February 18, 2011

Reading for February 14-18
Acts 19:1-22
Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey
Friday

When you call on Jesus, you will get more than you bargained for

“A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” . . .

But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them . .. brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. . . .

So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

Afterward Paul, compelled by the Spirit. . .said, “I must go on to Rome!”
Acts 19:13-21(NLT)

Pastor’s Reflections

First, some background. The Bible teaches that demonic powers exist. Probably the most fundamental and best biblical explanation is that God made angels. One of those angels led a rebellion against God (Isaiah 14) and this rebel angel is named satan or the devil. It is a created being and would be the dark counterpart to the archangel Michael. Satan is not the counterpart of God. Satan was created good by God, then “fell”. The angels that follow satan are called demons.

The Bible does not teach that people become possessed rather demonized. The how is up for debate.

It was common for Jewish “priests” to travel Palestine doing “exorcisms”. I’m sure much of it was fake, yet, as always, anyone who uses the godly or the demonic for their own purposes gets more than they bargained for. In this case, attempting magic (human effort to manipulate spiritual realities), awakened the realities so that the realities controlled them.

I like the question in the second paragraph. “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”

“Who are you?” as if anyone could hold sway over God or demons.

When you call on Jesus, here’s the rule: Do so only if your intent is submit to Him. If you call on him as a means to an end, you will not only forfeit the end, you also miss the means.

When you cave into the temptations of demonic forces, here’s the rule: You’ll be given temporary satisfactions to satisfy temporal desires. Over time you will need more of the satisfaction in order to receive less actual satisfactions. Until, in the end, Satan has all of you and has given nothing in return.