[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”]
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.
[/column]
[divider type=”1″]
[/divider]
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”]
Luke 11:21-23 (NIV)
‘”When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.’
If you watch any television, I’m sure you will be more than familiar with the concept of people both protecting and attacking with the use of firearms and other weaponry. Sadly, we have seen on our news programmes the sickening attacks on innocent people and the fatal response of armed police and security services.
Particularly in the United States of America, it is common place for people to protect their property with the use of firearms. If anyone tries to gain access to their house, they will retaliate with every weapon at their disposal. To you and I, the prospect of trying to get into that house is impossible as we know it would only end in death or serious injury.
However, when that property is the subject of a criminal investigation, we see the full force of the Police in action and the owner is subdued and overpowered. His weapons are now useless when faced with overwhelming superiority shown by the armed police. Whatever the house owner felt was his property is now seized and taken away with relative ease.
This picture is one that is useful when trying to see what Jesus is referring to here in these verses with some noticeable additions. It’s easy to see that the house owner is Satan and the ‘someone stronger’ is Jesus Himself. But what about the ‘possessions’ and ‘divides up the spoils’?
Earlier in Luke we read the story of the demoniac man who was completely delivered and then told to ‘return home and tell what great things God has done for you’. The man was previously being held in bondage by Satan and could be regarded as his possession. The man was powerless to do anything because Satan was powerful and kept him locked up. However, ‘someone stronger’ in the person of Jesus Christ turns up, attacks Satan and completely overpowered him. Jesus took away all power from Satan and recovered all his possessions.
What happens next explains the last part of Jesus’ words ‘divides up the spoils’. Jesus sent the man home and commissioned him to tell of the greatness of God. This man was previously a possession of Satan but was now being used as a ‘gift’ distributed by Christ. He was being used as a ‘spoil’ and was hugely instrumental in reaching many for the Lord.
Each one of us were in the same position. We were being held in bondage and our sin prevented a relationship with God. Praise God that Jesus stepped into our lives and completely destroyed the power of sin! We are now totally and absolutely free and considered as spoils in order to reach the people around us who have not yet heard the all-powerful message of the Gospel.
[/column]