Acts 19:1-22

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 "Then what baptism did you experience?" he asked. And they replied, "The baptism of John." 4 Paul said, "John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus." 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Paul Ministers in Ephesus 8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. 11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. 13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. 17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. 21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. "And after that," he said, "I must go on to Rome!" 22 He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.
Devotion (by Mikey Skoglund):
Have you ever seen a miracle happen? Do you believe that miracles still happen today as they did back when Jesus was on the earth? I love this passage because God’s presence is very evident here with Paul. Looking in verse 11 it says that "God gave Paul power to do unusual miracles."

I think about the miracles I’ve seen in my own life. When I became a Christian in high school I remember the change that took place in my life. Growing up, I had a really hard time coping with the fact that I was a lot different than other people I always noticed people looking at me differently than others. At times this made me pretty bitter towards people and towards God for being made the way that I was; I thought He ‘messed up’ when He created me.

After coming to know Jesus as my Savior, my whole view of life changed. My attitude towards who I am was no longer revolved around my physical size or inadequacies, but is now rooted and identified in who Christ has made me and what He has done for me. I now see my size and ‘inadequacies’ as ways to witness and testify about Christ’s love and what God has done in my life.

As with Paul in this passage, I’ve experienced the transforming power of God through the love of His son Jesus Christ and this passage reminds me that it’s all about God and the power that He has given me that has transformed my life, and not anything that I’ve done on my own. Though not every miracle is a physical change that we can easily see with our eyes, God’s transforming power is as alive and around today as it was in this passage. What miraculous transformations is God trying to do in your life?

Prayer: God, thank You so much for your transforming power and love that You have poured out on me. Help me to remember that its not by my own power that I’ve been changed but its by Your love and grace. Thank You for another new day of Your wonderful love. Amen.