“I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

Acts 19:13-41 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. ¹⁸ Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

²¹ Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; ²⁵ these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

²⁸ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. ³⁰ And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. ³² So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ³⁵ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? ³⁶ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. ⁴⁰ For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹ After saying this he dismissed the assembly.

Today’s text begins saying:  Some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.   James 2:18-20 says:    But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”  You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?    It is true that even the demons believe in God and shudder. But if we want what 1 John 4:4 says:   You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,   to be true, we better make certain that the one who is greater, truly is in us. Romans 8:31 says:  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?   If we want to claim authority and victory over the world and the devil, we better be certain that God is for us and that we have Christ in us. As James says, our works and our walk should line up with our words and our faith.

Have you ever been in a completely dark place, where there is no light? Without light there are no shadows, everything is dark.  The psalmist declares the protection and provision that are ours in the Lord in Psalm 91. Verses 1-2 say:     He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.     Many people believe they can claim the promises and the protection of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty while they walk in darkness. There is no shadow in darkness. To abide under the shadow of the Most High we must walk with Him in light, not darkness. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)   Many times people question why they do not have victory in their lives. Perhaps like the seven sons of Sceva, the enemy they face neither knows or fears them because they walk in darkness. The psalmist says:  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. (Psalm 23:4)   Even death is merely a shadow; with neither lasting power or substance, when we walk with God in the light. The demons shudder at the name of Jesus, but it is the presence of His light which makes them flee.

In today’s text it says:  This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.   In our culture and society we are seeing an increase in the practice of false spiritual power and authority. Witchcraft is openly practiced. Witches, mediums and those who practice dark spiritual activities have become integrated into mainstream society and even into the church. Again as 1 John 1:5 says:  God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Light dispels darkness.  True darkness and  true light cannot coexist. There are only degrees of darkness or light. In Isaiah 5:20, God says:  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!   The world will try to mingle light and darkness, but we must choose. If we want the authority and the victory of the name of Jesus over the enemy, we must walk and abide in the light. Things in the world and the kingdom do not remain static or stagnant. In the text it says:  the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.   If the word is not growing it is decreasing. If it is not prevailing in us and through us, it and we are dying. May we be those at whom the enemy shudders and flees from, as we grow, walk and abide in the light.  

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit may I know the truth that truly there is none that can stand against me if You are with me and in me. May I grow, walk and war in Your power and light.  Amen.