Servias Ministries Blog

As we humble ourselves in HIS Presence, we will be able to take a decisive stand against the adversary!

It is all about our closeness to HIS Presence.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 5:

6 If you bow low in God’s Awesome Presence, HE will eventually exalt you as you leave the timing in HIS Hands.

7 Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.

8 Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour.

9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure.

1] And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all Loving grace, Who has called you to share in His Eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, HE will set you firmly in place and build you up. 

Yes, we are being tested and strengthened IN HIM.  We are not to fear the devil but instead we are to take a decisive stand against him.

Taking a decisive stand against the devil means actively resisting evil, deception, temptation, and spiritual compromise by standing firmly in loyalty and trust in God, Truth, and righteousness. It is not mainly about aggression, fear, or dramatic confrontation — it is about steadfast faith, obedience, discernment, and endurance.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James 4:

7 So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will flee in agony.

8 Move your heart closer and closer to God, and He will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.

FATHER equipped us to deal with the adversary.  We must trust in this Truth and reality.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 6:

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

1] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The emphasis is repeatedly on standing firm.

What does “standing firm” look like from a practical standpoint?

1. Refusing agreement with lies

The devil is described as “the father of lies” in Gospel of John 8:44.

A decisive stand means rejecting thoughts, beliefs, or influences that contradict God’s Truth.

Examples:

refusing bitterness even when wounded

refusing despair when pressured

refusing compromise for personal gain

refusing false teaching or manipulation

2. Choosing obedience even when costly

The stand becomes decisive when a person settles beforehand:

“I will obey God even if it costs comfort, approval, money, reputation, or ease.”

This is similar to how Book of Daniel describes Daniel refusing to defile himself in Babylon, or how Jesus resisted temptation in the wilderness.

Jesus’ example:

When tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus Christ answered with Scripture and remained aligned with the Father’s will rather than emotion, appetite, or pride.

3. Remaining spiritually alert

A decisive stand includes vigilance:

guarding what influences your mind

testing teachings and spirits

recognizing temptation early

not becoming spiritually passive

Scripture often connects spiritual danger with drifting, sleeping, or becoming dull-hearted.

4. Standing in faith instead of fear

The New Testament does not teach believers to obsess over the devil.  Instead, it teaches confidence in God’s authority.

A decisive stand is not panic, superstition, seeing demons everywhere, trying to appear spiritually powerful.  It is calm, grounded resistance through faith, Truth, prayer, and obedience.

We are told to persevere under pressure.  This is when our faith is tested.

The enemy’s work in Scripture often includes:

accusation

discouragement

division

temptation

deception

intimidation

So perseverance itself can become Spiritual resistance.

Simply, to take a decisive stand against the devil means fully aligning yourself with God, refusing compromise with evil or deception, resisting temptation and spiritual corruption, remaining faithful under pressure, and standing firm in Truth, prayer, and obedience no matter the cost.

Ministering in authority and power can only be accomplished based on the degree in which we have the fear (reverence) of GOD!

It is easy to be obedient when there is no pressure or suffering involved. 

It is written by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 5:

7 Who, in the days of His Flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His Godly Fear,

If Jesus operated in the fullness of Godly Fear and reverence, shouldn’t we?  If Jesus feared GOD, how much more should we fear GOD?  We should be always walking with the mindset of this reverential awe of Divine power!  There is nothing in humanity that even comes close to deserving our reverential awe and worship.

And in Hebrews chapter 4:

14 So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be True. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who rose into the Heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty.

15 He understands humanity, for as a man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin.

16 So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.

Yes, we can come boldly to The Throne, but it is only because Our King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has gained us entrance.  It is by His grace, not our works, that we may come before FATHER.  We can only come boldly to The Throne by protocol.

There is reverential fear and awe of everyone in Heaven, without exception.  There are no uninvited guests who can enter the Throne Room.  We must be summoned!

12 For we have the Living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.

13 There is not one person who can hide their thoughts from God, for nothing that we do remains a secret, and nothing created is concealed, but everything is exposed and defenseless before his eyes, to Whom we must render an account.

Given that Truth, are you willing to have all aspects of your life exposed before the Throne of The Creator Who has the sole power over your existence?

Being sacrilegious means treating something Sacred, Holy, or deeply revered with disrespect, contempt, mockery, or misuse.

Something can be sacrilegious when a person:

mocks God or Holy things

treats worship casually or corruptly

uses Sacred things for selfish or sinful purposes

dishonors what God has declared Holy

Examples include:

mocking or taking lightly Holy Communion or baptism

using God’s Name in a deliberately hateful or contemptuous way

turning worship into manipulation or greed

Jesus strongly confronted sacrilegious behavior when He cleansed the temple because people had turned a house of prayer into a marketplace in the Gospel of Matthew 21:13.

Sacrilegious behavior is not merely about breaking religious rules; it is about the condition of the heart toward God and Holy things. Reverence, honor, and sincerity are the opposite spirit of sacrilege.

If we are sacrilegious in any aspect, we will not walk in full power and authority.

Walking in obedience and submission will be tested and will reveal the state of our character!

It is easy to be obedient when there is no pressure or suffering involved. 

It is written by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 5:

5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He Who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”

6 As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”;

7 Who, in the days of His Flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His Godly Fear,

8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

9 And having been perfected, He became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him,

Do any of us want to suffer?  Of course not.  However, it may be necessary to suffer as we learn obedience to HIS Word.  It is all about trusting IN HIM!

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 9:

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My Name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Name’s sake.” [17] And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.“

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Paul who penned 2/3 of the New Testament by The Holy Spirit, suffered for Christ’s Name’s sake, because of his passion for Christ.

Suffering reveals whether our trust in God is genuine.

When life is easy, obedience can remain theoretical. Hardship exposes pride, self-will, fear, impatience, and divided loyalties.

Suffering can train a person to surrender control, persevere, trust God without immediate reward, obey even when emotions resist, and Love Truth more than comfort.

Jame wrote in his Epistle by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 1:

3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance.

4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.

And Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 1:

5 Through our faith, the mighty power of God constantly guards us until our full salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 May the thought of this cause you to jump for joy, even though lately you’ve had to put up with the grief of many trials.

7 But these only reveal the sterling core of your faith, which is far more valuable than gold that perishes, for even gold is refined by fire. Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.

And Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 5:

3 But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance.

4 And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope.

5 And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless Love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who lives in us!

We will be tested by trials and sufferings for Christ.  Let us patiently endure those tests so that our character will be fully refined as precious gold.

Walking in obedience and submission is the path to authority and power!

The world’s path to authority and power is through self-promotion.  This is contrary to the path we are to take.  Jesus is to be our Example.

Jesus prayed in John chapter 17:

1 This is what Jesus prayed as He looked up into Heaven, “Father, the time has come. Unveil the glorious splendor of Your Son so that I will magnify Your glory!

2 You have already given Me authority over all people so that I may give the gift of Eternal Life to all those that you have given to Me.

3 Eternal Life means to know and experience You as the only True God, and to know and experience Jesus Christ, as the Son Whom You have sent.

4 I have glorified You on the earth by faithfully doing everything You’ve told Me to do.

Jesus fully submitted to Our Heavenly Father without exception!

5 So My Father, restore Me back to the glory that We shared together when We were Face-to-Face before the universe was created.”

Jesus explicitly gave up His position in Heaven so that we could experience Eternal Life and be seated with Him in Heavenly places.  What an expression of Agape Love!  He knew it was necessary for us to know Him by His ministry on the earth as an innocent Man subject to like passions but without sin. 

6 “Father, I have manifested Who You really are and I have revealed You to the men and women that You gave to Me. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have fastened Your Word firmly to their hearts.

As we read of His Words and corresponding actions, we are able to understand FATHER’S True ways.

7 And now at last they know that everything I have is a gift from You,

8 And the very Words You gave to Me to speak I have passed on to them. They have received Your Words and carry them in their hearts. They are convinced that I have come from Your Presence, and they have fully believed that You sent Me to represent You.

You and I have been given the gift of salvation; a gift is not given because our works.

Paul expressed this Truth as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 11:

5 And that is but one example of what God is doing in this age of fulfillment, for God’s grace empowers His chosen remnant.

6 And since it is by God’s grace, it can’t be a matter of their good works; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a gift of grace, but earned by human effort.

7 So then, Israel failed to achieve what it had strived for, but the Divinely chosen remnant receives it by grace, while the rest were hardened and unable to receive the Truth.

We can’t earn our way to Heaven; we must receive and accept the gift of salvation because of GOD’S grace.

Also in Romans chapter 3:

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His Blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Where, then, is there room for boasting? Do our works bring God’s acceptance? Not at all! It was not our works of keeping the law but our faith in His finished work that makes us right with God.

Propitiation means that through Jesus’ sacrifice, the problem of sin and judgment was dealt with so people could be forgiven and restored to God.  By His willingness to serve all, FATHER glorified Him in the end.  Let us also be willing servants to all.  As we do, we will walk in both authority and power with Jesus as our Example.

Obedience involves the “doing”, but submission involves the “emotions”!

As we submit to GOD in a joyful manner, HE blesses us and provides us with greater resources to give.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 9:

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God Loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

10 This generous God Who supplies abundant seed for the farmer, which becomes bread for our meals, is even more extravagant toward you. First He supplies every need, plus more. Then He multiplies the seed as you sow it, so that the harvest of your generosity will grow.

11 You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, for when we take your gifts to those in need, it causes many to give thanks to God.

GOD says HE Loves a cheerful giver, but HE never says HE loves an obedient giver. 

I can attest that HIS Word is true in my life.  However, we must understand that when seed is planted, there is a timing to its harvest.  We must remain steadfast as we patiently wait for fruitfulness to manifest on our behalf.

Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Philippians chapter 2:

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name,

10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because of that obedience, God exalted Jesus and multiplied His greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names!  Let His mindset of obedience become your motivation. 

Your power and authority will expand in relation to your level of obedience and mindset.

Jesus humbled Himself to become man, and He humbled Himself to die on the cross.  As a result, GOD highly exalted Him above every name.

How humble was He?  He so emptied Himself of His glory, power, status, and Divinity, that no one recognized Him as GOD.  Even those closest to Him, it took men a year and a half to discover Who He was.  He did not self-promotion, neither should we as we walk in greater power and authority. 

Our joy comes forth as we are fruitful and exalt The Name of Jesus above every name.

AS we are fully submissive to The Holy Spirit, we will be qualified to walk in both power and authority!

In the Scripture, “submission” means willingly placing yourself under proper authority, order, or service out of reverence for God, not because of inferiority, fear, or loss of value.

Being submissive is rooted in humility, Love, trust, and obedience to God’s design.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 4:

7 So then, surrender (submit) to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will flee in agony.

8 Move your heart closer and closer to God, and He will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.

You and I have the choice of joyfully submitting to GOD and being fully led by The Holy Spirit.  As we do, we will fulfill our individual callings with authority and power.

To submit to God means:

* yielding your will to His Will,

* obeying His commands,

* trusting His Wisdom over your own desires,

* living under His authority.

Jesus Himself modeled this perfectly when He spoke in Luke chapter 22:

42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Even in His darkest hour in His walk on the earth, He chose to do FATHER’S perfect Will because of His Love for you and me.

Believers are called to serve and honor one another humbly.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 5:

21 And out of your reverence for Christ be supportive of each other in Love.

We are to walk in humility, teachability, putting others before self, and avoiding pride and domination.  Biblical submission is never meant to be selfish control by one person over another.

Submission Within Marriage: the Bible teaches a special order in marriage.

In Ephesians chapter 5:

21 And out of your reverence for Christ be supportive of each other in Love.

22 For wives, this means being devoted to your husbands like you are tenderly devoted to Our Lord,

23 for the husband provides leadership for the wife, just as Christ provides leadership for His church, as the Savior and Reviver of the body.

24 In the same way the church is devoted to Christ, let the wives be devoted to their husbands in everything.

25 And to the husbands, you are to demonstrate Love for your wives with the same tender devotion that Christ demonstrated to us, his bride. For he died for us, sacrificing himself

26 to make us Holy and pure, cleansing us through the showering of the pure water of the Word of God.

27 All that He does in us is designed to make us a mature church for His pleasure, until we become a source of praise to Him—glorious and radiant, beautiful and Holy, without fault or flaw.

28 Husbands have the obligation of Loving and caring for their wives the same way they Love and care for their own bodies, for to Love your wife is to Love your own self.

29 No one abuses his own body, but pampers it—serving and satisfying its needs. That’s exactly what Christ does for His church!

30 He serves and satisfies us as members of His Body.

What woman wouldn’t want to submit to such a Godly husband!

Biblical submission in marriage does not mean being worthless, being silent, tolerating abuse, or blind obedience to sin.  Instead, it describes a willing respect for Godly leadership within a covenant of sacrificial Love.

The husband’s role is not domination but Christ-like service.

We are to submit legitimate authority.  The Bible also teaches respect for parents, church leadership, governing authorities, and employers.  This submission is conditional upon obedience to God first.  We must not walk in blind submission and be a part of acts of unholiness.

For example, the apostles refused authorities when commanded to disobey God:

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 5:

27 When they brought them before the council, the high priest demanded an explanation,

28 saying, “Didn’t we strictly warn you that you were to never again teach in this Name? But instead you have now filled all of Jerusalem with this doctrine and are committed to holding us responsible for this Man’s death!”

29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must listen to and obey God more than pleasing religious leaders.”

So Biblical submission never requires participating in evil or sin.

True Biblical submission is voluntary, humble, rooted in Love, and grounded in Trust in God.  Jesus demonstrated submission while remaining fully powerful and fully equal with the Father.

What describes submission in Scripture?  You will walk in humility, servanthood, self-control, obedience, peace, and maturity.  On the other hand, pride resists submission, but Wisdom embraces proper order.

Submission Is not abuse, oppression, coercion, enabling sin, loss of human dignity, forced silence, or unquestioning loyalty to corrupt authority.  Whenever authority becomes abusive or commands sin, we are not to comply.  Scripture places obedience to God above human authority.

Are you willing to serve others when you are walking in full authority and power?  Jesus did!

AS we fully embrace Agape Love, we will be qualified to walk in both power and authority!

If you walk in HIS Love, you will not abuse or misuse your ministry to others.  You will only exalt Jesus in your ministry and not allow the focus to be on you.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 12:

31 But you should all constantly boil over with passion in seeking the higher gifts. And now I will show you a superior way to live that is beyond comparison!

What was Paul planning to show us?  It is covered in the next chapter… to walk in Agape Love!  Jesus walked in this Love and there was no sin in Him.  This is why He could go to Sheol to preach to the captives, satan had no authority over Him thus He was able to set the captives free.

David knew this as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Psalm chapter 16:

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your Presence is fullness of joy; At Your Right Hand are pleasures forevermore.

Jesus will not leave any of His sheep left behind.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 18:

11 “The Son of Man has come to give Life to all who are lost.

12 Think of it this way: If a man owns a hundred sheep and one lamb wanders away and is lost, won’t He leave the ninety-nine grazing the hillside and thoroughly search for the one lost lamb?

13 And if He finds his lost lamb, He rejoices over it, more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

14 Now you should understand that it is never the desire of Your Heavenly Father that a single one of these little ones should be lost.”

Agape Love is to operate in both authority and power toward all so that they won’t perish.  We are to walk without guile (or deceit) and in Holiness.  If you are rebellious, you are not sinless.  Don’t rebel against the Word in any way.

Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 1:

18 I am He Who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades (Sheol) and of Death.

Jesus has authority over death and unlocked Hades to set those captives free.  We must not allow death to intimidate us.  If The Holy Spirit instructs us to declare life over a dead person, DO IT!  It is vital that we listen to Him.

The total recorded individuals raised by Jesus in His earthly minister was three: Jairus’s daughter, the widow’s son at Nain, and Lazarus.  These events are presented in the Gospels as signs of His authority over life and death.

Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 27:

51 At that moment the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth shook violently, rocks were violently split apart,

52 and graves were opened. Then many of the Holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves.

53 And after Jesus’ resurrection, they were seen by many people walking in Jerusalem.

What a sight to see!  Death has no authority over Our Lord Jesus Christ.  He has all authority and He is totally motivated by Love!

We are intended to walk in both power and authority!

In order to fulfill our individual destinies, we must operate in both authority AND power for HIS Name to be glorified.

Spiritual authority is not just bestowed, it is absorbed as we enter into and are immersed in HIS Presence.  At one time, satan had authority and power until he was cast out of Heaven.  He immediately lost authority but continued to have some form of power. 

Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 10:

17 When the seventy missionaries returned to Jesus, they were ecstatic with joy, telling Him, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we commanded them in Your Name!”

8 Jesus replied, “While you were ministering, I watched satan topple until he fell suddenly from Heaven like lightning to the ground.

19 Now you understand that I have imparted to you My authority to trample over his kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will harm you as you walk in this authority.

Jesus imparted His authority which is superior to all other authorities on earth, both spiritual and physical.  Notice that these were “no name” missionaries and not His twelve disciples.  They were not “gifted” with some special and unique calling but instead were serving Our Lord Jesus.  You and I qualify to be a “no name” missionary.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 11:

29 And when God chooses someone and graciously imparts gifts to him, they are never rescinded.

Gifts are irrevocable, but authority is proximity oriented.  The seventy were in close proximity to Jesus in order to receive His authority

Before they went out, Jesus imparted His authority to them in Luke chapter 10:

1 After this, the Lord Jesus formed thirty-five teams among the other disciples. Each team was two disciples, seventy in all, and He commissioned them to go ahead of Him into every town he was about to visit.

2 He released them with these instructions: “The harvest is huge. But there are not enough harvesters to bring it in. As you go, plead with the Owner of the Harvest to send out many more workers into his harvest fields.

3 Now, off you go! I am sending you out even though you feel as vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves.

9 Heal the sick, and tell them all, ‘God’s Kingdom has arrived and is now within your reach!’

Keep this in mind as we refer to the parable of the ten virgins in a future writing.

The seventy disciples had a relationship with Jesus because they stayed in close proximity to Him.  He knew them and they knew Him.

It is written by The Holy Spirit in Genesis chapter 2:

19 For YAHWEH-God had formed from the soil every animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them before the man to see what he would call them. So, whatever the man called the living creature, that was its name.

GOD gave man the authority to name every creature… including the serpent.  Man had authority over the serpent.  The serpent was under the authority of man because he was named by Adam.

The serpent used Scripture to tempt man, and it was only after Eve added to Scripture did the serpent gain authority.  Eve gave satan the permission to twist the Scripture once she added, “neither shall you touch it”.  GOD didn’t say, “neither shall you touch it”, HE only said “you shall not eat of it”.  She compromised her authority and satan took advantage of it.  He tried it again with Jesus in the wilderness but failed!

We must protect the authority given to us at all times.  That is why it is important to study and know The Word.  Neither add nor subtract what has been given to us by The Holy Spirit.