Luke 10:1920 “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.”

This passage is closely connected with John 14:12, our church verse for the year. However, it needs to be understood in the context of Jesus’ life. I don’t think He had to worry about snake bites or scorpion stings while He was on this earth, but that certainly didn’t mean He didn’t suffer. We are back to an insight the Lord gave me years ago when I was reading Psalm 91:10, which reads in the NIV as, “then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.” I wrote in the margin of my Bible at the time, “Whatever it looks like, it isn’t disaster.” We’ve got to remember that God is far more interested in our character than our comfort. God gives incredible authority to those who are in Christ Jesus, but that doesn’t equal what the world would call “easy street.” I think that truth is part of what Jesus was trying to get across here. The disciples had just returned from the heady experience of exercising Jesus’ authority, but Jesus didn’t want their joy to be dependent on visible results. It struck me as I was reading just now that Jesus didn’t tell them He had given them power to overcome the power of the enemy, He said he had given them authority to do so. As Paul famously discovered, sometimes God’s power is best expressed through our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) When our joy is based on our position in heaven because of Christ, then nothing can shake it.

This is of vital importance to me, as it really is for every believer. Part of my commission is helping other believers understand it! I believe this year is going to see a lot of action, spiritually and visibly, but my focus is to be on Christ more than on what is going on at the moment. When my attention is grabbed by the events of the moment, I am all too prone to take my eyes off of Christ, even when He is the one who enabled what I just experienced. I am forever exhorting others to take their eyes off of themselves and fix them on Christ, but I’ve got to do that myself! If I am to do His works, as this year’s verse says, I will never do it in my own strength, but only by His authority.

Father, thank You for all that You are doing. Thank You for the good service yesterday, for Your presence in the counseling I did, and everything else that went on. Thank You that Cathy will be able to enter the hospital today to determine which nerves have been causing her arrhythmia for the past 20 years, so that they can be treated for her to stop taking the medicine. I ask Your peace for her, and for good, early results for the tests. I pray that my use of time during this week would be exactly as You desire, so that each of us would be operating in Your power and authority, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!