Reflecting on Luke 4:38-41
"He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her." (Luke 4:39)
"He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak." (Luke 4:41)I enjoy word studies, you can discover so much more depth of meaning.
The Greek word translated rebuke literally means ‘to place value on’.
Epi (upon) timao (honour) does not seem to express rebuke.
But the implication is that the situation is lacking honour.
Something is wrong, or incorrect, or mistaken, or bad.
The situation needs to be corrected, restored to its proper condition.
In both uses of the word here, we can see where correction is needed.
In the case of fever, sickness is a result of the curse.
It is the fruit of the evil spirit’s lies, affecting all of us.
Something within us is not the way it is supposed to be.
And we are burdened and bound by its negative consequences.
Jesus speaks to the child of God in this situation and speaks truth.
Jesus is reversing the curse here, and in all other healing situations.
He is crushing the serpent as the promised seed of Eve (Genesis 3:15).
In the case of the demon, He is doing what Adam and Eve should have done.
He is refusing the serpents lies, speaking truth and goodness to life.
He is submitting the situation to God, and refusing the serpent’s plan.
He is resisting the deceiver, and the deceiver is fleeing from the situation.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Don’t think of rebuke as saying something negative.
The word actually means to say something positive.
‘This woman has value as a child of God’, says Jesus.
‘My identity is meant to bring hope, not to sow division’ says Jesus.
Both sickness, and the speaking of the demons, were negative.
They were both meant to sow discouragement, despair and defeat.
We need to resist and refuse the devil’s purpose, by speaking goodness.
Silence the lie by speaking the truth in love.
Every day we face these discouraging experiences that cause despair and defeat.
Every day I encounter negative situations that cause negative feelings.
In those moments I need to imitate Jesus by imposing value/truth/honour.
Silence the lies by declaring the truth: ‘God is good’, ‘I am loved!’
‘Nothing can separate me from God’s love’, Jesus has overcome evil!’
‘Evil cannot win’, ‘bad people will not last forever!’
‘God is making all things new’, ‘this too shall pass’.
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)
“‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
This is how we rebuke, by putting things in their proper place.
Even if our situations do not change, even if we remain sick.
Even if the voice of deception keeps speaking out, we declare the truth.
We do not set our minds on the negative and their fruit.
We set our minds on that which brings honour, life and hope.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
This is how we epi-timao the fruit of the serpent, with the fruit of the Spirit!
By dwelling on and putting into practice whatever is true.
Where am I experiencing the discouragement of the curse?
Put things in their proper place: declare that which is true.
“And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, negative experiences and voices are coming at me every day. But You are with me always, and You overcame the curse and its consequences. You are putting things in their proper place, restoring value to that which is precious. Help me to rebuke the lie by focusing on, and put into practice, the truth of Who You are and what You have done!
My helper is the Lord Who created all. Do I have the downward look or the upward look? I always need the upward look to see where God is in all my daily living. At all times and in all situations, in my joys or in my sorrows, I need to see my Saviour Who gives me the strength in my living for Him. I am His and He is mine.