“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’”
(Luke 10:5; NASB)

God is big, but He is not complicated. Keep that in mind as you reread that command of Jesus to the Seventy in Luke 10. Why? Because that simple, powerful and critical first step produced a result that knocked all of hell off balance and changed what was happening on Earth, for twelve verses later we read, “The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.’”

Today there are many thousands that are about to enter hundreds of thousands of houses across our nation. Literally. Physically. Homes in our communities, the supermarket, the pharmacy, houses of government, industry, business, and education. Many other houses we can “enter” from a distance in the Spirit. The County Seat, the State House, the White House. That’s the power of prayer. No matter the point of entry, the command Jesus gave to 70 of His followers in Luke 10 is the same one He gives to us today: “Speak peace to every house.”

How? Remember – God is big, but He is not complicated, so keep it simple. Every time you’re about to go through a door, simply say, “Peace be to this house.” Be intentional. Shoot it like an arrow. Apply it like seasoning on a sumptuous meal. Then let it do its work. You’ll find it will begin to work—for you, in you, in others, and always in favor of what God wants to do on the other side of that door.

By speaking peace to every house, we are putting our trust in the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. We are commending the house and its occupants to God and paving the way for them to be touched by His power and presence.

Don’t make a big deal about who you are speaking peace to. You will never look into the eyes of a person that God does not love. Take a hint: Jesus sent the Seventy “…as lambs among wolves” (v.3)! Separate the sin from the sinner. We are not talking about “blessing sin.” Rather, we are on a rescue mission to speak the peace of God over people He created for His purposes who have complicated their lives under the cover of an unwholesome atmosphere.

Speaking unwholesome words empowers the enemy to work, not only in the lives of others, but also in our very own lives. By speaking peace and blessings, we will be opening the doors to the Holy Spirit to fill both us and them with His righteous, healing presence.

As mentioned earlier, the Seventy returned joyful (they had a great time!) and victorious (“Even the demons are subject to us in Your name”). And Jesus put the cherry on top, revealing to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” Don’t miss a key point here: Satan was falling down (losing his power) in the very place where the peace was being spoken. In other words, speaking peace is meant to be our weapon of choice to push back the powers of darkness that are present right where we are in our own spheres of influence!

Make note of this: all the demonic hosts of hell cannot stand against the presence of God manifest through our peace. Indeed, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20)!

Points for Prayer:

Speak peace to your own house and the households of your neighbors.

Wherever you go in the course of the day, before you walk through a door, say, “Peace be upon this house.”

Begin to speak peace and blessing over the houses of business, education and government, from your city and state to the nation’s Capital.

Recite the name of the institution, and declare to it and to the homes of the people who work there, “Peace be to your house!”

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Col. 3:15).

By Dave Thompson
Sr. Vice President, Transform Our World