A house divided cannot stand

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.” — Luke 11:17

A family, a society, or a country cannot stand when there is division. But this principle also applies to us personally: we cannot be divided between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world.

In what ways can a person be divided?

There are people who regularly come to church because they have received blessings. They have been healed from illnesses, can sleep peacefully unlike before, have overcome financial difficulties, found jobs, or seen improvements in their marriages.

However, at the same time, they still want to party with their friends, drink beer, and gamble. One part of them desires the things of the Kingdom of God, while another part still desires the things of this world.

This is one of the reasons why many people struggle to receive the Holy Spirit. They come to church, but they do not listen to God's Word and put it into practice. They want the benefits and blessings, but they are unwilling to make the changes God requires. As a result, their lives do not move in the direction they desire.

When we do not take the things of God seriously, the Scriptures become nothing more than words on a page.

Think about students in school. Some do not pay attention in class. They only want to play, have fun, and disrupt the lesson. When the exams come, they fail because they have wasted their time.

Whether you like it or not, you will grow up and become an adult. The question is: Will you become responsible and trustworthy, or will you remain a child in your attitude forever?

The world is a harsh place and your parents will not always be there to help you. You must grow up, take responsibility, and learn to stand on your own. Otherwise, you will suffer.

And this is not different with God. To practice His Word, surrender your life to Him, and live according to His teachings, you must be willing to let go of the things from this world.

You cannot be in two kingdoms at the same time—you will either be in the Kingdom of God or in the kingdom of the world.

The Kingdom of God comes when there is a spiritual deliverance. Without the Holy Spirit, a person remains spiritually vulnerable, like an empty house that can be invaded at any time. But when the Holy Spirit comes in you, then there's no way the devil can touch you.

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” — 1 John 5:18

A person who is truly born again has died to the world and been reborn in Jesus Christ, no longer living in sin. Having the Holy Spirit does not mean we are exempt from facing problems. However, the Holy Spirit strengthens us to resist the devil.