Lenten Prayer Reflection by Jospeh Hinshaw

LK 11:14-23
In this gospel reading, Jesus drives out a demon from a man while he is watched by a crowd. While some of the people in the crowd are amazed, others think that He uses the power of Satan to drive out demons. They skeptically request that He provide them with a sign from Heaven. He responds by explaining that “every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” Jesus is basically saying that if Satan’s powers were driving out demons it would display a failure of Satan’s kingdom in which demons drive out demons. In other words, Satan would be fighting against himself, he would be fighting demons with demons. Satan May not be as powerful as God, but he does still possess power and is not leading a felled kingdom.
Jesus then questions the people about who among them drives out the evil spirits. He then tells them that the Kingdom of God has come to them if He used the power of God to push out the spirits. Jesus is emphasizing that the only one who is powerful enough to eliminate demons from a person is God, so Jesus must be on God’s side (or God Himself) to do such a deed. Jesus ends this passage by stating: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” If anyone goes against Christ, they are taking the side of Satan, the one whom they falsely claim Christ gets His power from. And those who won’t be with Christ will be alone and will separate themselves from his love. Only by joining with Christ can one understand community and love.