JESUS Gives Thanks To The FATHER

 "The seventy-two disciples returned full of joy.  They said, 'LORD, even the demons obeyed us when we called on YOUR name.'  Then JESUS replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  You see, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the Enemy, so that nothing will harm you.  Nevertheless, don't rejoice because the evil spirits submit to you; rejoice, rather, that your names are written in heaven.'

At that time, JESUS was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and said, 'I praise YOU, FATHER, LORD of heaven and earth, for you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and made them known to little ones.  Yes, FATHER, such has been YOUR gracious will.  I have been given all things by MY FATHER, so that no one knows the Son except the FATHER, and no one knows the FATHER except the Son, and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal HIM.'

Then JESUS turned to HIS disciples and said to them privately, 'Fortunate are you to see what you see, for I tell you, that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see, but did not see it; and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.'" - Luke 10:17-24 

(At first, the person who preaches CHRIST and works for HIM is scared.  Then follows the joy of having surpassed oneself, and even more the joy of having believed and worked with the very power of JESUS.  JESUS gives thanks for the seventy [or seventy-two] and for all those who will follow HIM.

What are these things that GOD has revealed to the little ones but the mysterious power of the Gospel to transform people and show them the truth?  The apostles marvel at the power coming from the name of JESUS [Mark 16:17].  JESUS underlines the defeat of the Adversary, Satan.

The learned and the clever think they know, but do not know what is essential.  They speak of a GOD who is no more than a shadow of the true GOD as long as they do not recognize him in JESUS.  They do not know where the world is heading because they do not see how GOD's power is working wherever JESUS is being proclaimed.

The little ones, on the other hand, have understood.  Before they saw themselves as a sacrificed generation.  For the little ones are used to sacrificing themselves for their children from generation to generation, or they are sacrificed by powers, under the pretext of bringing happiness to their descendants.  They did not live for themselves; rather they were preparing a place for others.  Now the little ones, namely, the humble believers, have everything if they have JESUS, the FATHER has given everything to HIM.

Little ones live their faith in simple ways but they know that none of their sacrifices are lost.  It is JESUS who reveals the FATHER to us and, knowing HIM in truth, we also share in HIS control over events.  Our desires and our prayers are powerful because we have come to the center from which GOD directs the forces saving humankind: because we work for eternity, our names are already written in heaven.

To evangelize does not mean to try to sell the Gospel but rather to prove its power to heal people from their demons.  We need not become activists in order to accomplish that.  We must admit that we have no power in these things and we must give thanks to GOD who enabled us to see, to hear and to communicate HIS salvation.

Fortunate are you to see...  Stop being envious of famous people, kings and prophets of the past.  You who are alive now, and who are neither kings nor prophets, have been given the better part.)

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