Behold, I Give Unto You Power

BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER

Study Text: Luke 10: 17 – 20.

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

- Jesus sent out seventy disciples in the service for the kingdom of God, and they came back unto Him with good report and testimonies of victory through His name. We shall discussed this topic under four sub-headings:

1. Good Report of the Sent

2. Great Revelation of the Saviour

3. Gracious Reassurance of the Saints

4. Glorious Rejoicing of the Steadfast.

1. Good Report of the Sent

- There is nothing God is doing with man that He can not do without man. God can do His works without man but He choose to involve man in His service, so every man used of God should see it as a great privilege and opportunity which needed to be guided well.

- The Holy Spirit is the first witness for Christ, but He is willing to work with men who can yield themselves. These men must be saved by being washed in the blood of Jesus; they must be available and be willing to work for the glory of the almighty God alone.

- These sent people came back with good report. They never complained of the stress or challenges they would have faced in carrying out this great assignment. Every one that will work for the kingdom of God must be ready to endure hardship, face challenges and difficult situations without murmuring or complaining, but being filled with joy of serving the Lord. Acts 20:20-24: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

- We must be filled with joy serving the Lord. There is joy of knowing the Lord, in having personal relationship with God and living to please Him in holiness. There is also joy of working for the Lord, if we work for Him according to His will and for His glory alone.

- They told Jesus that the devil was subject to them through the name of Jesus, so they came back to return all the glory to Him. We should know that we can not do anything by our own power, but must depend totally on the power of Jesus name. Then any victory we record through His name, we must be ready to return all the glory back unto Him. Isa 42:5-8: Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

2. Great Revelation of the Saviour

- Jesus gave a revelation to His disciples that the devil fell like lightning. This means that the devil has lost his power through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Phil 2:5-11:Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.