Daily Reading: 6-21-16
Luke 9:37-43 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The Holy Spirit invites us to enter into the presence of God; a sweet place of awareness and understanding that God loves us and is all-powerful over heaven and earth. In that place, we have no doubts, fears, and are filled with faith and love in our understanding of His goodness. It is a mountaintop experience with the holy Lord. Life calls us to an awareness and understanding of holiness, but also allows an awareness and understanding of evil. The more beauty we experience with the Lord the more ugly evil appears. Disciples who want intimacy in Christ and to operate in His authority become very aware of the presence of evil. The Truth (Christ) exposes evil (John 3:20).
Jesus has been with three of His disciples for a mountaintop experience. During His prayer, Christ is transfigured and the disciples experience an awareness of His extreme holiness. These three are so amazed they do not want to leave. Instead, they want to build structures and live on the mountain with the Lord. I understand that desire; I get it! But, if Christ’s disciples are going to be effective in revealing the Way of eternal life to a fallen world, we will need to descend the mountain and walk into the valley to confront evil (dead living) with Truth (eternal living).
Luke 9:37-43 Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. 38 And a man from the crowd shouted for help, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he is my only child; 39 and a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into a convulsion so that he foams at the mouth; and only with [great] difficulty does it leave him, mauling and bruising him as it leaves. 40 I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here [to Me].” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon slammed him down and threw him into a [violent] convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 They were all amazed [practically overwhelmed] at the [evidence of the] greatness of God and His majesty and His wondrous work.
The disciples could not perform the miracle apart from Christ, because He alone is the Truth that takes down evil. Prior to the mountain experience, Jesus told His disciples that He must die and be raised from the dead; He is the Living Word and Way to eternal life. For every child of God, the resurrected Lord is necessary to connect us with the presence and power of heaven in order to defeat evil. “Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12).
Prayer: Father, thank You for the awareness of Your holiness present in the world. Thank You, Jesus, for connecting me with the power of heaven. I stand in Christ the Living Word and rebuke evil by speaking Truth. Reveal more of Your amazing greatness and majesty to me Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.