Does The Devil Know Who You Are?

There are two reasons why the devil would know your name. First, you render service to him, and secondly, you are engage in a warfare against him.
Today, the sermon is extracted from Acts 19:11-20 is another widely misused and and abused passages in the Bible. If you read the sermon last Sunday, you would see the first one (the use of handkerchiefs and apron) in Acts 19:1-12.
Before we answer the question, let’s look into some introductory comments.
Number 1. What demons are and what are their role in the salvation history?
When God created the world, He didn’t only created the earthly realms but as well the heavenly realms. The book of Genesis records the fall of man and also records the first Gospel in 3:15 which says,
“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” The promised seed is Christ who defeated Satan with a fatal blow by crushing his head and Satan bruised Christ heel by causing Christ to suffer.
Luke 10:18 records the fall is Satan, “And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Satan and a significant number of fallen angels rebelled against God. In Jude 1:6 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”
Satan and the demons are present in the Bible.
Secondly, the unique feature of Jesus ministry of casting our demons. Christ has the capacity to cast our demons and he had given this authority to his apostles.
This level of power as unseen and unheard before. Mark 1:27 says, “Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
There were miracles in both New and Old Testament but not to cast out demons. This is one of the ministries of Christ, the ministry of deliverance as written in Luke 11:24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Also in Colossians 2:15 “15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
The deliverance ministry on the New Testament points to Jesus being - having all the authority and victory over everything, including Satan and demons.
For us sinners, John 3:18 says “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Men, without God, are dead in trespasses and can be affected by demon forces but at the same time, look happy and content.
What can we do then if we see people being affected by the evil spirits? PRAY FOR THEM. SHARE THE GOSPEL TO THEM.
Can a Christian be demon possessed? It so impossible for a Christian to be possessed as He is already in dwelt by the Holy Spirit.
To assume power that we don not have is dangerous.
Now, let us know look into the text in Acts 19.
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
The sons of Sceva are career-oriented, presumptuous and arrogant. The samples of these are witch doctors, cult leaders and even so called pastors. Matthew 7: 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
The sons of Sceva were badly beaten Acts 19:16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Do the unbelievers have the power to cast out demons? These people claim to do so but are not authentic.
According to the text, the evil spirit doesn’t know the sons of Sceva. Acts 19: 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
Are you a son of Sceva of are you a child of God?
The devil know who Jesus is and begged him. Matthew 8: 28 And when He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men confronted Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And they cried out, saying, “What business do You have with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding at a distance from them. 31 And the demons begged Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 32 And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the pigs; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.
The devil knew Paul. Acts 19: 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
Paul, considered traitor by the Jews because after he led the persecution against the Church now took the eating for Christ for he knew the greatest threat.
Does the devil know who you are? Do you disturb his activity? If you encounter him, would he know your name?
“I WISH THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH IS KNOWN AND HATED BY SATAN.” - Ptr Ian Goodman
Jim Elliot, a missionary in Ecuador boldly pronounced, “We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are "harmless," and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are "sideliners" -- coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!
What is your life ambition? Is it to be dangerous against the devil’s kingdom? Or is it to be alone and to be left alone?
The only regret that a Christian will have one day is NOT FIGHTING HARD.
Make yourself a soldier.
Make a plan.
Strike a blow.
Get in the fight.
Don’t stay on the sideline.
Fight on God side.
The POWER OF GOD.
Acts 19: 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
This is a revival in the Ephesus. A revival of fear and reverence to Christ leading to fear of God v17, repentance v18, changed lives v19 and progression of growth. V20
Are you in the fight? Are you on a pause at the sideline, hoping for a moment of reprice? Or, are you on a ceasefire?
The battle you are called is the same battle that is already won.