21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.
Stated plainly, Satan is no match for Jesus. Again, Jesus is stronger than Satan. In view of the context of this verse, I believe the strong man is Satan but the stronger Man is the Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus has every right to “divide up the spoils” which, in this case, would be the formally demon possessed people who once belonged to Satan. Believer, does that not bring you comfort? I am reminded of Psalm 91 and the beautiful protection from God in the midst of our trials that it presents: 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge--10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 6 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalms 91:1-16 (NIV)
This is not stating we will not have difficulties in this life. Jesus tells us plainly in John: 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV) I love what the Bible Knowledge Commentary states about the above verse: “Jesus’ instructions about these things (chaps. 14-16) were intended to sustain them, to give them peace in Him. Believers have a dual existence: they are in Christ and in this world. In union with Jesus, His disciples have peace, but the world exerts a hostile pressure. The world system, the enemy of God and His people, opposed Jesus’ message and ministry (cf. 1:5, 10; 7:7). But Jesus won the victory over the system; He has overcome the world. As the “strong man” who came and ruined Satan’s kingdom (Matt. 12:25-29), Jesus is the Victor. Jesus wanted the disciples to remember this fact and to rejoice in His victory. Take heart! means “Be courageous.” (In the NT the word tharseœ [“take heart, be courageous, cheer up”] was spoken only by the Lord [Matt. 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49; John 16:33; Acts 23:11].) Because He won they, in union with Him, can win also (Rom. 8:37).”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)
Like our verse for today, Jesus, the stronger man, takes over and “divides up the spoils” from Satan by taking a formerly demon possessed person from his grasp. Victory! Victory always lies with Jesus! “Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home when Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, when song gives place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me, His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Civilla D. Martin 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matt 10:28-31 (NIV) Finally, as believers, our armor is the “full armor of God” and we can trust and depend in it! 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Eph 6:10-13 (NIV)