This is an excellent and thoroughly descriptive passage on possession with devils. Mark and Luke just deal with one of these men, Matthew deals with both of them. But these are the same episode. "Demon" is not a Bible word, it’s "Greek." The Bible word is devil or unclean spirit. In these verses, and in the companion passages, we learn many characteristics of devils. When we see these same characteristics in ourselves or others, it is an indication that we are gravitating toward things of the devil and perhaps are "full of the devil."

Devils know where they are heading Matt 8:29 "torment us before our time." So, they wreak as much havoc as they can before they get there and put people through what they are going to get.

1. Preoccupied with death — Matt 8:28, Mk 5:2 — out of the tombs — death is the condition of every man outside of Christ — Rev 21:8 is the second death — kids in black — rock music — Hollywood
   
   
2. Capable of super human strength — Mk 5:3-4 — broke the chains — causes men to marvel — today’s fascination with superior athletes
   
   
3. Unruly nature — Matt 8:28, Mk 5:4 — exceeding fierce, untamable, wild — rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam 15:23
   
   
4. Attracted to high places — Mk 5:5 — in the mountains — idolatry practiced in the high places — the devil wanted to ascend to the throne of God — churches have exceedingly high vaulted ceilings and steeples — pride — the devil king over the children of pride
   
   
5. Unashamed of nakedness — Lk 8:27 — wore no clothes — strip joints — pornography — scantily clad bodies — they will be naked in hell
   
   
6. Emotionally unstable — Mk 5:5 — crying — emotional disorders and imbalances play right into the devils hands — they will be crying in hell
   
   
7. Prone to self-mutilation — Mk 5:5 — cutting himself — at Carmel the prophets of Baal cut themselves to entreat their God — hell a place of torment
   
   
8. Religious — Mk 5:6 — worshipped him — devil very influential in religion; the Pharisees followed their father the devil - every knee shall bow including the devil
   
   
9. Preference for the unclean — Mk 5:12 — into the swine — pigs were unclean meat in Lev 11:7 — 2 Pet 2:22 pigs associated with false prophets — Pharisees looked clean but Jesus said they were full of uncleanness Matt 23:27
   
   
10. Attracted to water and fire — Mk 5:13 — choked in the sea — Matt 17:15 oft into the water and into the fire — Rev 13:1 beast ascends out of the sea — Rev 20:10 devil heading to the lake of fire — got to be aware of beaches (hot sun, sea, nakedness — spring break)

Once the devil is gone out of a man (picture of the new birth) notice his condition Mk 5:15:

• He’s sitting — Mary sat at the feet of Jesus — he’s tame, not wild
• He’s clothed — Is 61:10 — garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness
• He’s in his right mind — 2 Tim 1:7 sound mind — 2 Cor 10:3-5 imaginations and thoughts
• He’s witnessing — Mk 5:20 — began to publish