Drift Or Undivided | Mark 3:20-26

The Daily Devotional by Vince Miller

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day.

And a big shout-out today to Jon Carr from Richmond, VA. Jon, thank you for being a part of this movement through Project23. You are making a difference for the Gospel. This one’s for you.

Today, we’re looking at Mark 3:20-26:

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. — Mark 3:20-26

Jesus couldn’t even sit down to eat. I bet he feels like a mother of three at home without a husband who wants to lock herself in the bathroom to get five minutes of peace. I bet he felt like a manager who skips lunch to survive back-to-back Zoom calls. I bet he felt like a dad in the carpool line, answering work emails while refereeing a sibling war in the backseat.

The house was full. The crowds wouldn’t stop pressing in. But as the ministry was growing, so was the resistance.

Even his own family thought he’d lost his mind. And the religious elite? They were now making accusations that went far beyond criticism. They said he was "possessed." Let that settle in for a moment. Jesus wasn’t just misunderstood—he was accused of being aligned with Satan himself.

Then Jesus speaks.

But instead of defending himself with anger or argument, he pronounces a simple truth—one that cuts through both confusion and conspiracy:

“If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand.”

It’s a familiar phrase. One we quote often in politics. An adage we reference frequently in leadership. But Jesus wasn’t talking about politics or corporate leadership. It was a reference to spiritual authorities. The claim itself was a logical fallacy—suggesting that a fallen creature like Satan could empower the One who casts him out. That demonic spirits serve the One who casts them out.

The point Jesus was making was: You can’t belong to two kingdoms. You can’t walk in two directions. You can’t claim spiritual power and ignore spiritual alignment.

Because division doesn’t just weaken things. It destroys them.

That’s true for nations. That's true for families. That's true for churches. That's true for hearts.

When we live with divided loyalties—when we try to follow Jesus while clinging to sin, pride, or worldly thinking—we slowly collapse from within.

Divided hearts drift. Whole hearts stand.

Jesus calls us to wholeness—unity of heart, mind, and life. He invites us to live fully surrendered. To live all in for him. He’s not asking for perfection. But he doesn’t want your half-hearted allegiance. He wants all of you. A heart divided won’t stand. But a life fully surrendered? That’s where the kingdom of God breaks in with power.

#DividedHouseCannotStand, #BindTheStrongMan, #WholeHeart

ASK THIS:

1. Where in my life have I allowed divided loyalties to weaken my faith?
2. What “strong man” am I letting control my actions and decisions?
3. How can I take practical steps today to bind that stronghold?
4. What would wholehearted surrender to Jesus look like in my daily life?

DO THIS:

Examine one area of your life where you’re divided and take steps today to surrender it fully to Jesus.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I confess the divisions in my heart and ask you to bind every stronghold that opposes you. Fill me with undivided devotion to follow you fully each day. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Undivided.