*||RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL||* *||💜|| A DEFEATED KINGDOM |💜||* *|| 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 (Mark 3:27). ||* Friday, 5th June. Pastor Chris When the Lord Jesus addressed the accusation that He cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub, He revealed profound truths about the kingdom of darkness. First, He made it clear that Satan has a kingdom with a structure. Satan’s kingdom operates with coordination and hierarchy. We referenced this in our previous study. However, the Master went further and revealed another crucial truth. In Mark 3:27, He spoke about entering a strong man’s house and spoiling his goods. The “strong man” in this context refers to Satan. The Lord Jesus explained that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless the strong man is first “bound.” With this statement, the Lord revealed His authority over Satan—the same authority which He passed on to us—His Church. He said in Matthew 10:8, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Then, in Mark 16:17, He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils….” Jesus, casting out demons was proof that He had authority over the kingdom of darkness. While Satan operates with a structured system of demonic forces, he is nevertheless a defeated foe. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Satan and the forces of darkness were decisively defeated. Colossians 2:15 NKJV tells us that Jesus Christ disarmed principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them. Yet, even though Satan has been defeated, he still attempts to operate with the same strategies he’s used throughout history. He has lost his authority, but he continues to function through deception, intimidation and manipulation. This is why you must walk in the light of God’s Word and remain conscious of your victory in Christ and the dominion you have in His Name. Your authority over Satan is rooted in the triumph of Christ. You’re not fighting to obtain victory; you’re standing in the victory that has already been won. Live in the consciousness of this truth. You’re in dominion over Satan and his cohorts of darkness. *||PRAYER||* *|| Dear Father, thank you for my victory over Satan and the forces of darkness. I live in the consciousness of Christ’s triumph and exercise my authority in His Name. Every work of the adversary is subdued, and I walk in the dominion and freedom that I have in Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. ||* *||FURTHER STUDY||* *|| Colossians 2:15 ||* and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. *|| 1 John 3:8 ||* He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. *|| Luke 10:19 ||* Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. *|| 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN ||* John 19:17-42 1 Chronicles 17-19 *|| 2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN ||* 1 Corinthians 15:40-49 Ecclesiastes 1-2