#DailyDevotion Jesus Is Plundering This World, The House Of Satan

Mark 3:22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

 

Well one thing is for certain, even those who opposed Jesus recognized he was casting out demons. They recognized people were demon possessed. They had their own rites for casting demons out. Jesus didn’t seem to need to do the rites. He casts them out of people by his own authority.

 

But the scribes, being jealous of Jesus, thought in their hearts, discussed among themselves and told other people, Jesus was able to cast out demons because he himself was possessed by the prince of demons. This is why Jesus warned them and us against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The scribes were attributing the work of the Holy Spirit through Jesus to the work of Satan. Now Jesus could by his own authority and power casts out demons but at his baptism he was filled with the Holy Spirit. I think because we would be charged by Jesus to do the same work he did and greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit, he did these things as Man, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet because of the unity of the Trinity, practically everything one person of the Trinity does, the other two are intimately involved so oftentimes it is difficult to distinguish between the persons and their actions. Yet, only Jesus as the Son of Man dies for us, but even then the other two persons are involved in that act. But I digress.

 

Jesus tells them if Satan cast out Satan then his kingdom, his house cannot stand. So either way this is good news. If Jesus casts out Satan, then Satan’s kingdom cannot stand. If Jesus casts out Satan by the power of the Holy Spirit, Satan’s kingdom cannot stand.

 

But we know Jesus casts out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the stronger man who binds the strong man, Satan, and plunders his house. This world has the prince of the air as its god. Jesus has bound him up so he cannot deceive the nations any longer until the end. The good news of his victory over sin, death and the devil frees people from Satan’s bondage. He has given us baptism so we too may be filled with the Holy Spirit. He gives us his body and blood to strengthen us against the devil’s strength. He’s given us absolution in the mouth of the pastor to weaken the Accuser’s attacks and indeed totally nullifying them. You who believe in Jesus for your salvation are proof of Jesus’ binding the strongman and plundering his house. Jesus has made you his own possession. Wouldn’t you like to be Jesus’ possession instead of Satan’s?

 

Heavenly Father, you gave Jesus he fullness of the Spirit at his baptism and so he bound up Satan and his power that we may be free from the powers of darkness and be filled with the same Holy Spirit. Continually give us your word that the power of the Holy Spirit may always reign in our hearts that we may live by the life of Christ and not turn again to darkness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.