THOSE NOT AGAINST YOU ARE FOR YOU!

THOSE NOT AGAINST YOU ARE FOR YOU!

“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”  “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.” —Luke 9:50

            What kind of mindset do you have?  Are you sure your denomination is the “right” one and others got it wrong?  Do you think others are against you just because they do not agree with you or your denomination in various areas?  Is it your thought that the local church you attend is the one that has it all together and others do not?  Are you willing to work with them and accept their ministry?  Or… do you isolate yourselves from others who you have differences with?

            The context of the verse above is that a person was driving out demons in the name of Jesus— that is, in the authority of Jesus.  The disciples tried to stop the man because he was not one of their group.  Listen to that!  They tried to stop the man from doing what he was called to do because he was not walking with them or part of their particular group circle.

            Jesus’ response was totally different than His followers.  Jesus told them not to stop him for casting out demons in His name.  Instead He told his disciples that “whoever is not against you is for you.”  The man driving out demons was on the same page of ministry that Jesus’ disciples were on.  He just was not in their group.

            Wow… have we ever tried to stop others from serving Jesus because they were not part of the group we are in?  Have we shunned people because they are not in our particular group?  Have we looked down on others because they were not a member of the local church we belong to or the denomination we belong to?  Jesus said that “for whoever is not against you is for you.”  Who we might have differences with is not against us, but they are actually for us.  Let us ponder that!  Again, listen to what Jesus said… “whoever is not against you is for you.” 

            We can accept and work with anyone who is serving in the name of Jesus, in the authority of Jesus.  We need to be kingdom oriented and not denominational or local church orientated.  Let us be aware of our wrong attitudes if we think contrary to what Jesus just said to His disciples.  They had it wrong.  Jesus corrected them.  Is He correcting us?— “whoever is not against you is for you.”  They are just as much part of the Body of Christ as you are!

Dear Father please help me to have the right attitude in serving and accepting anybody who is serving in Your Name.  Oh, may I do so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOjlAUn9JM