May 16: Celebrating His Victory.
HIS PREVAILING.
So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.--Acts 19:20
The controversy between good and evil is real. Evil spirits are active in bringing fear, pain, and destruction, as well as being obstacles to the spreading of the good news. And I thank God that I am assured that He is infinitely more powerful than Satan, so that the followers of Jesus can rest in the assurance of His protective power. I travel very often, and when I get to my hotel room, the first thing I do is to kneel down and ask God to take over that place by the power of the blood of Jesus, and not to allow any evil forces or influences in my room, no matter what has happened there before my stay. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Jesus always prevails.
When Paul arrived at Ephesus, God was performing mighty miracles of healing and exorcism through him (Acts 19:11, 12). Seeing this, some tried to exorcise evil spirits by invoking the name of "Jesus whom Paul preaches" (verse 13), as if it were a magic spell or an incantation formula. Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva tried to do this. "And the evil spirit answered and said to them, 'I recognize Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?' " (verse 15). The evil spirit overpowered the imposters, and they had to flee that house (verse 16). We don't face the forces of darkness on our own and we don't take evil for granted. Yet all evil spirits recognize and are conquered by the power of the name of Jesus, and they know the names of those who belong to Jesus, because His mighty and complete protection covers us. This event became widely known in Ephesus. "And the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified" (verse 17). It resulted in many who practiced magic renouncing their sorcery and publicly burning their incantation scrolls, valued at fifty thousand drachmas (pieces of silver) because of the power they were thought to possess. It is at this point that Luke (the author of Acts) makes the fifth report of progress in this book: "The word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing" (verse 20). Yes! Jesus prevails over evil! At the cross He overcame evil for good! Be assured that the name of Jesus protects you!
My Response:_____________________________________________________________
HIS PREVAILING.
So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.--Acts 19:20
The controversy between good and evil is real. Evil spirits are active in bringing fear, pain, and destruction, as well as being obstacles to the spreading of the good news. And I thank God that I am assured that He is infinitely more powerful than Satan, so that the followers of Jesus can rest in the assurance of His protective power. I travel very often, and when I get to my hotel room, the first thing I do is to kneel down and ask God to take over that place by the power of the blood of Jesus, and not to allow any evil forces or influences in my room, no matter what has happened there before my stay. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Jesus always prevails.
When Paul arrived at Ephesus, God was performing mighty miracles of healing and exorcism through him (Acts 19:11, 12). Seeing this, some tried to exorcise evil spirits by invoking the name of "Jesus whom Paul preaches" (verse 13), as if it were a magic spell or an incantation formula. Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva tried to do this. "And the evil spirit answered and said to them, 'I recognize Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?' " (verse 15). The evil spirit overpowered the imposters, and they had to flee that house (verse 16). We don't face the forces of darkness on our own and we don't take evil for granted. Yet all evil spirits recognize and are conquered by the power of the name of Jesus, and they know the names of those who belong to Jesus, because His mighty and complete protection covers us. This event became widely known in Ephesus. "And the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified" (verse 17). It resulted in many who practiced magic renouncing their sorcery and publicly burning their incantation scrolls, valued at fifty thousand drachmas (pieces of silver) because of the power they were thought to possess. It is at this point that Luke (the author of Acts) makes the fifth report of progress in this book: "The word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing" (verse 20). Yes! Jesus prevails over evil! At the cross He overcame evil for good! Be assured that the name of Jesus protects you!
My Response:_____________________________________________________________
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