food for thought - on demons/evil spirits &Jesus' name

August 16, 2011

13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15[One day] the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. (Acts 19:13-17)

I just read this in my Bible reading, and found it both hilarious and sobering.

First, those fakers got beat pretty badly, haha. It's kind of humorous to read.

Second, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

Quite sobering because it is a clear indication that when you're glorifying Christ with your life, when you're the vessel God uses to do a great harm to the kingdom of Satan on this earth, the evil spirits - they will know who you are. Not just in the sense of 'oh that's *insert name here*', but in the sense that you are being mightily used by God to inflict a great deal of damage on Satan's kingdom on this earth and that you are one who is wholly devoted to God alone and in fulfilling His will for your life, no matter what it may be. It's not a scary thought for me to be known by evil spirits (like in the way it'd be scary to be known by mafia bosses if you had messed with their people), but it is a scary thought for me if my life is so lukewarm and useless in glorifying God and advancing His kingdom and will that even evil spirits don't care to know who I am because I can do no damage or good.

Third, "the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor." I often read random blogs, and I cringe every time I read "JESUS CHRIST!" as a form of profanity. The name of our Lord Jesus is to be held in high honor; it is our GOD's name! The Israelites wouldn't speak God's name, let alone even write it, which is why today there are still some debates over whether God's name is Jehovah or Yahweh according to Jewish manuscripts. Yet today in our society/culture, "Jesus Christ" is thrown around like it is nothing. A terribly sad thing indeed, especially since we will be held in judgement for every single word we've ever spoken.

On a similar note, God's been showing me how much I lack still in life - how often I forget that everything I do either honors or dishonors God and how often in certain situations, my emotions take over and my flesh takes over instead of the spirit that reminds me to honor God in all situations. I pray that God will continue to grow me in that, and that the mentality of honoring God in every single situation, no matter how difficult, will be so ingrained into my mind that I'd naturally act on such a mentality.