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8/1 Reading Portions: Judges 15; Acts 19; Jeremiah 28; Mark 14
Acts 19:15
But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
MANIFEST
The seven sons of Sceva were itinerant Jewish exorcists. Apparently, having witnessed the effectual power of God’s Spirit upon Paul, they encountered an evil spirit and commanded the spirit to depart…
“…by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Acts 19:13
With the evil spirit’s answer (Acts 9:15), the possessed man pummeled the sons of Sceva, who fled with their clothing ripped off their bodies, displaying contusions aplenty (Acts 19:16). Demons, evils spirits, etc., are fallen angels who have followed Satan in his rebellion (Rev 12:4). They are supernatural beings who live in the eternal realm. They have seen their Creator; yet they have no power to access saving faith which trusts in Christ to receive redemption or deliverance from their perilous condition (Jas 2:19). How much more futile then are the pleas of sinful men who have not trusted in Christ for salvation? These days, there are many who presume to know the Lord Jesus, yet are not new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Many of them have amassed wealth and notoriety with their jiggery pokery, presuming to teach, preach, and even prophesy in Jesus’ name… having nothing of the gospel of Christ in their many words, or within them at all (Matt 7:21-23). During the time Paul was in Ephesus (Acts 19), he wrote a letter to the Corinthian church. Addressing many problems the young church faced, one thing he said was this:
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 1 Corinthians 11:19, KJV
When some of this chicanery manifests among so-called Christians, using His name as some kind of incantation to fulfill their worldly lusts, we need not fret. God is sovereign and He is even using those things to show us those who are truly approved by Him with the gospel truth from Him. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
The seven sons of Sceva were
Presumptuous indeed,
To think they’d own Christ’s power
Without Christ’s gospel creed.