Moses said, Deuteronomy 32:46 “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” Those words from Moses have not changed and in order for the church to take back the land, the word of God must once again be our life. John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.” Most people know that the bible should be more important in their lives but it is a struggle that is why you have short reads like the Daily Bread or One-Minute Devotions. The question is, is the word of God your daily bread? I think many people think the bible is boring because in their minds the bible is irrelevant for today and as we talked about yesterday, not possible for today or needed, as society is so advanced, even though the church is filled with sick people and not just spiritually. Most have settled that the power and authority we read about all throughout scripture is not available for today but if you looking at the sickness and diseases killing people, it is the same in the church and outside the church. Are we really that advanced as there is no cure for the common cold. To get better, you wait two weeks or take medicine for two weeks. Some people think the pyramids in Egypt were built by aliens, as even today they really can’t comprehend how they did it. When I was young, we climbed on and went into the pyramid and the architecture really is uncomprehensible. Maybe just maybe they were smarter than most give them credit for because the Egyptians gave great contribution to mathematics. One thing I find amusing is they cannot even come to agreement on dating Egyptology (4-5000 years ago) yet they are sure the earth is 4.5 billion years old, give or take a billion.
Also, most people who call themselves Christians have a very small God and prefer their human version of God over the all-powerful creator God. Thus, the importance of His word is insignificant. They really prefer not to think about the supernatural and as we saw yesterday, go to great depths to take the supernatural out of scripture with their doctrines and theology, even though God warned us what would happen. Remember satan is behind that deception. You cannot believe In Jesus and reject His word. Revelation 22:18 “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.” Yet every church does it anyways, because there is no fear of God. Most are content with the pathetic and powerless gathering of people we call church.
Reading scripture should burn in your heart and bring intrigue, excitement and possibility. It is not just an old, old story but the living word of God. Psalm 102:12 “But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.” Yes, there are parts that appear to be dull but for the most part scripture makes you want to be part of God’s power among His people and definitely not part of His wrath. Sadly, the church is like the two disciples walking in the wrong direction away from truth, except most are not even wondering what happened. The church needs to be cut to the heart and have our hearts burn again with truth. We continue to pray that God will once again open eyes and ears and change hearts. Luke 24:30 When he (Jesus) was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Peter said at Pentecost, Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” We also must save ourselves from this corrupt generation.
One passage of scripture that should bring great anticipation to the supernatural aspect of the church is the power we see in Acts 19. Not only do we see God’s power at work but we also see the power of the enemy. Just a warning when talking about the power available to the church, satan will always be whispering or even yelling at you that this was Jesus and the Apostle Paul, so don’t even think this is possible in the church today. Many have listened to that voice, so block out what satan is saying and listen to the word of God. Some will say it was just Jesus and the Apostle Paul who performed signs and wonders but here is an account of a man who waited on tables named Philip (Stephen also). Acts 8:5 “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” This is what the church was empowered to do at Pentecost. It doesn’t mean that people are not going to die preaching the gospel as we saw with Stephen a man filled the Spirit of God. Acts 6:8 “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.”
In this passage, Acts 19, we first see that there is a distinct difference between John’s baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Churches like the Baptists and others fall into this category of John’s baptism, even though they say they are filled with the Holy Spirit. The problem with that is there is no power or authority. Yes, they will say the greatest miracle is salvation but if there is no power because God has turned His face from the church, are they really saved? Paul said Acts 19:2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” Today most in the church, including charismatics would have to say, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” This is because most people have no idea the true power of the Holy Spirit that came at Pentecost and have settled for a church based on John’s baptism of repentance even though John himself said, Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” What they think is the Holy Spirit is not and they have settled for a powerless church. Others have settled for the deceiving power of satan, thinking the power they see is from God. Tomorrow we are talking about settling for less. We also saw that many refused to believe Paul, who was right before their eyes, a changed and powerful man. Galatians 1:23 “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” Acts 19:8 “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.”
Not only did Paul preach, but we also see the power of the Holy Spirit at work just as Jesus would happen. Mark 16:20 “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Hebrews 2:4 “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” I think Benny Hinn got confused about this when he was waving his jacket and people were falling down. I think he pictured Paul walking down the street waving a handkerchief and people falling down all around him. Unlike with Benny Hinn, the people around Paul were healed. Although Paul wrote, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, most of the New Testament, we do not see all the extraordinary miracles that were done through Paul as they were not written down, just as all the miracles Jesus performed were not written down, but we do know they were happening. John 21:25 “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” Here we see miracles happening, they just were not written down. It was already established that Jesus confirmed His word with signs (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:4). Signs wonders and miracles did not need to be written down again as we already saw with Jesus and the disciples what happened when the true gospel was preached. Paul said, Galatians 3:5 “So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” Just because they were not written down does not mean they had ceased because they were no longer needed to spread the gospel, as some teach. Those who teach cessationism are not wrong about there not being power, but where they are wrong is the why. The power ceased not because the power was no longer needed, but because the church rebelled and as we saw yesterday is still rebelling against the word of God. As Paul said, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to all who believe. Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead.” Jesus is alive so that means the same great power is still available.
Today many still try to copy Paul with healing cloths but they are copying the wrong part of the passage. This next part shows the power that satan has been given that most in the church do not believe is still present. 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.” Today there are many groups in the church trying to do this and are misusing the name of Jesus. Personally, I would really like to see this next part take place but that would also mean Acts 5 would take place, and it could. Remember this is all the church of the New Testament. Can you imagine today how many people would die? Acts 5:1 “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.”
The passage then continues. Acts 19:14 “Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 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.” While satan was given power, Jesus had all authority and power over him. Jesus cast out a demon in a man that no one could get near to. Mark 5:3 “This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.” After Jesus cast out the demons, 15 “When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” Now it does not take a great imagination to picture the power of “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.” It also doesn’t take any imagination to see today’s faith healer take a beating in the same way. We are praying for God to turn His face back to the church but that means verses like Acts 5 and 19 will again happen. The church though, prefers the human version of church and continues not to fear God or acknowledge the presence of evil in the church. satan has overpowered churches and whole denominations just as scripture told us would happen.
Then something amazing happened. 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 honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 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. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Today’s church does not want to change because there is a lot of money to be made from the gospel and many would lose their source of income from their book sales and even their jobs. Earlier Paul had already made them mad because he cast out a demon from a woman who made them money. Acts 16:16 “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.” Then later they realized their way of making money was coming to an end. Acts 19:23 “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” 28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar.”
This explains why most churches do not want people to truly repent. Yes, they want them to repent and follow their way, rules and traditions, but not return to God. If people truly repented, they would turn away from most churches and search for truth. There are many leaders, ministers, gurus in the church selling their wares even though Jesus Mark 11:15 “entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” and Paul said 2 Corinthians 2:17 “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” If people stopped buying their books and sending them money, they would collapse very quickly, but so many people who call themselves Christians continue to send in their money to keep their ministry of other gospels alive. Many send their money because they were told they would be blessed if they sowed a financial seed or they are guilted into it. It is almost a guaranteed that most leaders will not stand up and say don’t follow us anymore as we have not taught the truth. Even when scandals break out in a church, they say God wants us to keep going but in reality the doors should have been closed. Very few will stop and repent, but most will keep going. Even the pastors caught in scandal will keep going and just start somewhere else.
To truly turn away, you can’t be worried about cost or even loosing people to other churches. Just as the people were willing to burn their expensive scrolls, the church needs to do the same. It may be a building you have to walk away from, things you own, books, doctrines and theology and on and on the list could go, but God will always provide a way. There is an account of King Amaziah who had hired men for war. 2 Chronicles 25:6 “He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.” 9 Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” When we obey God, He will provide just as Abraham found out with Isacc. Genesis 22:8 “Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
When we trust God and return to His word, God will once again dwell with His people and provide for those who seek Him, but it comes with a warning. 2 Chronicles 7:13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” 19 “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’” Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” The word of God are not idle words as these words if you follow them can lead you to life eternal and if you don’t, eternal damnation.
