By THE SPIRIT the beloved disciple John wrote what Jesus spoke in chapter 15:
7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
Jesus only spoke the Word FATHER gave Him to speak thus FATHER’S Words abiding in us is the prerequisite to success. Matthew wrote by THE SPIRIT for our edification in chapter 10:
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
These twelve men had no worldly qualifications to boast about but they were simply willing vessels to be used by FATHER. Jesus instructed them:
7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Consider the impact of this directive. Were any of these men uniquely qualified to heal the sick prior to Jesus’ instructions? Did any have a prior recorded history of healing the sick? Only after being called, instructed, and given the power by Jesus did they carry out this directive. Their only limitation was their faith as indicated in Mark chapter 9:14-29. It should be our earnest desire to carry out FATHER’S Word on this earth and we must not concern ourselves with the opposition by the world as we walk out HIS Word. Wisdom spoke in Proverbs chapter 13:
13 He who despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
Our reward of fruitfulness are the riches laid up in Heaven. Jesus told the seventy who returned from ministering in His Name: “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This seventy received the same commission as the twelve disciples yet they were unnamed in the Gospels. Let us also seek to serve mankind in the same manner that FATHER may be glorified on earth in the times we are now in. We are willing vessels to minister in the same manner that Jesus commissioned the seventy as well as the twelve. In Luke 10 Jesus spoke to the seventy:
9 “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”
Upon their return:
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
The power and authority Jesus spoke over them certainly exceeded their expectations. Let us no longer settle for anything less than the fullness of Christ in our lives. Let us fully embrace FATHER’S Word of Love, faith, and hope as we nurture the Word in us to grow to full maturity. We should expect a bumper crop of fruit to come forth in our lives just as the twelve and the seventy experienced. Jesus chose people with no credentials to do exceptional works on behalf of the Kingdom. In that sense, you and I are qualified to walk out the commission in similar fashion. In Mark 16 Jesus spoke:
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”