Matthew 10: 9-23 1. Do not go among the Gentiles or the town of the Samaritan

2. Take nothing with you, like change of clothing, money, shoes, bag for the journey or staff.

3. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving , let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.

4. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Jesus said, “ truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

5. “ I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and flogged. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you…for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

This was the test run for the disciples on what Jesus was here on earth teaching and preparing them to do after his departure. How well learnt were they in doing the will of the Father? Jesus sent them out with power and authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. This was a simple test, but the most important test for the twelve disciples. If Jesus can do a good work through them without dying; being resurrected and ascending to heaven, humanity survival from sin, like Noah and his family has hope after all to be saved.

It is important to understand that the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. But with obedience, no devil in hell can prevent you from the will and purpose of the Lord. What may seem impossible for you to do, acknowledge with obedience to God, all things are possible, so give Him glory, for it is a blessings to walk in obedience.

To highlights that should be within us, in our walk with Christ is Matthew 10:14-16. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Jesus didn’t die and ascended to heaven, neither has the Holy Spirit came. The importance of the very dust not clinging to the disciples feet from those people or town who rejected them, represents how much of the blessings and glory of the Lord they are walking with and how it can strongly impact those lives who will accept it. Jesus is saying to the disciples, “leave those who chooses to remain in their darkness at that time, for the time was not yet right, that their eyes be open.” The souls was also vulnerable to be contaminated by powers and principalities of those people, towns and villages bound in sin and they could unknowingly take it with them wherever they may travel.

Matthew 10:16: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snake and innocent as dove. Even a shrewd snake knows to strike(bite) if a wrong move is made by someone or anything. If you’re a sheep being sent out among wolves, you must be in survival mode if knowingly you’re going to be eaten by a wolf, you better know to fight. A serpent is wise in knowing how to take down big prey with just one bite. Don’t be fooled that you have to be nice, peaceful and full of wisdom in order to take action for your safety. Jesus never said to run or don’t bite. The innocent of a dove is bring Gods glory and grace (peace, hope, renewal, love, unity…blending in with others.) Jesus didn’t send out the disciples with a boastful, obnoxious, narcissistic attitude.

Matthew 10: 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. This was only applicable to the disciple back in those days? Jesus was prophesying that they would not complete this task because he knew they would go astray once he was arrested and it would take His resurrection and the descendants of the Holy Spirit to enable the disciples with greater power and strength . The disciples lacked in faith after seeing all that Jesus suffered. It was the power of the Holy Ghost which fell on them like tongues of fire empowered them. It took the power and strength through Christ Jesus to empower them all and excluding us today.

Let’s meditate on this wisdom of God. He send us out equipped. The circumstances with following Christ ain’t easy. You are challenged beyond your capabilities, the reason you have to walk in faith. Jesus is standing with us even though we’re equipped, because like the disciples, we sometimes loose faith when situations becomes more than we can bear or handle. The disciples were warned they were going to be arrested, beaten and hated for His sake, but through the power of the Holy Spirit that fell on them, their strength and faith was renewed. The hardest thing is feeling you’re alone in a battle with so many enemies. Jesus who walk among us and took on our infirmities knows when we need our hands to be held, for he, himself cried out to the Father on the cross, why have you forsaken me? He doesn’t ever want us to feel the battle is ours alone. That why He will never leave us comfortless, nor forsake us.

We don’t fight alone. We step into the rink with Christ in a fight, to fight along side with him. He started the war against the enemy we couldn’t conquer on our own and equipped us with the tools and guidance through obedience to continue until He comes to finish it. He enables us to stand up to the bully who continues to try and take us down.