SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/9/2018 8:50 AM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  PT-2 Intro to Acts 19:8-20

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 19:8-20

            Message of the verses:  “8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 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.”

            We have been talking about Satan and his activity in our last SD as we began looking at the introduction to these verses we continue to look at this subject in this SD.

            Satan is a defeated foe for we read in 1 John 3:8b “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”  When Jesus Christ died on the cross it assured Satan’s ultimate defeat as seen in Hebrews 2:14 “14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”  Let us look at a couple of more verses on this important subject:  “15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him (Col. 2:15).  “18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.  21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him (1 Peter 3:18-22).”

            As we have studied the book of Revelation in earlier SD’s we saw that when Christ returns to planet earth as described in Revelation chapter nineteen He will stop the war that is going on and then put Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet into the lake of fire.  He will then separate the sheep from the goats, redo planet earth and then will set up the promised kingdom for one thousand years.  Satan will not be an influence during this earthly kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            When Jesus came to planet earth the first time this foreshadowed Satan’s ultimate defeat.  We could see that in the temptations that he had tempted Christ with, we could see it in His dealings with the demons who knew who He was and had to obey Him, and they knew that they had to obey Him.  “14 When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 “I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him." 17 And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me." 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once (Matthew 17:14-18).”  “32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was (Mark 1:32-34).”

            There is more to look at in this introduction and we will do that in our next SD, and perhaps even another SD.  I believe that there are two very important things that all believers are to know once they are first saved.  The first thing is to get to know the God who saved them and this is done by studying the Word of God, especially studying about His attributes.  Next we need to know our enemy, which is to know about Satan and this is what we are looking at in this introduction to Acts 19:8-20.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Trust the Lord that as I continue to learn more about my enemy that this will be a great help to me as I keep on living the Christian life.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to help me to continue to grow up in Christ.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Nothing” (Luke 19:20-22).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘"Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan’?”

Answer in our next SD  6/9/2018 9:44 AM