Yet some of them said, “He drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the chief of the
demons.” Others wanted to put him to the test, by asking him for a heavenly sign.
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, “Every nation divided by civil war is on
the road to ruin, and will fall. If Satan also is divided, his empire is coming to an end.
How can you say that I drive out demons by calling upon Beelzebul? If I drive them out by
Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive out demons? They will be your judges, then.
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God; would not this mean that the kingdom of God
has come upon you? As long as a man, strong and well armed, guards his house, his goods
are safe. But when a stronger man attacks and overcomes him, the challenger takes away
all the weapons he relied on, and disposes of his spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me, scatters.
Reflect
There is no shortage of people who are happy to tell us what to do. Some of them have
legitimate authority over us, like parents, pastors, or government officials charged with
making and enforcing just laws. Others are professionals whose advice helps to educate
us and improve our lives, like teachers and health professionals. Still others may be
busybodies or selfappointed experts who take it as their right to interfere in others’ lives.
Such a diversity of voices makes the Holy Spirit’s gift of discernment even more valuable.
The gift of discernment helps us to know which voices to heed and which to ignore, which
voices will lead us to God and which to evil. Following a path of selfishness and division
will lead to the father of lies and ultimately to death. The path that leads to God will always
be a path of self-sacrifice, a path of peace, and a path of unity. This path will lead us to
eternal life.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023