The LORD Jesus and his Kingdom are among us. We see his finger out work. The sick are healed. Souls are set free. These fruits are so genuine as to bear out the claims of the one who works them. Crazy people can't do things like this. The lies of liars don't bring others to experience more authentic love joy and peace. But the LORD's power at work in the world does do this. What we see him do is something which we are not strong enough to do without him. We see him solving otherwise unsolvable problems. The problems go deeper than we tend to think. The enemy is actually holding many hearts in bondage. Only Jesus is strong enough to set us free.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
In fact, without Jesus we just tend to make problems worse. We may help to get out the first demon but we leave a vacuum behind us that pulls in seven more. We have nothing with which to fill others in the absence of the pain and bondage that they currently experience. Only Jesus has the grace and spoils of the Holy Spirit to us. He fills us so full that there is no room for the enemy. He himself comes to dwell in us and he has overcome the world (See John 16:33).
With Jesus within us we need not fear the coming day of the LORD. He and he alone can make us ready.
Alas, the day!
for near is the day of the LORD,
and it comes as ruin from the Almighty.
With the demons cast out, with Jesus living inside of us through his Spirit, we need not fear the day of judgment. We already welcome the kingdom by welcoming Jesus, even before the great and terrible day when it comes in fullness.
But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
he has set up his throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
he governs the peoples with equity.
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