NAME DROPPING DOESN'T WORK
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NAME DROPPING DOESN'T WORK
NAME DROPPING DOESN'T WORK
Today, I want you to think about this question. Does the Devil know your name? I’m not asking you if you say you believe in Jesus, I’m asking if you have the sort of faith and activity that makes the Devil quake. This servant of the Most High makes a difference for Jesus in the world.
11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
18 Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.
19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.
I. GOD DESIRES TO BE KNOWN COMPLETELY, NOT Partially. (Acts 18:26; Acts 19:2-4)
a. Content matters.
b. A Child-like faith does not mean a Childish faith.
26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
A deeper question, “Does the Devil know your name?” Can you be someone that gets on the Devil’s radar or do you you play act a relationship with Christ?
II. ONE SHOULD NEVER PLAY WITH THE NAME OF JESUS. (V. 13)
I’m not one to curse, but for those that feel the need, I don’t understand why they take Jesus’ Name in vain. Are they looking for a fast pass to the hot place?
A. JESUS PAID IT ALL, HE’S NOT FOR SALE.
Jesus ACCEPTS all people. He doesn’t ask you to pay for salvation. But He expects you to be all-in when you come to Him.
B. YOU DON’T USE JESUS’ POWER, YOU EITHER SERVE HIM OR YOU DON’T.
Does the Devil know your name? Remember this is the city that Paul wrote
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
III. THERE IS A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRONOUNCING JESUS’ NAME AND KNOWING HIM. (V. 15)
One of the reasons Jewish exorcists had a strong reputation came from the idea that they possessed secret knowledge of every letter and manner of pronouncing the name of God. They could nuance every syllable and accent.
64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.
IV. YOU MUST PUT-AWAY ANYTHING THAT DISTRACTS FROM CHRIST’S SUPREMACY IN YOUR LIFE. (V. 19)
4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Listen, a WHOLESOME COMMITMENT also means a WHOLESALE Commitment. If you are in for a penny, you’re in for a pound. Remember, there were no printing presses back then. You burn that book, you can’t order it again on Amazon or download it on Kindle. It’s gone.
Today, in Jesus’ Name pray that He examines your heart.
Is there a Command you need to obey?
Is there an area of your life the conflicts with your testimony for Christ?
Is there a habit that you need to put under Christ’s control?
Is there an area you need give to Jesus?