Gaining Myself As I Lose Myself

Luke 10:19 - "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Words spoken by Jesus over 2000 years ago to seventy followers. They were appointed and sent out two by two into every city where He Himself would be going.

They were to be laborers for His harvest. He knew they would see hardship. He knew they would come in direct contact with evil. But He sent them out anyway.

He warned them of what they would encounter. "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves." Then He instructed them to let peace rest on the house that had peace as they entered and to take their peace with them if not. "Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such thing that are put before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near you."

As these seventy returned.... they returned with joy. Why?

They had seen hardship. Evil had tried to stop their progress. Life as a disciple had not been easy. So why would they return with great joy in their hearts? Why weren't they beat down and discouraged? Why were they instead full of enthusiasm?

I believe they had seen for themselves the truth in Luke 10:19. NOTHING could hurt them. When they were approaching all circumstances and individuals, they were doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There strength and power was in the name they had been branded with.

Beloved, there is power and authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Abiding in Jesus we can not be hurt. If we do not allow the actions or decisions of others to say who we are, we can not be hurt by them.

I have learned recently that when you place your identity in the one who created you and you see yourself through His eyes, there is no act, insult or action by another person that can hurt you.

But you must know who He is, to know who you are. Do you get what I am saying? You can not define Yourself by the things of this world. Instead, you must define yourself by what God says about you. If you are to be the direct reflection of Jesus, you need to see yourself by looking at Him.

When you have a clear identity of who you are in Christ and your approval comes from Him, you need no one to say that you are OK. If you need no ones approval but His then no one can hurt you. The schemes of the devil are defeated. Anything that is done to you is in vain because you hold no regard for there approval or condemnation.

As you shed the need for the world to fulfill you and give you worth, you leave behind your self. You leave behind your old self, the one that felt unworthy and unacceptable.

As you do this shedding of self, a new self is emerges. It's a blossoming Spirit that is moved and directed by the Holy Spirit. I believe its what you were intended to be before life got in the way. His child, allowing Him to lead while you simply follow.

That's where the joy those seventy were talking about comes from. It comes from the name of Jesus. Abiding in the Holy Spirit, following His ways and being who He directs you to be.

When we do this nothing can ever really hurt us and we gain who we were intended to be from the beginning.