Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

124 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

c. The invasion, entrance, manifestation of God’s kingly power

5. Jesus as the binder of the strong man

Matt. 12.25-30 (ESV) – Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man ? Then indeed he may plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” 1 John 3.8 – Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. Gen. 3.15 – I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head , and you shall bruise his heel . Heb. 2.14 – Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. 6. Jesus defeats humankind’s infernal enemy, the devil.

Col. 2.15 – He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame , by triumphing over them in him.

a. Blinds the minds of those who do not believe, 2 Cor. 4.4

b. Functions through deception, lying, and accusation, John 8.44

c. Animates the affairs of nations, 1 John 5.19

d. Distracts human beings from their proper ends, cf. Gen. 3.1.ff.