God Was Doing It

Acts 19:11-12

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

The crucial difference was that it was not Paul who was doing the extraordinary things [miracles], but God working in him. Since Paul's heart wholly followed God, he served God in His power and timing and for His glory alone. By way of contrast some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists wanted to exercise that same power. They invoked the name of Jesus over evil spirits saying, I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims. The evil spirit within the person answered them saying, Jesus I know and Paul I recognize, but who are you? What a disaster! The evil spirit jumped them overpowering them so that they ran out of the house naked and wounded. How revealing! Attempting to use the power of God for one's own glory will never work. The heart and the true motivation must be seeking to glorify God. Could this be a warning for believers as they serve? Are we serving for our own glory, for human praise? Are we in essence taking the glory away from God? As this event became known to all, the name of Jesus was extolled. Many confessed evil practices burning their magic art books (worth around 50,000 thousand pieces of silver). The final result: the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. How powerful is God when He is at work in the heart of someone wholly dedicated to Him!

Father,
Reveal to me my true heart. Keep my eyes off myself and focus them securely on You. Help me to glorify You in all that I do.
In His name,
Amen