THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 10:17-21
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)
We normally associate ‘heaven’ with where God is, not Satan.
But ‘heaven’ refers to the position of those in power over the creation.
Remember, Satan usurped authority from Adam and Eve.
Our world is a dominion of darkness BECAUSE they were dethroned.
Jesus comes as the ‘seed of the woman’ (Genesis 3:15) to crush Satan.
As the new Adam, he is restoring humanity by defeating Satan.
These seventy two are exercising their Adam authority… Satan is falling.
All creation authority belongs to Jesus, because of His resurrection victory.
And we are now seated with Him in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6).
Jesus comes as a humble, obedient child of God, and beats Satan.
As we humble ourselves by faith, and commit to following Him in obedience, we beat Satan too.
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:6-7)
This authority is only for those who are humble, like little children.
Our boast is not in what we can do, but in what God has done for us.
Are you experiencing this authority in Christ?
Are you standing up to Satan in Spirit confidence, so that he flees from you too?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, boost my confidence in You so that I can also experience my victory in You.
Observations/Application
The disciples returned with joy. This joy is the joy that only God can give for the joy of the Lord God is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). He is the One who overpowers and has overpowered the enemy. Do not rejoice in your own accomplishments but rejoice what the Lord God had done through You. He is at work establishing His kingdom using His disciples as instruments of His peace. And I, I need to be like a small child, obedient to do His calling.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace:
where there’s hatred, let me sow love;
and where there is injury, pardon;
and where there is doubt, then faith;
and where there’s despair, then hope.
It’s in dying that I will be born,
and in giving that I will receive,
it’s in loving that I will be loved,
this is my faith: it is what I believe.
Lord, make me an instrument.
Make me an instrument.
Lord, I am a stranger traveling
in a brutal yet wondrous land,
far from the promise of home,
on a journey, led by Your hand
to where the lion lies down with the lamb. Father, grant that I’d never seek
to be comforted as to console;
let the blood of Your Son cover me,
touching my spirit, seizing my soul,
Lord, make me an instrument.
Lord, make me an instrument.
Lord make me YOUR instrument.
Let Your divine mystery guide my heart:
it’s in dying that I will be born,
and in giving that I will receive,
it’s in loving that I will be loved;
this is my faith: it is what I believe.
Christ within me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ above me,
Christ beneath me, to my left and my right, Christ where I lie and where I arise,
Christ in the hearts of all who think of me, Christ on the lips of all who speak of me,
Christ in the eyes of all who see me—
make me Your instrument, Lord!
Make me Your instrument, Lord!
Make me Your instrument, Lord!
Make me Your instrument, Lord!
Make me Your instrument.