The First Missionary Commissioned by Jesus

From the desk of Ron Pearce
July 14, 2025

Dear Friends,

Approximately three years before Jesus gave His Church the command to take the Gospel to the entire world, He commissioned His first missionary. Remarkably, this man had no Bible School or Seminary training. He had never even set foot in a church. In fact, only hours — or perhaps minutes — before, he had been set free from demonic possession. And almost without doubt, he was a gentile.

When he begged Jesus, ​“I want to come with You, please,” the Lord responded with a surprising, ​“No.” Instead, Jesus said, ​“Go home to your people in the area of ten cities from which you hail, and tell everyone you meet what has happened here today.”

And that is the story of the first missionary Jesus ever commissioned.

Here is the actual scriptural account from Mark’s Gospel (chapter 5:1 – 13 and 18 – 20, ESV):

They [Jesus and His disciples in a boat] came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, ​“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, ​“Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, ​“What is your name?” He replied, ​“My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, ​“Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea…

As he [Jesus] was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, ​“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marvelled.

A few weeks ago, I stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and looked across the water at the very location where Mark places this event. Today it is calm, with no pigs in sight. There are no wooden boats powered by oars — just outboard motors and Sea-Doos.

And herein lies the problem.

For many modern-day Christians in Western churches, this account of demonic possession and miraculous deliverance is difficult to comprehend — perhaps even hard to believe. When I share modern-day stories of people who have been set free from satanic control — testimonies I’ve personally heard and documented — I can sense that I’m pushing some Western believers to the very edge of believability.

But my challenge remains: to convince people that God is still delivering individuals today from deep spiritual bondage and satanic control. These are real accounts, not fabricated tales. And they testify to the fact that Jesus Christ is still alive, active, and powerful. His supernatural workings in people’s lives did not cease 2,000 years ago when the apostles died.

From a missions perspective, there is a growing number of these newly delivered individuals who, having been born again into a demonic-free life, are boldly sharing their transformation with others. As they spread out into their communities, telling their story of deliverance, they become undocumented and unassuming missionaries. They are opening doors of faith to hundreds or thousands without fanfare or theological credentials.

When Jesus said, ​“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you,” these modern-day believers are doing exactly that. Their families and neighbours knew what they were like before — and now they see the undeniable evidence that some supernatural power has changed them. Their character, mental state, sometimes their physical health, and certainly their inner spirit — everything has been radically transformed by the Holy Spirit.

It then becomes only a matter of explaining, ​“Who did this miracle?” The delivered ones tell their own testimony to their friends and relatives. National pastors and church planters step in to answer the spiritual questions that arise — and almost invariably they lead a family or community to faith in Christ.

Just like that … a new church body is established in another locality! Quite simple, isn’t it?

And we’ve yet to mention the widespread and remarkable physical healings the Lord Jesus is carrying out across the nations.

As living proof, here are a few current stories for you to ponder of brand new missionaries who have recently been delivered from satanic oppression:

INDIA

Miraculous Deliverance Leads to New Church

In the rugged terrain of a remote Indian village, a remarkable story of transformation unfolded. The village, inhabited by tribal people, was steeped in witchcraft and deeply hostile toward Christianity. Despite repeated attempts by national missionaries to share the Gospel, they were met with resistance and violence, including being stoned.

Polamma, one of the villagers, was tormented by evil spirits that sought to destroy her. Each day her condition worsened, leaving her paralyzed and bedridden. Desperate for help, her family carried her ten kilometers to a mountain where national church planters were holding a Mini Crusade. They brought her in a basket, a traditional mode of transportation in the area, hoping she would be healed and delivered.

One of the church leaders, moved by Polamma’s suffering and her family’s faith, prayed fervently for her. Miraculously, within a week, she was completely delivered from the evil spirits and began walking again without any medical treatment. This extraordinary healing sparked a profound transformation in her life.

Polamma’s newfound faith in Jesus Christ compelled her to share her testimony with her village. As she proclaimed the power of Jesus, her life became a beacon of hope in a community shrouded in darkness. The impact of her testimony was undeniable, and soon a small group of believers began to form. Those who witnessed her suffering, deliverance, and the new person she had become were deeply moved and drawn to the Jesus who had set Polamma free.

The miraculous healing and powerful testimony paved the way for a vibrant church that continues to grow. The people who once denied the Gospel can no longer deny the power of God that was so clearly manifested through Polamma’s life.

Debe’s Story of Deliverance

In an Indian village, a young woman named Debe was nine months pregnant when an evil spirit overtook her. Debe’s husband, an alcoholic, couldn’t help, and after days of torment, Debe gave birth to a stillborn child. Grief consumed her. She began screaming and running through the village uncontrollably. Her family took her to a Hindu temple, but the rituals brought no relief. Meanwhile, her husband left for work in another region, leaving her alone in her suffering. About a week later, a national church planter heard about Debe’s situation and offered to pray for her. The villagers brought her to the church, where the pastor prayed in the Name of Jesus. Debe was instantly delivered.

The next day, she was found drawing water, weeping with gratitude. Today, Debe is free, follows Jesus, and is reunited with her husband. Her story stands as a powerful witness that what the enemy meant for harm, God turned into good.

ETHIOPIA

In southern Ethiopia, six people were violently possessed by demons. Day and night, they roamed the jungle naked, unaware of who they were or where they were going. A local church planter discovered them and prayed earnestly for their deliverance. All six were set free, accepted Christ, and returned clothed and in their right minds. Their dramatic transformation stunned the villagers, leading to the birth of a new church in the region.

VIETNAM

In a remote Vietnamese village, a 60-year-old man suffered severe mental illness and demonic torment. He wandered the streets dressed in filthy rags, crawling on all fours, and eating scraps off the ground like a dog. His desperate family tried hospitals and witchdoctors, chaining him up at night to keep him from harming himself or running away. After hearing of the situation, evangelists prayed over him daily for a week. Suddenly, God healed him completely. Today, he wears clean clothes, eats normally, and boldly testifies to Christ’s power to set captives free.

CAMBODIA

In Cambodia, a young woman lost her mind and became violently disturbed. Hospitals offered no cure, and witchdoctors demanded so much money that her mother had to sell their house. Fearing for her daughter’s safety, the mother resorted to chaining her at night. Then a lady pastor intervened, promising hope through Jesus. For two and a half months, she prayed persistently for the girl’s freedom. God answered, restoring the daughter’s mind fully. Mother and daughter now live at the church as devoted believers. The pastor and her husband later returned to their hometown to share the story, sparking faith and planting a new church there.

_________________

Throughout history, people from all races and cultures have suffered tremendously from being oppressed or possessed by satanic forces, known as demons. And today, as a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit is spreading around the world, believers in Christ and national pastors/​church planters are discovering that there is no power on earth that is comparable to the Name of Jesus — the only proven Power to conquer and vanquish demonic activity. Out of these spiritual encounters with darkness, people are being delivered, saved, and are growing in their new faith, while new church gatherings are being formed around those who have discovered freedom in Christ. When Jesus uttered those prophetic words, ​“I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it,” I am positive He envisioned what we are witnessing today in the national churches of the world.

So, be encouraged. Everything is going according to plan! … His Plan.

I have been asked by many of our Empower Family to include the ministry’s most pressing need in my writings. At this time, we have an urgent need for funds to print and distribute Spanish Bibles and New Testaments for Cuba and El Salvador. Some will probably say to me in response, ​“Didn’t we just do a printing for these countries a year ago?” And the answer is, ​“Yes”, but the need is so great that we are compelled to send in a total of 100,000 more copies that will be divided between both countries. And this is all due to people who had absolutely no hope, finding it now in the pages of God’s Word and responding with heartfelt commitments to Christ. Currently, we are printing Bibles for $3.49/copy and New Testaments for $1.11/copy.

If you can help meet this glorious opportunity, it would be greatly appreciated.

Many blessings on you all over this summer!

His bondservant,

Ron Pearce

Executive Director/​Founder