There is an example in the lives of the early followers of Jesus that illustrates the fundamental danger that the believers in Ephesus was facing as revealed in Revelation. There came a time in the ministry of Jesus that "the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come." When the seventy returned to Jesus, they "returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." I am sure, in the light of present day understanding and practices, that most will see nothing alarming in their statement. However, the response of Jesus to their joy over devils being subject unto them reveals a profound and challenging truth:

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20).

Evidently, Jesus saw something beginning to develop in the seventy as they were rejoicing over the devils being subject to them, even though they did say "through thy name." When Jesus stated that he "beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven," he is ,warning the seventy of just how fast the fall can occur. The soul of man (the current thoughts of his mind) can be enjoying the wonders of the high plane of spirituality and in a brief moment of time be turned into a fleshly adversary to the ways of God in his life. The statements of Jesus also indicated just how this fall occurs:

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

By Jesus stating that "I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" and "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven," he is implying that the excessive rejoicing over what God does in and through one's life can lead to the possible over evaluation of one's self esteem. After Jesus had informed the believes in Ephesus that he had "somewhat against [them] because [they had] left their first love," he said to them "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works." Amazingly, even though Jesus had just praised the Ephesians for several good things, he informed them that they had already passed the threshold to fall from their high plane of spirituality to be motivated by lower fleshly desires. The believers in Ephesus needed to change the way they were thinking and return to what was foremost in their lives: their works being driven by the grace of God instead of the ingenuity of their own thinking. Heavenly Father, my prayer today is simply don't let me frustrate your grace working in my life. Keep my eyes upon your Son, Jesus. When I start to think that I can control life by what you have given me, bring to my mind that it is you, heavenly Father, that allows me to live, to move, and to have my being. Change the way my mind thinks when it begins to put the emphasis upon what you have done rather than upon you, Lord. Change the faulty thinking of my mind, let the mind of Christ overwhelm me today. This, I pray, Amen!