Misdirected Joy

Magicians thrive on misdirection. Stage magicians have beautiful ladies in glamorous or skimpy outfits assisting them as a form of misdirection. A split-second misdirection is all needed to confuse someone.

How often do our hearers focus on what we don’t emphasize in our daily conversations? We may say, “While I was at the store, I saw your sister,” and the hearer would say, “I didn’t know you were going to the store.” That wasn’t our focus, but that’s what the hearer focused on.

The seventy disciples Jesus sent away to heal and have power over demons came back and expressed joy over their powers.

“Lord, demons obeyed us in your name.” (Luke 10:17)

That was awesome. They couldn’t believe they had that much power. Jesus agreed with them.

“Yes, I saw Satan falling from the sky like a star.” (10:18). “In fact, I gave you authority to walk over snakes and scorpions and to have power over our enemy, and for nothing to harm you.” (10:19)

They could triumph over their enemy, Satan, and his minions because Jesus had given them power and protection. All that was good, but their focus was misdirected. Jesus pointed it out:

“Don’t rejoice that the spirit subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens.” (10:20)

As wonderful as power over demons was, that wasn’t to be their source of joy. Instead, they were to rejoice their names were in heaven, a metaphor for God revealing himself to them and them being God’s family. Jesus explained in a prayer.

“In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in his holy spirit and said: I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth: You have hidden this wisdom and understanding and revealed them to these babies. Yes, Father, this is your good pleasure. Everything has been given to me by my Father. No one, except the Father, knows who is the Son. And no one, except the Son and to whom he wishes to reveal, knows who is the Father.” (10:21–22).

Understanding one’s true relationship with the heavenly Father was a greater joy to overpower evil spirits. Those seventy belonged to him, and he belonged to them as their Father through his Son, Jesus. That relationship of understanding who the Father is, who the Son is, how they were related to him, and how their names were written in God’s presence, in heaven, was much more important than them having power over evil spirits. They shouldn’t be misdirected by their temporary power to miss seeing the importance of their privileged place of understanding who God is, who Jesus is, and who they are.

This challenge awaits us, too – we can feel overwhelmed by power or unwelcomed by a lack thereof. But our true value doesn’t rely on our power but on our relationship. When we truly comprehend who our Father in heaven is, who Jesus is, and we are his family with our names written in God’s residence, the heavens, then we can truly rejoice. And when the Lord Jesus empowers, we can also have power over his enemy, Satan, and his minions.