Luke 10:17 - Finding Joy!

Saturday Nights at Selah with Tony Dang

Most people around us invest into many things. Some of us invest our money in retirement plans, trust, stocks, and houses. Some of us invest our money in creating a business and opening up firms or shops. I talk to most of you guys and you have plans those plans. These plans aren’t easy and are risky. But why do we do this?
We know there is a reward or payoff at the end.

We have been learning a lot lately about what it takes be Christian and the hardship that comes with it. I have to deny myself and take up the cross. I have to be humble and not great. I will be rejected and hated by the world. I have no real comfort or place in this world. I have to go out and do things I normally would never do. These are all hard things and it makes serving God look like something you don’t want to invest your life into. But serving God does have its awards. In fact there is a lot award but we will focus on one aspect of it tonight. Joy.

Yes, serving God is a Joyful thing. When we serve God we will experience joy. We can find this in the passage that we are going to read tonight in Luke 10: 17-20. Let’s look at how serving God is joyful!


First we have joy in the battles that are won. Victory for God’s kingdom is a joyful thing. Winning battle is a joy we have in Jesus Christ. Turn to Luke 10: verse 17 – 18. Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” So Jesus sent out seventy people out to prepare the way for Jesus. During this time the Seventy most likely perform miracles, cast out demons, declared Jesus as the Messiah, and labor for the Lord. Great and mighty things were happening for the kingdom of God. A spiritual warfare was happening and Satan was losing. The people were excited and happy to see all these great and mighty things happening. They came back with joy knowing the battles were won on this mission. You can see this when it says then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Not only were the seventy joyful but Jesus was too. The joy does not end with the people who are winning the battle for God but for everyone in God’s kingdom. You can see this when Jesus told them that He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Jesus was joining in with their joy by conforming what they were saying. Isn’t it exciting to see when God’s people go and be victories for God’s kingdom? 

When I hear story of you guys healing the sick, bring the lost to God, praying for the helpless it brings a joy to me. I am sure for you guys too. This week An, Vinny, Chor and I went to Bolsa to pray for the helpless and needy. To let them know there is a God who loves them and cares for them. Some of us were busy before, some of us came late, and we didn’t know what we were doing at first. I was about to not go because I was busy selling a lot of my stuff, I haven’t eaten, shower, and rested all day long. But An told me to just go, so I did and I did not regret it. I am not good at talking to random people and I don’t know how to speak Vietnamese. I was doubting the success and worth of my present in this reaching out for Bolsa. I’m sure people who went were feeling the same way too. To my surprise, it was Great!!!! People open up to us, and were open for us to pray for them God even brought people to us. After finishing that day, I had a sense of Joy. I felt spiritual battle were won that night and that I should continue.


You may wonder what about if you don’t see victory and you feel like you are fighting a losing battle. The fact you don’t see victory does not mean victory is not there. The battle we are fighting is not with flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. It may not seem like we’re winning battle, but we are in the spiritual realms. We all know that victory is sweet. You can see in the face of the Kobe when they won the champion ship this year. Why not be on the winning side. We can find joy in the battles that are won for God’s kingdom.

We know that we find joy in the battles that are won for God’s kingdom, but where else can we find joy in when serving God. We can have joy in the power we have in Jesus Christ. Having authority in Jesus Christ is a joyful thing. The power we have in Jesus Christ brings us joy. Turn to Luke 10: 19. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” So after the seventy came back and reported to Jesus of the great things. Jesus went on and told them about power they have. They have authority to trample on serpents and scorpions. Serpents and scorpions usually represent Satan or demons. This mean we have the authority to defect them in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is in us, He who is in us is great then he of the world. Jesus went on and said that we have authority over all the power of the enemy. Isn’t this a great thing to know that you have authority over all the power of the enemy? And that nothing shall by any means hurt you. This just peace and confidence in Jesus Christ.

This remind of a movie that came out like an year ago. It was called paranormal activity. This was a very low budget movie, only cost about 18,000 but made millions. The story was based on a couple that lived in a house. The female always had bad nightmare or felt that an evil present is following her when she was younger but it went away as she grew up. Weird things started to happen at night, so the guy went and left a camcorder recording all night. So during the movie you are seeing everything through the lens of the camcorder. I bunch of weird things started to happen in the video. Nothing really scary, but very demonic. They found out it was demon but the guy issue it was nothing and started to mess with the demon. I’m not going to tell what happens at the ending but this movie is a great example about our power in Jesus Christ. The things that were happening in the movie were nothing really scary but people were scary of the fact that there might be a demon and they can’t do anything about. People were freaked out and scared to the point where they could not sleep alone that night after watching that movie. I was glade and joyful that I was a Christian. I knew Satan or Demons have no authority over me and that my God who is in me is greater.

When you look at super hero like superman, Spiderman, batman, and Ironman, they all have special power. They all use their power for the good of mankind. Even though they have villains and face horrible situation they continue. I am they doing to save human lives, but I am sure they do it for the joy of doing good with the power they have. It is an awesome thing to know you have power over the enemy and that you can help and saves the lives of many. You can really look at yourself as super hero for God’s Kingdom. God has given us the power to set the captive free, to heal the sick, to cast out demon, and save the dyeing. It is a joy that God has entrusted us with this great power over the enemy and responsibility.

You may ask “I know we have power in Jesus Christ but I don’t see it in my life” The answer is do you really believe and what are you doing with it? First you need faith that God is able and will do great and mighty things through you. Second you need to go out and do God’s will. It is very point for God to empower if you’re going to do nothing with it. So go out in faith and case out demon, save the lost, and heal sick.You will see that you will find joy in the power we have in Jesus Christ.

Lastly, we have joy in the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. Having eternal life with Jesus Christ is a joyful thing. Not going to hell is something to have joy in. Let’s turn to Luke 10: 20. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” So the seventy were happy about the success and power they have in Jesus Christ. Jesus wanted to remind them that they shouldn’t just rejoice in that but also remember to rejoice in your salvation in Jesus Christ. Sometime we can get lost in the success in ministry or in life that we lose focus on the greatest thing in life which is God’s salvation for us. The Salvation of God is the most awesome gift ever and we should always rejoice in that.

This reminds me of people who are in debt. A lot of people rack up the loans. They owe more than what they could handle. It becomes unbearable and unpayable. It may seem like forever before you could ever pay it off. Picture someone person came and paid it all off for you. You would be forever grateful to that person. Your joy would be unbelievable. This is us with God. Our sin has been earning the wages of death. We been racking up our debt more and more each day. But Jesus came down and paid the price for us with His life. This is debt that is unpayable and we can’t even equate the cost of what Jesus had to do for us. We should rejoice in this fact for rest of life. Why aren’t I am joyful when I think about my salvation? A lot of time we lose focus on the cross. We forgot the cost of my forgiveness and what Jesus went through for us. God became men. Became the bridge between God and men. Took on the beat and the cross. Died for our sin. And took upon our sin. And rose up again.

Look back at where you used to be, and where you were heading. How empty and hopeless life were before God. Once you do all this you will find that we have joy in the salvation we have in Jesus Christ.