Acts 19:13-27 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Acts 19:13-27. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Acts 19:13-17 (NIV)
13 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 Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15 [One day] the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
On verses 13-17: Throughout Acts we see the power of Jesus’ name to heal sickness and to drive out demons. So why in Acts 19:13-16 were the seven sons of Sceva unable to drive out an evil spirit even though they invoked the name of Jesus? Why instead did the evil spirit jump on them and overpower them? It’s because they were not Christians who believed in Jesus personally. Rather, they were exorcists who just tried to use Jesus’ name as if casting a magic spell. They would say “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (v13). This shows us that they were quite removed from a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
In contrast, if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you have been given authority as God’s royal child, as Christ’s disciple, and as a priest in God’s kingdom to use Jesus’ name to cast out evil spirits. Evil spirits don’t need to overpower you because greater is He (Jesus) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world (see 1 John 4:4).
Like Sceva’s sons, as long as you don’t believe in Jesus, you are no threat to Satan. To use the language of Acts 19:15, Satan doesn’t “know you” and you are not on Satan’s hitlist because you’re already separated from God anyway. But if you believe in Jesus, that’s when you become a threat to Satan. That’s when Satan will “know you” and start to worry about you. It’s because as a Christian you are a soldier of light in God’s army, and you have weapons like Jesus’ name and the promises of God that can tear down spiritual strongholds. Praise God! May you as a child of God move powerfully and courageously in Jesus’ name today.
Acts 19:18-20 (NIV)
18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
On verses 18-20: While Paul is still in Ephesus, many who had been involved in other religions, including occult practices, turn from their previous religions and place their faith in Jesus Christ. The fact that former sorcerers were willing to burn their expensive sorcery scrolls shows us this: Whatever benefit or value you can derive from practicing the occult is nothing compared to the benefit and value you derive from knowing and following Jesus Christ. With Jesus is a power and a peace that the occult cannot match.
Whereas engaging in the occult can have a certain power to it, that power is subservient to the all surpassing name of Jesus Christ. In addition, engaging in the occult causes the people engaged in it to end up in a great deal of fear and bondage. Rather than setting you free, the occult ultimately enslaves because the occult is driven not by the power of God, but by demonic powers. So if you have engaged in occult practices before, it’s time to go to Jesus, who loves you unconditionally. Ask for His forgiveness for times when you’ve practiced in the occult and believe that in Jesus Christ you now have the power to get rid of the influence of the occult on your life. Part of that will involve getting rid of tarot cards, Ouija boards, manuals, statues and other occult-related items you might have kept before. Ask a Christian friend who is strong in prayer and in the Holy Spirit to help you if necessary.
Acts 19:21-22 (NIV)
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”
22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.
On verses 21-22: With all the travels Paul went on, and all the different names of provinces and cities that Luke mentions in Acts, it helps to have a good study Bible with maps that can help you picture where these places are as well as notes that can help answer some of the questions you might have while reading Scripture. If you don’t have a study Bible yet, I highly encourage you to get one. My favourite study Bible is the Life Application Bible.
Acts 19:23-27 (NIV)
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen.
25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business.
26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
On verses 23-27: When the gospel is being preached and lives are being changed, it eventually changes communities and even economies. We see this here as silversmiths and other tradespeople in Ephesus are losing revenue in their idol-making business because so many people are turning to Jesus. When the kingdom of God expands into a city, it will mean opportunities for certain kinds of businesses and challenges for other kinds of businesses. In the verses that follow we’ll continue our look at how Demetrius and the other Ephesians tradespeople respond to this challenge.
Jesus, thank You that Yours is the name that is above every name. There is no spiritual power or demon that can compare with You. Thank You that whereas the worship of idols leads to enslavement and misery, there is joyful freedom wherever You are. I worship You and ask Your Holy Spirit to fill me today. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
