"Holiness Lives; Evil Burns"

"Holiness Lives; Evil Burns"

"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."

(Acts 19:19)

Oh, Paul, everywhere you go, there's a ruckus, and this was no exception.  We have to start at the beginning to see what Paul was up to, what led to the fire, and why they were all so involved in this book buirning.  We will see that it is, indeed, a fact, "Holiness Lives; Evil Burns."

Paul had arrived at Ephesus and found certain disciples; he asked them, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?"  And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost?"  Then, Paul asked them how they were baptized, and they replied, "unto John's baptism."  Paul explained to them that John baptized unto repentance, but that they should believe on Him who came after him, which was Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.   

Paul laying hands on Ephesians

(Acts Chapter 19)

 After this, Paul laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost, spoke with tongues, and prophesied.  It's ok to be rebaptized; these people were, and it's especially important if one was baptized incorrectly in the first place.  If you have not been immersed in baptismal waters with the words of "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins" being said over you; consider being rebaptized.

Paul continued to preach for two years until all of Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Greeks and Jews.  And, God gave miracles through the hands of Paul, and he prayed over handkerchiefs and aprons and when they were placed on the sick, the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.  

"Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call

over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying,

We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.  And there were seven

 sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and

 Paul I know; but who are ye?"  And the man in whom the evil spirit

was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so

that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

(Acts 19:13-16)

Ah, even evil spirits know Jesus Christ, and His anointed ones; don't be trying to cast out devils if You don't know the One who created all things!  When word of this got around, fear fell on all of them, the Jews and Greeks alike, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.  People confessed their sins, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and were baptized in His name.  Now, we arrive at the book burning.  

"And many of those who practiced magic brought

their books together and began burning them..."

(Acts 19:19)

The people were convicted in their hearts for practicing magic and sorcery, so they brought the books dealing with those things and burned them.  Almighty God was against magic, sorcery and all forms of witchcraft in the Old Testament, and He is still against it. 

"Let no one be found among you…who practices divination or sorcery,

  interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is

 a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does

these things is detestable to the LORD…"

(Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the

tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the
dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers,

the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."

(Revelation 22:14-15)

Those who practice magic, who deal with horoscopes, and who are involved in sorcery and witchcraft of every kind will not enter the kingdom of God.  The good news is that we can repent of this evil today; Psalm 97:10 says, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil."  The Lord Jesus Christ loves the sinner, but He hates the sin.  

Lake of Fire

"Evil burns" in more ways than one; it separates humanity from a loving and Holy God; it sends the practitioner of all such things to the fire that burns forever and ever  ...  that is, if there is no repentance of this sin before it's everlasting too late.  The devil has three purposes with humans: To kill, to steal, and to destroy.  If you are into witchcraft, it steals your peace of mind; it destroys your sanity and your soul, and finally, it kills your will: body, soul and spirit, and leaves you a tormented raving person, who is miserable and dying with no hope.  

Don't you want that peace that passes all understanding, that holy spirit of joy unspeakable and full of glory, that holiness of mind and body that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ?  Ask the Lord to forgive you for dealing in those things, and get them out of your house, out of your life, and out of your spirit.  Ask the Lord to deliver you from all evil, and to fill you with His Spirit.  You will speak in the language of God, in tongues, as His Spirit gives you the utterance.  Then, be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.  You will be born again!  Hallelujah!

We all have a choice, and there's still a little time to make the right one.  The Lord Jesus Christ stands ready to take you in His arms and there you will be forever and ever; it's a safe and wonderful place to be.  He will never leave you nor forsake you; He came to give you life, and that more abundantly.  I choose life, holiness, peace, joy, and love  ...  How about you?  It's a choice that lives or a choice that dies:  "Holiness Lives; Evil Burns."

Jesus Christ holds the keys to

death, hell, and the grave!

Choose Life!

(visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)