Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Christ's words have a way of cutting to the core. While his statement that "every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste" shows that he is acting on behalf of God when he casts out demons, it carries a deeper call within it for those present then and for us today. He gently reveals to them that although they are God's people, they are making God's kingdom to be a "kingdom divided" as they oppose Jesus and his ministry. But they don't have to be this way. He offers them the freedom to rise above all that holds them back from following him fully. He offers us the same grace today.
Challenge: Spend a few minutes in prayer asking God if there are any parts of your life that you have been holding back from him. In what ways have you been "a kingdom divided" as you seek Him? Knowing that He wants you to be free to follow Him completely, ask Him for the grace to follow him more closely in this area of your life.
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