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In Acts 7, we saw how Stephen is an example of the emboldening that occurs when someone experiences the ministry of the word by the Spirit. Stephen is the first martyr of the church. Now we might respond to the prospect of persecution such as this with great revulsion and fear, but in reality, based on history, persecution is one of the best things that can happen to a church. Throughout history, persecution has been used by the Spirit to spread the gospel and His work is what we see in Acts 8 and throughout the Book of Acts. And that truth remains true throughout history. What benefits come from persecution? I believe there is a sweet perfume that comes from persecution, and we will see that in Acts 8 as well.
Before we continue, please remember the objective of this book and study:
The Spirit of God using the word of God to make people of God and changing the people of God into Spirit-empowered, effective, edifying, disciples of Jesus Christ.
That is the Spirit’s objective and we will learn of new aspects of how the Spirit works in us to accomplish that goal as we study Acts 8.
Great Persecution and Great Lamentation
Sometimes, even when Spirit-empowered, the response to the gospel is one of anger, hatred, and outright persecution. But that doesn’t mean the contact has been ineffective. When you throw a stone into a pack of dogs, it’s the one hit that yelps and growls. And we know, (in light of Acts 9 and Paul’s conversion) that even though a person may initially reject the gospel and respond in anger and hatred, the gospel seed planted often needs time to grow and bear fruit unto salvation (Isaiah 55:10-11; 1 Corinthians 3:7). This is greatly encouraging to us, for who hasn’t witnessed the gospel to someone and initially been totally rejected? But rather than simply give up, we should continue to pray that the seed of the gospel planted would grow and bear fruit to salvation. That hard-hearted family member, that angry neighbor, that ridiculing co-worker needs our prayers, for someday, they may become a brother or sister in Christ. Don’t give up, pray and depend on God to graciously pursue the rejecter of the gospel.
Saul consented to the death of Stephen and even wreaked havoc on the church, dragging Christian’s out of their homes and throwing them in prison (Acts 8:1, 3). The word “persecution” here is translated from the Greek term DIOGMOS which means, “persecution.”83 DIOGMOS is derived from the root word DIOKO which is composed of a form of the verb DIO (verb) which means, “to flee; to pursue; to persecute;…ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute (–ion), press toward.”84 DIOGMOS means, “to put to flight,…drive away,…to pursue,…” and therefore is used to convey the act of persecution.85
This persecution of believers may appear at first glance and on first consideration to be frightful, and indeed, it caused great hardship and pain as well as suffering. Imagine being forced out of your home, scattered into a strange and foreign land (Acts 8:1). Imagine being dragged out of your own house and thrown into prison (Acts 8:3). It’s interesting that the apostles chose to remain in Jerusalem and the persecution at this time seems to have focused on the disciples in general (Acts 8:1). This was a trying time that would prove to test the faith of those claiming to be followers of Jesus. Jesus said that His followers would one day be persecuted. Jesus said:
Now this prophecy of Jesus was coming to pass, and His disciples were being stretched to their limits. When asked by their pursuing persecutors if they were followers of Jesus, they must have known what was coming. If they confessed Jesus as their Lord, they would lose all their earthly things: home, possessions, comfort, and worldly security. If they denied Jesus, they would gain the world but lose their souls. Therefore, a decision had to be made. Would they choose the world or follow Jesus? If you were put in such a situation, what would you choose? (See 1 John 2:15-16).
Glenn Penner, (Communications Director for Voice of the Martyrs in Canada) in an article from Voice of the Martyrs magazine entitled, “Why, God, Why?” makes the following comment:
Rather than seeing persecution as an anomaly, a tragedy or a misfortune, the early followers of Jesus saw it as the logical result of following the suffering Jesus. How far have we gone in the opposite direction? Where Jesus said, “blessed are those who are persecuted,” [Matthew 5:11-16] we say, “Blessed are those who are not.” Where we thank God for our freedoms, the early church thanked God for the privilege of suffering for Him.86
All of this sounds terrible and certainly different from what those in western cultures of today, especially America, know of following Jesus. Today people are coaxed into coming to Christ. Today, people come to Jesus looking to get the things of this world, not thinking of giving them up. Today, people come to Jesus thinking they are doing Him a favor in acknowledging Him. Today, we come thinking Jesus will ease our lives from trouble and pain, not increase trouble and pain. And yet, today’s mindset seems to cut directly contrary to what Jesus said. Hmmm, maybe we should reevaluate our view of the gospel and what it means to be a Christian as well as the cost of being a Christian. That is the work of the Spirit and those He works in come to the realization that the Christianity of today is oftentimes far different, even according to a different gospel, than what we see in the New Testament of the Bible. If we are not being persecuted, what does that tell us about our faith? Do people around us even know we are Christians? Are we closet Christians? Are we so anonymous in our Christianity that those who would pursue and persecute have nothing to aim at? If so, what does that tell us about our confession of Jesus Christ? Have we denied Him in our Christian anonymity? Please pray for the Spirit to reveal answers to these questions to you. Pray the Spirit helps you lose your life to find it.
Certainly, the persecution spearheaded by Saul would press and pursue disciples of Jesus to their limits and prove their faith. All of this was very difficult and far from comforting, but God had a plan. God used the persecution of the church to spread the gospel further (to Judea and Samaria). This marks the second step in the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 –
Even though the death of Stephen caused a “great lamentation”, God had a plan to bring good from this sad event. God can bring good even out of things that cause “great lamentation.” Here God uses the persecution of the church to spread the gospel, to further His work.
The Spirit Uses Persecution to Bring Further Preaching Opportunities
Notice that those who had been threatened and persecuted didn’t run and hide or curl up in a ball to lick their wounds, they went everywhere preaching. We see no bitterness or questioning of God, only willing and joyful service, and effective ministry to boot! Persecution didn’t lead to its intended prohibition of preaching; it led to the powerful preaching and ministry in the Spirit!
Notice, there was “great joy” (Acts 8:8) after there had been “great lamentation” (Acts 8:2). Persecution leads to great lamentation, there can be no doubt, but persecution also bears much fruit, lasting fruit. There is a fragrant aroma, a perfume that ascends from the persecuted. To smell that perfume we need to look at the church at Smyrna and what Jesus said to her.
The Church at Smyrna – The Perfume That Comes From a Persecuted Church
In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus sends word to the church at Smyrna by way of a letter saying:
A study of this church gives us valuable insight into the positives the Spirit can bring through persecution. The name, “Smyrna” is very interesting because the root meaning of this word is “BITTERNESS” and was used to refer “MYRRH” a perfume and painkiller. What is of further interest is that Myrrh is extracted from a tree as a bitter gum and is processed by crushing into a valuable perfume. The disciples of the church at Smyrna were being persecuted (Revelation 2:9a). It’s likely that part of the persecution that these people were suffering involved the loss of material things and the means to obtain such things, e.g., wealth, jobs, etc. But Jesus has a lot of very positive things to say to these brethren. Indeed, the church at Smyrna is one of two of the seven churches that Jesus does not criticize (Philadelphia is the other). From this we learn that the crushing of persecution can yield a spiritual perfume. What are some of the sweet-smelling blessings of persecution? What should we know about persecution?
Persecution and the Church
While persecution is not something we in Western churches are often familiar with, the Bible warns us to expect it:
If we are Christians, walking by the Spirit in the church, we can expect to be persecuted at some point in our lives. In fact, as the above verses show, persecution is a promise for those who seek to live Godly lives.
Facts About Persecution Today
We who live in a free country find it difficult at times to relate with those who live in areas of the world where being a Christian is persecuted. We may even adopt a perspective that doubts whether there is persecution of the church in these “modern” times. But nothing could be further from the truth. Read the following facts about “modern-day” persecution:
Persecution in Islamic lands and countries and throughout the world is a very real and present issue for believers. We ought to never forget this and join with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ by praying for them regularly.
Who is the Source of Persecution?
Satan is the source behind persecution and suffering. This is clearly implied by Jesus when He writes to the Smyrneans:
The meaning of ten days may simply be that the testing will be limited. Others have seen here a reference to 10 Periods of Persecution to be experienced by the churches historically. It’s estimated that under Roman persecution approximately 6 MILLION CHRISTIANS DIED FOR THEIR FAITH!
Ten Roman Emperors Who Persecuted the Church
The following are ten Roman emperors who instigated persecutions against Christians:
1.) NERO (A.D. 54-68) – Nero was responsible for beheading the apostle Paul and crucifying the apostle Peter upside down (at Peter’s own request). Historical records indicate that the centurions who brought Paul before the executioner became Christians as a result of Paul’s witness to the very end. These centurion converts were also martyred.
2.) DOMITIAN (A.D. 90-96) – Domitian attempted to execute the apostle John by placing him in a cauldron of burning hot oil. God miraculously spared John and, in frustration, Domitian exiled John to the isle of Patmos.
3.) TRAJAN (A.D. 98-117) – Trajan burned Ignatius at the stake.
4.) HADRIAN (A.D. 117-138) – Hadrian killed Telesphorus.
5.) MARCUS AURELIUS (A.D. 161-180) – He killed Justin Martyr.
6.) SEPTIMUS SEVERUS (A.D. 202-211) – Killed Irenaeus.
7.) MAXIMANUS (A.D. 235-236) – Killed Ursula and Hippolytus.
8.) DECIUS (A.D. 249-251) – He began the first empire wide persecution and killed Alexander of Jerusalem.
9.) VALERIAN (A.D. 257-260) – Killed Origen.
10.) DIOCLETIAN (A.D. 303-311) – He was one of the worst persecutors of Christians. He destroyed churches, burned Scriptures and required everyone to sacrifice to gods.87
While people are the tools of persecution, Satan is the one behind those tools. We see evidence of this truth in the following verses:
Our ultimate struggle is not against flesh and blood people, (though this does not exonerate or excuse those who persecute Christians), it is against Satan and his demonic cohorts.
What Purpose Does Persecution Serve? Ten Perfumed Purposes of Persecution
God at times allows persecution and suffering. We need to always understand that God is always in control. Nothing happens without God’s allowing it to happen. But if that is true, (and it is) why would God allow the Godly to experience persecution and suffering? What purpose does persecution and suffering serve? There is a saying from one of the early church fathers named Tertullian (A.D. 160-230), which gives us a clue. Tertullian said:
The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.
When we look at the Bible and what the Lord through the Spirit says about persecution in it, we find there are many blessings, yes, blessings that come from God by way of persecution. The name Smyrna means “bitterness” and is derived from the word “myrrh”, which is a perfume used in embalming. The embalming perfume is extracted by crushing the myrrh plant. In the same way, the crushing of persecution yields a perfume that is sweet spiritually. Let’s consider a few of these blessings of persecution; Ten Perfumed Purposes of Persecution.
First, persecution helps believers to identify with Jesus and draw closer to Him. In Revelation 1:11, 17 Jesus identifies Himself as “the First and the Last” to establish His deity and eternality. In His letter to the church at Smyrna He introduces Himself as the “First and the Last” too. Here, to the Smyrneans, He further identifies Himself as He “who was dead and came to life” (see Revelation 1:18). By referring to Himself in this way, Jesus is reminding the Smyrneans that He submitted to persecutions and the rejection of men. Persecution does not mean that people are necessarily out of favor with God (see Hebrews 12:1-10). But Jesus tells them, “I know…” and by doing so, Jesus is telling them He knows what they are going through and cares for them. Persecution creates a situation where people are forced, pressed, crushed together with Jesus.
Second, persecution and suffering is a teaching tool of God. This is clear in the inspired words of Paul when he writes:
There is so much to be learned in times of trial and, really, there are certain things that can only be learned in times of trials. In fact, Jesus Himself demonstrated His obedience in trials that He could not have demonstrated in any other way. The writer of Hebrews states it this way:
There are things about others and us that can only be learned through trials, suffering and persecutions.
Third, persecution enriches and purifies the faith of believers. Jesus acknowledged that the Smyrneans were materially “poor” but added “but you are rich” (Acts 2:9a). The persecution they experienced resulted in a richness of faith (James 2:5; 2 Corinthians 6:10). Raul Ries makes the following comment:
When people appeared before Nero, they were required to kneel, bow, and confess, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ If they refused, they were tortured and killed. The moment a person became a Christian in Smyrna, he lost his job, was stripped of all his wealth, and was considered dead by his family. In modern terms he would have become a street person. Imagine the great temptation in those days not to become a Christian! There were very few insincere Christians during that time because a person could lose his life for committing himself to Christ. …There was not much sin in the church of Smyrna, however, since the believers spent most of their time on their knees asking God to help them through their present trials and tribulations. They learned quickly that sin separated them from their Lord and Savior, and they could not afford to neglect or ignore precious time of fellowship with Him.88
Persecution puts things in perspective for believers. It’s easy to get our priorities in wrong order when we live in relative comfort with no persecution or when the greatest persecution we experience is a frown from someone, an exclusion from a group, or some other slight. Persecution helps us put life and what is really important in heavenly perspective and priority.
Fourth, persecution matures and grows the faith of believers. James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus, wrote from experience saying:
Standing up with Jesus before those who persecute you results in a maturing of your faith, a strengthening of your faith.
Peter also testified about this truth when he was inspired by the Spirit to write:
Persecution and suffering bring us from a shallow and superficial understanding of faith to a deeper understanding of faith. Persecution and suffering are a crucifixion of our flesh, leading to dependence on God. Persecution and suffering bring us from theory to actual history. Situations of persecution and suffering makes what God says real to us, and we experience the truth of His word firsthand.
Fifth, persecution allows us to experience God’s true joy. In Acts 5 when the apostles were persecuted by the religious leaders, they departed joyfully, as it states:
At the point of persecution, the believer learns firsthand of the reality and assurance that they are saved and sustained by the grace of God. This is a joyful revelation. It is in the times when you stand with Christ alone, that you learn you can stand-alone with Christ.
Sixth, persecution is used by God to build confident faith as His grace is revealed and proved to be sufficient. Paul, who was severely and frequently persecuted, wrote about this truth when he said:
As we see the spiritual strength of others, we are strengthened by their example. We learn, “If God sustains them, He will sustain me too if need be.” We learn that God’s grace is sufficient to make us all we need to be for Him (1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
Seventh, persecution provides opportunity to witness. Jesus said:
Jesus warned disciples that they would be persecuted and when persecution occurs we shouldn’t worry because the Holy Spirit would direct us and give us words to say. The strong witness in the face of death is a powerful testimony to the sincerity of faith and the reality of its sustaining truth and grace.
Paul exemplified and testified to the truth of this, as we see in the following verses:
These verses show us undeniably that persecution and suffering were a part of Jesus’ plan for Paul. Persecution and suffering provide an opportunity for us to testify to the reality of God’s sustaining grace and the truthful reliability of what He promises and teaches us in His word.
Eighth, persecution leads to the spread of the gospel. We see this in Acts 8, but we will see this truth throughout the Book of Acts, and we really see it throughout history. This is verified in the following additional verses:
What Satan meant to destroy and discourage the churches of God;l God used to spread the good news of the gospel all the more!
Ninth, persecution unites believers in encouragement. We see this later in Acts where it states:
The back-and-forth encouragement and fellowship of believers during persecution results in uniting believers in a special way. Paul also wrote to the Thessalonians:
Nothing unites believers more than trials and persecutions. There is a commonness experienced in hardship. We learn to “weep with those who weep” when we are persecuted for Jesus (Romans 12:15).
Tenth, persecution provides opportunity for generosity. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
For those not persecuted, an opportunity to support those who are becomes available. The church that is not persecuted should pray and help materially the part of the body of Christ that is persecuted.
On What Basis Should We Not Fear Persecution?
Jesus says to the Smyrneans, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.” (Revelation 2:10). Why shouldn’t we fear when persecution comes? God has revealed in His word a number of reasons we should not fear persecution.
First, nothing can separate us from God and His love. Jesus is always there with us by the Spirit, no matter how alone we might feel or physically be. Read what God promises in His word in this regard:
Second, any suffering we experience in this life does not compare with the glory God promised us in the next life. Paul wrote in Romans:
Third, suffering now pays dividends later, eternally. We see this in the following verse which states:
Every persecution and trial puts another jewel in our heavenly crown!
Notice in Revelation 2:10, Jesus doesn’t say to the Smyrneans that He will prevent them from death. Jesus instructs them to be faithful until death. That is true for all of us. Sometimes it is the will of God that we experience difficulties and hardships.
A Very Personal Persecution
When my daughter Rachel was in high school she had a disconcerting encounter. She was walking in the hall of her school when two boys passed by her and one of them called her a very obscene name. It shocked her. She didn’t mention it to us until we happened to see one of the boys in a store later that day. When she told my wife and I about the incident initially, it angered my wife and I very much (my wife was ready to go and kill the kid!). As I restrained myself (and my wife) in the Spirit, I just let it go for the time being.
As I thought and prayed about the incident, the Lord told me some things about this situation that I needed to discuss with my daughter. Here’s what the Lord told me and what I shared with my daughter:
So you see that momentary incident where a boy walked by and seemingly indiscriminately threw a vulgar obscenity at you, was not that simple a deal, was it? Beneath the surface of that offense was a lot more going on than you might have first thought. Had we not run into that boy later in the day, you might have just cast the whole scenario behind you like a bad apple. But God wanted you to learn from it. You have to be circumspect, alert, and sensitive to the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, because these are perilous times in which we live. They are perilous not only because the world is filled with people whose conscience has been seared and desensitized to the sanctity of life and courtesy (1 Timothy 4:1-2). No, they are perilous times because those who live in their sin are slaves of Satan manipulated to do his bidding. They are lost and if they do not repent, they will die in their sin and be eternally lost in the fires of hell (Ephesians 2:1-3). That is a graver problem than the offense; indeed, it makes the offense seem inconsequential. So be ready, redeem the time, walk in the Spirit and be ready to be used by the Lord. Who knows, one day that boy may come to you for something, and you will have to stop him and tell him how he offended you. You will have to take a stand and require him to apologize. He may refuse and dismiss what you said. But you will have planted a seed. One plants a seed of the word, another waters, God causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:5-8). You may serve as one step in that boy’s salvation. Who knows how God might use this situation? Be ready and pray. Pray for the boys and that God would save their souls.
The Crowns of the Lord
The crown of life mentioned by Jesus in His letter to the Smyrneans appears to be a reference to eternal life. A number of crowns are mentioned in the New Testament:
1.) Crown of Righteousness – Given For a Faithful Life
One can only imagine the emotions going through the mind and heart of Paul as he awaited the executioner. But, he thankfully was able to express with confidence that he was faithful. God’s grace had been and would continue to be sufficient for him. The crown of righteousness he would receive was not earned by Paul but received by Paul from the Righteous One Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).
2.) Crown of Glory – Given To Faithful Shepherds
Those who feed and care for the flock of God will receive a crown of glory that doesn’t fade. The loving sacrifice of the pastor and selfless service will not be forgotten in the hereafter.
3.) Crown of Gold – Evidence of Our Redemption in Christ
Gold is evidence of the redemption we share in as bought by Jesus for us.
4.) Crown of Rejoicing – Given to Those Who’ve Led Others to Christ
What joy we will have when in heaven we worship side by side with those who God chose to allow us to have a part in their salvation and spiritual growth.
5.) Incorruptible Crown – Given for Self-Control in the Race of Life
All the restraint and sacrifice for purity’s sake will be worth it all when the incorruptible crown is placed upon our heads! You cannot receive the crown without encountering the cross of Jesus. John F. Walvoord said: “THE CROWN FOLLOWS THE CROSS” (John 19:5).
What Will We Do With Our Crowns?
We need to understand that our crowns are not distributed to us to make us look pretty or bloat us up in pride. THERE WOULD BE NO CROWNS FOR US IF JESUS HADN’T TAKEN THE CROWN OF THORNS IN OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS! BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN WE WILL CAST OUR CROWNS AT THE FEET OF JESUS. In Revelation, it states:
Oh, what great joy we will have to cast down our crowns before Jesus our Lord, as an offering of all that we have to Him!
Don’t Pass Up Your Opportunity to Be Crowned
To the Smyrneans Jesus concludes:
The Second Death is final death and separation from God, which will be instituted at the Great White Throne Judgment, which we will study in Revelation 20:11-15. In regard to this, Jesus said:
In A.D. 155, while in his 90’s, Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, was arrested and sentenced to be burned at the stake. As the wood was being placed around him, the executioner said, “I hate to see an old man die. Just recant Christ and we’ll set you free. Then you can live your last days in peace”.
Polycarp responded, “For 86 years I have served my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not once has He denied me. I shall not deny Him.”
The executioner said, “The fire will be hot.”
Polycarp’s response was, “Not nearly as hot as the fire you’ll experience!”
The executioner lit the fire. The flames quickly arose but didn’t touch Polycarp’s body. Seeing this, the executioner took a spear and thrust it through Polycarp. The blood that poured out extinguished the fire. Polycarp’s body was taken by Christians and given a Christian burial.89
Persecution is a necessary part of God’s plan and while He takes no pleasure in the pain that persecution inflicts, He is able and does use persecution for good. This is clearly expressed in the following poem.
GOD KNOWS WHAT HE’S ABOUT
“When God wants to drill a man
And thrill a man
And skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How he bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out –
God knows what He’s about!”
– Author Unknown
Just as the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested (Matthew 4:1-11), so too will He lead disciples into persecution to be tested in order that they and the church might grow inwardly into the likeness of Jesus and outwardly in numbers via the bold Spirit-empowered witness inspired by persecution. Pray to be ready and willing to suffer for Jesus, you’ll never be the same.
The Acts of the Spirit are Not Magical
The acts of the Spirit are not magical. Magic depends on delusion and sleight of hand, it is fake and smoke. The work of the Spirit is real and powerful, as evidenced by Simon the sorcerer, who saw the clear difference.
The word of God is very clear on rejecting magic and sorcery. Magic and sorcery are forbidden and condemned by God and must be eliminated from Israel (Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10; Revelation 21:8). Magic and sorcery are condemned by God through the prophets of the Old Testament (Micah 5:12). The use and practice of sorcery was an element of what made bad kings bad, as in the life and reign of king Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:6). And in the New Testament, magic and sorcery are categorized as a work of the flesh and consequently will disqualify a person from inheriting the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
When we look at Biblical history, we see unbelievers using magic in such instances as Pharaoh’s magicians (Exodus 7:11) and in Acts 8 with Simon the sorcerer. Magic and sorcery are acknowledged to have power and that power will be most evilly used in the work of the Antichrist (Exodus 7:11, 22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13:13-18). But the power of magic and sorcery is limited (Exodus 8:18-19; Acts 19:13-19).
What Is Sorcery?
What is sorcery? The word translated “sorcery” in Acts 8:9 is derived from the Greek term MAGEUO which means, “to practice magic…use sorcery.”90 We get another English word from this term MAGEUO, that word is “magic.” A commentator states the following summary of “magic”:
Magic and divination, means by which humans attempt to secure for themselves some action or information from superhuman powers. Magic is an attempt by human beings to compel a divinity, by the use of physical means, to do what they wish that divinity to do. Divination is an attempt to secure information, also by the use of physical means, about matters and events that are currently hidden or that lie in the future. The word ‘magus,’ from which the word ‘magic’ is derived, came originally from Persia, where it designated a priestly class. From there, it spread to all nations in the Mediterranean world.…the general principles upon which the practice of magic was based were more or less accepted by all. These principles may be summarized briefly as follows:
A host of intermediary beings called demons exist between God s and humans. Depending on their proximity to the God s, demons possess divine power in diminishing measures. Those closest to the gods have bodies of air, those closest to humans, bodies of steam or water. Because of this descending order, the unity of the cosmos can be preserved. Otherwise, human and divine would be irreparably separated and no communication between the two would be possible. Everything is connected through the demons who mediate between the divine and the material. Magic rests upon the belief that by getting hold of demons in physical objects, the divinity can be influenced. The magician’s art is to find out which material (metal, herb, animal, etc.) contains which divinity and to what degree. By using the element or combinations of elements containing a particular divinity in its purest form, a sympathetic relationship with the divinity will be established. If, however, elements offensive to a divinity are used, the result will be antipathetic. Thus magic can achieve either blessing or curse. The magician knows the secret and knows how to use it in the correct way with the best results.91
Another commentator states:
The magician tries to compel a God, demon or spirit to work for him; or he follows a pattern of occult practices to bend psychic forces to his will. There is no doubt that magic and sorcery are not always mere superstitions, but have a reality behind them. They must be resisted and overcome through the power of God in the name of Jesus Christ.92
The Bible tells us that “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5). It is easy to see, therefore, that consulting demonic entities to foretell or manipulate is a grotesque perversion of God’s spiritual plans. Not only this, but to have a magical view of God, that is, that if a person does certain things, God can be manipulated to do certain things, is atrocious, blasphemous and a totally abhorrent perspective on God. God desires to have a personal relationship with people through faith in Jesus His Son by the Spirit, not a manipulative arrangement. It is no wonder that Simon was later rebuked by Peter.
Another Greek term translated “sorcery” is PHARMAKEIA which means, “medication (e.g., “pharmacy”),…magic…sorcery, witchcraft.”93 How do we get from medication to sorcery in these words? One commentator explains:
In sorcery, the use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer.94
Those who use drugs open themselves up to demonic influences. That was true in earlier history, and it is just as true today.
The Self-Promotion of Sorcery
Sorcery is a device of man to promote self. Notice the phrases used to describe the activity of Simon the sorcerer: “claiming that he was someone great…saying, ‘this man is the great power of God.” Sorcery and the sorcerer are sinful because it exalts man and is an attempt by man to put him or herself in the position that God alone can have, that of Lord. Sorcery and the sorcerer is no match for the Spirit of God because it or they rely on something other than God, Who is all-powerful. If you’re looking for answers in sorcery, the occult, Satanism, astrology, palm reading, tea leaf reading, tarot card reading, or any other such thing, understand you are headed into a dark dead end and the only thing that will happen to you is that you will be mugged in that alley.
The Superior Power of the Spirit
The Spirit totally rejects sorcery because the “power” in sorcery is vastly inferior and inept, as well as counterfeit, in contrast to the genuine power of the Holy Spirit. Here we see excellent and clear evidence of a subsequent work of the Spirit in the life of the believer to empower them for life and service. The Samarian converts had been baptized in the name of Jesus, which means they must have been born again (John 3 and John 4:13-14 received living water). Now the apostles came to pray for them to be baptized with the Spirit, empowered so that they could carry on the spread of the gospel (Acts 8:14-17).
The Power of the Spirit in the Life of the Believer
Let’s take a moment to review the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
First, a person receives the Holy Spirit at the point of conversion. When a person repents of their sin, confesses their sinfulness and need of a Savior and faith in Jesus; when they trust in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross to pay the penalty for their sin for them, the Lord forgives their sin and indwells them with the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus referred to when He spoke of being born again of the Spirit (John 3:1-7). This is what Paul meant when he said that a person is not a child of God unless they have the Holy Spirit in them (Romans 8:9-11). We know that the twelve apostles were born again by the end of the gospel account, since Jesus breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22).
Second, once a person has been born again and the Spirit dwells in them, the Spirit begins the sanctifying work of conforming that person to the likeness of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is the inner work of the Spirit to conform us to the likeness of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). Jesus’ presence in us is conveyed by the Spirit. As we live in the presence of Jesus by the Spirit, Jesus begins to venture throughout our being like a person being shown a house. At conversion, Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts, and we invite Him in by faith (Revelation 3:20). Once inside, Jesus dines with us, but after the meal is over, he becomes inquisitive about the rest of the house. Sanctification is surrendering to Jesus to have Him clean house in us.
Third, as we are conformed to the likeness of Jesus by the Spirit, we eventually seek to serve as Jesus served. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). As we are conformed to Jesus’ likeness by the Spirit, we will also begin to seek to serve and minister to others giving our lives to the Lord for His will to be done. Jesus said He left us an example of service that we should follow and those being sanctified by the Spirit will be servants of Jesus (John 13:15).
Fourth, as we seek to serve like Jesus, we find that it is futile to seek to serve Him in our own strength. Our inclination is to try to serve Jesus based on our experience in our own strength, rather than the Spirit’s leading and power. This leads to frustration and failure in the life of the believer. In Acts one we see the apostles using the old methods of lots to choose a successor for Judas. The successor Matthias is never heard from again and lots are never used again by them after Pentecost. Paul describes the futility of trying to live the new life in Christ in one’s own strength by old ways in Romans 7. The conclusion of trying to serve Jesus in your own strength can be summed up in Paul’s inspired words:
This wretched state can only be overcome by turning to the Lord to receive by faith the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The apostles knew that unless the Samarians received this baptism with the Spirit, they would live futile and frustrated Christian lives.
Fifth, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a work of the Spirit in the believer’s subsequent (i.e., after) conversion to empower them for service. Though the apostles had been born again (John 20:22), they still needed to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, which would empower them to serve the Lord (Acts 1:4-5, 8; Acts 2:1-4). The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a baptism wrought upon the believer by Jesus (Acts 2:33). The baptism with the Holy Spirit changed the lives of the apostles from weak Millard Milktoast disciples to dynamic disciples and awesome apostles who were known to turn the world upside down for Jesus (which really means they turned the world right side up). This baptism is often referred to generically as the filling of believers with the Holy Spirit. One should examine the context of a passage to discern this work in Scripture passages.
Sixth, while a believer is baptized with the Holy Spirit after conversion in a single event, an ongoing refreshing of the Spirit keeps the empowerment ongoing. In Acts 4:3, those who had received the baptism with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost were again “filled” with the Hoy Spirit. Further light is shed on this when we see Paul’s words to the Ephesians, where he states:
The grammatical form of the phrase, “but be filled with the Spirit,” implies an ongoing filling with the Spirit. In effect, the phrase could be translated, be continually filled, or daily filled, or moment-by-moment filled with the Spirit.
The work of the Spirit in the life of the believer can be summarized by looking at the prepositions used in the Scripture text. In John 14:17, it states the Spirit “dwells with you but will be in you.” The Holy Spirit is “with” a person prior to conversion, leading them to the feet of Jesus to be saved (see John 16:8-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). The Spirit comes “in” a person when they turn from their sins, putting their faith in Jesus and His atoning work on the cross (John 4:13-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Later, in Acts 1:8, Jesus refers to the Spirit coming “upon” the believer to empower them for service (John 7:37-39; Acts 2; Acts 15:8-9). And as we mentioned above, the Spirit has an ongoing work of refreshing us with His power for service. All of this is a work of God’s grace in us. Just as we receive Jesus by faith to be saved, we receive the empowerment of the Spirit and the refreshing of the Spirit through faith by God’s grace.
This is a far greater and truer and valid empowerment than anything this world has to offer. This is not something you can buy or earn; it is a gift of God to be received by His grace through faith. The things of this world which seem powerful, like sorcery, magic, the occult, witchcraft and things rooted in the knowledge and man-made sources of the world, all pale in contrast to the power of the Spirit. Don’t settle for second best, false promises or a counterfeit imitation of power. Trust the Spirit through faith in Christ to receive the real thing!
The Spirit Totally Rejects Simony and Bitter Self-Centeredness
From this incident in Acts with Simon the sorcerer who wanted to buy the ability to baptize people with the Holy Spirit, we derive the word “Simony.” “Simony” is “the buying or selling of things considered religious or sacred, such as an ecclesiastical office.” 95 It is also defined as, “the buying or selling of a church office or ecclesiastical preferment”96 Simony is the act of trying to buy the gift or favor of God. In the Dark Ages, the papacy was often bought by those seeking the influence of the position. Sometimes people try to buy the favor of a minister in an attempt to purchase religious favors.
Sorcery and sorcerers, the occult, astrology, tarot readers and the like are means by which people attempt to play on the emotions, spiritual blindness, and spiritual ignorance of people for personal profit. When you walk into a psychic readers’ office, they aren’t going to do your reading unless you pay them. You have to pay a tarot card reader, an astrologer, or a fortune-teller to get the information you desire. Witches don’t work for nothing; they’re trying to make a living too! All of this is part of the manipulation that betrays the sinister sinful root of such practices, to use, abuse, manipulate and rip off ignorant, hurting people.
Why did Simon seek to purchase the ability to bring the Spirit upon people? Besides the likely remaining desire of Simon to exalt himself, Peter tells us Simon was poisoned with bitterness. Why was Simon now bitter? He was bitter because he was no longer seen as “The great power of God,” now Jesus was getting the glory. Magic and sorcery are manipulative and a way for people to subtly bring attention to themselves as the ones who can control and manipulate the spirit world to one’s advantage. This is totally contrary to having faith in Jesus and walking in the Spirit. Such bitterness hinders the work of God in and through a person and needs to be repented of (Acts 8:22-23).
Simon was humbled by his sinfulness. The apostles weren’t hindered by this situation from preaching the truly powerful word of God in the Spirit (Acts 8:24-25). Simon seems to have repented of this gross sin. We can see similar leanings to sorcery and the occult in our world today. In fact, there is a series of books that have swept the world, especially the young world in popularity.
What’s Wrong With Harry Potter?
If I were to ask, “How many of you love Jesus?” Many of you would raise your hands. Even those of you who would not say that you “love” Jesus would say that you at least respect Him. What would you say if someone said the following about Jesus?
I think it is absolute rubbish to protest children's books on the grounds that they are luring children to Satan,…People should be praising them for that! These books guide children to an understanding that the weak, idiotic Son of God is a living hoax who will be humiliated when the rain of fire comes…while we, "his" [satan?] faithful servants laugh & cavort in victory.97
Do you know who said that? Not J.K Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series (and the basis of the recent blockbuster movie in the book). This quote is bogus and falsely attributed to J.K. Rowlings (see https://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/harrypotter.htm).
Despite this false quote, there is a wealth of material to show that the Harry Potter material is deceptively evil and spiritually unhealthy, especially for young people. Many view the Harry Potter books as harmless entertainment that has gotten kids to read. But, what you read is just as, if not more, important that you read.
Some people say that the Harry Potter books are only fantasy and that the witchcraft and sorcery that are contained in the books are harmless. But Ms. Rowlings majored in occult studies in her college education and even consulted with witches before she wrote her book. She wanted to make sure that what she put in her books would be accurate witchcraft. While the books may be fantasy, they teach accurately the principles of witchcraft. No child of God should be involved in such things. Harry Potter is a subtle, deceptive way for those in witchcraft and sorcery to recruit the young.
What’s so bad about Harry? In the Harry Potter series, a number of pagan false beliefs are subtly referred to and promoted which contradict the truth given in the word of God. In an article entitled The Occult and Harry Potter,98 the staff of the John Ankerberg Ministry note a number of occult beliefs that are conveyed in the Harry Potter books. The word “occult” is used as an umbrella term to refer to a number of beliefs, principles and practices that are rooted in the premise that everything (animate and inanimate) contains energy or a force that can be called upon and used to alter situations in life. A few of the beliefs noted in the article as being presented in the Harry Potter books are:
Why not Harry Potter? Harry Potter is a sorcerer, and the Harry Potter books contain graphic occult practices. God has a lot to say about the occult, witchcraft, and sorcery and none of it is good. There are a number of reasons why people should think twice about exposing themselves to witchcraft and sorcery. Here are a few reasons to stay away from it.
What Does The Bible Say About the Occult and Why Should We Care?
Before we look at what God says to us about the occult, I’d like to address those of you who may be thinking, (or outright saying), “So what if the Bible condemns the occult and related practices. Why should anyone listen to what the Bible says?” We should heed the warnings of the Bible because the Bible has stood the test of time and history and the repeated onslaught of those who would try to discredit it.
Christian apologist and author Berit Kjos who has done extensive research on the Harry Potter books, states the following:
The mass media's promotion of contrary values have prompted even Christians to replace or distort the pursuit of God with the pursuit of pleasure [e.g., Chuck Colson; World Magazine; Focus on the Family; are a few prominent Christian leaders and groups that see Harry Potter as harmless and even positive in nature.] So God 's standards would hardly win a popularity contest today. Popular versions of Christianity have wisely rejected some of the stiff legalism of the past, but it has also tossed out God 's much-needed guidelines and warnings. The result is license to do almost anything that feels good. Christians who refuse to compromise are often demeaned as old-fashioned kill-joys who bring reproof and embarrassment to those who fear offending the world with the whole truth of the gospel. That's why Jesus warned us long ago,
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you…Remember the words I spoke to you: …If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also… for they do not know the One who sent me. John 15:18-21
God gave us His Word that we might know Him. The Bible reveals His heart, will and ways. It alone can show us what is truth or error in…responses to the Harry Potter phenomenon.99
Ms. Kjos ends her article by saying:
Remember, this is spiritual warfare. God 's enemy fights as hard as ever to win the hearts and loyalties of our children –– and he has added all kinds of high-tech tools to his armory.
To resist his strategies, they first need to understand the Biblical world view. That's why God told His people long ago to base all conversation –– day and night –– on His unchanging truth:
"These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit…walk…lie down, and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Everything we say must reflect the reality of God, His love and sovereignty, His promises, and His warnings. To prove that our God is far greater than the pantheon of alternatives, our lives must demonstrate faith in the midst of difficulties and His triumph in the midst of turmoil. This is possible, not by our own strength, but by His power and grace. Then, seeing His greatness, children learn to trust His promises.
Likewise, The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) begins and ends with the power of His Word. First, we "put on the belt of Truth," which holds all the other pieces –– His righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation –– in place. The last part, "the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God," is simply His truth and promises memorized, remembered, and affirmed as we face each day's challenge.
This two-edged sword is our main weapon in every battle. It exposes lies and uncovers deceptions while it strengthens our faith and lifts our hearts. The world can't understand it, and many so-called Christians despise it. But to those who love God, it brings the hope, strength, joy, and perseverance needed to walk with Him in peace no matter what happens.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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 10:3-5
That seems to be a sensible as well as spiritual take on the Potter phenomenon. The Bible is like no other book. It is confirmed and proved by archeology, fulfilled prophecy, its accuracy, and its power to change lives. The Bible is the Word of God and, as such, is our standard, our manual for life. The Bible is a love letter from our heavenly Father who loves us so much that He gave us directions about life and how to live it the right way. Listen to what the Bible says about itself:
The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is breathed out from God through human authors to us so that we can know who God is and how we can have an eternal relationship with Him. If you ignore the Bible, you do so at your own peril. Therefore, it’s to the Bible that we turn to see what God says about witchcraft and sorcery, the stuff found in the Harry Potter books and movies.
Seven Biblical Reasons To Stay Away From Harry Potter and Witchcraft/Sorcery
Below are seven reasons from the Bible why we should refrain from witchcraft and sorcery. A short statement will be given with the Biblical quote that conveys the truth.
First, Witchcraft/Sorcery is forbidden by God. This is clearly seen throughout the Bible and the following verses make this clear:
In this last portion of the Scripture from Deuteronomy, sorcery and similar practices are said to be an “abomination” to the Lord. What does it mean for something to be an abomination? Someone has said that an abomination to the Lord is something so terrible and disgustingly sinful in the sight of God that it would make Him want to bomb-a–nation! That is a pretty serious condemnation from the Lord.
Second, Witchcraft and Sorcery are EVIL in the sight of God. My opinion and your opinion really don’t mean all that much, but God’s opinion means everything. What does God think about sorcery and things connected with sorcery? God says sorcery is evil, as we see in the following verses:
So “evil” are occult practices to the Lord that they actually provoke God to anger. God is not One who you would want to be angry with you.
Third, Witchcraft and Sorcery are an act of REBELLION against God. Witchcraft and sorcery are an act of rebellion against God because it is an attempt to control the world (by spells and curses), putting the practitioner in the place of Godhood. God is in control, not people. Ouija boards are often the introductory step in drawing a person into the occult and a sorcerer’s mentality of the world. But this initially subtle act of rebellion against God’s sovereign position is sure to grow into outright rebellion against God. If God says something is sinful and evil, shouldn’t that be enough? Yes is should, and God says sorcery is rebellious against Him as the following verses show:
The occult is rebellious because it disregards God’s word and the authority of God. The occult is rebellious because it is an act of casting off God’s lordship and authority and an attempt to usurp His place in one’s life. In the occult, the practitioner puts themselves in the place rightfully belonging to God. In the occult, one is saying they do not need God to help or guide them. They are saying they don’t need a Savior or Lord and that is in direct contradiction of what God says (Revelation 4:11). In the occult, a person is saying, “I don’t need God, I can run my own life.” Don’t rebel against God by delving into witchcraft and its related practices. Rather surrender to God in Christ by the Spirit. He has all you could ever want or need.
Fourth, Witchcraft and Sorcery will ROB YOU of your peace. You would be hard-pressed to find something more cancerous to your soul than the occult, witchcraft, and sorcery types of practices. In the Old Testament we see a direct connection between the use of the occult and the loss of one’s peace. This is seen in the interaction between Jehu and Joram when they meet. God has anointed Jehu to bring justice against the occult practices of king Joram. Read how Joram lost his peace because he allowed the occult practices of his mother to persist:
Joram not only lost his peace, his position and purpose before theLord, he lost his life, all because he followed after the sinful and abominable practices of his predecessors, which included sorcery and witchcraft. Indeed, as we see with Joram, the consequences of sorcery and witchcraft will pierce the practitioner’s heart.
Fifth, Witchcraft and Sorcery are WORKS OF THE FLESH (Flesh = sinful nature; man’s efforts to manipulate and control their own fate). Witchcraft and sorcery, magic, are all efforts to get one’s will done by circumventing God and making Him unnecessary. Isn’t that what Satan tried to do in the Garden of Eden? He told Eve that she would become like God. If she were to become like God, God wouldn’t be needed anymore because she could become a God unto herself, she would have the power and ability to fend for herself apart from God. That is the ultimate work of the flesh. Read how such occult and sorceries are categorized in the word of God:
The occult is limited in power because it relies on a defeated foe, Satan (Colossians 2:15), as well as the frail resources of fallen humanity, the flesh. God wants something much better for you, He wants you to be “more than conquerors” through Christ (Romans 8:37). Don’t be deceived and cheated from God’s best by indulging in, dabbling in and relying on the occult.
Sixth, Witchcraft and Sorcery can give SATAN a FOOTHOLD (a beach head; a hold on you; his foot is in the door) in your life. Those who delve into the occult and sorcery types of activities may get more than they reckon for. Such practices open the door to demonic influence. Read what Paul, Peter and John are inspired to teach about such things:
The person who dabbles in or relies on the occult in any way, is opening the door for Stan and inviting him and his legions to be an influence in that person’s life. If you open the door a crack, if you give an inch, Satan will steal a yard and bust into your house and seek to wreak havoc on you. Don’t do it! Don’t compromise in this area at all! It’s not worth it.
Seventh, Witchcraft and Sorcery can keep you out of heaven. No one practicing sorcery or the occult in direct disobedience and rebellion towards God, no one doing such things will be permitted into God’s heavenly abode. Read what the Bible says about this:
Those who indulge in the occult or practice the occult are in a sinful state of rebellion against God’s clear teaching and this shows an absence of faith. You need to believe in Jesus with all your heart (see comments on Acts 8:37), it is your faith in Christ contained in your heart that saves you (Romans 10:8-10). Rely on Jesus and He will change your life.
Many get into witchcraft and sorcery because they want power over their lives and other people in their lives. But where is the real power?
Where’s the Real Power?
Sorcery, magic, the occult, promises power and the ability to influence others and be a God. The allure of such practices and beliefs is that the person practicing such things can gain seeming control of their destiny and life. But such a belief is a pipe dream and fallacious at best. All the occult does is draw a person into a realm where they become enslaved to the devil (Romans 6:14-23; Ephesians 2:1-3). But where’s the real power? The real power is with God in the Spirit! God does not give us power to manipulate people according to our will, but He does give us power to do His will. He knows all and is all-powerful, and the wise person submits and surrenders to Him rather than rebels against Him.
Witchcraft is powerless against God. In the Book of Isaiah, the Lord through that prophet denounces the kingdom of Babylon for relying on witchcraft to guide it. The passage brings out the rebellious nature at the root of witchcraft. Read what the Lord says in the Bible:
All the witchcraft, sorcery and magic in the world and underworld are totally impotent and futile against God and His omnipotence. Witchcraft didn’t help Babylon against God in the past, and it won’t help it against God in the future (see Revelation 17 and Revelation 18). The occult practices and reliance upon the demonic world is siding with a bunch of losers. Those who get caught up in and put their faith in witchcraft are going in the wrong direction away from God.
Witchcraft and sorcery are powerless against the holy disciple of God. In our own strength we are vulnerable to the influence of witchcraft, sorcery, and the occult demonic forces. But in Christ, in the power of God, the force of darkness is like eggshells under a heavy boot, crushed to smithereens. Read what the Bible says about the powerlessness of sorcery against the disciple of God:
There is a lot going on in the world right now and most of it is scary and intimidating to the disciple of God. Islam seems to be making inroads in the world and is used to perform horrendous and violent acts against humanity in the name of “Allah.” There are false teachings everywhere (e.g., “Allah” is the same as YAHWEH; Islam, Christianity and Judaism all follow the same God – that is TOTALLY FALSE!), and there is Harry Potter, bringing witchcraft and the occult into our lives. It can all seem overwhelming. But God has given us a promise:
God promises that when the enemy comes flooding in, He will raise up a standard, a banner, and a wall that will thwart the enemy. That standard is you and I empowered by God’s Spirit. God is in control and none of this has taken Him by surprise. Trust Him, follow Him and leave Harry behind.
What Should We Do?
What should believers do if they have been indulging in occult things? What if you’ve been allowing your kids to read Harry Potter books? What if you’ve been living by the horoscope? What if you’ve been depending on a talisman or good luck charm? What if you’re into astrology, tarot cards, Ouija boards and similar occult things? What if you’ve got occultic books and videos in your home? I believe the best thing to do is to rid yourself of such things in practice and in substance. I’m sure some will raise the specter of “book burning” as a negative cloud over the idea of ridding oneself of occult materials and practices, but there is Biblical precedent to clean house like this, so to speak. Later in Acts we see how the Spirit led certain people to destroy those things they had depended on for guidance prior to Christ. The account is given in Acts 19, where it states:
This passage will be studied in detail when we get to it, but suffice it to say now that those who practiced magic and had books related to magic practices took the material and burned them in public. Now, if you don’t think this was a major statement of faith and a changed heart and world view, keep in mind that “fifty thousand pieces of silver” was a tremendous amount of money. One commentator states that fifty thousand pieces of sliver, “…was equivalent to the total salaries of 150 men working for a whole year!”100 Another commentator says, “The total price of what is burned comes out to about fifty thousand days’ wages for an average worker.”101 Still another commentator says the books would be, “valued at over one million dollars by current standards…”102 Lastly, one commentator states, “Fifty thousand drachmas were an outrageous total, showing clearly the Ephesians’ fascination with such things. The drachma was a silver coin representing the average wage for a day; thus this total represents over 135 years’ wages.”103 Get the picture, these people counted the cost and paid up in a very practical way. Whatever the amount, it was huge, and that was a lot of books, a lot of very expensive books on the fire! The Spirit had so gotten hold of their hearts that the thought of keeping anything contrary to Christ, the thought of how they had once depended on the inferior magic practices of the enemy, was repugnant to them. So repugnant was their past dependence on magic that they were moved to cast the related materials on a fire in public to make a statement that they were no longer going to depend on magic, but on the Spirit and Christ. By throwing the books on the fire, they were saying, “We belong to Jesus, and we’re not turning back!”
God’s Power is Not For Sale
Simon the sorcerer may or may not have been genuinely saved, and he may or may not have been asking an innocent question out of his spiritual ignorance. The bottom line is God’s power is not for sale. Now, you might think that truth to be obvious. You might think that it really isn’t a relevant issue. But I believe it is.
The Bible tells us:
The Bible also states:
In all that God does in and through us, we are nothing, God is everything. In all that we do, God alone should get the glory. If we, or a person, or a system, or a method, is getting the credit and glory for what God does in power, it is a cheap misuse of that power and will soon result in the loss of that power.
Both these verses were inspired by God and delivered through the Apostle Paul to a church in Corinth that was very carnal and self-centered. These two verses provide insight into how we and others too often reduce God’s power to self-serving purposes. When we try to manipulate what God does to benefit self-servingly, we are in effect trying to buy and abuse God’s power. To that, God says, My power is not for sale.
How do we in reality seek to buy and misuse God’s power? Here are a few suggestions.
First, we cheapen and misuse God’s power when we use it to turn the focus on ourselves. When ministries are headed up by personalities, when people take credit (subtly or not so subtly) for what God’s power has done, then God’s power is purchased and abused. There should never be “stars” in the church. There should never be a cult-like following for certain speakers. Like with Simon the sorcerer, God, through a righteous instrument, will rebuke such abusers of His power. Since neither the one who plants or waters in ministry is anything, neither the one who starts or is used to sustain a ministry is anything, then whenever we present ourselves to be something at the expense of God’s power, we cheapen and misuse God’s power.
When we act in such a way, it is evidence we are deceived:
Remember, it was Satan who lifted himself up in pride, seeking to use power to supplant God. That was the greatest deception. But the world is under a similar sway (e.g., 1 John 5:19). It would be better for us to cultivate the same attitude John the Baptist had who said of his relationship to Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). God ALONE IS THE ONE TO WHOM GLORY IS DESERVED IN ALL THAT WE DO.
Remember what the LORD states:
God will not share His glory with anyone else, because no one else deserves glory and no one else can handle the glory without it leading to sinful pride. Remember that. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:6). Go the route that leads to grace.
Second, we cheapen and misuse God’s power when using it for personal profit. Hear what the Apostle John said of our relationship to the world and the things therein:
When ministries and ministers and those who follow them boast of God’s power and blessing in order to condone and even encourage their own profiting and scandalous over-spending, they commit sacrilege and misuse God’s power. God’s power cannot be bought and used for personal profit. Multimillion-dollar mansions, personal jets, millionaire ministers, and the like seem so contrary to the call of Jesus to lose all to follow Him. Remember what Jesus said, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33; cf. context of Luke 14:25-35; also Philippians 2-3).
If we are going to boast, let’s follow the steps of Paul who was inspired to say:
We might also add here that we should not use God’s power to get our own way or justify doing something more than the Holy Spirit is directing us to do. When we frame our desires with the words “the Lord told me” when He really didn’t tell you anything, but you just want to get your way, then we are cheapening the power of God and misusing, even abusing His power. No one should use the power of God for personal profit.
Third, we cheapen and misuse God’s power when we reduce it to a formula. When churches seek to reduce ministry to a “plan,” or “model,” or “strategy,” or some other marketing-like tactic to build “bigger,” and “better,” it is a miscalculation and misunderstanding of God’s power and the way God works. You can’t put God’s power in a box. God’s power cannot be bought or sold.
The only attitude endorsed by the Lord in Scripture is to have the mindset of “if the Lord wills”:
In the Book of Acts there are no formulas or step-by-step instructions on how to proceed in the Spirit. Instead, we see people who pray, use God’s word as a guide, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is what we should do as well.
Interestingly, there are not “ABCs” of salvation in the Bible. The Four Spiritual Laws are not laid out as such in the Bible. Even the empowerment of the Spirit cannot be reduced to an initial and subsequent work. Sometimes the empowerment of the Spirit seems to be subsequent to the initial born again regenerative experience (e.g., Acts 1, Acts 2, Acts 8, and Acts 19), and sometimes concurrent (Acts 10). God manifests His power in different ways, often unexpected ways, times and places. Later in Acts 8, the Spirit will direct Philip to leave a revival to go to a desert where he is used to minister to a single individual. God’s power cannot be bought and it should never be manipulated or misused for one’s own purposes.
The Worth of One Soul
As a result of the confrontation with Simon the Sorcerer, their testimony and preaching of the word to the people of Samaria there was a move of the Spirit and the gospel was spread to “many villages” (Acts 8:14-24). But in the middle of this move of the Spirit, “an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,” and directed him to leave this fertile ministry and go to Gaza, which is “desert (Acts 8:25). This must have felt counterintuitive to Philip since the Spirit was already moving where he was ministering.
The devil would have us believe that the thing most valuable to a person is their life. When Satan went before God to get permission to tempt and test Job, the devil reasoned:
But even though the devil tested Job terribly, Job did not give in but remained true to the Lord. Job complained and questioned, but he remained true to the Lord, trusting in Him. This is evidence that for Job, there was something of even greater value than one’s life.
Jesus once said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25; cf. also Mark 8:36-37). To Jesus, the soul of a person was more valuable than all the riches of the world combined!
Jesus also spoke of a rich man in hell who surely would have been willing to give all his earthly riches to redeem his soul, but by that point it was too late (Luke 16:19-31). There is nothing of greater value than a soul.
That all the original apostles (except for Judas who betrayed Jesus, and John who lived to old age) were willing to die horrible martyr’s deaths in an effort to reach lost souls, testifies to the value of a soul.
The rest of this chapter demonstrates the extent to which the Spirit is willing to go to save a soul. The Spirit will direct us to leave a crowd and searching out that one lost but seeking soul, in order that the gospel might be shared with them. The Spirit will even move a seeking sinner to turn to the exact page in the Bible, and then bring someone alongside to help explain its meaning. The Spirit will do all of that for one lost soul. We have nothing so valuable as our soul. God is trying to help us understand that. We do not always listen. But, as in the case of the eunuch, sometimes we do.
The Use of the Word to Win Souls
What was the primary instrument used by the Spirit to win the Ethiopian’s soul? The account tells us:
The word of God is the Spirit’s primary instrument to win this soul. The Bible states, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This is evidence contrary to the modern shying away from using or referring to God’s word in evangelizing the lost or ministering to people. The Bible and, in particular, this portion of Scripture, instructs us toward not away from a use and reliance on Scripture in evangelism.
In the longest chapter of the Bible relating to God’s word it states:
The Apostle Paul pointed out the value of God’s word in evangelism when he wrote to the Thessalonians:
The Holy Spirit uses His Word Powerfully in the Salvation of the Lost.
The Holy Spirit directed this lost soul to the portion of Scripture he needed to save his soul. The Spirit did not shoot a shotgun blast of Scripture at the eunuch. The Spirit directed the eunuch to the most powerful gospel portion of the Old Testament, Isaiah 53. Acts 8:32-33 quotes Isaiah 53:7-8. The context of this great passage, (which Philip would have been sure to explain to the eunuch) states:
In Acts, it states, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35). The Holy Spirit knew the perfect portion of Scripture this eunuch needed to hear.
The Holy Spirit aided this lost soul’s understanding by directing Philip to help him. The Holy Spirit directed Philip to where he needed to be to cross paths with the eunuch and be used in winning him to Christ. Remember that the next time you are prodded by the Spirit to reach out to a lost soul.
The Holy Spirit directed Philip where to go, and Philip cooperated with the Spirit in the winning of this soul. The Holy Spirit prods people to go to reach the lost soul. Those prodded must make themselves available and willing to be used by the Spirit (e.g., Romans 10:14-17).
The Spirit directs us to the lost. The devil directs us away from the lost. The devil wants to keep us from witnessing and sharing the gospel. The Spirit points us to the lost and wants to use us to reach out to them. Remember that next time you are hesitant or fearful about sharing the gospel. The devil wants you to stay away. The Spirit wants you to go out to the lost.
The Holy Spirit used the word of God to direct this lost soul to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The volume of Scripture is ultimately all about Jesus (e.g., Hebrews 10:7). A person’s eternal destiny depends on where they stand (or fall) with Jesus. Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Witnessing must always end up with Jesus.
The lost soul was saved when he believed in Jesus with all his heart. Salvation is a matter of the heart (Romans 10:9-11). The Holy Spirit orchestrated a gracious opportunity for this lost soul to hear and be given an opportunity to find forgiveness for their sins, eternal life, through faith in Christ. All of this is provided by God’s grace. The Ethiopian Eunuch had to respond with belief for God’s gracious provision to save his soul.
Now we turn to the nature of the Spirit directing us to lost souls.
The Spirit Arranges Divine Appointments – Ten Aspects of Divine Appointments
It’s interesting that one of the things the occult practices promise and aim to do is control people, to bring people under the influence of the occultist’s will. Here we see where the real influence is. It’s in the power of the Spirit. Here we see the Holy Spirit bringing about a holy divine appointment. The Spirit is in control here, and He is maneuvering and arranging a meeting of an Ethiopian with an evangelist named Philip. The Ethiopian is seeking the truth about Jesus and the Spirit is going to arrange an answer to his questions in a very blessed way. You see in the occult, people try to manipulate others to do their will, but in the Spirit, believers are directed to fulfill God’s will. And God’s will is not selfish, it is aimed at saving sinners from their sin and giving them a new life in Christ, an eternal life of love in Christ by the Spirit. That is something the occult can never do.
There are a number of things to take note of in these verses. Actually there are ten aspects of divine appointments that can be gleaned from this passage in Acts that we should be mindful of. You see each day we walk in the Spirit, He is directing us, (or we should be looking for the Spirit to) in a divine appointment. Such awareness brings life to our existence. We should awake each day praying. “Lord, how would you use me today?” When we cultivate and live with that expectation and attitude, it brings adventure, excitement and purpose to our lives. This is the way Philip and the other disciples of the New Testament lived and this is the way we should live too. What are the ten aspects of Divine appointments in this passage?
First, the Spirit begins by using those like Philip who trusted the leading of the Spirit. The text states:
Philip was directed by “an angel of the Lord” to go south to the desert regions. I wonder if Philip wondered why God would send him away from people who needed the gospel to a place that was desolate, a desert. (Acts 8:26). It must have taken a lot of faith on Philip’s part to follow the Spirit in this way that probably appeared contrary to good reason. When the Spirit impresses upon us a desire to move in Him, to reach out, to take the initiative in our witness, we should obey, we should follow, we should submit in faith to it. How tragic it is that we are rigidly steadfast in our own daily agendas and not flexible enough to be steadfast in following God’s agenda for us each day. The Spirit is speaking; will we pause long enough to hear? And when we hear, will we have the faith to follow obediently to His call for the day? Divine appointments often begin when the Spirit speaks to us while we are on our knees in prayer. Interested in a Divine appointment? Pray about it!
Second, the Spirit networks and arranges divine appointments; we need to be alert and available to be used by Him. The text states:
“The ancient kingdom of Ethiopia was probably in the area now called the Sudan,”104 according to one commentator. The term “eunuch” (Greek εὐνοῦχος [eunouchos /yoo·noo·khos/]” is found eight times in the New Testament. The word “eunuch” comes from the Greek term EUNE which means, “a bed.” A eunuch was one described as, “a bed keeper, bed guard, superintendent of the bedchamber, chamberlain…” A king or ruler who had a harem of wives would employ a eunuch to oversee them. To guard against sexual activity and children born as a result of any possible sexual intercourse between the eunuch and wives of the harem, the eunuch was emasculated or castrated and rendered incapable of producing children.105
Of this Ethiopian eunuch one commentator states:
We read here that this man of Ethiopia had charge of all the treasure of the queen. He was actually the Secretary of the Treasury. He was an official, and a high official of that day. This man was not traveling alone. He had a great retinue of servants and minor officials with him. He wasn’t sitting in a chariot with the reins in one hand and a book in the other hand as we see him pictured. This man was sitting back in a chariot, protected from the sun by a canopy. He had a private chauffeur and was riding in style.
He was a citizen of Ethiopia, but he had come to Jerusalem to worship. This indicates that he was a proselyte to Judaism. He had just been to Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish religion. Although Judaism was the God-given religion, he was leaving the city still in the dark. He was reading the prophet Isaiah, but he was not understanding what he was reading.106
The Spirit has a way of arranging divine appointments. If there is someone in need of ministry, the Spirit will direct a willing servant to that person and ministry to the inquirer. Notice, we are told of how Philip was directed to the Ethiopian, but obviously the Spirit had been directing the Ethiopian too! The Spirit is not so much looking for ability in people (see 1 Corinthians 1; 1 Corinthians 2); He is more looking for people who have availability. Philip was alert to and available to the Spirit, not to mention obedient, as he immediately followed the direction of the Spirit. Are you alert to and available for the Divine appointment of the Spirit?
Third, the Spirit prepares the heart of those seeking Jesus; we need to be alert and available in order to take full advantage of such opportunities. The text states:
The Ethiopian just happened to be reading Isaiah, the gospel of the Old Testament!!!! Also, later we see that there just happened to be some water in the desert for a baptism (Acts 8:36). How frequently is water found in a desert? But when the Spirit is at work, the circumstances all seem to fit into place just right. You couldn’t ask for a better set up by the Spirit. The Spirit brought the Ethiopian and Philip together on a silver platter. This tells us something very important. We need to stop trying to force a witness on those not ready or prepared by the Spirit to receive one. Instead, we need to walk in the Spirit and be open to Him, and then we will find the doors of opportunity to witness flying open.
Fourth, the Spirit moves us to those ripe for salvation; we need to be obedient to the direction of the Spirit. The text says:
The Spirit directed Philip to go and catch up to the chariot. Thankfully, Philip had a ready and servant’s heart and went where the Spirit directed him to go. Philip was ready and obedient. Ever had an impression to talk to someone and dismissed it or hesitated and had it pass you by? Philip didn’t hesitate when prodded by the Spirit and the result was a perfect witnessing opportunity. If the Spirit puts a seeker in your path, don’t hesitate, just speak what the Spirit would have you speak. Let the Spirit use you to reach out to the seeker. He has already been preparing that person’s heart (see John 16:8-11).
Fifth, when the Spirit sets up divine appointments, we, like Philip, need to take the initiative in witnessing. The text states:
Philip takes the initiative, runs up to the chariot, and asks a loaded question of the Ethiopian. This led to the door of opportunity to witness being flung wide open. When the Spirit is in it, the person being witnessed to is open and ripe for soul harvest. What a blessing! But we need to take initiative too! Philip didn’t just sit back and do nothing; he acted in faith on what the Spirit was doing. When the Spirit sets up the witnessing situation, we need to act in the power of the Spirit to serve the Spirit’s desire in that situation. Don’t be afraid to speak up, it is the Spirit who will give you the words to speak (see Matthew 10:20).
Sixth, the Spirit uses the word of God to save souls. The text states:
The Spirit knows how to use His word. The Ethiopian just happened to be reading Isaiah 53. That is incredible and no accident or coincidence. With the Spirit there are no coincidences, there are only God –incidents and divine appointments. When the Holy Spirit is in a situation, the door is often flung open to share the gospel and for a soul to be won. And the way the Spirit works is by way of the word of God. It is the word of God that powerfully works in the hearts of people. Read a few Bible texts that tell us this:
The Spirit uses the sword of the Spirit to cut through hard hearts and blinded minds. Are you ready to use the word of God to witness? Have you prepared yourself as a student of the word to be used by Him to share the gospel? We are called to be students of the word of God no matter how old or young we are physically or in the Lord (2 Timothy 2:15). Get into the word, let the Spirit get it into you, and then let the Spirit bring it out of you to witness to the lost.
Seventh, the Spirit brings sinners to the feet of Jesus; that must be our primary objective in witnessing. The text states:
The Spirit was working in the Eunuch’s heart as He moved him to ponder the right question, “of whom does the prophet say this…?” Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about Jesus the suffering Servant Messiah. The Spirit is leading the Eunuch to the feet of Jesus. Jesus is the only One through whom we can be saved (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:8-10). Jesus is the One to Whom the Spirit brings the sinner to be saved. When you witness, always bring the seeker to the feet of Jesus. Jesus is our aim and focus in witnessing. Only Jesus can save the soul and, therefore it is to Jesus we must point people, bring people to be saved. We can’t bring people to ourselves or put ourselves in the center of witnessing opportunities, which leads to empty failure and frustration. We must bring the sinner to the Savior Jesus.
Eight, Philip was focused and ready to “preach Jesus to” this seeker with the word of God. The text states:
Philip didn’t get off on tangents in the word. He preached Jesus to the seeker. When the Spirit brings a divine appointment to witness, don’t get off on a theological tangent or peripheral issue in the word. Before an unbeliever can chew on the meat of the word, they have to drink the milk, the gospel of Jesus in the word. Oftentimes, when a person is being witnessed to, they will come up with questions meant to deflect the word of the Spirit. When you’re witnessing to an unbeliever, aim at bringing them to Jesus. If someone asks you, “Well what about the people in the dark rain forests who’ve never heard about Jesus?” your response should be, “Well, I know God is just and fare (Deuteronomy 23:4) and will deal accordingly with them, but the more important issue is what will you do now that you have heard about Jesus and the gospel?”
Philip was ready to preach Jesus to the inquiring eunuch. Philip began in Isaiah 53, but the implication was that he shared numerous other areas in the word where Jesus was referred to as the Savior. Philip didn’t hem and haw or hesitate to share Jesus Christ with this seeker; he was ready and prepared to share the gospel in the Spirit. Philip was a student of the word ready and unashamed to share the word with this seeker. Do you live with a healthy expectation that the Spirit is going to use you? If the phone rang right now and someone was seeking counsel, would you be so shocked and surprised that you would stumble and fumble away the Divine appointment from the Spirit? Or would you be ready to “preach Jesus to” them? Be ready Christian, the Spirit might want to use you before the day is done!
Ninth, the Spirit aims at the heart, moving people to give all their heart to Jesus. The text states:
Anyone who is willing to give all their heart to Jesus can be saved and is entitled to be baptized. Here is the gospel in its simplest form. The one willing to give all their heart to Jesus is the one Jesus will welcome into the kingdom with open arms. When you witness, aim for the heart, bring Jesus to the door of the heart of the seeker, for it is with the heart and in the heart that salvation is wrought. Paul was inspired to write:
It has been said that if a person can be argued into accepting Jesus as Savior, they can probably be argued out of accepting him. But the one who gives Jesus their heart, who comes into His presence humbly giving Him their heart, that person will never turn from the Lord. Paul, at the end of his life, said:
These are some of Paul’s final words to his spiritual son Timothy and, therefore, very important. Notice what Paul did and did not say in this verse. He did not tell Timothy he was willing to suffer and was not ashamed because he knew a lot about Jesus, or a lot of theology or a lot of facts about Jesus. No, Paul based his willingness to suffer anything and all things on the testimony that he knew whom he believed in. Paul had come to know Jesus in his heart and was telling Timothy that that personal relationship with Jesus was able to sustain him in all his hardship and indeed was worth any hardship in this life (see Acts 20:24 and Romans 8:18). That is what the Spirit is aiming to do in a person.
Tenth, the Spirit moves the servant of God in an efficient manner. The passage then states:
Philip’s work was done, and the Spirit moved him on. The eunuch was left to rejoice over his newfound Savior and salvation. Philip didn’t gloat or swell out his chest, he didn’t take credit or put himself on a pedestal over what had just happened, he got on with the work of God. The Spirit moved him to Azotus, which is the old Philistine city of Ashdod about twenty miles from where he was. From there Philip proceeded down the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea reaching all the way. It’s possible that Philip settled in Caesarea because twenty years later he was still there (Acts 21:8).
When we witness and are used by the Spirit like Philip was, we shouldn’t let our guard down, breathe a sigh of relief, kick up our feet and relax. No, we should seek Him for the next Divine appointment. Hundreds, thousands, millions are perishing without Christ! There is work to be done by the Spirit through us. Press on Christian! Press on! (See Philippians 3).
It’s interesting to note here that the words “caught…away” are translated from the Greek term HARPADZO, which is translated, “to seize…catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).”107 In the Latin Vulgate Translation of the Bible HARPADZO is translated with the word raptus, from which we get the English word “rapture” which refers to the coming of Jesus in the air to receive believers to Himself in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). In this incident we catch a glimpse of how the Spirit can catch away or pluck up a person. The Rapture of the saints can happen at any time. Are you ready? (Luke 21:36).
How One Faithful Witness Can Be Used by God.
When the Spirit through the angel directed Philip to leave and go off into a desert, it must have been disconcerting. It mustn’t have felt logical to leave a place where the Spirit was moving to travel 60 miles on a rough road into the desert. Who does that?! But that’s the way the Spirit moves us sometimes. I wouldn’t make it a template or a model, but I would be open to such directions of the Spirit. Thankfully, Philip was.
Be willing to follow God’s lead. God doesn’t give us a five-year or a ten-year plan when He calls us. He simply calls us out of our Ur of the Chaldees, and we have to decide to follow. If we follow, He will lead us. All along the way we need to remember, “This is a work of God.” Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but growth comes from God (1 Corinthians 3:7).
One of one. We should also remember that very few are put in a position to preach to multitudes. Most of our witnessing will be one on one, to a single person. The Spirit works through personal conversations, like the one he orchestrated between Philip and the eunuch.
Keep in mind what God might do. In the late 1800’s a man in Chicago, Mr. Edward Kimball, had a burden for one of the students in his Sunday school class. The young fellow worked in a shoe store. Kimball had a burden for the soul of this young man. He just couldn’t get this kid off his heart. So, prodded by the Spirit, Mr. Kimball went to the shoe store, witnessed to the young student, and led him to Christ. That young man’s name was D.L. Moody. D.L. Moody grew up to impact two continents, the United States and Europe, with the gospel. All of this because of Edward Kimball’s faithfulness.
But the work of the Spirit doesn’t end there. While preaching through Europe, a man named F.B. Meyer was deeply touched by Moody’s testimony of how Moody was himself saved, but also how Moody reached out to the lost children of the streets of Chicago. Moody used worship to reach the young people. They came to his Sunday school but were rowdy and uproarious. Moody’s use of worship and song quieted them down and enabled him to share the gospel with them. Moody’s ministry became so successful and noteworthy for the way through the gospel it changed people’s lives, that Abraham Lincoln visited his church.
Moody’s testimony of his ministry to young people motivated Meyer who committed himself to seeing every single one of his Sunday school students come to Christ. Out of Meyer’s efforts came a convert named J. Wilbur Chapman. J. Wilbur Chapman then became one of the most famous evangelists of his era. Chapman held evangelistic crusades. One of the children saved in his ministry was Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday grew to follow the example of Chapman and became a famous evangelist, spreading the gospel in revival evangelistic services in the United States. Thousands were saved.
While Sunday was preaching and leading so many to Christ, a small group of people in North Carolina that had heard Billy Sunday preach were so touched that in their community they decided they wanted to hold a revival service. They asked an evangelist named Mordecai Ham to preach in a small Methodist Church for a number of nights. One night during one of the services, a young 16-year-old boy attended. At first, this young man didn’t like the service. He went back and forth as to whether he would stay. He got angry and left, but the Spirit brought him back. And when he came back, he began to listen to the Spirit speak through the preacher. Soon it was no use; there was no arguing or trying to resist the Holy Spirit. This 16-year-old young man answered the call to repent and come forward and trust Jesus as Savior. That 16-year-old-young man? That was Bill Graham!
Billy Graham arguably reached more souls than any other evangelist in history. God used him to change a moral climate of the entire world. And it all began with one Sunday school teacher who had a burden for a student in his class. I wonder what Edward Kimball thought of how the Lord was using him when he first witnessed to the young D.L. Moody. I doubt he could foresee what the Spirit would eventually do. That’s the way the Lord works, when one person is willing to be a faithful witness.
Philip left a revival. He obediently followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. Out in the desert, an Ethiopian Eunuch trusted Christ as Savior. That Eunuch went back to the continent of Africa where there remains a strong Christian presence to this day.
Think of what Mr. Kimball would have missed out on if he had refused or neglected to follow the leading of the Spirit? Think of what those who were impacted by the domino effect of the Spirit and the gospel of those who were saved. If you’re ever wondering if it is the Spirit who is prodding you to witness to someone, or go visit someone, well, you know it isn’t the devil directing you to do that. It is the Holy Spirit who wants us to reach out to the lost. The devil wants us to slam the door in the face of those seeking. It is the devil who makes us uncomfortable about sharing the gospel. The Spirit wants us to be loving and bold.
When the Lord puts someone on your heart to share the gospel with, do it. Pray and share the gospel. Do it with the exciting thought that you don’t know what domino effect the Spirit is going to work by way of your one faithful witness. Do it because you don’t want to miss out on the Spirit using you. Do it, at the very least, so that you can lay your head on your pillow at night knowing your faithful witness will be used by the Spirit.
Be ready, Christian, because the Spirit wants to use you. He may use you in a situation involving persecution, or He may use you in some other Divine appointment. But be ready, the Spirit acts in persecution and Divine appointments, and He wants to act with you TODAY!
83 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
84 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
85 W. E. Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell) 1981.
86 Glenn Penner, Voice of the Martyrs Magazine, June 2003 issue, page 10
87 Raul Ries, Hear What the Spirit Is Saying, Logos Media Group: Diamond Bar, CA, 1993, p. 39.
88 Raul Ries, Ibid., p. 41-43
89 Chuck Smith What the World Is Coming To, The Word For Today: Costa Mesa, CA, 1993, p. 30-31.
90 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
91 Paul J. Achtemeier, Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.) 1985.
92 The New Bible Dictionary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1962.
93 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
94 W. E. Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell) 1981.
95 John F. Walvoord, and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.
96 Merriam-Webster, I. 1996, c1993. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). (Merriam-Webster: Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.)
97 London Times – July 17th, 2001
98 Staff writers, The Occult and Harry Potter, John Ankerberg Ministry
99 Berit Kjos, Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft with Prais from Christian Leaders www.crossroad.to/text/articles/Harry&Witchcraft.htm Kjos Ministries, undated.
100 W. W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"––Jkt. Victor Books: Wheaton, Ill., 1996, ©1989.
101 C. S. Keener, & InterVarsity Press. 1993. The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, Ill.
102 King James Version Study Bible. 1997, ©1988 (electronic ed.). Thomas Nelson: Nashville
103 D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Rev. ed. of: The New Bible Commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.). Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA, 1994.
104 D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Rev. ed. of: The New Bible Commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.). Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA, 1994.
105 James Strong Enhanced Strong's Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship: Ontario, 1996.
106 J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1981 by J. Vernon McGee.
107 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
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