Pearl:Strong man

Pearl:Strong man

Basically I am going to show that a strong man is not necessarily physically strong but he is spiritually strong.

(Proverbs 11:16 [KJV]) A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

Strong men retain riches, but what is a strong man?

(Proverbs 24:5 [KJV]) A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

Its a wise man that is a strong man.

(I Timothy 4:8 [KJV]) For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Godliness is profitable unto all things but physical exercise is not really something promoted by the scripture.

(Matthew 12:28-45 [KJV])
 [28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
 [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.
 [30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
 [31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
 [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
 [33] Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
 [34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
 [35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
 [36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
 [37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
 [38] Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
 [39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
 [40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
 [41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
 [42] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
 [43] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
 [44] Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
 [45] Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Notice here in Mt12:28-29 that the way to overcome the strong man is through casting out unclean spirits not by physical strength but by prayer, by spiritual strength. Then ultimately a strong man is a spiritual man who might be old and weak in physical strength but he is still stronger than the physically strong man. Notice also in Mt12:29 that you can bind the strong man.

(Mark 3:23-29 [KJV])
 [23] And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
 [24] And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
 [25] And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
 [26] And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
 [27] No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
 [28] Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
 [29] But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

(Luke 11:17-26 [KJV])
 [17] But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
 [18] If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
 [19] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
 [20] But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
 [21] When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
 [22] 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.
 [23] He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
 [24] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
 [25] And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
 [26] Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Thanks to Moshe for some of the ideas regarding the strong man.

Footnotes