Luke 10:4a (NLT)
4 Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals.
Jesus decided to send 72 disciples out to get them moving in ministry. He sent them in pairs and gave them a bunch of instructions on how to conduct themselves personally and in ministry.
One of the more interesting instructions was to not take any money with them. Not only no money, but no traveling bag and not even an extra pair of shoes!
What modern day missionaries or preachers do you suppose would do something as foolish as that?!? You really wanna know? Only the greatest ones! And even they won't make a habit out of it but will do so only when they are specifically led of the Lord to do it. Most of great ones I know have done it more than once or twice!
Why would Jesus do that? Remember the context. This was a launching.. a training.. they had never gone out before. Later, I'm sure that they would be allowed to bring more with them, especially on longer journey's, but they needed to learn how to be effective in ministry. On a side note, later, Jesus told them to take money with them. But as of the moment, they needed to learn not only to trust in the Lord, but they needed to learn to trust that the Lord could actually cause people to take care of their needs. Each pair would experience supernatural provision as God would lead them to a house that would welcome them, house them and feed them.
Jesus knew that if we don't know how to do ministry WITHOUT money, then we won't know how to do ministry WITH money! Dependence on resources often equals lack of dependence on God! Remember what Peter said to the man who couldn't walk? I don't have silver and I don't have gold, but I have the power of God! In the name of Jesus, walk! And that beggar picked up his mat and walked!
Jesus knew that if they operated in faith and reliance on the Father, if they did it with a spirit of love, then resources would follow. And they always do!
A career mind-set is one of the greatest pit-falls of the minister. Doing it for a paycheck or even for a lunch is danger-ville! Your spirit will get ruined by falling for that stuff!
I don't know about you, but something begins to stir inside of me when all I have is Jesus! Some people get all defeated and give up... and that can be a temptation for me as well. But when I overcome myself and begin to operate in faith, all heaven breaks loose!
And look what happened to these 72..
Luke 10:17 (NLT)
17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
The training paid off! Rather than throwing money into programs with limited results, they actually talked to people, cared for people, went out to reach people, healed the sick, cast out demons and won the lost to Jesus Christ!
Let's do the same shall we? Let's break the shackles of reliance on resources and believe that Jesus actually is more than enough!
17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
The training paid off! Rather than throwing money into programs with limited results, they actually talked to people, cared for people, went out to reach people, healed the sick, cast out demons and won the lost to Jesus Christ!
Let's do the same shall we? Let's break the shackles of reliance on resources and believe that Jesus actually is more than enough!
