5.14.2025 Prayer Room

MARK 3:13-27

13 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 He appointed the Twelve: To Simon, he gave the name Peter; 17 and to James the son of Zebedee, and to his brother John, he gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 Andrew; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.20 Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.” 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23 So he summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

HEAR:

• Jesus called his disciples to send them out, but their first role was simply to “be with Him.” (v.14) Begin by remembering that Jesus wants your presence before anything.

• Is there any place in our lives that we try to restrain Jesus? (v.21) Let the Holy Spirit convict us for this.

• Consider the power and love of Jesus to oppose the “strong man,” or satan, on our behalf (v.27) - even to the point of giving up His own life.

RESPOND:

• Petition for the Lord to be unrestrained in our own lives and in our city, that our families, our city and beyond would recognize the authority of Jesus’s power and teaching.

• Ask Jesus to affirm and send us - he sent the apostles with the authority to “plunder” the enemy. Ask Him for the chance to do the same with us.

• Are we hesitant to ask the Lord for miraculous, powerful encounters? Talk with the Lord about any hesitation or doubt you may have, and ask Him to grow faith to see His power.