Rejoice!

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“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And He said to them, ‘ I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven. Behold, I have given you  authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.’ ” Luke 10:17-20

This could be one of those passages that we could read over and not apply it to our lives.  Nothing could be further from the truth and I am telling you once I understood this, it changed my life! Let me tell you how I came upon this and what I learned. 

Anyone who knows me, knows that one of my all time favorite preachers( if not my most favorite ) is Dr.Tony Evans. God has used Dr. Evans in my life so many times that I have lost count. If you don’t listen to him, I highly suggest that you make it a priority.

One evening while listening to him, he used the passage above and the familiar passage from Mathew 17: 14-21 to explain authority. In this passage from Matthew the disciples are asking Jesus why they could not cast a demon from a boy. Jesus tells them plainly it was because they did not have the faith to do it. All they needed was mustard seed faith, but on that day, they didn’t have it. Dr. Evans went on to say that it was because their faith was low and they were running on “yesterday’s authority”. This got my attention.

Dr. Evans said we need to ask the Father for the authority that we need for each new day. I had never thought of this before. I submit to God every morning and ask Him to transform my mind. (Romans 12:1-2) I put on The Armor of God ( Ephesians 6), and ask the Holy Spirit to fill me and produce profuse amounts of fruit through me that day( Galatians 5: 22-23). I plead the Blood of Jesus on myself (and on my loved ones).  I spend time in confession and praise, but never have I asked for “authority” for the day. Chances are you haven’t either.

Most of the time when I listen to Dr. Evans I either take notes or write down the name of his sermon. I forgot to do this on the night I heard this message! (Dr. Evans, if you read this little blog could you help me out? I need to know what sermon I listened to so I can listen again!)  Wishful thinking I know…..how cool would it be if “he” read my blog! Okay, I digress…..back to the life changing verse!

The above verse from Luke was used by Dr. Evans as well. It was here that he began to expound on daily authority. So this sent me on a journey to understand this and apply it.

First it is important for us to understand that the disciples were rejoicing because people were being set free, not because they had “the power”. Notice that the disciples said that the demons were subject to them because they had used  the name of Jesus.  If you have ever wondered if there is power in His Name, this should settle it for you.

Look at what Jesus said, “I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven“.  The enemy has been defeated. Period. Jesus saw it, and folks that is good enough for me.  Then Jesus goes on to tell the disciples they have authority to trample serpents and scorpions and that nothing shall hurt them. This means they had authority to trample demonic agents under their feet. I love what the Lord Jesus tells them next. He says don’t rejoice in that, but rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.

Do y’all see what is going on here? Jesus knew satan was defeated, He saw God kick him out of Heaven.  He also knew that the Cross was before Him and “it” would be finished once and for all. He knew His disciples believed in Him and that the Blood He was about to shed for them would settle everything. All authority belonged to Him and because they belonged to Him, they got His authority as well.

Please hear me……this applies to us today! There is power in His Name and His Blood. That is why we rejoice! Not because like the disciples, we have authority over evil. We rejoice,  because of THE ONE who gave us the authority. But if we don’t use the authority, we live defeated lives. If we don’t ask for the authority we need for the day ahead we will run out of gas like the disciples did in Matthew 17.

Let me ask you, do you own a car? Is so, you probably have a drivers license and insurance. Your name is probably on the title to the car or the lease etc….. So, you have the car and you have the credentials to drive it. You have been given authority to drive the car, but if you let it sit in the garage and you don’t appropriate the authority you have to drive it,  you are going no where!

It’s the same with God’s Kingdom. A high, high price was paid so we could be free. We are free from sin, death, and Hell. Jesus’ Blood gave us freedom from bondage and affliction. His Blood set us free from worry, fear, and depression. As Kari Jobe sings so beautifully,Death where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated! Forever, He is risen, He is alive!” 

Folks, Jesus is alive, there is power in His name and all hell trembles when God’s children understand what was accomplished at The Cross.  Jesus has the title deed and all power. His children are listed as authorized users. So this morning, ask the Father for the authority you need for the day and do some trampling! Trample over the fears you have, your bad attitude, your gossiping mouth, your sad disposition, your ailing health, your unpaid bills and mounting debt. Trample over this new school year for your children and grandchildren, trample over the attacks that the enemy thinks he has planned for this day regarding you. Trample and … rejoice my friend!  Your name is written in Heaven!

Living Free,

Rene’

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Rene' Collins

1 Comment

  1. Lisa on August 14, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    Amen!!! Thank you Rene….if today Christians can CLOSE the 2000+ year gap when Jesus said, “Behold, I have given you authority…”, and hear it every morning as the reality of THEIR life, we would see such a change in this world…in our own worlds or circumstances! POWERFUL word this morning friend…thank you!

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