(3) Extraordinary physical strength or other unnatural actions (a comparable physical situation occurs sometimes when people are having an epileptic episode). Sometimes this takes a form that is completely inappropriate and apparently out of control – such as slithering across the floor like a snake. There are other physical phenomena which occur such as unexpected deafness, mocking laughter (you can’t help me), severe shaking, inability to speak (especially the words ‘deliver us from evil’), inexplicable fear, retching, uncontrolled coughing…All of these can be pointers towards some kind of demonic interference or an indwelling spirit. The physical strength is such that I have seen four policemen trying to control a demonised man and experienced the upward force of someone attempting to levitate. As I write, I am sitting on a chair which splintered, and nearly disintegrated, when interviewing one troubled man.
(4) Threatening or undertaking self-harm. Attempts, or threats, to commit suicide are a common forms of self-harm connected with demonisation. It is important here to state that most self-harm has nothing to do with demons. Self-harm is usually caused by a terrible lack of self-worth triggered by sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
(5) Displaying strange eyes – people who are demonised often cannot look at those who are praying for them. Their eyes are sometimes clouded, sometimes strangely bright. Such people will seldom look you full in the face. (This feature is not specified in Mark 5 but in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus in Matthew 6:22-23 clearly teaches that the eye is ‘the window of the soul’. It would seem almost certain that the Gadarene Man had wild eyes and afterwards was ‘clothed and in his right mind’.)
