I’ve
just been reading through the Gospel of Luke and I puzzled over the passage
about the “strong man, fully armed.” Who was he? And then, who was “someone
stronger?”
21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own
house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger
attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted
and divides up his plunder." Luke 11:21-22.
The context of the whole passage is the question of Satan being credited with
driving out demons. Jesus basically says, “How silly! If he did that he would
destroy his own kingdom.” Jesus is “stronger”.
Remember the legion of demons that bound the
maniac of Gadara, and Who overpowered them (Luke 8:29). Remember the woman bent
over with scoliosis for 18 years (Luke 13:13). Satan had bound her all those
years—but Jesus was able to free her with a word. And remember the paralytic at
the pool of Bethesda. He had been crippled there since before Jesus was born
(over 38 years. John 5:8).
1 John 4:4 is the full expression of the
power of Christ:-
4 You, dear children, are
from God and have overcome them [the spirits of antichrist], because the one who
is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
There is
wonderful comfort to be had in this knowledge.
Several years ago, Joy and I flew into
Santiago airport in Chile. Some luggage was missing so we were delayed getting
to the taxi rank. The taxis were all gone but we were
approached by a well-dressed man speaking good English. He was heading into town and would be happy to take us for a moderate price. We walked out to the parking lot and when he opened his trunk for our luggage, there, attached to the inside trunk lid but hidden from the outside, was a cardboard taxi sign. We got in the back, he got into the driver’s seat and at the last second, for no apparent reason, a huge man jumped into the passenger seat—we felt very threatened. We were about to be taken and relieved of our passports and cash!
approached by a well-dressed man speaking good English. He was heading into town and would be happy to take us for a moderate price. We walked out to the parking lot and when he opened his trunk for our luggage, there, attached to the inside trunk lid but hidden from the outside, was a cardboard taxi sign. We got in the back, he got into the driver’s seat and at the last second, for no apparent reason, a huge man jumped into the passenger seat—we felt very threatened. We were about to be taken and relieved of our passports and cash!
Now the adrenalin was flowing and Joy said
we needed out! How could we get out? At this very moment a “real” taxi pulled
up and blocked us in, with the driver wagging his finger at us, “No!” We showed
the new driver a Google Map print-out of where we wanted to go, got into his
cab, and were pleasantly and safely delivered to our hotel in Santiago. We
thanked him, gave him a good tip, and never saw him again. We are sure God sent
this driver, and easily stopped the dangerous, perhaps deadly plans against us.
We still shiver, but often thank the Lord for preserving us. Once again, “the
One Who is in you is greater!”
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