27/03/2015 - SHAME BROUGHT PRAISE

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This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Acts 19:17

In the days of Paul’s ministry, some of the Jewish high priest’s children, who were itinerant exorcists, tried to cast out a demon that was lodged in a man by invoking the name of Jesus whom Paul preached. However, the evil spirit turned to them, saying that he knew Jesus and Paul but not them; then the spirit leaped on those men, overpowered them and they fled naked.

Casting out demons in the name of Jesus is the right thing to do, but the individual who sets out to do this must be a true servant of God and be in communion with Him. Those who live in the flesh and despise the Word sent by the Most High will see that there’s no point in calling on the name of Jesus whenever they need to exert authority on the Holy Name because they won’t have the right to do so.

With the defeat of the sons of Sceva, a holy fear fell on them all. In our days, something similar has happened to many who are driven by sin and have no respect for the divine precepts. When these people need to deliver someone from a spiritual possession, they will be put to shame. I’ve seen this happen a few times and therefore I advise those who have no judgment to consecrate themselves to the Lord, or they will be humiliated.

We don’t need to confront those who do God’s work out of hidden motives by taking them to Court so that the Law does something to put an end to their misdeeds. The Word ensures that those who work deceit shall not dwell within His house (Psalm 101:7). Whenever something suspicious comes up, we should pray and present it to the Lord, who will do what’s right and definitive.

Those sons of the High Priest might have been obtaining some success, because sometimes it’s not exactly a demon that possesses people, but rather a human-demon hybrid. When God ran out of patience, He allowed those men to be put to shame thus showing those seven brothers up for what they really were. The result was that fear fell on them all and the Name of Jesus was magnified.

Only people who preach and live the Truth will remain standing. When the enemy rises up against those who are being used by him, he will shame them in the middle of all people for the devil shows no appreciation for anyone, not even towards people who act like him. However, he can never take a man of God away from his spiritual position if he is firm in faith.

Paul took advantage of what God did through his hands and, before long he had preached across Asia Minor, going from door to door as well as speaking publicly. The result was that thousands of people experienced the new birth, and then in the blink of an eye, those who practiced sorcery abandoned their error and turned to the Lord.

In Christ with Love,

R. R. Soares