(Acts 19:11-12) 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.
After seeing what Paul was able to accomplish, Jewish exorcists then tried to deliver people using the name of Jesus and of Paul - more than likely because they could see that God's way was far more effective than their own methods of exorcism...
(Acts 19:13-14) 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.
Demons do have some level of intelligence! They know exactly who God and Jesus are. As well, because they do not die, and they can follow people around, they knew who Paul was. The demons would have been keeping a close eye on Paul just because of his strong ministry. They would have been looking and plotting and waiting for a chance to attack Paul.
But in this circumstance, when the unbelievers tried to cast out a demon using Jesus' name, the demon empowered the possessed man to attack the exorcists...
(Acts 19:15-16) 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.
The strategy and actions of the demon backfired, because people who heard about this became believers. And those who had once practiced magic were burning their books as a public testimony, which would have carried a lot of weight since these books would have brought great value to their previous careers...
(Acts 19:17-20) 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.
From this we see:
- through God's power, Paul was able to do amazing things, so much so that even articles that had touched his body, held God's power to cure people of diseases and cast out demons (Acts 19:11-12)
- demons are intelligent and know who Jesus is (Acts 19:15)
- demons are able to follow people around and figure out who is on God's side and who is a big threat to them, so they knew exactly who Paul was (Acts 19:15)
- Jewish exorcists tried casting demons out using Jesus' and Paul's names (Acts 19:13-14)
- unbelievers do not have authority over demons (Acts 19:15-16)
- demons are able to empower people to attack with supernatural strength (Acts 19:16)
- as people became believers, they were confessing and burning any books relating to magic and demonic practices (Acts 19:18-19)
Personal experience: when I was in grade 4, our teacher allowed all of us to bring our favorite board games to school one day. One of the girls had brought a Ouija board. I had never seen one of these before nor had I even heard about this "game". But as I observed a few girls try it, somehow I just knew not to touch it, or even continue to watch.
Today's takeaway: the people in Ephesus who were becoming believers knew to destroy their books of magic. Once we have experienced God's light, why would we want to have anything to do with the darkness?
Again "ironically" - here is something that Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus...
(Ephesians 5:1-14) Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
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