Category: Devotions

Where are the Timothy and Erastus people?

Acts 19: 22 “He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.”

Thank God for Timothy and Erastus. Let us pray for more of these people.

I know someone who recently made themselves so available to their boss that they said, “Send me anywhere, use me however you want to use me, I am here to serve.” It echoed in my own heart. This is the spirit within Timothy and Erastus.

I believe in callings and unique desires and the need to go to people on one’s heart. I understand how leaders want to go to the cities or the villages. I know the desires of heart.

I also know that today some leaders want security, homes, salaries, pensions.

But I wonder if we have lost something of the flexibility of ministry.

Some people have done the same thing in the same way in the same place for many years. Woe unto anyone who may suggest they move over and do something else! Where are the Timothy and Erastus people? Where are those who are here to help the whole and not the whole help them do ‘their ministry’?

The Church needs more helpers who are flexible, who will say, ‘whatever you want I will do, wherever you need me I will go.’

Will we be those helpers today?

He knows

Acts 19:21 “After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”

There are some things that people don’t know about you. Paul decided to go to Jerusalem and we do not know why, Luke doesn’t tell us, maybe he didn’t know at that time. It would only be in Paul’s letters that we find out that he was travelling to collect for the Christians who were in need. He travels through Macedonia and Achaia visiting where he had planted Churches to raise the funds. But we don’t know this and Luke doesn’t say perhaps because he also doesn’t know.

There are some things that you don’t know about your life. Paul had a strong desire to get to the capital, Rome. We know that by the end of Acts he has made it there. We know what would happen to him there. We know he would be held under house arrest. But he doesn’t know this. He just has a desire to get there not knowing what will happen to him when he arrives.

So today you may fall into one of these two categories:

1. For whatever reason, you know people don’t know everything about you. They don’t know why you do what you do. They do not see what you are seeing. But you know and God knows and that is enough.
2. You don’t know what your tomorrow holds. All you know is that you should do today what you have to do. You need to go where you go and you are trusting God for the future.

That is enough because in both categories, God knows. You know He knows. Others and you may not know but He knows.

At the end of the way … God

Acts 19:20  “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

And that is what the word of the Lord should be doing. Spreading widely and growing in power.

Luke brings this scene to an end. We have seen Paul having to put up with the stubbornness of the Jews and then read of the seven sons of the priest being beaten up by a demon who hadn’t recognised their supposed power. The latter event shook the city. We come to a close before the scene changes and Luke reassures us once again as he does throughout Acts that the Lord is in control. His word is spreading and growing in power.

There is no word greater than the word of the Lord. There is no power greater than that of the Lord.

God allows ways and events to happen so that His glory is demonstrated. His power always outweighs other powers.

What is the way that you are on today? What is on that way? Does it contain your enemy? Is their sickness, disappointments, anxieties on that way? Are there shadows hanging over that way and you know you have to walk that way, there is no other route? Fear not. He is with you. More importantly at the end of this way is the spread of the gospel and its power. This is not triumphalism but my message is this, we serve a triumphant God who will have the last word.

Keys to a burning

Acts 19: 19 “A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.”

 

They burned their livelihoods. Career changes are sometimes still necessary for a change of life.

They burned their past so that they could not return. If it is too easy to go back to what you left then you haven’t left enough.

They burned them and everyone saw it, they went public. The more who know you are changing the more you will work hard to change.

They burned their futures, 1 drachma was worth 1 day’s wages, there were 50,000 drachmas. You can only let go of what is of most valuable if you have found Him who is of ultimate value, Jesus.

They burned them together. Moving forward, changing your life, is easier if you do it with others in order to be accountable.

 

Jesus and you

Acts 19: 18 “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.”

The seven sons of sceva fled the man with the demon and as a result a fear of God starts to grip the city. In this new season there was a move of new believers coming forward to confess their sins. We will see that all the sorcery and witchcraft will be repented from because they have witnessed the demon giving credence to the power of Christ which Paul was preaching.

Your relationship with Jesus can lead to the demonic testifying about that fact.

Your relationship with Jesus can cause the demonic to ambush itself.

Your relationship with Jesus can cause the fear of God to grip a community.

Your relationship with Jesus can cause a people movement.

Your relationship with Jesus can cause a move of confession of sins.

The relationship with Jesus is powerful.

 

Let us lift Jesus high

Acts 19:17 “When 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 honour. “

The deliverers are running for their lives naked and hurting badly.

The citizens haven’t seen or heard anything like this and their response was two things: they were afraid and they looked up to Jesus.

I don’t think there is a Church Pastor that wouldn’t want their town or city to be holding Jesus in high honour.

So how is Jesus lifted high?

• The darkness only shows the brightness and power of the light. The lower the hell the higher our Lord Jesus.
• The revelation of our knowledge of Jesus then lifts Him higher.
• Fear of the unexplainable leads to the worship of the awesomeness of Jesus.

So let us be prepared to walk through the valleys and the dark shadows.

So let us aim to know Jesus more and be known for knowing Him!

So let us display more of the unexplainable, more signs and wonders, pointing others to Jesus.

Jesus

Acts 19: 16 “Then 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.”

One against seven and the one was victorious.

They had probably a successful exorcism ministry. But now this demon is not fleeing but they are.

They had built their ministry on the aspects of spiritual power. But now this demon has stripped them of power.

They were familiar with their father’s priestly robes. But now this demon has left them naked.

There are many in the state that they were in.

They may find success, have powerful positions and even look the part with their fancy apparel.  But their power is limited and has no defence against the demonic.

There is nothing to equal knowing Jesus.

This relationship is our greatest defence.

It is all about Jesus.

Hell is scared of Jesus.

Hell is not scared of those who are not in relationship with Him.

So often we reduce Jesus to the miracle worker, to the cross, to the tomb, even to the resurrection. He is far greater than those descriptions.

He didn’t come to be the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, He didn’t come to be the Saviour, the Forgiver. He is the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. He is the Ancient of Days, the Creator, with the Father and nothing was made that has been made without Him.

We cannot contain Him to a time and a place and a nation. We cannot hold on to Him, He is beyond our grasp, we cannot understand all that there is to know about Him, He is beyond our capability to think. He is pre-existent, before Abraham was born, I am!

We can invite Jesus into our existence – but there is a far greater invitation. An invitation for us to live our lives in His pre-existence.

And you know Him! And Hell is scared of you for doing so.

You are known, but it is who you know that is of importance.

Acts 19:14 “One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”

The demons obviously know Jesus. They know He has greater power over them.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” 1 John 3:8

In Matthew 8, the demons in 2 men shouted at Jesus, “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

They know about Paul. They know Paul knows Jesus. They know Paul speaks of Jesus in a way quite different to the sons of Sceva.

Today I write to those who are in Christ, you have more than knowledge of Him. He is more than a name. He is precious to you. You have surrendered your life to Jesus. You belong to Him. He is in your life and His presence is greater than the one outside of you.

You may be facing many attacks today of the enemy. The demons are never far from us. They plague us and never leave us alone until we rise in the authority Christ has given us.

Do that today. The demons know you. You are known in hell because your name is in heaven.

Matthew 10:1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Luke 10:19 Jesus assures us: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”

You have authority.

You can resist.

You can overcome.

It is not what you know. It is not any ministry experience you might have.

It is because you know Jesus.

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

 

Left-handed?

Acts 19:14 “Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.”

At first glance, it all appears honourable and good. The seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva were in the ministry of releasing people from satanic bondage.

There are many things that at first glance appear good.

If only we would pause long enough to ask questions, to wonder, to see past what we are looking at. Like what we can do right now in this verse.

Seven sons, the perfect number and maybe they utilised this in their presentation of their ministry. “It doesn’t get better than this!” is maybe the sign that it can. But on face value it is impressive.

Their father, the Jewish chief priest, brings credibility. He knows the law of God, he has risen through the ranks, he is respected. There is nothing quite like knowledge and experience coupled with age to bring the esteem and honour into a situation.

It looks perfect and it looks credible. But there is one other detail which is not a weakness, it is not a sin (though I did find a website as I researched this word which ridiculously said it was, there is some rubbish on the internet!), but it is something hidden that a person needs to be aware of. The name of the father was Sceva. The meaning is ‘left-handed’.

The Old Testament has 3 mentions of left handed people, they all appear in military stories and all come from the tribe of Benjamin. They all caught their enemies by surprise because though expecting an attack from the right hand, the deadly hit came from the left and in one story the warriors were ambidextrous.

Now if you think this means we have to be aware of left-handed people then you really need to go and write articles for the website I found! That is not what I am saying.

But I believe we do need to slow the chapter of our lives down enough to examine everything and even the people that come our way. A left-handed warrior is deadly when you are expecting a right-handed one. Sometimes we can believe the good in a person and overlook an important area. Not everything is what it appears. We can choose to walk with people that we do not truly know. We can praise and yet be walking into a trap. For example, one of the most generous women that ever came into a church that I pastored, came only for a short season, but made a huge impression. The lady went around giving out money like she was printing it! Consequently she ended up being very popular! Later we discovered that she was illegally staying in the country and that she was a fraud and very much in debt. Why was she generous? She wasn’t, it just looked like generosity. It was manipulation, gaining friends, wanting the attention. She had a fundamental flaw that was being met under the guise of her generosity.

Not everything is what it seems. That’s my point. Not everyone is what they seem. Words tumble out, knowledge, experience, and a following, it all looks too good to be true perhaps. Sadly sometimes, it is. There is usually a sign that you overlooked. A name like Sceva that you wondered, ‘what does that mean?’ but you were so caught up in the heat of the moment that you let the signs go, you gave the benefit of the doubt.

Slow it down, don’t become sceptical, but do pray for wisdom. Many have fallen at the hands of a Sceva.

Again I love left-handed people. I have a friend who is left-handed. But I know in my life I need wisdom more than ever to look for what I do not see at first glance.

The call

Acts 19: 13 “Some 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 the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’

In this melting pot of Jewish occult and magical practices we are introduced to a group of itinerant exorcists. Though the Jews held to the abomination of magic by God in Deuteronomy 18, they also had many examples of their forefathers for example, Moses, who was able to match and surpass the magic of the Egyptians.

The call to Jesus is a call to a relationship not a ritual.

The call cannot bypass the caller, Jesus works through those who call not outside them.

The call to Jesus to act will not result in the glory being taken from Him or even shared with Him.

The call to Jesus cannot come through the filter of another’s experience of Him.

The call to Jesus is a call of surrender, it will not strengthen your popularity and make you successful.