Luke 11:14-26 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Luke 11:14-26. Let’s go!
Luke 11:14-20 (NIV)
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.
15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”
16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.
18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.
19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
On verses 14-20: Jesus’ critics argued that because “ordinary” evil spirits listened to Jesus’ commands, Jesus must be controlled and empowered by an even greater evil spirit. Jesus counters this by saying that Satan’s kingdom would not have such power and influence in this world if Satan’s kingdom was divided. Rather, when Jesus drives out demons, it’s the kingdom of God advancing against Satan’s kingdom.
Another lesson we can learn from this is the power of unity. When people (or even spirits in this case) are united, they become a strong force that is very difficult to stop. On the other hand, a group that is divided will be easily defeated. Pray that your church family, your own family and any other team that you serve on and care about would be united in Christ and thus be an unstoppable force.
Luke 11:21-22 (NIV)
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.
22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.
On verses 21-22: Here Jesus compares Satan to a strong man guarding his house and keeping his possessions safe, whereas Jesus is that “someone stronger” who comes to attack and overpower Satan and take away his possessions. Notice that it is Jesus on the offensive against the kingdom of darkness. Stop thinking that it’s always Satan who is on the attack attacking. We were made to attack Satan’s kingdom. That’s why in Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
How do we attack the kingdom of darkness? When we worship Jesus, when we grow more like Him, when we serve God with our talents, when we lead others to Jesus and when we love our spiritual family, we are, whether we know it or not, advancing God’s kingdom and taking over enemy territory.
Luke 11:23 (NIV)
23 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.
On verse 23: You can’t be neutral when it comes to Jesus. Either you are with Jesus or you are against him. Either God is using you to advance His mission on earth or you are getting in the way. At the end of your life when you meet God face to face, God will ask you, “What did you do with my Son Jesus?” If your answer is, “Nothing” or “I don’t know”, that will count as an “I am against Jesus” and the results would be fatal. So say yes to Jesus today.
Luke 11:24-26 (NIV)
24 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’
25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”
On verses 24-26: Whenever we face spiritual warfare or trouble from evil spirits, in addition to resisting evil spirits in Jesus’ name and telling them to leave, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us once again. Ask the Holy Spirit to take over whatever territory the kingdom of darkness used to occupy. Not only do we need to be emptied of strongholds and footholds that the enemy has set up in our lives. We also need to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, You are the general of Your army called the church. You are leading Your army not just to defend what already belongs to God’s kingdom, but to take over and occupy enemy territory. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and use me to advance Your kingdom today. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
