Overcoming Evil

DEVOTION

THE BOOK OF ACTS

OVERCOMING EVIL

Acts 19:13-16

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15[One day] the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

NIV

This is a bit confusing at first, at least upon first glance, or surface reading. Why shouldn’t it be possible for all believers to be able to drive our demons in the name of Jesus? Of course this narrative says that some Jews, in fact it speaks about the seven sons of Sceva who was a chief or high priest. Are these seven sons of the high priest believers in Christ or are they Jews? It would appear these are simply Jews, who believe in God, but have never accepted Jesus as the Christ, otherwise they and their father would not have been titled as Jews but rather as brothers or fellow believers or some of the believers in Ephesus. It is also historically known that certain Jews used incantations from Solomon in efforts to perform exorcisms, but here this appears to not be the case. Here we see these men attempting a new method that they apparently witnessed Paul doing. But from the answer of the demon within this man, we see they had absolutely no authority to use the name of Jesus or Paul. From this we can learn that only those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior can claim the authority he gives them. Only believers have the authority of Jesus over demons or what they represent, sin. No one can control the power of evil except those who have the authority of Jesus. If a person who refuses to accept Jesus as the Christ attempts to drive out the sin that is in their lives, it will overpower them instead. But those of us who know Jesus and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us cannot be possessed or controlled by demons, evil or sin. Demons cannot beat or harm us and cause us to run out naked and bleeding. Evil cannot harm us, sin cannot harm us, causing us to run out of the body of Christ naked and bleeding. Although non-believers have no authority to use the name of Jesus, we have the authority for Christ has given us authority just as he gave those seventy-two he sent out. But we should not glory in our authority but rather that our names are written down in heaven. These seven sons of Sceva did not have their names written in heaven nor did they have the authority of Jesus. They could not overcome evil, but we can.