness. Pointing others,
to the one who makes the impossible possible.
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Host

Zak Shellabarger

Zak Shellabarger

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