ACTS

ACTS 19

• Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 
• 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 
• 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 
• 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 
• 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 
• 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 
• 7 And all the men were about twelve. 

In the days of the apostles the receiving the Holy Spirit after salvation was as natural as eating food when one was hungry. There wasn't a question of "Is this from God? Do I need this to be saved? Do I have to speak in tongues?" Whatever God wanted to do in their lives was okay and welcomed. 

Paul saw something was needed in these believers and they needed to be baptized with the Holy Spirit that Jesus foretold that we were to receive. Perhaps being baptized with John's baptism, he didn't use the words, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost" so that is why they had never heard of any Holy Ghost. However, it is clear that they were believers and were saved from sin but in order to serve the Lord more fully, they needed to be full of the Holy Spirit. Evidently tongues present showed all who were present that the Holy Spirit has come to reside in the believers. Another sign of the indwelling Holy Spirit is prophesying. 

Prophesying is giving forth messages by the utterance of the Holy Spirit in the language of the one that is speaking but tongues are a foreign or unknown language by the one speaking. The tongues here probably didn't need to be interpreted because they were speaking praise and they were worshipping as they were receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Usually when the Holy Spirit comes and fills a believer he or she will speak in an unknown tongue as the spirit gives utterance. The Holy Spirit has come to dwell in a believer. I suppose that if someone who never gave a message of prophecy before and started to do so, it would also be a sign that the Holy Spirit has come. 

Some confuse prophesying and think it is preaching. Actually it can be preaching but usually it is short messages rather than lengthy ones and they do not have to be prophetic, they can be exhortation, praise and other messages to the church similar to a message in tongues with an interpretation but a message of prophecy usually does not have a message in tongues preceding it.

All these things must be remembered as gifts from God. I cringe when I hear people reject these gifts and say they are no longer necessary. They often quote Paul's message to the Corinthian church about it. Paul was dealing with a problem in that church. That church had many problems that needed correction. I picture them interrupting Paul's preaching and desiring to take up the whole service with speaking in tongues instead of allowing the word to be preached so the church can be edified. Some have taken this to extremes and think all speaking in tongues is wrong unless it is interpreted. This same Paul also said "forbid not" to speak in tongues yet some churches have done just that. 

Remember it is a gift of God. If it is not the time for preaching and everyone is praying together and some are speaking in tongues (praying in the spirit) there is nothing wrong with that and there is no need of an interpreter. If the church is quiet and one speaks in tongues in a different way, very loud and set apart as different from the usual tongue of worship, it usually is a message that requires interpretation. This is the gift of tongues in operation a little different than the tongues of praise and worship. This type needs to be interpreted for all to understand. If no one is prayed up and obedient to the Holy Spirit and fails to give the interpretation, then the person speaking in tongues has done nothing wrong but he should stop and not repeat it seeing that no one could interpret the message.

Many overreact to Paul's exhortation and take it to extremes the other way and forbid worship and praise in tongues, just as the Corinthians were taking it to extremes in the opposite direction. If we were perfect in love though we would not be quick to be judgmental and accuse someone of being out of order. The sum of what I'm trying to say is that, It is a gift of God. Let's not speak against this wonderful way of worship, intercession and praise.

Here is when it could be out of order. Suppose a preacher called of God was burning with a message for the congregation and he started preaching under that anointing of the Holy Spirit. Someone in the congregation gets all excited and speaks in tongues. If it is just a short phrase, no harm done but if he keeps up and does not stop thereby hindering the speaker from preaching his message, then of course the one speaking in tongues is out of order. That is what Paul was trying to stop. It doesn't mean anyone is of the devil as some assume, but it means they need to be taught more perfectly.

Usually a person who does that just needs to learn to love souls and love God's word enough to know when to speak and when to keep silence. As we grow in God, we learn these things as we pray and study the word. Some of us react differently to things. Some show excitement about anything that comes from God while others are more reserved. We need to show love and give people some slack yet act in such a manner to give place to the goal of reaching the lost and edifying the believers. Never do anything to hinder God's word from reaching the intended audience. Actually tongues are not the only way things that might hinder the word of God, I've seen times when loud music will hinder any message of prophecy and tongues because no one can hear and it can be a distraction.

Don't get me wrong. I love to use music, instruments and I like it loud making a joyful noise to the Lord. It is a great way to worship and praise God. Sometimes it will get very quiet and that is when we might hear a prophecy or tongues and interpretation. If it happens that way, we must be quiet and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through a willing vessel.

The opposite extreme of forbidding the gifts of the spirit will cut God out entirely. To reject His gifts are spiritual suicide. We will become dead, dry and boring. The teaching of the word needs the spirit to quicken that word to our hearts. We need more of God, not less. 

Some say this disappeared after the death of the apostles. If they did disappear, it is not because God withdrew them; it would have been because people were not seeking them and perhaps being born again by the spirit was substituted with just conversions to Christianity. There is a difference. All we have to do is read church history to discover that something happened that ruined Christianity. Some blame Constantine and that may be true but I believe that they stopped seeking the spiritual gifts and relied on their own education, talent, flesh or religious persuasion. One by one the word of God was laid aside and commandments of men replaced it. 

How did we get from worshipping in spirit and truth to praying down before a statue of Mary or one of the apostles which Jesus never instructed us to do? I think it is because we kicked the spirit of God out and substituted religion and sensual feelings of a counterfeit religious spirit similar to the Christmas spirit we feel at Christmas. It is a good feeling but I don't believe it is the same spirit as the Holy Spirit. There is a difference. Music can stir up feelings and imaginations also but it isn't always the Holy Spirit. Our own fleshly feelings is not the Holy Spirit. We need to learn the difference. 

Anything from the Holy Spirit will produce fruits of righteousness, holiness, pure love, humility (not a false humility), kindness, forgiveness, love for enemies etc. 

When the church began to persecute and kill dissenters and so-called heretics, they no longer knew God at all but just had a religious spirit. This can happen to us if we don't walk in the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 

• Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 

Here is the fruits of the Spirit in action. Paul knew he could be killed, jailed and beaten for preaching the gospel but he did it anyway because he loved the souls of these people and didn't want any of them to be lost. The spirit of God drove him. 

• Acts 19:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 

Paul was obedient to the command not to give that which is holy to the dogs. Once the pure gospel message is rejected and refused in a disrespectful way, we are to move on. 

• Acts 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 

The church in that day was mixed with both Jews and Gentiles. We see that happening again today. As many messianic congregations have rose up. They usually have a mixture of both Jews and Gentiles. 

• Acts 19:11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 
• 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

This can be done but it must be done in a way that gives all glory for the healing to God and not to the man being used by the spirit. We must never make merchandise of this and charge money to send an anointed cloth. All the gifts of the spirit including healing and such are done to bring people to Jesus Christ, to confirm the word of God and out of compassion for the suffering. Jesus is the foundation and the main focus. We must never get away from that. 

• Acts 19:13 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. 

A fake or a counterfeit cannot stand before something real. We must never try to copycat a work of God. We have to have the real goods ourselves. 

• Acts 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 
• 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 
• 16 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. 

The only explanation I can come up with for this is that these men tried to copy Paul without being true believers in Jesus that had been filled with God's spirit. 

• Acts 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

This must be the result of all genuine revivals. Jesus must be magnified. He must continue to be the only foundation of any church. 

• Acts 19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. 
• 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

The devil and God cannot dwell together. True conversions to Jesus Christ will separate us from the world around us. We can't hold onto God and love the world. 

• Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 
• 21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 
• 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 
• 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. 
• 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 

If someone was making money making this shrines, it should have been proof that they were not really of  God or being obedient to God. 

• Acts 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. 
• 26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 
• 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. 
• 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
• 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theater. 

That statue of Diana could do no good or evil but the devil behind false worship can deceive people and give them a false religious feeling that fools them into thinking their religion or god is real. 

The men stirring up the crowds were only concerned about their wealth being taken from them. They didn't care about the souls of the people. 

• Acts 19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

How great a love Paul had. The disciples had to stop him from going among the people and trying to reason with them. If they had not have stopped him, Paul would have walked right in their midst and tired to preach being stampeded in the process. . 

• Acts 19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theater. 
• 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 
• 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defense unto the people. 
• 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
• 35 And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 
• 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 
• 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 
• 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. 
• 39 But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 
• 40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 
• 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. 

These people remind me of those that want to hear of Jesus and even in a way receive Jesus but it brings forth no fruit because they want to hold onto their own gods. The conversion is not complete and they are like seed falling on thorny ground. The world chokes the word and it is strangled out. 

If we really want to live for Jesus we have to forsake our old sins, the love of the world and follow Him. When we become born again by His spirit, we can then be baptized in His spirit. We must not hold nothing back or think we don't need everything God has for us. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is needed today just as they first needed this gift of God. All God's gifts are good. DC

Acts 20