22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29“Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. (Matthew 12:22-29)
Thoughts: To call evil good and good evil is a hardening of the heart and close to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus healed, but the Pharisees still tried to call Him evil. Jesus points out that Satan does not drive out Satan. The devil does not divide his own house-fighting against himself. Jesus came to defeat evil- and his driving out demons is a sign of his purpose. But by calling Jesus a devil, they were taking the side of evil. Jesus points out that He is coming to bind evil, and that the Kingdom of God- the presence of God is amongst them.
Prayer: Lord, give me discernment to see good as good and evil as evil. Then give me grace to do all I can to defeat evil and all I can to build up the good.
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