“And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:16).
TEXT — Acts 19:13-17
Message
When vagabonds become exorcists and take it upon themselves to cast out evil spirits, and mimic the work of the Holy Spirit, they run a grave risk. How can the devil cast himself out without severe repercussions for those who have become instruments in his hands?
Such was the action of the sons of Sceva. They did not know Jesus, and His name therefore, was not delegated to them; they were unqualified to use it. They paid dearly for it. The spirits they tried to cast out pounced on them, leaving them naked and wounded. Trying to demonstrate the power one does not possess is not only an illusion but also dangerous. Merely calling the name of Jesus into a matter over which He has not been taken as Lord is futile. The seven sons of Sceva neglected this. They forgot that unlike Paul, they had no relationship with Jesus and that His name cannot become a magical tool in the hands of sinners.
There are many exorcists today who imitate the miracles that come from God. Many false miracle workers are rising daily in pseudo-Christian assemblies, making merchandise of men and deceiving many. The misuse of the name of Jesus, the Bible and other emblems of Christianity is on the increase. Yet, this is not surprising as “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light”.
Those who use God’s name in exorcism and do not possess the salvation it provides, will face disappointment in time like the sons of Sceva. They will not only suffer the attack of demons here on earth but also face God’s wrath for using the name of Jesus for the wrong reasons if they fail to repent. We must beware of places and people that use dark powers to perform miracles, and avoid them so as not to suffer similar fate with them.
Thought for the day
Remember to try every spirit whether they are of God.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
