In One Sitting

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

Take careful note of what has been said about the Word.

It spread widely – here is the excitement. The Word of God did not just spread, it spread widely.

It grew in power – here is more excitement. The Word of God just did not grow, it grew in power.

You are seeing and hearing about the spreading, growing Word of the Lord. How does this happen? What is the way in which this was able to take place?

In this way…

You must know that the Lord’s Word is growing all the time, but in this ‘one sitting’, it spread widely and grew powerfully.

Look at a fire that is burning up a forested area. It is fire and as long as it is not contained or controlled, it will spread and grow bigger. That is the nature of the bush fire. But if someone comes and adds some kind of combustible substance to the already existing flames, with this one action, it will spread even wider and get even more intense in heat. This is quite understandable. So with one sitting, the fire becomes more widespread and more intense. Look at this in the same light. The Word of God is being preached by the servants of God and it is spreading. People are hearing and believing. But in this one sitting, see what happens. This is the way it takes place.

Ephesus is a place rife with demon spirits, witchcraft, necromancy, spiritualists and superstitions. Devil worship is an open part of the lives of many Ephesians. The existence of evil spirits is evident in many different ways and forms. Paul, as he tells people of Jesus, also cures many from their demon possession. But there were other Jews who, driving out evil spirits, copy Paul and tried to invoke the name of Jesus. The sons of a Jewish chief priest called Sceva, were driving out demons and they too would always try to invoke the Lord’s Name over the demon possessed, saying, In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. Acts 19: 13b. This went on until one day when the evil spirit answered them and turned on them. See this, if you like, as the combustible agent that was responsible for bringing about the spread and growth of the Word of God. The demon spirit spoke about knowing Jesus and knowing about Paul, but asked the imposters, Who are you? The evil spirit exposed those fakes, and taught them such a lesson, it made the people, not fear them, but fear the One, Holy Spirit.

Is this not fascinating and frightening at the same time? In my human thinking, I would think that the people would have been afraid of the powerful evil spirit, but no! The Lord Himself used it to turn people’s hearts to Him. The whipping those fake followers received was a lesson for all. Here at work, is this one happening, this one sitting, when the evil spirit exposes them.

In this way … It is the way that shows the evil spirit rising up and taking voice, for he is:-

Confessing that he knows Jesus. The demon spirit is never fooled, for he knows who Jesus is and is never deceived by mere humans, about knowing and recognising Jesus.

Acknowledging that he knows about Paul. He knows that Paul is Jesus’ servant, sent by Jesus to do His work. This evil spirit has no doubts, no issues with Paul. Paul is genuine and real. No fake.

Denouncing the sons of the Jewish chief priest. These are the religious people who have been using the Name of Jesus, just to cast out devils. This has gone on one time too often and this evil demon denounces these religious people as fakes.

It takes this one sitting, this one episode, to cause the Word to spread. You see, as this incident reaches the ears of Jews and Greeks alike, living in Ephesus, fear seizes them all. The Name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour, from then on. People came and confessed their evil deeds. Others, who had been practising sorcery, gave it up and burned their items of witchcraft. In that way, the Word of the Lord spread.

The Word of the Lord is touching lives and changing people, but there is always one sitting, which the Lord God Himself uses to advance His kingdom, in leaps and bounds. Remember, it need not come through conventional ways. Is not God, Lord over the evil spirits also?