Naked Exorcists

This evening we had a guest speaker for our student ministries service.  He did a great job and I was moved by his message and altar call.   He spoke on the seven sons of Sceva from the book of Acts 19.11-21.   After I got home tonight I looked at that passage again.  I have some points of interest I would like to make about that event.

When these sons of Sceva (Sceva was probably a member of the Sanhedin court but not necessarily a high priest in the temple or his sons wouldn’t have been “wanderers”) attempted to use the name of Jesus instead of the normal charms and incantations they were used to using – they ran into a problem.  The demon spoke to them and said, “I recognize Jesus, I know Paul, but who are you?” (vs.15).   Something crossed my mind when I read this.

If demons don’t know our names, aren’t familiar with our spiritual strength as a threat to their kingdom – we may have an identity crisis.   Now I know that not everyone believes in the demonic.  I recognize that not everyone will have to deal with a demoniac….ever.   I understand that some struggle with “entry level” spiritual warfare much less dealing with casting out a demon from a possessed human being.  But there is a principle to grasp here.

I honestly believe that we have so marketed certain aspects of the kingdom of God that we weaken its influence on our lives.  Such is the issue of spiritual warfare or dealing with the true demonic world out there.  It is real.  In understanding the reality of the demonic we have to ask ourselves does Satan’s kingdom really know I exist as a threat to his dark kingdom?  Does the enemy know my church exists as a threat to his kingdom?  Does the darkness of Satan’s kingdom fear the light of the kingdom of God I represent?  If not, we may have an identification crisis on our hands.  Do I and the church I attend represent a threat to Satan’s kingdom or are we considered nothing less than the dim light of a firefly?

You see to merely claim we know Christ or we attend a church that has a Christian doctrinal foundation is one thing.  To hear the demonic kingdom say something along this line is quite another: “Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?”  The demons didn’t recognize the fraudulent attempt of the use of the name of Jesus!  Why?  Simple.  The demons didn’t recognize the authority of the sons of Sceva.  It was a fradulent attempt to invoke the name of Jesus.

The sons of Sceva assumed that after watching Paul deal with demons (who were abundant in the time of Christ) they could do the same thing.  They were chasing the name of Jesus for the purpose of prosperity – oh my, I can’t beleive I wrote that!   But they were.  They figured they could use the name of Jesus and work it into a profitable exorcists business.  Possibly a franchise!  Licensed exorcists!  Now that’s a novel idea!  Not!   What they didn’t know is it would take a relationship with Christ to do what Paul was doing.  They blew it.  The kingdom of Satan was released against them and make a bunch of naked fools out of them.  They learned it wasn’t about just merely using the authority of Jesus – it was knowing Jesus that mattered.

The impact on the Ephesus was incredible.  Word of the event spread like wildfire and folks started bring their magic resources, books, etc andburning them in the town square.   Jesus won.  The Word won.  Light was greater than darkness.  People were confessing their evil ways.  Acts of repentance was visible to all.   And I like what verse twenty says:  “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”   Two things happened when darkness had to surrender to light.  First, the Word of the grew mightily.  The word grow here is indicative of  increase.  The word mightily here implies might, dominion, or vigor.   What this boils down to is that the Word of God was growing in dominion and might in Ephesus.   This is powerful because Scripture indicates the Word is alive and powerful to the point of separating bone from marrow and the soul from the spirit man.  Incredible!  Here is an instance where we can literally see the increased effect of the Word on a city.

Second, the growing word was a prevailing word.  The indication here is “to have power as shown by extraordinary deeds or to exert strength to overcome.”  When you put all this together to paint a word picture one could say that the event that ended with naked exorcists running around the city actually started a revival.  The Word was growing in dominion, taking authority over places and people possessed with Satan.  The impact was an overcoming impact on the city.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if in our cities the churches could engage the supernatural power of God to the degree that the demonic strongholds of our city would recognize you, your church and the spiritual authority you have as a believer?  Wouldn’t it be incredible if the impact we have on our cities was a growing dominion of power?  A power that expands the kingdom of light in the darkness of our city?

I think we can and should be engaging the Word to a showdown in our cities.  Paul didn’t go looking for a demonic fight.  It found not Paul but the authority that Paul had been using.  You see its not about us engaging darkness on our own.  Its about supernatural confrontation by default.  Just by being a believer filled with the authority of Christ and the power of the Spirit – all by itself will take us to warfare.  The question still remains.   Does hell know we exist?