Key Verse: Luke 8:8
“…But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

This reading begins with the deliverance of Mary Magdalene from seven demons. It also contains the deliverance of the man on the other side of the lake who had many demons. What are we to make of this? We hear little of deliverance from demons now. Why? Perhaps it is because of the lack of the Gift of the Spirit known as “discerning of spirits” (1 Corinthians 12:10). First Corinthians 12:31 tells us to “earnestly desire the best gifts.” The outward expression of these two tormented people varied. Jesus’ way of dealing with them varied and the results varied. Mary of Magdala was the first at Jesus’ empty tomb, and the second was sent home by Jesus to minister to His family. May I suggest that the key to a ministry of deliverance is in our key verse…”a hundredfold.” Let us move from 30 and 60 on up to our full potential in Christ. Other spiritual gifts necessary in deliverance are most certainly: “The word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith” (1 Corinthians12:8). Please take note of the word “another.” Powerful results will be seen when we work in unity with others!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You are my Deliverance! In You I trust! Hallelujah! Please send Your Holy Spirit to accelerate my growth towards that 100-fold goal. I desperately need that “more excellent way” spoken of by Paul (1 Corinthians 12:31) and described in 1 Corinthians 13, “the way of love.” Please fill me with Your love and grant me wisdom in all my ministry. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’ve learned through 64 years since God called me to ministry that love is the essential ingredient. Love calls me to great care for others, to respecting each person as made in God’s image, to work with others closely, submitting one to another, and not allowing any one person to manipulate or lord it over others. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). In my devotions earlier, I read 1 John, chapters 2 to 4. Also, I read 1 Corinthians 13. I’ve taken note that this “Love Chapter” is like the meat in the sandwich of chapters 12 and 14. These chapters are about the Gifts. Without a full growth of the Fruit of the Spirit, which is “Love,” gifts exercised in a loveless way can do more harm than good (Galatians 5:22-23). I need to constantly remember that the “fruit of the Spirit” is the character of Jesus and the “gifts of the Spirit” were the means through which He ministered to human need. Though He was fully God, He functioned as a Man, 100% filled with the Holy Spirit. Oh, how I pray fervently for a greater measure of the fullness of God’s Spirit. I’m gazing into His face by faith now as the Holy Spirit fills me for this new day. As John wrote, “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). My heart is so full that I’ve typed well over my goal of 100 words. Please be patient with me.

Yours for 100-fold living in Christ,

David