A Very Real Enemy Series

A Very Real Enemy

Acts 16:16-18

16 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed

with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by

soothsaying. 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Prayer!

Acts 16:16 YLT

16 And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, did meet us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying

Soothsayings – sayings that sound Good , the tickleing of the ear.

Let me share with you today this scripture so that it is clear in this message this morning. This world in which we live in is being suffocated by this same spirit today.

The adversary knows that if he can get a grip on us he can squeeze the very breath from our spirit.

There is a story of a poor old town drunk that didn’t have a lot but he did have a old shack and a hen house with one laying hen. It happened that this hen was sitting on three eggs and this town drunk was excited because if these eggs hatched then there would be a chance for him to have more laying hens and more eggs.

Two of the eggs hatched but the third egg was still not hatched . One evening there arose a commotion in the hen house and he and his sister ran out to see what was taking place.

A big black snake had chased the hen and the chicks off the roost and had swallowed the egg whole. The siblings chased that snake out of the barn and watched as he slithered into a hole.

They grabbed a shovel and a hoe and desperately dug until reaching the big black snake.

He chopped off the snakes head and removed the whole egg from the snake returned it to its roost and kept his hope of one more laying hen.

This is a lot like what Satan tries to do with people today.

He tries to steal their joy there hope and squeeze the breath and life out of people.

John 10:10 (KJV)

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Church you need to be like the fellow who wasn’t going to let that old serpent win. You need to learn how to dig deep and cut the head off of the devil and get the victory.

I find it interesting that several translations use the term “spirit of Python” in our text. Satan appears the first time in scripture as a serpent who is more cunning then all of the creatures within the garden.

He comes to Eve and begins to plant doubt and twist the word of God in such a way as to deceive. He is squeezing the truth out of Eve and causing her to believe a lye which eventually causes a separation between God and Man.

A Python doesn’t poison its victim with venom but a Python slowly and methodically suffocates its victims by squeezing the breath out of them.

God had breathed into Adam and he became a living soul.

How often has the enemy tried to squeeze the breathe the very Spirit of God from you and me.

This young girl whom we read about in scripture was being let by a Spirit of Python, crying out as Paul and Silas were going to the place of prayer. They were going to pray they were going to the House of God, to church and this Spirit of Python shows up and becomes a big distraction to Paul.

The bible tells us that Satan is always looking to get an advantage on us. He is always trying to find that place where we are unsuspecting. Like a Python that waits for the right moment to slip himself around His pray and slowly but surely squeeze the life out of its victim.

2 Corinthians 2:11 (KJV)

11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

That’s one reason why so often people begin to feel bad on a Thursday night or a Sunday morning. The devil know if he can hinder you from getting to the house of God just a little more breath can be squeezed from you .