A Study of the Book of Acts
Sermon # 33
“Meeting Satan Head-On”
Acts 19:8-20
When Paul came to Ephesus he found a city that was completely in the grip of superstition, fear, demonism and darkness. Here the great temple of Artemis was located (also called Diane), one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World. But this temple is also a seat of great immorality and depravity. The major problem in Ephesus was that is was a center for the practice of magical arts, especially the casting of spells on people and things.
Paul assaulted this stronghold of evil with the weapons of spiritual warfare. It was from this city that Paul wrote the church at Corinth warning, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (5) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV) And it was to Ephesus that he wrote from Rome saying, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) It seems suggestive that Paul’s most complete study of spiritual powers and the battle Christians face comes from this letter to the Ephesians.
When the Gospel Is Proclaimed It will Always Be Met With Opposition.
According to verse twelve, “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. (9) But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.”
Over a three-month period Paul preached at the synagogue in Ephesus where some were convinced of the truth of the gospel while others became more and more opposed to it. Verse nine reveals that a definite progression in this opposition; First they became “hardened” to his teaching, the word (skeruno) speaks of a heart hardened against God. The fact that this verb is in the imperfect tense shows that the hardening was a process. This “hardening” led them to make a definite decision to “not believe.” The outward manifestation of this hardened unbelief was that they ultimately began to verbally oppose by “speaking evil” of it in public.
Here we have a picture of the Spiritual warfare between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. These Jews chose to allow their hearts to become hardened, resulting in disobedience and then to lie about the truth of God found in Christ Jesus.
When the opposition became strong enough Paul moved his teaching to the school of Tyrannus. Since the name Tyrannus means “tyrant” one wonders if this is the name given to him by his parents or a nickname given him by his students. But whichever is the case, this seems to be a lecture hall that was used to teach Greek philosophy. According to extra-biblical sources Paul arranged to rent it from eleven in the morning until four in the afternoon, which would have been the time in Ephesus when everyone took a siesta. While others knocked off for lunch and a rest, Paul went over to school of Tyrannus and taught.
Paul’s teaching according to verse ten “…. continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.(11) Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, (12) so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.”
To provide incontrovertible evidence that the message was true, God performed extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. “Luke himself is not content to describe these events as mere ‘miracles’, dynameis, demonstrations of divine power; he adds the adjective tychousas, which is variously translated ‘special’ (AV), ‘singular’ (NEB), ‘remarkable’ (JB) and ‘extraordinary’ (RSV, NIV). He did not regard them as typical, even for ‘miracles.’” [John Stott. The Spirit, The Church, and The World: The Message of Acts. (Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1990.) p. 306]
The handkerchiefs mentioned here are literally sweatbands, the word translated here literally means “sweat.”
It is not insignificant that these are associated with labor, the toil Paul went through to make the gospel available. The aprons were leather and he wore it protect his clothing as he worked with the animal skins making tents. The practice of faith healers of today who claim this passage as authority to send out special blessed handkerchiefs to those who send in money, should be greeted with the skepticism they deserve.
When the Gospel Is Proclaimed There Will Always Be An Attempt to Counterfeit the Truth
As is always the case Satan tried to counterfeit the miracles of God. In verse thirteen we are told, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (14) Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. (15) And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (16) Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Seeing the power of the name of Jesus, some of the itinerant Jewish exorcist decided to add it to their list of incantations. The name of Jesus is no magic charm to be used by whoever wants to use it, as these exorcists soon learned the hard way. What happens when these Jewish exorcists call on the name of Jesus is humorous. This particular demon or demons is not impressed. These demons did not like been ordered around by such charlatans. The demon responses by saying, “Jesus I know (using the word that means I know him with a deep knowledge) and Paul I am acquainted with ( I know his name, I know who he is) but who are you?” Two different words for “know” are used in this verse. The demon says, Jesus I know (ginosko – indicative present active) and Paul I know (espistamai, I am acquainted with)
The reaction of the demons is not all what these exorcist had expected. The Demons working through the demonized man attack these Jewish exorcist and beat them rather badly and sending them fleeing from the house naked.
It should be evident from these verses that casting out demons is not something that should be undertaken lightly or casually. The fascination, seen today in some Christian circles, with exorcising demons is without biblical support and dangerous. This no command for believers to attempt to exorcise demons. Nowhere does Scripture indicate that demons are ever cast out of believers.
When the Gospel Is Proclaimed There Will Always Be Conviction of Sin.
As a result of the shaming of the sons of Sceva a great conviction of sin fell upon the city. According to verse seventeen, “This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. (18) And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. (19) Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.”
The word used for those who “practiced magic” “…(periergos) is interesting. The only other place it occurs in the New Testament is in 1 Timothy 5:13, where it is translated ‘busybodies.’ It means going beyond that which is legitimate. It is means doing with care and pains that which is not worth the trouble and effort. It means to meddle. This is the word the Holy Spirit uses to describe the involvement of the Ephesian people in the world of magic and sorcery. It was not only going beyond the limits set by God, it was not worth it. It promised more than it could deliver.” [John Philips. Exploring Acts. (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1986) p. 386]
When the power of God prevailed through Paul and power of magic failed through the sons of Sceva, the Ephesians saw their magical practices for what they truly were; evil and worthless.
Some those who had professed to be believers had kept holding on to some of the old practices of visiting mediums, and future tellers, psychics, and playing with tarot cards. It is amazing to consider even today how many believers are still doing the same things, still calling psychic hot-lines to consult with Ms. Cleo, or buying crystals to place in their homes hoping for power and healing. No matter what you call these practices, New Age religion or channeling, it is still the same old Satan inspired lies.
Verse eighteen says that these individuals “openly confessed,” this may indicate that not did these people get right with God concerning these practices but that these people revealed the contents of their spells. According to the beliefs of those involved in the magical arts the potency of a spell was bound up in it secrecy, if it is divulged it becomes ineffective. They were not only confessing their involvement in magic but also in doing so rendering their spells powerless.
In addition, they publicly collected their magical books and burned them in the sight of all, as a public testimony of their repentance and obedience. This was no small thing “fifty thousand pieces of silver” is a large sum of money. When you take one silver piece as roughly a days pay for an average worker, it is roughly one hundred thirty years of income.
It appears that mighty work of God began when the believers began to clean up their own lives, when they divulged their hidden practices, confessed what they were doing in private.
When the Gospel Is Proclaimed There Will Always Be Growth in the Church.
In verse twenty we are told, “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” When the believers began to show changed lives then the unbelievers around them began to take a second look at their own practices. Spiritual light broke forth through the church. The church was designed to be a light to the world. When the church as individuals begin to straighten out and clean up their lives, and act and live as God called men to do, then the world will begin to see itself as it is, and see what is wrong and be freed from the practices that are darkening and blinding them.
What would be the result if such a Holy Spirit conviction swept the church of today? Certain magazines would be quietly removed from their hiding places, certain kinds of novels would no longer be on our reading list. Certain videos and cable channels would no longer be viewed. Sin of every kind would forsaken. People would ask others to pray they would be set free of whatever sin is dragging them down. The altars would be filled with people asking for forgiveness.
Application
This passage makes it clear the means by which the demonic forces seize control of people. Demons cannot force there way into a human life. They cannot overpower and take possession of a human. They must find a way to trick or deceive the individual into yielding our wills to their influence and power. When we voluntarily give way, then they move in, possess the mind, control the thoughts and dominate the whole life.
The whole business of astrology and horoscopes, Crystals and meditation, spirit guides are all means by which satanic forces trick a person into opening their minds and yielding their wills to them. The books on these subjects all suggest that you are about to discover some previously hidden power that few know about.
