God is always up to something New

Acts 19:11-20

The first thing to pop into our mind while reading the Scriptures may not be what we should dwell on.  As I read this morning about people taking the handkerchiefs that had touched the apostle Paul, they took them to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.  It took me back to the 50’s when charlatans sent out letters to folks claiming that for $25.00 they would send you a handkerchief that would have all kinds of powers. 

As you read these verses, you will not find Paul instructing anyone to bring a handkerchief or apron to him so that he could touch it.  When the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus and was healed, we do not find Jesus teaching that others needed to touch his clothing.  In Paul’s case, it was the Spirit of God and the faith of the people that gave power to these instruments, and in the case of Jesus in that He is God, it was the faith of a very desperate lady who had gone to doctors for years and she believed that her healing would happen the moment she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.

This is doctor Luke’s account of what took place; “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12 ESV)  You might call it the first non-profit healing because it was God showing His power through the apostle. 

But what happens when we see God doing a work like this?  It has been my observation that much like in this story, religious leaders wanted in on the action, and the next thing you see is a video conference of many churches all coming together to conform to what God is up to in some other part of the nations.  And often these become just another program with no power, but everyone feels good because they are busy doing the work of God.  Why do we not ask the question, Father is this your plan for our area, it sure sounds good and it seems to be working at such and such, but is that what you want for our local body?  Father we only want your best, and then wait until the Spirit of the living God gives you direction for your church.

It seems like God was not pleased when the sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva tried putting into practice the demanding of evil spirits to come out of a person.  This is the account in Acts 19:13-16, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” 

           

As I read this, it seems as if the Spirit put this thought in my mind; the bigger problem is that most in the church do not believe in evil spirits, so they cannot identify with these verses.  Have you ever ask where did they go; the evil spirits that Jesus and the apostles address so often in Scripture?  Could it be that many who are teachers and preachers do not believe that Jesus tells the truth, that they no longer believe the Scriptures where we are instructed to do the following: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”(Ephesians 6:11-12 ESV)

Now preachers and teachers, if you say you believe then stand on that belief, call things as God calls them, it will not make you popular, it may cost you but a demon that is not addressed is one that will continue to destroy the lives of your flock.  If you have not read Acts 19:17-20, please do so now and see what happens when the Spirit of God shows up in all His glory and power, not some program from some other area.  Do you recall the great handkerchief movement among all the other apostles, in that God was using it in Paul’s ministry?  The answer is no, it did not happen, because God is always up to something new.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice