Binding the strong man

Published on Updated on Angels, Jesus Christ, Spirituality

Some Christians speak of “binding the devil,” or “binding the strong man.”

 

 

WHAT IS THE STRONG MAN?

 

When Christians speak of “binding the strong man,” they usually mean it in one of these ways:

1. The Strong Man is a principal demon who, in the invisible realm, has control of your neighborhood.

2. The Strong Man is a particular demon who is giving you trouble.

3. The Strong Man is a demon who is possessing someone.

 

WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ABOUT THE STRONG MAN?

 

Many Christians believe their first duty in spiritual warfare is to “bind the strong man.”

To a principal demon who has control of their neighborhood, they might say: Demon of the region of ____, I bind you in the name of Jesus.

To a particular demon who is giving them trouble, they might say: Demon of anger, I bind you in the name of Jesus!

 

SPECIALIST BELIEVERS

 

In our day, there are two main groups of Christian believers who have a reputation for Binding the Strong Man:

 

DELIVERANCE MINISTRIES

They fast and pray and cast out demons in the modern-day setting.

 

CATHOLIC PRIESTS

Catholic priests are reputed to be able to cast out demons.

Each local Catholic diocese is reputed to have a designated exorcist.

However, in reality, Catholic priests rarely do such a thing. If a person asks a Catholic priest for deliverance, the priest must ask his bishop for permission.

The bishop will commission a study to see if the person is actually possessed or not. It might take months.

And bishops are often skeptical of such claims.

 

BIBLE VERSES

 

Matthew 12:29. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

Matthew 18:18. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.

Mark 3:27. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.

Luke 11:21. When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.

 

SEE ALSO

Tobit 8:3. When the demon smelled that smell, it fled into the uppermost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.