Don’t Make it About Myself

Message:  Jesus sent out seventy disciples and when they returned they were excited over the power and authority that had been given to them through the name of Jesus. Jesus cautioned them not to focus on this and he referenced the fall of Satan as a warning. This wasn’t intended to stop them from further ministry. It was a warning that they shouldn’t get caught up in the gifts and make it about themselves.

Command: Don’t allow the gifts that God has given us for his glory to become about us.

Promise: All power in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus and as his followers he has shared with us his power and authority.

Warning: Don’t be distracted by the power and authority that God has given us to do miracles. When the seventy disciples returned to Jesus excited over the fact that “even demons submit to us in your name” Jesus cautioned them that he watched Satan “fall from heaven like a lightning flash.” Satan had been given all kinds of God-given power and authority in heaven but because he became focused on that power, the gift in him that was intended for God’s glory was turned inwardly in his heart and he desired it for himself instead.

Application: In this story they were excited over the power and authority given to them in the name of Jesus. In this case the demons submitted to them, but this was just one example. We have been given lots of different gifts. Not just pertaining to demons, but power and authority in all kinds of things. In the story Jesus referenced about Satan, he had been given the place of leading worship in the throne room of God and what began in beauty became distorted in purpose. Any one of us has the potential to allow the gifts in us that were intended to serve and bring glory to God to become distorted if we start to make them about ourselves and enjoy the power and authority that these gifts have. Sometimes we feel like we are being humble and we don’t think we are making it about ourselves because we know how to respond when people compliment us for our gifts. We know that the right thing to do is point back to Jesus so we feel humble as we say things like “it’s all him.” Pride is sneaky though and some of the ways I catch it sneaking in is when I catch in myself in offense. If I become offended or feel rejected when my gifts aren’t used or appreciated this is an indicator that the gifts intended for God’s glory have become about me. This is my warning to myself today that as I watch out for pride that I look in these places of offense to tell the real story of where I am at.

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