Luke 11:14-23 By The Finger of God
Luke brings us a familiar encounter with the religious leaders. It has to do with the question of the source of Jesus’ authority over demons. We looked at it in Matthew 12:22-32 and again in Mark 3:22-30. Luke doesn’t finish this section with the same warning Matthew and Mark’s gospels did; blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I want to look at Luke’s account a little different. Please go back and check out Jesus’ words on this issue in our previous blogs. It is a matter of eternal life and death.
When reading Luke’s account I was drawn to a particular statement Jesus made and it started me thinking. The phrase I’m referring to verse 20; “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” It conjured up the image of flicking a fly with your finger. This got me thinking about how powerful God is compared to Satan. So that is what I want to look at today.
Jesus doesn’t call Satan a light weight. He compares him to a strong man who is fully armed and fully capable of guarding his own palace. For me to fight Satan on my own it would be a bloodbath; my blood!
Then Jesus puts Himself in the picture. He says, “but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, He takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil” (verse 22). Jesus is MORE than a match for Satan. He is not only able to defeat Him but to take away all he has. It is not a momentary defeat either. Jesus’ victory last for eternity.
I was thinking about Satan’s armor too, because of this last verse. Satan’s armor is made up of the helmet of oppression, the breastplate of hatred, the belt of lies, the shoes of discord, the shield of confusion, and the sword of shame. All these he wields with great skill after centuries of practice. Satan thought he was invincible inside this armor and he binds those serving Him in this same armor.
When Jesus defeated him He stripped him of his armor. Jesus wears God’s armor instead; the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. There is no better armor than this and He gives it freely to each of us who choose to join His army.
There is nothing Satan can do to defeat God. Satan’s future has been written since the beginning and he is being dragged towards it kicking and screaming all the way. Yes, he has power here on earth. Man gave him that power with the first sin. But Jesus’ blood took that power away from him for all who believe. The remainder of Satan’s power has an expiration date. That date is the day Jesus steps back out of the clouds and puts an end to his schemes. In that battle Jesus’ horse will be up to its flanks in the blood of Satan and his followers; whereas Jesus will not lose even one of His followers.
So when Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (verse 23), I picture the battle lines. I certainly DON’T want to be standing on the losing side! It only takes on flick of God’s finger to knock a demon on its butt, imagine what the full force of one swipe of His arm! THAT’S the side I want to be standing on!
Father God, thank You for defeating Satan. Thank You that You tell us of his future. Thank You Jesus for paying the price for my sins so I can wear Your armor. Thank You for letting me join You on the battlefield. Thank You that YOU swing the sword for me through Your Holy Spirit. Alone I can do nothing but with You ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! What a MIGHTY God we serve!
