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 the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 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.
Acts 19:13-16

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Did you read today’s Scripture passage yet? If not, don’t read on until you do so. Can you picture the scene? It sounds wild to me—almost not real. And yet, the truth is, as Peter writes in 1 Peter 5, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” There is a real spiritual battle being waged, and the devil and his minions want nothing more than to draw a permanent wedge between humanity and the God who created them. 

Many of us do not realize this, but it’s true. The enemy of our soul continually seeks our distraction and destruction, and it’s up to us to be alert and sober-minded. 

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book The Screwtape Letters, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

When a person gives their life to Jesus, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit—this seal is like a supernatural super power of protection (see Ephesians 4:30 among other similar verses.) That person now belongs to Jesus. Suddenly, there are permanent limits on what the evil spirits can do to that person. Adding to this is the fact that all authority has been given to Jesus when He resurrected (Matthew 28:18). Evil trembles in Jesus’ presence—they want to immediately not be where He is. And thank God for that! If you are sealed by His Holy Spirit, you embody His presence, however dim or weak it might be. This doesn’t mean however, we just sit back and relax. No, as Peter continues, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Peter 5:9). We have a choice to make—acknowledge the enemy is real, resist his schemes and trust that “the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10).

For better or worse, I have had encounters with evil spirits—both indirectly as well as directly, both awake and while dreaming. But unlike the sons of Sceva, because I belong to Jesus and have the seal of the Holy Spirit, when I cry out His name, it always gets me out of trouble. 

It makes me wonder, did any of the sons of Sceva become followers of Jesus after their beating? After all, their magician skills were no match for the enemy. 

Next Steps 

If you haven’t surrendered your independent life and will to Jesus, maybe now is your time to do so. It’s the best investment a person can make. There is unlimited upside; it will increase in value forever.
Join the Willow community in reading the book of Acts this summer. You can find the reading plan here. It’s not too late. It’s a fascinating read.