One
The Miracle
One day Jesus freed a man from a demon. Some people accused him of doing it by Satan’s power. Jesus answered, “If Satan is fighting against himself, how can his kingdom stand?” Then He explained, “A strong man guards his palace until someone stronger comes, defeats him, and takes away the weapons he trusted in.”
Satan is the strong man. Jesus is the One stronger. Only Jesus has the power to set us free.
Two
What Holds Us Captive?
Through sin, we give Satan a foothold in our lives. We choose something we think will make us happy, only to discover that it begins to control us. We give in to anger, resentment, lust, or the need to control everyone around us. We promise ourselves we’ll stop. Then we do it again.
Have you ever said, “Why do I keep doing this? Why can’t I change?” We need someone stronger than whatever holds us captive.
Three
Jesus Has the Power
By his death and resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan. Through Baptism, He brings us into His kingdom and gives us His own divine life. Yet we often struggle as though everything depends on our strength. We tell ourselves: Try harder. Get control. Fix everything. But we cannot free ourselves from sin by willpower alone. We cannot undo the past or guarantee the future.
We need the power and love of Jesus.
Four
The First Step Is Surrender
When life becomes unmanageable, we often tighten our grip. We worry, push, argue, and exhaust ourselves trying to control what we cannot control.
The first step is to admit, “Jesus, I am powerless! I need you to take control.” We do not have to fix our lives before we turn to Jesus. We turn to Jesus because we cannot fix our lives by ourselves. Our part is to surrender and cooperate. His power is what sets us free.
Five
Resolution
What feels unmanageable in your life right now? A sinful habit? A family problem? Someone you love? The future?
Before trying once again to get control, stop and pray, “Jesus, I surrender to you. Take care of everything.”