The Gospel of Plunder

Matthew 4: Wilderness Victory (6)

Pray Psalm 115.1-3.
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.

Sing joyfully Psalm 115.1-3.
(Plainfield: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus)
Not to us, O God, not us, but unto Your Name give glory!
For Your love and faithfulness, ever to Your Name be glory!
Why should the nations cry, “Where is their God on high?”
You rule us, LORD, on high: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Read Matthew 4.1-11; 12.22-29; meditate on verses 28, 29.
What does this “plundering” involve?

Prepare.
1. How did Jesus describe the condition of the “strong man”? Who is this “strong man”? 

2. Given that condition, what did Jesus describe Himself as doing?

Meditate.
Fast forward a bit to somewhere near the middle of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus has been doing amazing things. He has been teaching new and exciting truths. People are flocking to Him from all parts of the region. Some have given up their former lives to follow Him. Lepers are made clean. The sick are restored to health. Winds and waves obey His command. Demons are sent packing. The paralyzed are made whole again. A young girl is raised from the dead. Blind men are given their sight, a mute man speaks, and the religious bosses of the day are offended and rebuffed. What’s going on here?

What’s going on is the plundering of Satan’s dominion. The devil thought the kingdoms of the world belonged to him. Jesus was showing him otherwise. In successfully fending off the devil’s temptations, Jesus not only beat him, He bound him. He rendered the devil powerless to stop whatever He wanted to do. 

Jesus explained His ability to cast out demons was the result of His having bound the “strong man”. Now He is about the business of taking back from the devil’s temporary possession everything that rightly belongs to Him. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Ps. 24.1). The Good News of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of plunder, liberating everything in our lives, and throughout all creation, and taking all things captive for obedience to Jesus Christ. The devil is still active, stalking about in spiritual chains and straining at the Lord’s leash, Who keeps a firm hold on where he can go and what he can do. As long as we keep our distance from him, and stay on the path marked out for us by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, there’s nothing the devil can do to keep us from bringing life and hope and renewal to everything and everyone in our lives.

The strong man is bound. Your Personal Mission Field and everything in it have been reconciled to God. Now get out there and plunder, by the grace and truth of the Gospel, for the glory of God and His Kingdom!

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
How freeing it is to receive marching orders to plunder.
So often we misunderstand our role as Christians: taking the whole meek and mild aspect to an Olympic level.

Yes, Jesus embodied meekness; but His was power under control.
And when necessary, unleashed.

We merely seem always struggling to be under control.
Therefore missing many opportunities to plunder powerfully for the Kingdom.

Think of Jesus’ rage when confronted with the misuse of His Father’s house.
“…Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, 
and the money changers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the
temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 
And He said to those who sold doves, ‘Take these things away! 
Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’” (Jn. 2.13-16).
So speak up, we must, when the house of God is misused.

Or think of His dealings with Satan in the wilderness:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
“It is written again ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”
“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall
serve’” (Matt. 4.4, 7, 10).
None of these, we can be sure, were delivered sotto voce.

Paul, who recommended that we imitate him (1 Cor. 11.1) spoke truth into the issue of sin. He also confronted personal issues head on. Think of the powerful letter he wrote to Philemon concerning his escaped slave Onesimus. Paul’s words had a telling effect, as we read from his missive to the church in Colossae: Onesimus is coming to visit you, he is our “faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you” (Col. 4.8, 9). Paul’s plundering of Philemon’s heart worked for the good of many.

Then there was Jesus’ plundering of the scribes and Pharisees when His “Woe to you” speech included calling them “whitewashed tombs” (see Matt. 23.1-39). Beware! He is not the least bit shy about plundering the religious. 

The fruits of the Spirit should be the mainstay of our lives: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5.22, 23). But there is also a place for plundering the devil’s playground and his stuff. When we bring the ball, he doesn’t get to take it home.

Correct and obedient timing is key, as Solomon wrote:
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die…
A time to break down, and a time to build up…
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, and a time to lose…
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war and a time of peace” (Eccl. 3.1-8).

The Holy Spirit will teach us when it’s time to plunder, and when it’s not (Jn. 16.13, 14),
“for the glory of God and His Kingdom!”

Reflect.
1. Does the idea of “plundering” Satan’s holdings confuse or trouble you? Explain.

2. What all is Satan holding onto at this time? Anything in your life? In your Personal Mission Field or the people in it?

3. Can you identify five specific actions that “plundering” might take in your Personal Mission Field?

And here Jesus’ saying seems to me to encompass a prophecy. For not only, I suppose, are the evil spirits the possessions of the devil but also the human beings that are doing Satan’s works. Therefore he intends not only to cast out devils but also to drive away error from the world. He is putting down all sorceries and making the devil’s arts useless. John Chrysostom (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 41.3

Pray Psalm 115.9-18.
Give yourself anew and completely to Jesus, and prepare to go forth in His Name, conquering and to conquer, and plundering the former domain of Satan, wherever you encounter it in your Personal Mission Field.

Sing Psalm 115.9-18.
(Plainfield: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus)
All who trust in Jesus yield—ever to His Name be glory—
find in Him their help and shield—ever to Your Name be glory!
O Israel, trust the LORD! He helps us evermore!
Fear Him obey His Word: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Blessings from our gracious LORD—ever to Your Name be glory—
will attend us evermore: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless all who fear You, LORD, all who obey Your Word,
all who Your Name adore: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Grant us, Savior, great increase—ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless us with eternal peace: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Heaven and earth are Yours; let every soul adore
and bless You evermore: Ever to Your Name be glory!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

For a closer look at what happened in the wilderness of Judea and why that matters so much, order a copy of our book, Satan Bound.

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter has a new series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is studying the Church and why we need it. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.