“Jesus summoned His 12 disciples and gave then authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” Matthew 10:1

Jesus chose His disciples and then taught them. These guys walked, ate, slept, traveled, prayed and fasted with Jesus. Kind of like boot camp; Jesus was teaching them how to do all the things he was doing so they could do them after His death, resurrection, and then His ascension into heaven to the Father and also to pass on the truth to all.

Before we can teach, we have to be students. Before the disciples could fully do all that Christ could do, there was something left for Jesus to do. Christ wanted to impart ‘authority’ (the Holy Spirit) on them so they could cast out unclean spirits and heal every kind of disease and sickness. These men had to walk with Jesus closely and listen and experience those moments with Him with total trust and faith. Later, God would send the Holy Spirit to live in them, and empower them. It was not an off and on relationship either. Once they had done all this, then Jesus gave them authority to do the things He had done. He told them when He was about to ascend into heaven:

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. “He who has believed and had been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”

Mark 16: 15-19 (this is when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and given authority)

We are to show and tell Jesus! When one gives their life to Christ, the teaching process begins, just like with the disciples. The Holy Spirit begins teaching and guiding that person in wisdom and discernment. We all have the gifts that Jesus spoke of to the disciples because we are also His disciples. The authority (Holy Spirit) is in us to do what Jesus did.

FOCUS: We can all research this scripture deeper and ask God to reveal to us the truth of it, and He will.

Tiny Prayer: Father God, You are Holy and there is none like You. When we feel unsure about a teaching, or something someone has said, all we have to do is come to YOU, the author and finisher of our faith. You are the author of the Bible. What better source to draw from. Holy Father, open the spirit of the one who needs to know Your Truths and pour into them Your living water and truth, Amen.