January 28 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

The opposite of the kingdom of God is not the kingdom of man but the kingdom of Satan. People are either the victims of the devil's rule or they are set free in the kingdom of God.

There was a man who was completely in the devil's grip; he was "demon-possessed." He could not speak or hear as a result of the devil's work. Of course this does not mean that wherever there is deafness or inability to speak, we may conclude that a devil is responsible. But it does mean that both sickness and demon possession disappear when the kingdom has fully come.

This particular man was fully healed by Jesus. Then a discussion developed concerning the power with which Jesus operated. The idea that Jesus did this work by another devilish power had to be ruled out. Satan is not destroying Satan. "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

This saying of Jesus is tremendously important for our understanding of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is not only a future reality for which we wait; it is already present wherever the stranglehold of Satan is broken. And the power that breaks the devil's hold is the Spirit of God. This Spirit first rested on Jesus and is now given to all those who believe in him.

Today Jesus Christ operates by his Spirit through his followers. The kingdom of Satan cannot stand against this power. To the extent that the Holy Spirit controls our present: lives, to that extent the kingdom of God has come.

Vast areas of the present world seem to belong to the kingdom of Satan. But he who is with us and works through us is stronger than Satan. And he will win the battle.

Reflections

In what ways do you struggle against evil in your own life? What difference does Jesus' power make in these situations?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.