Luke 11:21-22

THE STRONG MAN OVERCOME

‘When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.’

Luke 11:21

Satan is the ‘strong man’ of whom our Lord speaks. Beelzebub the Jews called him, after the name of the god whom the Philistines of old time worshipped.

I. He is armed and ready for his fell work of combat.—His girdle is the lies with which he is so richly supplied and with which he furnishes himself for the fight. His breastplate, the wickedness in which he delights. His feet are shod with strife, which he would fain persuade men is their natural and normal condition in their intercourse one with another. His shield is doubt, with which he tries to stop the bright arrows of truth; his helmet is despair; and he flings the fiery darts of temptation with practised hand.

II. The palace which he attacks is the heart of man, made so fair and beautiful by the Hand of the great Architect. And if Satan can once gain possession, he keeps it with what vigilance and skill he may. Many a prejudice against good does he set up as a bulwark. Many a flattery does he use to make his dominion secure. Why not do as others do? is an argument he finds very effective. And his goods are in peace; the voice of conscience is stilled. A deaf ear is turned to the whispers of the Holy Spirit of God. There is at last deep self-satisfaction, and a grievous insensibility to good.

III. A stronger than he has come, and has conquered him. Vain were all the attacks of Satan against that stronger One, whether made directly or by means of human agents. And Christ, our victorious champion, has seized for Himself the spoil of Satan, the hearts which he thought that he had subjugated for ever to his sway. And just as surely as the Saviour ‘with the finger of God,’ that is, with the slightest exertion of Divine power, cast out the evil spirits from those who were possessed, so surely can He deliver those who have subjected themselves to the dominion of Satan in any form, and been deceived by his wiles; provided only that they be willing to be rescued.

Rev. R. M. Faithfull Davies.

Illustration

‘The glimpse which our Lord’s words give to us of the unseen world around us, and of the forces which continually seek to influence us to wrong-doing, should impress upon us the stern but happy necessity of taking our side, of standing forth boldly against the strong, in the might of the Stronger. Pledged by our Baptism, by our Confirmation, by each Communion that we make, “to fight manfully against sin, the world, and devil,” it may be that we have been slack in the combat, have parleyed with the enemy, have even yielded ourselves prisoners. Our Lord tells us plainly that a house divided against itself cannot stand; neither public nor private interests can prosper under such conditions.’