Lesson 8 – The Strong Man

“Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.” Matthew 12:29.

“Whatever the sin, if the soul repents and believes, the guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ; but he who rejects the work of the Holy Spirit is placing himself where repentance and faith cannot come to him. It is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart; when men willfully reject the Spirit, and declare It to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. When the Spirit is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 321.

TWO POWERS IN CONFLICT

1.What question did Jesus ask in this parable? Of whom in the book of judges does this question remind us–whom the Philistines wanted to bind so that they could dominate over the Israelites?

Matthew 12:29. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Judges 16:11. And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

Matthew 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

“Three times Samson had the clearest evidence that the Philistines had leagued with his charmer to destroy him; but when her purpose failed, she treated the matter as a jest, and he blindly banished fear.

“Day by day Delilah urged him, until ‘his soul was vexed unto death;’ yet a subtle power kept him by her side. Overcome at last, Samson made known the secret: ‘There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 565, 566.

2.What miracle of Christ caused the Pharisees to question the source of His power? What was prophesied in Genesis concerning Him whom neither man nor demon could control, which was why He was victorious in death?

Matthew 12:22, 24. Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw…. ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Genesis 3:15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

“Thus it had been with these Jewish leaders. They were convinced that a divine power attended Christ, but in order to resist the truth, they attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. In doing this they deliberately chose deception; they yielded themselves to Satan, and henceforth they were con- trolled by his power….

“The Pharisees to whom Jesus spoke this warning did not themselves believe the charge they brought against Him. There was not one of those dignitaries but had felt drawn toward the Saviour. They had heard the Spirit’s voice in their own hearts declaring Him to be the Anointed of Israel, and urging them to confess themselves His disciples. In the light of His presence they had realized their unholiness, and had longed for a righteousness which they could not create. But after their rejection of Him it would be too humiliating to receive Him as the Messiah. Having set their feet in the path of unbelief, they were too proud to confess their error. And in order to avoid acknowledging the truth, they tried with desperate violence to dispute the Saviour’s teaching. The evidence of His power and mercy exasperated them. They could not prevent the Saviour from working miracles, they could not silence His teaching; but they did everything in their power to misrepresent Him and to falsify His words. Still the convicting Spirit of God followed them, and they had to build up many barriers in order to withstand Its power. The mightiest agency that can be brought to bear upon the human heart was striving with them, but they would not yield.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 322.

3.At the beginning of time on earth, who became powerful? What did the psalmist write about such people, who were strong in wickedness?

Genesis 10:8-12. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. ⁹He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. ¹⁰And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. ¹¹Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, ¹²And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

Psalm 73:2-9. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. ³For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. ⁵They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. ⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. ⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. ⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. ⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

KINGDOM OF DARKNESS VS. GOD’S KINGDOM

4.What did Jesus say about the kingdom of evil? How has it always threatened the faithful believers?

Matthew 12:25, 26. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desola- tion; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: ²⁶And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Acts 23:6-9. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sad- ducees: and the multitude was divid- ed. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

“A deputation of Pharisees had been joined by representatives from the rich and lordly Sadducees, the party of the priests, the skeptics and aris- tocracy of the nation. The two sects had been at bitter enmity. The Sadducees courted the favor of the ruling power in order to maintain their own position and authority. The Pharisees, on the other hand, fostered the popular hatred against the Romans, longing for the time when they could throw off the yoke of the conqueror. But Pharisee and Sadducee now unit- ed against Christ. Like seeks like; and evil, wherever it exists, leagues with evil for the destruction of the good.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 405.

SATAN AND HIS KINGDOM DEFEATED

5.What divine power resists the strong and frees those who are enslaved? What will Christ, anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit, do with the originator of the rebellion a thousand years before destroying him and his followers?

Matthew 12:28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Mark 1:34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Revelation 20:1, 2. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, hav- ing the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ²And he laid hold on the dragon, that old ser- pent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.

“When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 324.

TRIUMPH OF THE FAITHFUL BELIEVERS

6.What attitude does Christ want His children to have so that they will be victorious? What powerful weapon is given to the faithful believers to overcome evil?

John 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

James 4:7. Submit yourselves there- fore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

John 5:4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our

“Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 324.

7.About what grave weaknesses did the Lord warn His people, and how can such things be overcome? What will result if one ignores His warning?

Matthew 22:29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Ephesians 6:10, 11. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God’s word, through His servants, or by the direct agen-

cy of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 322.

For Additional Study

“We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 324.