SATURDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2024
TEXT:
Acts 19:11-20
11.
And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
12.
so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick,
and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
13.
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of
the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the
Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14.
Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
15.
But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are
you?”
16.
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all of them,
and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17.
And this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and
fear fell upon them all; and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
18.
Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their
practices.
19.
And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and
burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found
it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20.
So the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily.
(Revised Standard Version Holy
Bible)
TOPIC:
CHRIST’S NAME CAN’T BE USED FOR EVIL
Ephesus was a centre of
demonic power and cultic practices. Exorcism is the ritual act of driving out
evil spirits from persons, places or things they possess.
Today, many people and
individuals use Jesus’ name for evil purposes without knowing the person of
Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Even some Jews
travelled from town to town casting out demons in the name of Jesus Christ
without believing that He is the Messiah.
The fact that Paul was
casting out demons shows the supremacy of God’s power over witchcraft.
The sons of Sceva were
calling on the name of Jesus without knowing Him personally. They also forgot
that the power to change people and cast out demons is from Christ and cannot
be tapped by reciting His name like a magical charm. Note that God forbids the
use of charms (see Deuteronomy 18:9-13).
Deuteronomy
18:9-13
9.
“When you enter the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not
learn to imitate the detestable (repulsive) practices of those nations.
10.
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass
through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling,
one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
11.
or one who casts a charm or spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a
necromancer [who seeks the dead].
12.
For everyone who does these things is utterly repulsive to the LORD; and
because of these detestable practices the LORD your God is driving them out
before you.
13.
You shall be blameless (complete, perfect) before the LORD your God.
(Amplified
Version Holy Bible)
QUESTION:
DO you know the name of Jesus Christ personally or as a magical charm?
PRAYER:
O Lord, help me not to use Your name as a magical charm but use it because I
know You personally as my Lord and Saviour, in Jesus name. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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