God is talking to me about going the extra way, that way that puts others first, the way that is filling our call as true disciples of His. A way that is not of ourselves but the need of others.
Luke 10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. AMPC
Jesus is saying to us today that we are so self-centered we haven't any idea the need around us. We are so unfiltered from the world that we blend right in —caring too much of ourselves that we can’t see the need of others. They need our compassion. The need to be known as valued. They need to know that Jesus cares, but He can't carefully for a people who does not know Him —except through us. We are so busy caring about our needs we have no compassion for those who need us, those who Jesus wants to touch through us.
So often Jesus calls me out. Go lay hand on that person, and immediately I start thinking of me and what someone might think of me. What if that person I am to lay hands on rejects me? Why are we like that? Because we are too conditioned to the world believing and agreeing with the lie Satan tells us, they will reject you. What if we believed Jesus? What if they are as needy as Jesus tells us they are.
Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and every weakness and infirmity. 36 When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. AMPC
They are, but we are believing the lie the devil tells us, they will reject you, nothing will happen if you lay hands on them—they won't believe you. All those lies are meant to stop us and they do. The lies of the enemy that we should recognize, but we don't.
We need to come out from among them. God needs us to come out from among them—to go that exxtra mile. Not to be comfortable with where we are but to get uncomfortable for a while, as we stretch to do that greater work Jesus is calling us to do. God is calling us to get uncomfortable while He perfects us so that we are not timid and controlled by the enemy but we know our place.
Can you imagine being like Jesus and being able to see Satan coming? God has helped me to recognize his ploys. I was getting tricked so often that I prayed that God would show me when I was being plotted against. Now I can see him coming —and recognize his scams in the lives of others.
We have to stop blending into the world. We have to learn of our enemy so that we can stop him from taking over. We are just like Adam and Eve of we don't. God gave them rule over the earth and they let Satan talk them out of their ownership of authority given to them by God. Instead they fell for a piece of fruit.
Jesus came and got it back and now He has given it to us. What do we do with our authority? The same —we keep give it back to Satan just as Adam and Eve did. We are so ignorant of him that we let him take over our lives —as they did. We listen to his suggestions as if he is our god —as they did. We go along with whatever comes our way believing that God ordained it —when He did not. Because we don't know our enemy, because we don't have daily, hourly, constant conversations with God we are ignorant of the wiles of the enemy!
So today God is saying, seek Me out, let me show you and send you out. You are praying for revival yet —you are not letting Me do My will in our life. How can you have revival when the enemy is your boss? When you are being tricked by him and you don't even know it?
It's the same plan, but hopefully not the same outcome. Jesus is saying will you go for Me? Will you go that extra mile if even if you are rejected, spit at, mocked, and more?
Luke 10:19 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. AMPC
Suggested reading —Luke 10:1-20