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(2 Cor. 8, 16–9, 5; Mark 3, 13–19) The Lord chose the apostles “to be with Him and to send them to preach, and so that they would have the power to heal diseases and cast out demons” (Mark 3:14–15). And every Christian is chosen, and chosen for similar deeds, namely: to be with the Lord by the unceasing memory of Him and the consciousness of His omnipresence, by preaching and fulfilling His commandments and by the readiness to confess one’s faith in Him. In the circle where such a confession is made, it will be a loud sermon for those who hear. Every Christian has the power to heal ailments, not those of others, but his own, and not physical, but spiritual, that is, sins and sinful habits; cast out demons, cutting away the evil thoughts they inspire, and extinguishing the excitement of the passions they kindle. Do this and you will be an apostle, a doer of what the Lord has chosen you to do, a completer of your mission. When you initially succeed in all this, then perhaps the Lord will assign you a special mission - to save others after you have saved yourself, and to help those who are tempted, after you yourself have gone through all the temptations, all the experiences of good and evil. But your job is to work on yourself: for this you have already been chosen; the rest is in the hands of God. He who humbles himself is exalted (Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11). You might be interested in: