LEARNING DAILY

Acts 19:15, But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?"

Pastor Hutch Kufuhl filled in for Pastor Ed Newton at Community Bible Church. Explaining the background to what was happening in Acts 19:11-20. He said that Paul was at Ephesus where he found a group of people who had been baptized by John but had never heard of the Holy Spirit. When they heard Paul speak of John the Baptist, saying he was preaching repentance and they should believe “on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus” (verse 5), they accepted Him as their Savior, “and the Holy Spirit came upon them” (verse 6). Paul, then spent time teaching the kingdom of God in the synagogue.

Pastor Kufahl taught that Paul probably worked his trade as a tentmaker while here; “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” God was using Paul to do “extraordinary” (ESV) miracles! “Ephesus at this time was known as the ‘hub of the magical world” (HK). People thought that Paul had magical powers working through him; they did not understand the Holy Spirit was moving and working through Paul. So, they took handkerchiefs/aprons Paul had used to heal people and cast out demons.” (HK).

Satan imitates what Jesus did. And there were imitators, “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." (Acts 19:13). These were “mixing the word of God with false beliefs to create a false teaching and using the name of Jesus for their own gain” (HK). He continued, “Their attempt to imitate the Holy Spirit working through Paul only got them so far – the demon or evil spirit knew the name of Jesus and the name of Paul but ‘did not know the names of the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest.’” The evil spirit leaped on them and overpowered them.

This gave legitimate power of the Holy Spirit in Paul in a city filled with witchcraft, frauds, and swindlers. The sons of Sceva did not understand that using the name of Jesus did not give them unlimited power. They failed to know and understand they were not authorized to use the name of Jesus because they did not know Him on a personal level. The demon had reacted to Paul’s name because it knew Paul had the power of Jesus in his life; it reacted to the name of Jesus because it knew Jesus was God! The seven sons of Sceva knew the man Jesus but did not know Him in a personal way; they had a form of godliness but denied its power (2 Timothy 3:5).

Notice verse 17, “And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled [held in high honor].” Remember this area was the center of witchcraft, magical spells, and infiltration of demons. The Roman Empire, which controlled Ephesus worshipped many gods. But the power of the Holy Spirit in Paul was seen as very effective! He not only healed people and cast out demons, the handkerchiefs or cloths he had touched brought healing and cast demons out as well. Because of that the people, all of the people saw that mere words had no power but “Jesus whom Paul proclaimed” did. The result was, “Also many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices” (NASB). “People repented and a revival broke out (v. 19)” (HK). People saw what real power looked like!

The takeaway statement from this message was, “When the people of God get right with God and begin to walk with God, it will lead to a movement of God’ (Listener Guide). It is time Believers truly walk with God in the power of the Holy Spirit and walk with Him daily on the narrow way!