What Jesus Did : Luke 10:17 - The Power of Jesus' Name
by Phil Ware
The Power of Jesus' Name - Luke 10:17
When the 72 men came back from their trip, they were very happy. They said, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used your name!" (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Jesus' name is so frequently used in vain today, we often forget how powerful that name is. We pray in Jesus' name because he intercedes for us with authority and we invoke his power and authority to work in our lives and the lives of those we love—to help them, to heal them, to renew them, to comfort them. Jesus has authority over all powers and forces. They cannot stand up to his authority, character, and truth. His presence in us and his love for us assure us that we have overcome the world because the one in us is greater than the one in the world. Even though many may reject Jesus, we must rejoice because of the liberating power over sin and death that Jesus' presence brings us!
Today's Prayer
I praise you, Father, for displaying your mighty power in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. I thank you for making that power work in my life as I yield myself to Jesus' authority and trust in his grace. I praise you for hearing my heart when I pray because of the authority of Jesus' name by which I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
After this, the Lord (Jesus) chose 72 more men. Jesus sent the men out in groups of two. He sent them ahead of him into every town and place where he planned to go. Jesus said to them, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to God that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest. You can go now. But listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves. Don't carry any money, a bag, or shoes. Don't stop to talk with people on the road. Before you go into a house, say, 'Peace be with this home.' If a peaceful person lives there, your blessing of peace will stay with him. If the person is not peaceful, then your blessing of peace will come back to you. Stay in the peaceful house. Eat and drink what the people there give you. A worker should be given his pay. Don't leave that house to stay in another house. If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat the food they give you. Heal the sick people that live there. Then tell them, 'The kingdom of God is soon coming to you!' But if you go into a town, and the people don't welcome you, then go out into the streets of that town and say, 'Even the dirt (dust) from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the kingdom of God is coming soon.' I tell you, on the judgment day it will be worse for the people of that town than for the people of Sodom. "It will be bad for you, Chorazin ! It will be bad for you, Bethsaida ! I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon, then the people in those cities would have changed their lives and stopped sinning a long time ago. They would have worn sackcloth and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins. But on the judgment day it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place ofdeath! "When a person listens to you, that person is really listening to me. But when a person refuses to accept you, that person is really refusing to accept me. And when a person refuses to accept me, he is refusing to accept the One (God) that sent me." When the 72 men came back from their trip, they were very happy. They said, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used your name!" Jesus said to the men, "I saw Satan (the devil) falling like lightning from the sky. Listen! I gave you power to walk on snakes and scorpions. I gave you more power than the Enemy (the devil) has. Nothing will hurt you. Yes, the spirits obey you. And be happy. Why? Not because you have this power, but be happy because your names are written in heaven."-- Luke 10:1-20 (ERV)
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