{"id":13,"date":"2009-03-08T14:09:55","date_gmt":"2009-03-08T13:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=13"},"modified":"2009-03-08T14:09:55","modified_gmt":"2009-03-08T13:09:55","slug":"binding-the-strong-man-matthew-1224-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=13","title":{"rendered":"Binding the Strong Man Matthew 12:24-29"},"content":{"rendered":"

BINDING THE STRONG MAN Matthew 12:22-29<\/p>\n

Did anybody happen to see the wonderful science fiction comedy \u201cMen in Black\u201d on TV this week? The Men in Black are a fictional organisation responsible for defending the earth from aliens from outer space. At one point in the middle of pursuing a particularly nasty space insect, Agent K from the Men in Black says this to his new partner Agent J:
\nThere’s always an Alien Battle Cruiser…or a Korlian Death Ray, or…an intergalactic \tplague about to wipe out life on this \tplanet, and the only thing that lets people get on with their hopeful little lives is that they don’t know about it.
\nAgent K is right. If we knew that there really was some alien force threatening to destroy all human life then everything would change. Things which seem so important to us would become trivial: money, possessions, success \u2013 even things like films and science fiction. So many things just wouldn\u2019t matter any more in the face of the prospect of destruction.<\/p>\n

Well I have some good news and some bad news this morning. There is a force in the world which threatens all human life. It is a force more dangerous than and Alien Battle Cruiser or a Korlian Death Ray or global warming or the risk of nuclear war. It is more lethal than an intergalactic plague, or HIV Aids. And I am not talking science fiction here but Biblical fact. That threat to human life is what the Bible calls the devil, or satan, or Beelzebub. \u201cand the only thing that lets people get on with their hopeful little lives is that they don’t know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The BAD NEWS this morning is that everything the Bible says about the devil is true \u2013 and the devil is real. The devil isn\u2019t a little comic character with horns and a forked tail and a trident. The devil is the prince of demons. Here are some of the things the Bible says about the devil.
\nThe devil appeared to Adam and Eve disguised as a serpent and tempted them to disobey God.
\nThe devil was originally an angel but he rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven.
\nThe devil tempted even people like David and afflicted Job and even tried to tempt Jesus to sin.
\nThe devil tempted Judas to betray Jesus and he continues to tempt people today.
\nThe devil is also known as Satan, The Adversary, the enemy and the evil one and the deceiver.
\nThe devil blinds people spiritually. Jesus calls him a liar and the \u201cfather of lies\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Bible makes clear that the devil exists \u2013 the devil is real. In our reading this morning it is clear that Jesus recognised and taught that the devil is a real enemy \u2013 a real threat to human beings.<\/p>\n

And there is more BAD NEWS. The devil is not alone. He has his allies \u2013 more fallen angels which the Bible refers to as evil spirits, or unclean spirits, or demons. The Bible speaks about demons or evil spirits more than 100 times. In different places it refers to demons as rulers, authorities, powers, dominions, thrones, leaders and \u201ckosmokrats\u201d world rulers. <\/p>\n

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.\u201d The devil and all his minions controlling the world and keeping people away from God.
\nEphesians 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts<\/em>
\nHere is the bad news. The devil and the demons exist but most people don\u2019t know it. I say most people don\u2019t realise the devil exists, but that is only true in the scientific west. Talk to Christians in Africa or India or South America, where witchdoctors or shamens practise and voodoo and magic are common, and they know that demons exist and have power to harm people! They know demons or evil spirits are everywhere. There is only one devil, and he can only be in one place at one time. But there are so many demons who serve the devil and they spread his power everywhere. practically universal. They can influence people to do evil, and in extreme cases demons can so invade a person\u2019s life that they can speak and act through their human victim. <\/p>\n

Here in the West we don\u2019t have witchdoctors or voodoo so much. So the main ways in which people come into contact with demons is through dabbling in the Occult. They may play with magic, casting spells, or witchcraft. Some might call it \u201cThe Craft\u201d, or \u201cWicca\u201d, ancient British magic. Others dabble in fortune telling \u2013 tarot, astrology, crystal balls. Others try to contact the dead, in spiritualism or spiritism, through clairvoyance, mediums or s\u00e9ances. All of these practices are very dangerous because they can bring people into contact with the demonic.<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 18:9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no-one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practises divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.<\/em> <\/p>\n

This may sound weird and science fiction to you \u2013 but it is all terribly real. I heard of a school recently hosting an evening of clairvoyance. Psychic fayres are still popular. Many people on the stalls of the Body Mind and Soul exhibition at the Brentwood Centre at the end of this month will be trapped in different aspects of the Occult. Only last week I was talking to a man whose life has been ruined by his parents\u2019 deep involvement in witchcraft.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the bad news. The devil is real. Demons are real. They are dangerous and powerful enemies whose only aim is to lead people into sin and keep them away from God. There\u2019s the bad news.
\nBut here is the GOOD NEWS. Jesus has overcome the devil! And the proof of that is in his miracles of deliverance!<\/p>\n

22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, \u201cCould this be the Son of David?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

One third of Jesus\u2019s miracles were healings. But another third were specifically miracles of deliverance, of driving out demons. And Jesus\u2019s disciples were also given His authority to cast out demons. To set people free from evil which had a grip on their lives. This ministry of deliverance continued into the early church and continues in the church today.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019s opponents the Pharisees accused Him of driving demons out by the power of Beelzebub, another name for the devil. But Jesus rejected their arguments and said two separate things which are very important for us to understand. The first was this.
\n28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.<\/em>
\nIn other words Jesus was saying that his power to drive out demons was in some way the work of God the Holy Spirit inside Him. And all the miracles of deliverance were expressions of the Kingdom of God, God\u2019s Kingly Rule, God acting as King to bring salvation to his people. Casting out demons was not something which only Jesus could do because He was the Son of God. His followers would cast out demons too because the Holy Spirit is at work in them and because that is part of the work of God\u2019s Kingdom.<\/p>\n

Then Jesus went on to tell a little parable, the parable of binding the strong man.
\n29 \u201cOr again, how can anyone enter a strong man\u2019s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.<\/em><\/p>\n

The strong man in the parable is the devil. His possessions are the people held in the grip of evil by demons. How was is that Jesus could drive out demons, take the strong man\u2019s possessions away from him? Because Jesus had already tied up the strong man. Jesus has already bound the devil. So he can easily cast out the demons and rescue people from the devil\u2019s clutches.<\/p>\n

Miracles of deliverance are relatively rare in churches in England today. We need to realise that in Jesus\u2019s time one of the most important reasons people followed Him was his visible power over the demonic.
\n21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 \u201cWhat do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are\u2014the Holy One of God!\u201d
\n25 \u201cBe quiet!\u201d said Jesus sternly. \u201cCome out of him!\u201d 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
\n27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, \u201cWhat is this? A new teaching\u2014and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.\u201d 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.<\/em>
\nJesus drove out demons. One of the major reasons for the growth of the early church was their miracles of deliverance. And outside of the scientific west, even today, one of the chief reasons people turn to Christ is that they see His power defeating the devil and setting people free from demons. I know all these things are true because I have seen people delivered from demons!<\/p>\n

29 \u201cOr again, how can anyone enter a strong man\u2019s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.<\/em>
\nHere is the GOOD NEWS \u2013 Jesus has bound the strong man. But how did that happen. Remember what happened immediately after Jesus\u2019s baptism and before He began His public ministry.
\nLuke 4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
\n3 The devil said to him, \u201cIf you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.\u201d
\n4 Jesus answered, \u201cIt is written: \u2018Man does not live on bread alone.\u201d
\n5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, \u201cI will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours.\u201d
\n8 Jesus answered, \u201cIt is written: \u2018Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.\u2019\u201d
\n9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. \u201cIf you are the Son of God,\u201d he said, \u201cthrow yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
\n\u201c \u2018He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.\u2019
\n12 Jesus answered, \u201cIt says: \u2018Do not put the Lord your God to the test.\u2019\u201d
\n13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.<\/em>
\nIn the wilderness Jesus was tempted. But He did not give in to temptation. Jesus was the first human being ever who did not give in to the devil\u2019s temptations. He proved there that He was stronger than the devil. Many believe that it was there in the wilderness that Jesus \u201cbound the strong man\u201d. Demons would have to obey Jesus!
\nThe Bible tells us that Jesus had bound the strong man before he began his ministry. But it also tells us that Jesus had an even greater victory over the devil in his death on the cross.
\nJOHN 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.\u201d 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.<\/em>
\nJesus\u2019s sacrifice on the cross more than bound the devil \u2013 it was God\u2019s supreme victory over the devil and his demons.
\nHEBREWS 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death\u2014that is, the devil\u2014 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. <\/em>
\nChrist\u2019s death on the cross defeated the devil and sets everybody free who puts their trust in Christ.
\nSo Jesus \u201cbound the strong man\u201d in his time of temptation. And Jesus defeated the devil on the cross. So here\u2019s the good news. Christians don\u2019t need to be afraid of the devil or his demons. Christ\u2019s victory is our victory!
\nAnd Jesus sends his church out to continue his ministry of deliverance. To confront the devil and drive out demons. To plunder hell and populate heaven. To set the captives free!
\n29 \u201cOr again, how can anyone enter a strong man\u2019s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BINDING THE STRONG MAN Matthew 12:22-29 Did anybody happen to see the wonderful science fiction comedy \u201cMen in Black\u201d on TV this week? The…<\/span><\/p>\n

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