“Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? And then he will rifle his house. He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.”
Jesus, showing that it is not by the devil that He casts out devils, then shows His power over the enemy. Though the world is magnificent, and created by God: “For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made” (Wisdom 11:25), there is a kingdom of darkness settled upon it, which is the reign of sin, the habitation of devils: “Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that now worketh on the children of unbelief” (Ephesians 2:2), and into the whole picture of the world, even into the stink of sin, Jesus walked confidently, that He may free you, His beloved: “Behold my beloved speaketh to me: ‘Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come” (Canticle 2:10). Now, by “strong man” he shows the dignity of the angelic nature, for an angel is greater in dignity than a man, and the powers thereof are extraordinary: “And it came to pass that night, that an angel of the Lord came, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand” (4 Kings 19:35). Demons, though fallen and their powers much restrained: “I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven” (Luke 10:18), are still too strong and adept for you to be careless: “In carefulness not slothful” (Romans 12:11), or to keep yourself from the intercession of Jesus and the saints: “Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved?” (Canticle 8:5); “I drove them out from their places, the two kings of the Amorrhites, not with thy sword nor with thy bow” (Josue 24:12). The villainy and strength of demons is allowed that you may be driven to the loving, strong arms of Jesus: “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13); the motherly might of Mary: “She shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” (Genesis 3:15); and the friendship of different saints: “Behold threescore valiant ones of the most valiant of Israel, surrounded the bed of Solomon? All holding swords, and most expert in war” (Canticle 3:7-8). Only grace can break the chains of the devil, and only love can conquer his hatred: “And he brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death; and broke their bonds in sunder” (Psalm 106:14). By “his goods,” He means you, for you are the precious treasure that Jesus plunders from Satan: “But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people” (1 Peter 2:9), and by binding the strong, he takes away the power temptation has over you, that with your will you may always choose love: “From a sincere heart love one another earnestly” (1 Peter 1:22), thus St. Paul says, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able” (1 Corinthians 10:13), and it becomes necessary to pray frequently the words Jesus gave you: “Lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). The enemy can put all kinds of horrible thoughts, images, and such things in your mind, but when you choose love at all times, even through the mire of these temptations, you show that his might is bound up, that you may walk confidently upon his absurdity: “Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). What follows is then a look at the utter difference in the works of the devil and the works of Jesus, for one is hate and debasing to human nature: “Fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (Galatains 5:19-21), the other is truth and love: “Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth” (John 17:18); “Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God” (1 John 4:7), for the devil aims to drag God’s children into what is beastly, ugly, and beneath human dignity, whereas God seeks to transform you into the fullest, most loving expression of yourself, a love truly alive that participates in His own love: “By [Jesus] he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4); “And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one” (John 17:22). The devil is not with Jesus, and his ways are distinct and recognizable, but the power and love of God in Jesus scatters him like light does the darkness, “And the light shineth in darkness” (John 1:5), or heat does the cold. Therefore, recognize the voice of God’s love: “How sweet are thy words to my palate! More than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 118:103), and dismiss whatever is contrary to love as the pathetic voice of a defeated enemy: “And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself” (Colossians 2:15); “The accuser of our brethren is cast forth” (Apocalypse 12:10), and dismiss it as such: “Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he will fly from you” by calling upon Jesus, Mary, Joseph, or St. Michael to help you: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:7-8), gently drawing your attention back to how loved you are: “Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee” (Ecclesiasticus 6:37). Thus you will overcome your ancient enemy by the love of Christ: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death” (Apocalypse 12:11).