Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
The basis of Christianity is the ability to recognize God's power and learn how to tap into that power. The world will run over those that do not know how to tap in to that power.
Mark 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of isaac, and the God of Jacob?'
These men had died in the flesh long before the time of Moses; however, they are stilI alive in heaven with our Father.
Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err."
Jesus was pointing out to the Sadducees that their belief in no resurrection was wrong. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). I don't understand those who preach Christians die and go in a hole in the ground when even Satan is still alive to day.
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of aIl?"
Most of God's promises have a condition attached to them. That is that "if' we follow His commandments we will receive the promise. This is an important question. Listen closely to the answer Jesus gives the man.
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is, 'Hear, 0 Israel; The LORD our God is one LORD:
30 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart. and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:' this is the first commandment.
The word "strength" in this verse is "ischus" (is-khoos'). In the Greek language. The word means "forcefullness". Why forcefullness? There is a spiritual war being waged between God and Satan. Christians had better love the Lord with force and be willing to make a stand for God. How can you be assured you have the strength and the zeal to make that stand?
Let's turn to the Book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.
This verse means that we should draw our strength from the Lord. There is none mightier than He. You do not have the strength to stand against Satan without the strength of your Father.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole amour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Did this verse say to put your armor on? No it did not! We are to put on the armour of God. That is where there is sufficient strength and power to stand against Satan and all that he can throw at us.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Do you think God is afraid of Satan? I certainly hope you don't. There is nothing for you to fear either, if you draw your strength and power from our Father. Jesus gave us power over all our enemies in His name (Luke 10: 18-19). Don't ever forget where that power comes from.
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole amour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The evil day is written of in. Rev. 12:12, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because. he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
Be prepared, beloved. You can be a "can do" servant of the Living God, if you draw on His strength and power. You should all be very familiar with the next several verses concerning the gospel amour of God. Don't forget, it is His amour that you should put on. If you are to stand against the fiery darts of Satan, you had better be empowered of God. Let's continue our study in Matthew with a lesson on our subject given by Jesus.
Matthew 12:22 Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, "Is not this the son of David?"
They were amazed because their "super preachers" couldn't accomplish this, but Jesus did. You must have power over something to cast it out. Jesus had the power. Where did Jesus get this power? I hope you don’t need two guesses.
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils."
The "super preachers" were saying that. Jesus was a servant of Satan, and that was where His power came from. Wrong again!
Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then his kingdom stand?
It won't! Satan and his followers are going into the lake of fire. That is a fact.
Matthew 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
That should shut them up. Jesus and they, knew their children didn't have the power to cast devils out.
Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
The only way devils can be cast out is by the strength and power of the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 12:29 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.
You can't enter into a strong man's house and bind him, unless you are stronger than he is. If you are going to stand against antichrist, you had better know that Christ is stronger than antichrist and tap into that strength.
Matthew 12:31 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.
This is the unforgivable sin. For one of the elect to refuse the Holy Spirit to speak through them when they are delivered up before antichrist is unforgivable.
I don't think it will happen, because the elect know that the Holy Spirit is their strength and power.
Matthew 12:32 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.
The Son of man was Christ in 'the flesh on earth. To refuse the Holy Spirit to speak through you is unforgivable for the elect. Why would Christ bring this up here? He has just explained that through Him we have power over Satan. There is no reason" to fear. In Christ, we have the victory.
Matthew 12:33 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.
Jesus makes this very simple for us to understand. He takes us back to the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the Tree of Life. What happened there? It is the same old story from beginning to end. The fruit of Christ is good. The fruit of Satan is evil. The tree"' is known by his fruit. Test the fruit. In closing, let's turn to the Book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 for it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
He who created everything, even your soul, he loved us enough to send His Son so that we might find salvation through belief in Him.
Hebrews 2:11 For both He That sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of One: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
I2 Saying, "I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee."
Christ quoted this Scripture (in Psalm 22:22) on the cross as He was being crucified for us.
Hebrews 2:13 And again, "I will put my trust in Him." And again, "Behold, I and the children which God hath given me."
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Christ suffered death to defeat death, that is to say Satan. The choice is yours. You can be on the side of death or Life. Draw your strength and power from God.
Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
You don't have to be afraid of death. The truth sets you free from fear and bondage.
Hebrews 2:16 For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Christ paid an awesome price on the cross to cover our sins on repentance. That is why He doesn't want to hear about your sins any more, after you have repented and been forgiven. Those that do bring them up again are doubting the promises of God. You are empowered through the Spirit of the Almighty God. Use that strength and power in the war against Satan and his.