Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 19:11-20.

 

“¹¹  God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,

 

¹²  so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

 

¹³  But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

 

¹⁴  Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

 

¹⁵  And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

 

¹⁶  And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

 

¹⁷  This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus;  and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.

 

¹⁸  Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.

 

¹⁹  And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

 

²⁰  So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”  Acts 19:11-20.

 

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Today’s Scripture reminds me of a devotion that I wrote in 1994, Gold Mine 23, that you can also access under the “Gold Mining” tag above.  I have copied and pasted Gold Mine 23 herein with a little present day editing to draw in today’s Scripture.

                                     

Luke 9:38-43 tells us of Jesus’ miracle of healing the boy who was possessed by an unclean spirit which the disciples could not cast out.

What was the impact of Jesus’ miracle?

“And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.” Luke 9:43a.

Jesus’ miracle drew out amazement and faith in the people. The people became aware of the great things God had done for them.

Shouldn’t our preaching and teaching have that goal also?

Paul writes: “And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God”. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5.

Just as Jesus’ miracle in Luke 9:38-43, Paul’s preaching in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, and God’s sovereign control over even this evil spirit in today’s Scripture, drew out faith in the power of God, our preaching and teaching should have as its goal to make a similar impact. Our preaching and teaching should magnify the name of our Lord Jesus and make people amazed at the greatness of God and the great things God has done for them (and can do for them).　

But, most importantly, it was the power of God that performed Jesus’ miracle.  It was the power of God that drove Paul’s preaching.  It was the power of God that caused the evil spirit to confess Jesus and overpower the Jewish exorcists.

With this understanding, we may better understand the meaning of the gospel.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  Romans 1:16.  So, it is no surprise as stated in today’s Scripture, but inevitable, that “the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing”.   

Reformed doctrine teaches this power of God for salvation.  Even though other doctrine may show Jesus’ miracles and Paul’s preaching, it may magnify the alleged free will of man and may teach that salvation is ultimately in the control of man and his alleged free will.  But, Reformed doctrine teaches this true Gospel, this power of God for salvation, from the beginning to the end, from “unconditional election” through “preservation of the saints”.