The Spirit Of Error
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The Strong Man Series
The Strong Man Series
Mens Bible Study February 2026 1’st Night
@Mens WOW
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
The metaphor of the “strong man” appears across multiple Gospel accounts as Jesus describes spiritual conflict and divine authority. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus poses a rhetorical question about entering a powerful person’s dwelling and seizing their possessions—a scenario requiring first subduing the householder (Matt 12:29; Mark 3:27).
Luke’s version develops this image further, contrasting an armed warrior whose property remains secure with a superior force who overcomes him, strips away his defenses, and distributes his possessions (Luke 11:21–22).
The context of these sayings involves Jesus responding to accusations that he casts out demons through demonic power. The strong man represents Satan or demonic forces, while the binding represents Jesus’s authority to neutralize spiritual opposition and liberate those under its control. The progression from binding to plundering illustrates a logical sequence: spiritual authority must first be established before liberation can occur.
This Gospel imagery draws on Old Testament precedent. Isaiah promises that captives held by the mighty will be freed and plunder recovered from the terrible, as God contends against those who oppose His people
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
The Samson narrative, while not explicitly about binding a “strong man,” demonstrates the inverse principle—the Philistines seek to discover the source of Samson’s strength and the means to restrain him (Judges 16:5–30), illustrating how vulnerability emerges when a powerful figure’s source of strength is compromised.
The strong man saying encapsulates a fundamental theological claim: spiritual authority operates through a logic of displacement. One power must be overcome before another can take its place. For the Gospel writers, Jesus embodies this superior authority, capable of binding opposing spiritual forces and reclaiming what they held in bondage.
The biblical concept of binding Satan appears across multiple passages with distinct theological emphases. In Revelation’s eschatological vision, an angel restrains Satan with a chain for a thousand years, preventing him from deceiving the nations until that period ends (Rev 20:1–3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
a future event tied to God’s ultimate plan for history.
In contrast, Jesus employs binding language in a different context. When teaching about spiritual authority, Jesus uses the metaphor of binding a strong man to explain how one can access and reclaim what belongs to him (Matt 12:29). This parable appears in both Mark and Matthew (Mark 3:27), suggesting its importance for understanding how spiritual power operates in the present age.
The logic is straightforward: restraining an adversary’s strength precedes reclaiming territory or possessions he controls.
Jesus also indicates that Satan’s authority has already been fundamentally compromised. He describes witnessing Satan’s fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18–19), and grants his followers power over the enemy’s forces (Luke 10:18–19). This suggests Satan’s defeat is not merely future but has already begun through Christ’s work.
The binding language connects to broader biblical authority structures. Jesus grants his followers the authority to bind and loose on earth with corresponding effects in heaven (Matt 16:19)—language that extends the binding principle to believers’ spiritual authority. Together, these passages present binding Satan as both an accomplished reality (his fall and present limitation) and a future completion (his final restraint), while also describing a present spiritual dynamic where believers participate in restraining evil’s influence through Christ’s delegated authority.
Our First or MANY Strong Men we will investigate is the Spirit Of Error
Tonight We Are Dealing With False Doctrines
Title: The Stronger Man and False Doctrines (Strong Man Series) 1 Tim 6:20-21, 2Tim 4:3, Titus 3:10, 1 John 4:1-6
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Aim: Call saved men to stand in Christ’s victory over Satan (the “strong man” of Matthew 12) and guard themselves, their homes, and their church from false doctrine.
In Matthew 12, Jesus shows us that Satan is the “strong man” who holds people in bondage, but Christ is the **stronger** Man who binds him and plunders his house. Every saved man in this zoom is proof that Jesus has already broken the strong man’s grip and brought you into His kingdom. Because we belong to the Stronger Man, we must now stand firm in truth and refuse to let false doctrine regain ground in our lives.
Can Someone Share A Once Believed False Doctrine You Had?
Opening (5 minutes) – From Plundered to Protectors
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
II. Clarify the picture:
- The **strong man** is Satan.
- His **house** is his kingdom/realm of influence.
- His **goods** are people held in bondage.
- Jesus is the **stronger** One who binds him and plunders his house.
Apply to the men one line:
“Brothers, you are not the strong man of Matthew 12—you are the plunder Christ has rescued—but now He calls you to be strong men who guard what He has entrusted to you.”
Transition: “Tonight we’re dealing with one of the main ways Satan tries to regain influence in a man’s life: **false doctrine**.”
1. Guard the Deposit (1 Tim 6:20–21) – 15 minutes
20 O Timothy, guard and keep the deposit entrusted [to you]! Turn away from the irreverent babble and godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination.
21 [For] by making such profession some have erred (missed the mark) as regards the faith. Grace (divine favor and blessing) be with you all! Amen (so be it).
20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.
20 So, my son Timothy, don’t forget all that has been deposited within you. Escape from the empty echoes of men and the perversion of twisted reasoning.
Key truth: The Stronger Man has handed you a **deposit** to guard.
- “Guard what was committed to your trust” – Timothy is to protect the gospel and sound teaching like a watchman protecting treasure.
Ask the men:
- “What are examples today of ‘falsely called knowledge’ men chase—on YouTube, social media, podcasts?”
- “Where do you personally need to tighten your guard on what you listen to or share?”
2. Itching Ears vs. Strong Men (2 Tim 4:3) – 15 minutes
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Key truth: The Stronger Man’s men **endure** sound doctrine instead of chasing what feels good.
“Will not endure sound doctrine” – people reject healthy teaching that confronts sin and calls for repentance
“Itching ears… teachers to suit their own desires” – teaching chosen to satisfy desires, not to submit to truth.
Ask:
- “Where do your ears ‘itch’—motivation without repentance, prosperity without sacrifice, prophecy without discernment?”
“What would it look like for you to love truth more than comfort?”
Brief exhortation:
- Point back to verse 2—
“Preach the word… correct, rebuke, and encourage”—and say that strong men welcome that Word in their own lives first.
Connect to Strong Man theme:
Satan, the strong man, uses **itching ears** as a tool to pull men back toward bondage; the Stronger Man uses **sound doctrine** to establish men in freedom.🦾🔥
Ask:
- “Where do your ears ‘itch’—motivation without repentance, prosperity without sacrifice, prophecy without discernment?”
“What would it look like for you to love truth more than comfort?”
Brief exhortation:
- Point back to verse 2—“Preach the word… correct, rebuke, and encourage”—and say that strong men welcome that Word in their own lives first.***
3. Divisive People and House Protection (Titus 3:10) – 10 minutes
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
9 But avoid stupid arguments, long lists of ancestors, quarrels, and fights about the Law. They are useless and worthless.
10 Give at least two warnings to those who cause divisions, and then have nothing more to do with them.
11 You know that such people are corrupt, and their sins prove that they are wrong.
Heretic HER-i-tik One Who Causes Divisions, Factions
Key truth: Men under the Stronger Man learn to **warn and, if needed, separate** to protect the house.
- “Warn a divisive person once, then a second time; after that, have nothing to do with them.”
- The divisive/heretical person keeps pushing foolish controversies and refuses correction.
Connect to Strong Man theme:
- Satan’s tactic is to plant divisive voices inside the “house”; stronger men who belong to Christ protect that house by loving confrontation and, if necessary, separation.
Practical scenarios to discuss:
- A brother in the men’s group spreading strange doctrine after being corrected.
- A friend always attacking leadership and sowing suspicion online or in private conversations.
Ask:
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
- “How can you obey this text in humility—warning in love, but also knowing when to step back?”
4. Testing the Spirits (1 John 4:1–6)
4. Testing the Spirits (1 John 4:1–6)
10 minutes
10 minutes
1 Delightfully loved friends, don’t trust every spirit, but carefully examine what they say to determine if they are of God, because many false prophets have mingled into the world.
2 Here’s the test for those with the genuine Spirit of God: they will confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh.
3 Everyone who does not acknowledge that Jesus is from God has the spirit of antichrist, which you heard was coming and is already active in the world.
4 Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world.
5 They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them.
6 But we belong to God, and whoever truly knows God listens to us. Those who refuse to listen to us do not belong to God. That is how we can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
Key truth: Strong men under the Stronger Man **test** spiritual voices instead of believing everything.
- “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits” – because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Central test: What do they confess about Jesus Christ and does their message align with Kingdom teaching?
Give them a simple “Strong Man Test” for any teaching:
1. Does it exalt the biblical Jesus or a different Christ (less holy, less divine, less Lord)?
2. Is it rooted in Scripture, not just a few verses but the whole counsel of God?
3. What fruit does it produce—obedience and holiness, or pride, rebellion, and compromise?
Quick exercise:
( “If you have enough faith, you will never suffer”),
as a group, run it through the three-test grid.
1. Does it exalt the biblical Jesus or a different Christ (less holy, less divine, less Lord)?
2. Is it rooted in Scripture, not just a few verses but the whole counsel of God?
3. What fruit does it produce—obedience and holiness, or pride, rebellion, and compromise?
Tie to Matthew 12:
- The same Jesus who **binds** the strong man is the Jesus whose Spirit in you enables you to discern and reject spirits of error.
5. Commitments of a Strong Man Under the Stronger Man (5 minutes)
Land the study with three concrete commitments:
1. Guard the deposit.
-Daily Scripture intake; measure all teaching by the Word; refuse “falsely called knowledge.”
2. Endure sound doctrine.
- Welcome preaching that corrects, rebukes, and encourages; resist the pull of itching ears.
3. Protect the house.
- Lovingly warn divisive voices; when necessary, step back; protect your home and church from doctrines that pull people back toward the strong man’s bondage.
Does Any TKE member Recall me ever warning them about a doctrine they had been believing.
Close in prayer (you can pray something like):
“Lord Jesus, Stronger Man, thank You for plundering us from Satan’s house. Strengthen us as men to guard the truth, endure sound doctrine, test the spirits, and protect our homes and church from false teaching.”
Jesus said, “From the days
of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent take it by force” (Matt. :).
Jesus wasn’t advocating physical violence; He was urging spiritual awareness. We are in a war,
so let’s wake up and realize that we’re on the battlefield.
Have a great Night.. In The hands of The MOD
