Chapter 2: Notes continued

Proverbs 23: 1-8

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.  Do not desire his delicacies for they are deceptive food.  Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!  Will you set your eyes on that which is not?  For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.  Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart so is he.  ‘Eat and drink!’ He says to you, but his heart is not with you.  The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, and waste your pleasant words.”

“CS01, are you with me?”  Moose asks the familiar question, head buried in several Bibles open on the helm.

“CS01 here, Captain.  Locked in, ready.  Proverbs 1: 7 on my lips.”  The ship replies crisp, clean.  The patches Moose has been making seem to be holding.

“The foundational text I use when speaking on power over unclean spirits is Matthew 10.  Please read this now, crew, before we get started for the day.  For the enterprising, I will be reading in the KJV, the NKJV, and the NASB, I might add in the ESV if necessary.  If anyone is curious, I avoid the NIV, any paraphrase Bible, study Bibles I vet and listen carefully to the teacher before using them, if this is something you’re curious about, just shoot me a message.  Email is on the website.  I usually quote Scripture, but in the interest of trusting you, the crew, I’ll trust we all read it.

My first observation is the line right before Matthew 10 is

Matthew 9: 37-38

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Jesus has just taught the disciples what to pray for.  To be laborers in the harvest.  To be gardeners like Paul and Apollos, to sow seed, perhaps to cut back thorns, or pulls stones out of dry soil in need of the Spirit.  We are one Church with many different ministries, each of us given a measure of faith, if we do the work.  And abide in the Word.  See Romans 12 for more.

I’m hoping to focus in on the first two verses for a moment.  Jesus has just prayed for workers in the harvest and then…

Matthew 10: 1

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”

What is called ‘deliverance ministry’ today, is not necessarily Biblical.  Now, for context, I still have not listened to this podcast we’re working with and talking about, at this point.  I am still praying and preparing.  My intention, and I’m guessing all our intentions, is to listen, hear, digest, and then weigh against the Scripture.  Please remind ourselves of Matthew 7 here.

As we see in our text, Matthew 10 is where Jesus gives his disciples power over unclean spirits.  Now.  First.  Let’s take a minute to look at what the word of power means.  The word used is”

Exousia:

- Privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence: authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.

So Jesus gives, privilege, doesn’t quite work.  I think authority works, but I am reminded of Galatians 6.

Galatians 6: 1-5

“Brethren, if a man is over taken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  For each one shall bear his own load.”

Now, the word used for unclean is…

Akathartos:

- Impure, morally lewd, demonic, foul, unclean.

Let’s not forget James 1: 27 from this week too.

So.  Next thing to consider is what is meant by spirit.  Word used is…

Pneuma:

- the rational soul (human), mental disposition, possibly and angel, demon, God, Christ’s Spirit is also covered with this word, ghost, life, spirit mind.

Clearly Jesus was not giving authority over the Holy Spirit to us.  Now things get interesting.

Matthew 10: 1 (NKJV)

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave the power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”

Matthew 10: 1 (KJV)

“And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave the power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

Matthew 10: 1 (NASB)

“Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”

This one word I think is important to think on.  Let’s chew on this for a moment today, pray, and see where Jesus leads.

Moose pulls his hat brim low, wrinkles his nose, and keeps reading…