Have you ever watched a miracle and then found yourself—or others—grudgingly explaining it away? That tension between longing for God’s power and the refusal to acknowledge it is at the heart of these Gospel scenes. Jesus heals and frees, and the response exposes what’s in people’s hearts: awe, fear, or stubborn unbelief. That exposure still matters today because it asks us whether we will name God’s work or cover it with easier explanations.

In Matthew 12:22–37, Mark 3:20–30, and Luke 11:14–23, Jesus casts out a demon from a man who was blind and mute (Mark and Matthew emphasise the crowd’s amazement). The Pharisees accuse Jesus of using demonic power (calling him Beelzebub). Jesus answers that a divided kingdom cannot stand, points to his authority over demons (the image of binding the strong man), and warns about attributing the Spirit’s work to Satan—what he calls blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Matthew presses the point about how words reveal the heart; Luke adds the unsettling image of an “empty house” that can be reoccupied by worse spirits. Note: John does not record this confrontation.

This passage reveals Jesus as the one who brings God’s kingdom—his exorcisms are signs that the strong man is being bound and God’s reign is advancing. The real crisis isn’t Jesus’ power but human resistance: people can watch God act and still harden their hearts. That hardening becomes a sin so entrenched that it refuses repentance—the devastating reality behind “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Yet Jesus’ voice in the scene is not merely condemnation; it’s a call to see rightly. Grace stands ready for those who will name the work as God’s and turn toward him.

Practical today: notice and steward your words. Spend five minutes listing three recent moments you sensed God’s work (in you, someone else, or the world). If any were dismissed or envied, confess that and ask the Spirit to soften your response. Then choose one relationship and speak a truthful, grace-filled word—thankfulness, encouragement, or honest repentance. Let your words become fruit that testifies to the King who is breaking in.