Previously, we observed that the ways and values of the world are opposed to those of the kingdom. Even the parameters for success in these two realms are different. Seventy disciples of Jesus were commissioned in Luke 10 to have a trial run of the evangelistic grace. They were not only commanded to preach the advent of God’s Kingdom, but to equally heal the sick. They came back after that and seemed to have outperformed their own expectation as we can see in verse 17 – “Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Well, reading into the fine print of their commission, we did not find anywhere they were told to cast out demons. The victory over demons is not difficult to explain. In some cases sickness have demonic roots. So the command to heal sickness is already a liberty to deal with its demonic source. On another note, the power given them to heal the sick is the supreme power of God; it can solve every other problem along its path.

“To gain the whole world and lose one’s soul is no success at all. True success is being in harmony with God and dwelling with Him eternally.”

Obviously, the disciples were excited for the results that they obtained in the field. Curiously, Jesus immediately stepped in to re-orientate their minds. Their joy was not to stem from the results they obtained, but from the fact that their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. As we observed yesterday, the inheritance that is reserved for us in heaven is what counts. There is no result that we post here on earth that is as important of having our names in the Lamb’s book of life. To gain the whole world and lose one’s soul is no success at all. True success is being in harmony with God and dwelling with Him eternally.