The Stronger Man

Pg. 92 - "The powers of hell will try and not succeed.  But what Jesus is really saying is that He will build His Church and the church will move into hell's strongholds and hell will not prevail against the church!"

Man I just loved that view - On the houseboats God's church -(staff, youth leaders, volunteer staff, and campers) move into hell's strongholds in the lives of staff, youth leaders, volunteer staff, and campers and hell does not prevail!  We have seen it for years, God always wins!  Every week, everyday, every minute the stronger man JESUS plunders the evil one's home. 

I never tire of watching Jesus do His thing.  The opportunity to be a part of His act on the water is such a blessing.  As admin it is easy to get caught up in our tasks and miss the Stronger-Man's act each week.  Don't get me wrong - the Stronger-Man works every minute within our tasks but when we focus on the tasks and not the Stronger-Man himself.........we begin to burnout.....  

 

“One sign that I am violating my own nature in the name of nobility is a condition called burnout.  Though usually regarded as the result of trying to give too much, burnout in my experience results from trying to give what I do not possess- the ultimate in giving too little!  Burnout is a state of emptiness; to be sure, but it does not result from giving all I have:  it merely reveals the nothingness from which I was trying to give in the first place.”  (Palmer, Parker, Let Your Life Speak. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2000, 51)

 

 

 Another side note - I love Jesus' own analysis of what is going on by His presence on earth: "No one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house" (Mark 3:27)

Jesus doesn't sneak into the world unannounced!  300+ prophecies of how He would come and live and die!  There is no sneak attack - He was born into the strong man's house - came as a helpless infant, grew up as a child, and confronted the strong man (mano y mano) and bound him! 

A helpless baby?????........The Stronger Man!
A weak Child????.......The Stronger Man!
An uneducated Carpenter????........The Stronger Man
Died on a cross????.........The Strongest Man Ever!!!!!!!