Luke 10:17 (ESV) The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
Jesus had told the 72 disciples to heal the sick. When they returned, we find that they rightly understood healing the sick and including casting our demons. Notice that their authority over demons was in Jesus’ name, not their own power. These 72 disciples had been trained and now put in practice the three ministries of Jesus. Sharing the gospel of the kingdom, healing the sick and casting out demons.
Luke 10:18-19 (ESV) And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Jesus was saying that as His disciples were setting people free from demons, He saw a vision. In that vision, He saw Satan plummeting like lightning from heaven. In other words, Satan’s power was being defeated in the lives of people. How was this happening? Because Jesus had given authority to His disciples over all of the enemies’ power.
Jesus spoke of this authority as being able to walk in serpents and scorpions. Serpents and scorpions are venomous and dangerous creatures that people would tend to run from. Yet, these creatures are symbols of demonic powers that we can have authority over in Jesus’ name. Jesus concludes by saying the nothing of the enemy will hurt them.
Luke 10:20 (ESV) Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus then helped his disciples to see that the most important thing was not casting demons out. The most important thing to rejoice in is that they were saved. To be saved is to have your name written in heaven in the lamb’s book of life, described in the book of Revelation. Jesus gives His followers the power to take authority over Satan.
Just as Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan by healing and delivering people from demons, so that is our mission as well. Many people’s problems in life, their bad habits and addictions are due to demons. If you’ve been reading and going through the Gospel of Luke with us, you’ve seen that this battle with demons is everywhere in Jesus and His disciples’ ministry.
We’re not just pulling one verse out and making a mountain out of a mole hill. We need to take authority over demonic powers in people’s lives as we pray for them. We need to ask God for the gift of discerning of spirits, so that we can know what evil spirit we are dealing with. God has given us as His army, the weapons to defeat the enemy. He wants to use you to set people free and see Satan fall from heaven over and over again. May God help us to take authority over Satan’s power