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Continuing our short studies in Luke, this week we are considering Luke 11:14-26. Please read these verses every day this week and, if possible use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 11:16-20 (NIV)
‘Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.’
Have you noticed in life that some people just can’t be pleased? No matter what course of action you take, they will not be satisfied with anything.
If you choose to do ‘A’ then they’ll complain that you should have done ‘B’. If you’d actually done ‘B’ then they would have said that ‘A’ was the best thing you should have done. They constantly complain about everything and will not see the truth that is plainly before them.
These kind of people are a drain on you, both physically and mentally. Praise God that I have known very few of these over the years but they are out there and cause problems wherever they go.
Sometime in the next few devotions, we will be looking at Jesus’ full response to the questions regarding ‘signs’, but today I want to highlight just a few things.
It’s absolutely clear that Jesus had been performing many, many miracles and that these miracles were confirmed as being genuine by several sources. However, it is His teaching that seemed to be the primary issue for the religious rulers. Every time He spoke, the truth of His words were cutting deep into the heart of those that considered themselves to be followers of the Law.
I believe that this is the same today. Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here but miracles, healings and supernatural signs do not ‘speak’ into the heart of man in the same way as the Word of God. The book of Hebrews states that ‘For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.’ The signs could have continued and the hearts of the people watching could have remained untouched and unchanged. May God grant us at Oasis the amazing blessing of seeing the miraculous AND hearing the powerful Word of God. I believe that if we respond to His Word and seek only Him, His Kingdom and His righteousness then the miracles will be a fruit that is borne supernaturally as a result.
Finally, notice Jesus’ last phrase in these verses: ‘If I drive out demons by the finger of God’. Jesus specifically uses the word ‘finger’ here and is demonstrating the immense power of Almighty God. He doesn’t need His hand to deal with Satan and his demons. A finger is all that is needed! In fact, His Word is all that is needed! He speaks the Word and it is done. However, I think our minds can understand a little better the imagery of God’s finger as it were ‘flicking away’ the enemy. God’s power is complete and total. In Daniel, it says ‘God holds in his hand your life and all your ways’. We are being held in His hand. All of our enemies can be dealt with by God’s finger, but we are in His hand. Completely secure. Completely safe. Rest in that knowledge and know that He is God.
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