Wisdom wrote in Proverbs chapter 18:
14 The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?
Our daily preparation is intended to build up our spirit man to be strong so that we can overcome any obstacle before us. Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 12:
22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and[fn] mute man both spoke and saw.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub,[fn] the ruler of the demons.”
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”
Who can bind a strong man? Only one who is stronger and more powerful. Jesus explicitly says that His power and authority is greater than Satan and his demons. Further, His Kingdom has arrived on earth when His power and authority are used to bind the strong man and plunder his house or abode.
We are called to plunder the house of the strong man as well. We are no longer meant to cower in the midst of the enemy and submit to the perversion and confusion all around us. As we build up our spirit man, we will accept and embrace the ministry of Jesus Christ in our lives. We will be at peace no matter how the heathen rage.
Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Philippians chapter 4:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
As our spirit man grows strong, we will no longer experience anxiety, depression, or have a sense of defeat. Peace will flood our hearts and man’s evil reports will have no impact on us. We will have victory over each and every obstacle we encounter. Each day will truly be a beautiful and wonderful day. The joy of THE LORD is our strength as we encounter the chaos of the world.
How do we build up our spirit man? We must guard our hearts and our minds by keeping The Word as our primary focus each day. We must not allow the wood, hay, and stubble to crowd out the precious Word. Evil reports abound in the news and social media. We must not allow ourselves to be caught in the divisive nature of such reports. Whoever is stronger will plunder the house and strength is not built up in a day or an occasional workout. Let us set the captives free!