The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and they said, “Lord, in your name even the demons are subject to us.” ¹⁸ He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. ¹⁹ Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy, and nothing will ever harm you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in the knowledge that the spirits are subject to you. Rejoice rather that your names are inscribed in heaven.” ~ Luke 10:17-20

Through the power of the Spirit, we can accomplish mighty works for the Kingdom.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the name of Jesus, even the demons are subject to us.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the blood of our Lord, we can heal and be healed of our afflictions.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the whisper of the Helper, we can be given answers to any question.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the provision of the Father, we can flourish in any circumstance.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the hand of our Lord, enemy eyes can be blinded.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

Through the power of our God, nature can be subjected to us.
Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in that.

He gives us everything. He gives us the world. He gives us the Kingdom. He gives us dominion not only of the creation notes in Genesis, but over the world we cannot see–those princes and powers that Paul talks about. Through the name of Jesus, all is subject.

Do we walk in that? Do we live those promises? The disciples that Jesus sent out did, and they were not only amazed, they came home practically dancing in joy. I can’t blame them! After a lifetime of a workaday existence, suddenly they understand what it means to hold authority. They see miracles that they got to be a part of. They got to witness the boundless joy of parents whose children were healed, of people whose lives were given back to them, of demons cast out.

This is amazing, earth-shifting stuff. Amazing, earth-shifting stuff that Jesus commands them to do, first here and then in the Great Commission. These things are meant to be not the exception but the rule of walking with Him.

And yet . . . and yet.

That is not what we should crave. That is not what should fill our hearts with joy. That is not what it’s all about.

No. What it’s all about is belonging with God. Being reconciled to Him. Becoming a true son or daughter of the King, so that our names are written in Heaven. Inscribed there. We become part of Heaven’s history, part of its future. We are in its books.

It’s so interesting how Christ talks about this, though, isn’t it? He doesn’t say, “It doesn’t matter if you do any of these great things or not, because at least your name is inscribed in heaven.” Nope. What He says is, “Yes, you can do all this. You must. You will. But that is just the manifestation of the true miracle: you are now sharing with Me, the Heir to that Kingdom, all that comes with it. You are God’s child and He is your Father.”

So often I think we have it backward. We consider salvation the easy thing and miracles the hard thing. We consider believing in Christ the nominal thing and the promised, amazing works the nearly impossible thing. But Jesus, as He so often does, flips our understanding around and says, “No. The true miracle is your salvation. And once you have that, the greatest miracle of all time, what are the others? They’re just the crumbs that fall off the feasting table.”

We can do all things through Christ–we can flourish in trials, we can rejoice in pain, we can remain humble in abundance, we can share the grief of others in the midst of our own joy. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in what we see Him doing.

Rejoice in who we’ve become through our faith in Him–beloved sons and daughters of the King of kings.