"...but who are you?"

Leviticus 19
Acts 19

Food for Life:

Leviticus 19
"Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy" (19:2) This verse sums up the entire book of Leviticus which reveals God's instructions on how, as stated previously, the Israelites could be 'positionally holy" - their standing before the Lord, in the first 17 chapters. The last half of the book reveal actions, how to 'walk' holy based on that positional holiness. Many 'don'ts' are contained in chapter 19; really good ones! One writer observed that Jesus' command, "To Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself" sums up all the instruction - the Law of Leviticus and the OT. Jesus Himself said He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). It is by grace through faith we have been saved, not a work of our own, that we could boast (Ephesians 2:10). Hallelujah, what a Savior! (I [want] to never tire of proclaiming that..."Lord let us never tire of the reality of Who You Are, and Whose we are."

Acts 19
"One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you'" (19:15)?

( One thing I've noticed about blogs or emails etc., is that if they are too long, most people will not read it! Therefore, while much could be said about this chapter - even about this verse, I ask the Lord to help me focus on the one thing to be said for today :))

The demon did not recognize the authority of the one(s) that were commanding the demon to depart. So the demon spoke up! I know Jesus, and I know Paul....but...WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE/??

Paul had The Authority within him. He had the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, the Power of God. It wasn't the person of Paul who had power over evil spirits, illness, sickness, and power to imbue handkerchiefs and aprons (19:11) for illness and sickness to be cured. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was blood bought. It was told of him by Jesus that he would see how much he would suffer for Christ's sake.

This is one of the clearest illustrations or portraying the difference between 'knowing about Jesus' and 'knowing Jesus.' The Seven Sons of Sceva and the Jewish chief priest knew ABOUT Jesus - they had cognitive understanding of Jesus...so they thought they could repeat the words they heard and see miraculous acts performed! BUT there was no power in their words, because there was no power in their lives, because they knew ABOUT Jesus, but didn't have a relationship with Jesus. They were not filled with the Holy Spirit.

And the demon recognized this. It is the Power of the Living Christ Who has power over demons. It is the Power of the Living Christ Who has power to heal the sick, to deliver from evil spirits, to raise from the dead. It is the Power of the Living Christ Whose Words have power! Words are just words without the Power of the Holy Spirit behind them.

The Seven Sons of Sceva and the chief priest found this out....the hard way. What about me? What about you? Is the Power of the Holy Spirit evident in our lives or do we have words with no power? Do we have a 'form of religion but with no power' (2 Timothy 3:5)? "God, please reveal Yourself to each one of us, help us examine ourselves and be filled, continually, with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You Lord."