Luke 10:17-20
"The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'"
The ministry of the Lord on earth was about preaching the gospel, healing the sick and casting out demon. When Jesus selected the twelve disciples, he also commanded the disciples to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demon. In this passage, He sent seventy-two people out and gave them authority to do exact the same things. These seventy-two came back joyfully, reported that even the demon had submitted to them. If we were one of the seventy-two, we would have been overwhelmed with joy as well. The Lord, however, said to them, "Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In other words, He told them not to value the ministry on the outside, but it is more important to know whether our life is connected to the grape vine. Signs and wonders will muddle our vision and attract our hearts, but actually distancing ourselves from true God.
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord mentioned that not everyone who cries out "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven. There will even be those came before the Lord and said "Lord, didn't I heal the sick and cast out demon in your name?" The Lord responded to him, "I don't know you." That is because their life was not connected to the life of the Lord. We cannot value signs and wonders more than we value the Lord Himself. People like things that look good on the outside and seek after signs and wonders, but it is more important to have our life connected to the life of the Lord. That's why the Lord said "I am the vine, and you are the branches." Branches must retrieve strength and energy from the vine. Every believer must be connected to the vine of life, the Lord Himself, to retrieve power and strength we need for living everyday.
On the other hand, the Lord gave us the authority to defeat any enemy! As soon as you accept Jesus to be your personal savior, Lord has already given you the authority to defeat the enemy. Unfortunately, many Christians don't understand this truth, and don't know how to use such authority. We can actually stand firm and tell the enemy, "go away!" Jesus has already resurrected from death, and the power of resurrection has given us the authority to set the captive free. May the Spirit of God open our eyes once again, so that we can use this authority everyday to defeat any attack or ploy of the enemy.
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