And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
— Acts 19:15

The evil spirits in the demon-possessed man in Acts 19 were very familiar with both Jesus and the apostle Paul. However, the demons did not recognize the seven sons of Sceva who were trying to exercise authority over them. We can know this from the original Greek in Acts 19:15, where the evil spirit responded to the seven exorcists: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?”

The words translated “know” in those two phrases — “Jesus I know” and “Paul I know” — are two distinctly different words in the Greek text. In the phrase, “Jesus I know,” the word “know” is the Greek word ginosko. The word ginosko has a wide range of meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. The foremost meaning of ginosko was to recognize a person or a thing, to acknowledge, or to have a full comprehension about the person or thing being acknowledged. There is no question that the use of the word ginosko here means the wicked spirit that inhabited this man admitted, conceded, and affirmed that the name “Jesus” was well known to it. Like all evil spirits, this demon was familiar with Jesus — it fully comprehended and acknowledged who Jesus was — and had possessed this knowledge for a long time. So when the evil spirit said, “Jesus I know,” it was saying, in effect, “Jesus I know and fully comprehend with absolute certainty…”

On the other hand, in the phrase, “and Paul I know,” the word “know” is translated from a completely different Greek word. It is the word epistamai, which describes a knowledge obtained by outward observation. In other words, Paul’s reputation was growing as one who had authority over demons, and it had captured the attention of the spirit world in Ephesus. Local demons were “tuning in” to observe Paul’s activities.

The word epistamai implicitly reveals that the dark spirit world in Ephesus had recently become familiar with Paul’s ministry. The apostle’s activities were a great threat to the demonic forces over that city, and they were taken aback by his spiritual power. Therefore, the evil spirits of the territory were scrutinizing this newcomer and carefully watching him move through each situation as one who possessed great authority. This word epistamai also implies that these demonic spirits were spying and conducting surveillance on this newcomer who had invaded their dark stronghold — so they could stay aware of what Paul was doing and look for ways to oppose him. The word epistamai therefore carries the idea: “…and Paul I know because I have recently become familiar with him by carefully following and observing his activities.”

But then the evil spirit asked the seven sons of Sceva an interesting question: “But who are ye?” This question should be understood in the context of the entire verse. The reader should understand the text to mean: “Jesus I know and fully comprehend with absolute certainty, and Paul I know because I have recently become familiar with him by carefully following and observing his activities. But I have no idea who you are! In fact, we know nothing about you! We don’t recognize you or your authority at all!”

One would think that demonic forces would recognize exorcists who regularly delved into occult practices; however, the evil spirit in the man didn’t recognize these exorcists at all. But oh, what a glorious thought that this spirit knew the name of Jesus and knew Paul because Paul was in Christ and was an authorized user of Jesus’ name!

You fit that description too! If you are in Christ, you are an authorized user of the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit! James 2:19 says that demons “tremble” when they hear that name. As we saw yesterday, the word “tremble” would be better translated that they are “spooked” or “terrified” when they hear the name of Jesus spoken with bold faith by an authorized user!

If you are a Christian indwelt by the power of the Holy Spirit, you have all power in Heaven and earth given unto you (see Matthew 28:18). You are authorized to speak on behalf of Jesus and to take authority over any evil presence that comes your way. And it must obey!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am thrilled and grateful to learn of the authority that I have in the name of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that I am a real, born-again child of God — and that You have authorized me to use Your power and Your name at any moment that it is required. I need never be afraid of the devil because demons recognize that the power of God inside me is greater than all of them put together. Thank You for encouraging me to be bold when I sense the devil is trying to manifest his presence or wage an attack!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that the Son of God lives inside me — and I am in Him — and when I am required to speak to an evil presence and command it to go, that evil spirit recognizes Jesus’ voice speaking through me. I am not afraid. I do not give way to fear. I do not listen to communication that would incite anxiety or fear. I receive from strong, Word-based teaching resources, like this one today, in order to build my faith and prepare me to take action when it is needed!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought about how sad it is that people involved in the occult are playing with powers that will ultimately work against them? Do you know someone personally who is operating under this kind of self-deceived influence?
2. Demons know the name of Jesus — and if you are in Jesus, they know your name too. So let me ask you — have you ever had an experience where a demon spirit recognized you and obeyed your authority? Or have you heard of someone else who had that type of experience? Where was it, and what happened?
3. How would you recognize a demonic presence in your immediate surroundings?

And the evil spirit answered…
— Acts 19:15

Yesterday we saw how seven exorcists attempted to add the name of Jesus to their repertoire of magical incantations. As the story unfolds in Acts 19, we find that the seven sons of Sceva had a major confrontation — an unsuccessful one — with a demon-possessed man in Ephesus. As noted earlier, these exorcists saw Paul successfully using the name of Jesus to exercise authority over demons. Hoping to expel demons from a man in Ephesus, they added the name of Jesus to their list of magical names, even though they had no personal relationship with Jesus.

According to Acts 19:15, their attempt was futile. In fact, the verse says that the demon indwelling the man challenged them: “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?”

The actual structure of the Greek text says, “And answering, the evil spirit said…” The Greek tense tells us this was not a single answer; rather, the demon spirit that possessed the man verbally responded to each attempt the seven exorcists made to drive it out. Thus, the spirit was answering each time they tried to use a new magical name, spell, or incantation to drive it out. This, of course, tells us that evil spirits have intelligence and the ability to speak and even to converse.

This ability of evil spirits to speak is evident in the four gospels and in the book of Acts. A study of the Scriptures makes it clear that demon spirits are intelligent:

• They can possess specific information about things, places, or people.
• They can know the names of people.
• They have the ability to indwell a human being and engage that person’s vocal apparatus to terrorize others, to blaspheme, to challenge, to make requests, and to scream, shriek, and cry out.

Vivid examples of evil spirits possessing intelligence and having the ability to speak can be found in Matthew 8:29 and Mark 5:7-12, where we read about the demoniac of Gadara. This tortured man was indwelt by a legion of demons that demonstrated both intelligence and the ability to speak. Mark 1:23-25 relates another example of this phenomenon. In this instance, evil spirits in a man spoke so freely that Jesus had to command them to stop talking and be silent.

Then in Mark 1:34, we are told that many sick people and those possessed with demons gathered to be healed and delivered by Jesus. The evil spirits referred to in this verse were so fluid in speech that Jesus actually had to forbid them to speak so they wouldn’t reveal who He was before the time. These are just a few New Testament examples demonstrating that demons have both intelligence and the ability to use the vocal organs of the person in whom they dwell.

Going back to Acts 19:15, we read that this man had an “evil spirit.” All demons are evil, but the word “evil” in this verse is the word poneros. If used in connection with animals, the word poneros depicts ferocious, savage, and dangerous beasts. Likewise, when this Greek word is used to describe spirits that indwell people, these spirits are ferocious, savage, dangerous, and malicious to those in whom they dwell and bring harm and danger to those who are in close proximity to them.

First, the evil spirits often create harmful and self-injuring behavior. The New Testament has many examples of such savageness. One example is found in Luke 9:37-39, where Luke tells us of a boy who periodically experienced demonic attacks that were injurious. Luke described it like this: “And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him” (v. 39). Matthew related the same account in Matthew 17:14 and 15, adding that the evil spirit would hurl the boy into fire and water. This was ferocious, savage, dangerous, and malicious treatment by the demon spirit against the one it possessed.

Another example is found in Mark 5:5, where we find the demoniac of Gadara, who was continually wandering in the mountains and among the tombs, crying out and “cutting himself with stones.” He continually wandered around that isolated region, crying out in pain and agony while slicing his body with sharp stones — and it was all the result of the “evil spirits” that indwelt him. It is no wonder that these spirits are called poneros in the Greek, for they truly are evil.

But this description of the destructive impact of demonic control in a person’s life should not cause us any fear. In my years of ministry, I have occasionally found myself in a confrontation with a demonized person. Just like the stories referred to in the Bible, I have heard demons speak, and I have seen them exercise physical power beyond human ability. But in each case, I have also seen them wilt and shrink when the name of Jesus is employed against them. We must remember that Jesus taught, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…” (Mark 16:17).

If you really know Jesus as your Lord and Savior — if you are in Christ — you can be sure that you have authority over demonic powers in the power of His name. Unlike the exorcists who used magic and incantations to manipulate the spirit realm and failed, you are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and you are given the name of Jesus to take authority over and to cast out demons. You are empowered by the Spirit of God and have real God-given authority in the spirit realm!

I am so thankful that the Bible clearly shows us that demonic powers shrink back at the name of Jesus. In fact, spirits are so fearful of that name that James 2:19 says demons “tremble” in the presence of faith and the name of Jesus. The word “tremble” is the Greek word phrisso, which means to bristle, as when the hairs stand up on a person’s neck when he is suddenly “spooked” or startled by an unexpected noise, etc.

This means that even though demons may have intelligence to speak and power to be able to put forth superhuman strength, none of that helps them when they find themselves in the presence of a believer exercising his authority by faith in the name of Jesus. That prospect sends them into shock, panic, and dismay. Figuratively, it causes the hair to stand up on their necks. It terrifies them!

As a believer, you have the Holy Spirit living in you and you have the name of Jesus Christ to use at your disposal. That means you are in a position to make demons tremble! And it doesn’t stop there. You also have the power to cast them out in Jesus’ name, just as promised by Christ in Mark 16:17.

So the next time you find yourself in the presence of evil, don’t you shrink back in fear. Release your faith and lift your voice to take authority over the devil’s strategies in the name of Jesus — and as you do, you’ll send those evil, malevolent powers scurrying away in terror! Then as you release the peace and the love of God in Jesus’ name, His power will go into operation to calm those who had been adversely affected by that demonic oppression and turn that situation completely around according to God’s purposes and to His glory!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am inspired and thankful to learn I have authority that is given to me because of my relationship with Jesus Christ and His matchless name that He has entrusted to me. When I encounter situations where demonic power is present, I thank You for giving me the boldness to take authority and to expel those powers in Jesus’ name!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. The devil is minor compared to the awesome power of Christ that indwells me. When I speak the name of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the spirit-realm listens and obeys. I am in Christ, and Christ is in me. When I speak in Jesus’ name against demon powers, it is like Christ is speaking through me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever had an experience with demonic intelligence like Acts 19:15 depicts? When was that experience, and what happened?
2. What did you learn from today’s Sparkling Gem that you never knew about demons and our authority over them? This is a very important subject for Christians, so we need to know what the Bible teaches (see Ephesians 6:10-18)!
3. Have you ever had an experience binding or casting out a demon spirit? When did that happen? What was the result?

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 thee by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
— Acts 19:13,14

Today I want to talk to you about the spiritual role of fathers — and the immense impact they have upon the lives of their children. I want to use an example from Acts 19 to make the point, and I ask you to seriously consider the ramifications of what you are about to read. This is not a passage that is normally used to teach about the influential role of fathers, but it tells of a father who started out right but who went astray and, in doing so, led his seven sons astray with him.

Acts 19:13-17 relates this account:

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 thee 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. 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.

Acts 19:13 specifically uses the word “exorcists” to describe the activity of Sceva and his seven sons. The word “exorcists” is derived from the Greek word exorkidzo, which depicts those who adjured, implored, and begged demon spirits to obey. With no real authority over the spirits, these exorcists resorted to their spells, charms, incantations, and magical names to try to coax evil spirits to cooperate with them.

Acts 19:14 goes on to tell us that the father of these seven sons was a man named Sceva. It says, “And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.”

“Who was Sceva?” This man’s identity has been a subject of great debate among biblical scholars over the years. There is no record that a “chief of the priests” of the Jews ever lived in Ephesus. Hence, there are scholars who believe the Greek word used for “chief priest” indicates that Sceva was a renegade Jew who had backslidden from his Jewish roots and had become involved in the worship of Artemis at Ephesus. Therefore he was, or had been at some time, a chief priest in the worship of Artemis.

Making all of this even more interesting is the fact that the name “Sceva” isn’t a Jewish name. It is a Hellenized version of a Latin word that means left-handed — which in the vernacular of the First Century was slang that referred to someone who was untrustworthy, perverse, reprobate, a wretch, or a scoundrel. It is entirely possible that the name “Sceva” wasn’t even this man’s real name. It may have been a fictitious name inserted by Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, to express his opinion of this apostate Jew who converted to paganism and practiced it with his seven sons.

If these suggestions are true, the text would then convey the following idea: “And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew — a wretched, reprobate scoundrel who advertised himself as being great and who served as one of the high-ranking priests in the worship of Artemis — a man known for practicing pagan exorcism with his seven sons.”

With all this in mind, it seems likely that this Jewish man named Sceva converted to paganism and practiced occult rituals forbidden by the Old Testament — and then led his seven sons into the same practice. It is the perfect example of a man who has wandered away from the truth — and certainly a poor spiritual example of a father. Because of his own abandonment of the Word of God, this man led his sons right along with him into a backslidden spiritual condition — to the point that they even became involved in the activities of the occult.

When I meditate on this passage of Scripture, it always makes me want to pray for fathers in this critical hour. I pray that fathers will be spiritual leaders in their homes and will lead this next generation in the direction of a deep commitment to Christ and an authentic, intimate relationship with the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.

If you know a father who is leading his children astray by a wrong example, pray for him to change. God can change even the hardest heart. And if you are a father or mother of this next generation, make it a matter of serious prayer and determine to wake up to the awesome responsibility God has charged you with to lead and provide a godly influence for your children and the younger generations in your life. You have the potential of changing young lives as you lead others through your authentic and godly example.

If you are a father or mother, you are able to help teach your children to walk in obedience to Jesus and the Word of God. Let the example of Sceva stress again to you the incredible influence you have on your children. Then make a fresh commitment today to be a godly influence that leads your children in one direction only — on God’s good path that leads to life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, in this critical hour, it is so important for parents to adhere closely to the Word of God in order to guide this young generation along the path that fulfills Your plan for their lives. I pray for myself and for other fathers and mothers who represent Your Kingdom — that our hearts will remain steadfast and strong in the truth of Your Word. We will not be like Sceva, who led his sons astray because of his own wayward and hardened heart. Instead, we will be true spiritual leaders in our homes so that we can not only teach our children with right words, but also train and lead them by the example of our lives in the direction of a deep commitment to Christ and an authentic, intimate relationship with the Person and power of the Holy Spirit. I make a fresh commitment today to be a godly influence in my children’s lives, always pointing them to the path that leads to life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I accept my divinely ordained responsibility as a parent to lead as a godly influence for my children and the younger generation in my life. I have the potential of changing young lives as I live an authentic example of the character and the ways of God the Father before them. I continually rely upon Heaven’s wisdom to help me teach my children to walk in obedience to Jesus and the Word of God. I make a fresh commitment today to be a consistent example of obedience and love who leads my children in one direction only: God’s good path!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of parents who wandered from the Lord and thereby affected the spiritual direction that their children took in life? What commitments have you made to the Lord to make sure you never wrongly influence those who look to you as an example or a guide?
2. Can you think of specific ways you can strengthen the godly example you are called to live before your children and the young generations?
3. What did you learn new from today’s Sparkling Gem that has never been explained to you before? How will that truth affect your life from this day forward?

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
— Romans 8:26,27

Today I want to continue talking to you about the Holy Spirit’s role and responsibility in your life in the area of prayer. Yesterday we looked at several truths about this subject contained in Romans 8:26. Now I want to address how the Holy Spirit can intercede for and through you when you’re grappling with your inadequacies in prayer.

I shared that the word “intercession” is the Greek word huperentugchano, which means to fall into with. This word “intercession” in the Greek conveys the idea of a rescue operation and paints the picture of a person who comes upon someone who has fallen into some kind of quandary. Upon discovering the trapped person’s dilemma, he swiftly swings into action to rescue and deliver the one who’s in trouble.

This word huperentugchano carries the idea of coming together in experience or meeting with. It can also mean to supplicate, which denotes a rescue operation in which one snatches and pulls a person out of imminent danger. So we could translate the phrase, “…the Spirit itself [Himself ] maketh intercession for us…” like this: “The Spirit Himself falls into our situation with us, meeting us in a common experience and rescuing us from our weakness.”

Now let’s look at the word “groanings” in this verse. It is the Greek word stenagmos, which means deep inward sighs and could be translated to vent. The picture this word paints is similar to a teapot of water placed on a stove. As you turn up the flame and the water begins to boil, the teapot lets out some steam and that little pot begins to whistle.

This Greek word stenagmos gives us insight into how this “intercession for us with groanings” takes place in us. We think our world is falling apart — that our fiery trial is so unbearable that we’re going to be consumed by the heat of that test. Of course, the devil stokes the fire in an attempt to convince us that we’re never going to walk free from that place of testing. And, indeed, we can begin to think it’s all over for us. But little do we know that as those flames are heating up, the Holy Spirit on the inside of us is getting angrier and angrier about the looming obstacle the enemy has placed before us. Then — suddenly — the Holy Spirit vents! The Holy Spirit sighs, and incredible prayers come rising up out of us. The Bible describes them as “groanings which cannot be uttered.”

Now what does this mean, “which cannot be uttered”?

First, I want to ask you — if someone stood before you and began groaning in agony, would you be able to hear him or her? All things being equal, yes, you would hear that person groaning.

There have been times in my life when I’ve gone before the Lord with a problem, and I’ve groaned so hard in prayer that although my prayer was uttered with my mouth, it was expressed without, or apart from, natural language or speech. In other words, I prayed with “groanings which cannot be uttered.”

We see an example of this in Jesus’ prayer life (see March 14), when He stood before Lazarus’ tomb and “groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (John 11:33). What Jesus was experiencing wasn’t just a matter of human emotions, but a deep, inward form of prayer when Jesus’ spirit hooked up with the Holy Spirit in a powerful, supernatural expression of the Father’s will.

These “groanings which cannot be uttered” can also refer to speaking, or praying, in other tongues. This phrase in the Greek simply indicates that what is uttered doesn’t make sense to the human mind. So, you see, this has nothing to do with silent thoughts or with silent groanings and sighings. Rather, the groanings in Romans 8:26 are supernatural utterances that proceed from your spirit and come forth from your mouth as the Holy Spirit rises up within you to lift you up and rescue you from your plight. This is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit as your Partner in prayer!

Second, the first part of this verse says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities….” As we saw yesterday, the Greek word for “helpeth” — sunantilambano — conveys this same idea of partnership and cooperation. In the midst of our weaknesses when we are inadequate to get the job done, the Holy Spirit comes and says, “Let Me grab hold of that hindrance with you, and you and I will push against it together until it is moved completely out of your way.” This is how prayer becomes a twofold partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. He does this thing with you — in fact, He can’t do it without you!

In the trials of life and the situations you find yourself in that seem impossible and overwhelming, you must participate with the Holy Spirit as He intercedes on your behalf. The Holy Spirit is in you — in your spirit — grabbing those problems along with you. The devil may turn up the heat, but, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit begins to shove back and vent ! And like that teapot on a hot stove, as you’re praying, you might make some noise!

Romans 8:27 tells us how the Holy Spirit knows just what to pray to get the job done: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The word “searcheth” here is similar to the Old Testament word “looketh” used in reference to God as He instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint a king from the household of Jesse (see 1 Samuel 16:1-10). After Jesse had called in his sons, Samuel looked at Jesse’s firstborn, Eliab, and said, “…Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him” (v. 6). However, God saw things differently: “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (v. 7).

As Samuel looked at each one of Jesse’s sons who had gathered before the prophet that day, the Lord said to Samuel, “No, it’s not him. He’s the wrong man for the job. You’re looking at outward characteristics, and you think you know what you want. But I look inwardly, at the heart.”

Both of these words “looketh” in First Samuel 16:7 and “searcheth” in Romans 8:27 indicate that God is looking for something that we wouldn’t think to look for. He looks beyond the surface — beyond what is shallow — right down to the need at the very deepest point.

The word “searcheth” in Romans 8:27 is translated from the Greek word ereunao, and it literally means to investigate, to examine, or to sift. It paints a picture of someone who’s going through stacks of material looking for something, so he carefully investigates, examines, and sifts through the materials as he searches for what he needs.

Verse 27 continues, “…He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit….” The word “spirit” in verse 27 is capitalized in the King James Version, but this word is not a proper noun in the Greek. You’d have to translate this Greek word in the context of the setting — and in this particular setting, the word “spirit” refers to the human spirit, not the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit who searches a person’s heart knows the “mind” of that person’s spirit.

Before we look at what the Holy Spirit knows about the mind of a person’s spirit, let’s look more closely at what it is He’s looking for as He “searcheth the hearts.” First, we know that He’s looking inward — within the heart — not outward, or just at the appearance of things. Second, we know He’s investigating and examining as He looks upon the heart. That’s how He knows the “mind” and the deepest, truest desires of a person’s human spirit.

Why do we need Someone to help us pray? Because we simply don’t know how to pray “as we ought” (v. 26)! For example, do you really know what the deepest desire of your heart is? Even if you think you know, could you agree that there’s probably a deeper desire of your heart than you’re even aware of right now? Well, the Spirit of God searches — investigates, examines, and sifts — through your heart for what He needs in order to pray for you. He looks for things you don’t even know to look for — things that, naturally speaking, you don’t have the ability to search out on your own. And He who searches the heart “…knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit…” (v. 27).

The word “mind” in this verse is translated from the Greek word that means frame of thinking. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of your spirit because He’s examining and sifting —investigating your heart to discover the will of God embedded deep within your innermost frame of thinking. The Holy Spirit is searching to see what your spirit desires or what dreams God has planted in your heart. And when He finds the deeply laid plans of God on the inside of you, He begins to pray about them according to God’s will.

Of course, you may already have a measure of understanding concerning some of those plans, but there’s no way you can instantly, automatically understand everything there is to know about them. But the Holy Spirit examines and investigates your heart and knows how to intercede effectually on your behalf regarding all that He finds there. Now you can see how valuable the Holy Spirit’s role is in your prayer life. This intercessory work has to be His responsibility because He’s the only One capable of accomplishing it!

Now let me ask you — have you ever been so perplexed by some challenge or dilemma that you said, “Lord, I don’t even know how to pray about this situation”? Are you facing difficulties right now at your workplace, in your business, in your family, or in your finances? Whatever situation you find yourself in, the Holy Spirit’s job is to fall into that situation with you and launch a rescue operation to deliver you out of confusion or danger and into the perfect will of God.

You may not know how to pray “as you ought,” but the Holy Spirit knows how to make intercession for you! He knows how to examine and investigate your heart until He takes hold of the frame of thinking of your spirit. You may be wondering, What am I going to do about this situation in my family? But the Holy Spirit knows just what the Lord wants to do. You may be concerned about a situation at work, and you’re asking, What about my job? Well, the Holy Spirit knows. Maybe you’re staring at a crossroads in your life, wondering which way to turn. The Holy Spirit knows!

I’m so thankful for the beautiful intercessory work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I can’t even recall all the times He has made intercession on my behalf to strengthen me in my weakness when I faced my own quandaries and crossroad moments and didn’t know what to do. And He wants to do the same for each one of us.

The Holy Spirit wants to help you pray about the deep, God-given desires of your heart. He knows better than you do what the plan of God is for your family, your job or business — and all the dreams He has placed in your heart. That means He knows about plans you may not yet be aware of. But the Holy Spirit hovers over those dreams and plans, and He knows the frame of thinking of all the secret places of your heart. Just ask, and the Holy Spirit will help you make the discoveries you need to know about your life and your future!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I simply don’t know how to pray as I ought! I have to acknowledge that I don’t even know what the deepest desire of my heart is. Thank You for the Spirit of God who searches, investigates, examines, and sifts through my heart to discover the will of God that is embedded deep within my innermost being. Holy Spirit, it is my will to cooperate with You as You search to find the deeply laid plans of God inside me and to pray about them according to God’s will. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for interceding effectually on my behalf. I cannot even begin to calculate the value of Your great intercessory work in my prayer life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

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MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. He makes intercession on my behalf to strengthen me in my weakness when I face crossroad moments and don’t know what to do. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters when God created the earth, He hovers over my life to help me pray about the deep, God-given desires of my heart. The Holy Spirit knows better than I do what the plan of God is for my family, for my job or business — and for all the dreams He has placed inside me. He knows all the secret places of my heart. I simply ask Him, and the Holy Spirit helps me discover the precise wisdom I need to know in prayer about my life and my future!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. The Holy Spirit knows how to search for the exact will of God for your life. Have you ever allowed Him to do His investigative work in your heart to reveal the Father’s plan for you?
2. There are so many desires buried deep in your heart, but the Holy Spirit knows how to locate them, unearth them, and reveal them to your mind. Have you experienced this revealing work of the Holy Spirit in your walk with God?
3. We are helpless without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Have you opened your heart to yield to the Holy Spirit so that He can be the Helper He was sent to be in your life?

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
— Romans 8:26

Has there ever been a time when you just didn’t know how to pray about some kind of challenge, or when you were in a predicament and you didn’t know how to get out of it? Maybe you’ve come before the Lord and prayed, “Father, I’m not even sure if I know what the desires of my heart are. Please help me pray.”

We all experience moments like these at one time or another. That’s why I want to share with you about the Holy Spirit’s responsibility toward us regarding prayer. We find a wealth of information about this in Romans 8:26. Right now I want to point out a few important truths in verse 26, and I’ll continue the discussion about these verses in tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem as we continue to look at Romans 8:27.

Romans 8:26 begins, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” That word “helpeth” is extremely important because it conveys the idea of real partnership and cooperation and paints the picture of two individuals working together to get the job done. The Greek word translated “helpeth” is actually a compound of three Greek words. The first word is sun, meaning to do something in conjunction with someone else. The second word is anti, which means against. The third word is lambano, which means to take or to receive. When these three words are joined, the new word, sunantilambano, means to take hold of something with someone else, gripping it together as tightly as possible, and throwing your combined weight against it to move it out of the way.

For instance, suppose you walk out of your front door one morning and discover that someone has placed a huge boulder in the middle of your driveway during the night. You walk over and push on that boulder to move it out of your way, but it’s too heavy and you can’t budge it. Then you try to move it from the other direction, but no matter how much you tug and pull, you can’t get the job done by yourself. So what do you do? You call a friend and ask him for help. He comes over, grabs hold of that boulder with you, and together the two of you press against it with all your strength until you have moved the boulder out of the way.

This Greek word sunantilambano, translated “helpeth,” powerfully conveys this same idea of partnership and cooperation to remove an obstacle. It tells us that the Holy Spirit literally becomes one with us in the task of removing every obstacle. In the midst of our weaknesses when we are inadequate to get the job done, the Holy Spirit says, “Let me grab hold of that hindrance with you, and you and I will push against it together until it is moved completely out of your way.”

In this way, prayer becomes a twofold partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. When that really becomes a revelation to your heart — when you realize that your prayers are not something you’re responsible for alone — it will forever change your prayer life.

Verse 26 goes on to say, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities….” It is the Greek word asthenia, which would better be translated “weaknesses.” It is used to describe people who are sickly or ailing in their bodies, minds, or emotions. Frequently it is also used to describe people who are spiritually weak.

Thus, we see that the Holy Spirit comes to help us because we are asthenia. We are simply too weak — physically, mentally, spiritually — and by ourselves we don’t have what it takes to get the job done. This is why we need our Partner to help us. We simply cannot pray like we need to by ourselves. So the Holy Spirit comes to assist us in prayer, throwing His weight against our weaknesses to remove them from our lives. The truth is, according to this verse, we cannot remove anything from our lives without the Holy Spirit’s assistance. And that is why He comes to bear this responsibility for us, assisting us in removing anything in our lives that is ailing — whether it is frailty in the body, a sickly mental state, or a weakness in our spiritual walk.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit is willing to become a Partner with me to remove those weaknesses when I’m not able to remove them by myself!

Romans 8:26 continues, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” In other words, we just don’t have the “know-how” when it comes to prayer. We confront situations in which we simply don’t know how to accurately view or pray about a difficult situation or decision we’re facing.

This verse says we know not “what” we should pray. That word “what” is a Greek word ti, which depicts a very little thing. This tells us that we don’t know the fine points, the hidden problems, the intricate details of what is involved in the matter we’re praying about. Left to ourselves, we simply don’t have the ability to see the whole picture in a comprehensive view. We don’t have the know-how to deal with the smallest details and the entirety of possible challenges and problems that might arise regarding the situation.

Is there a specific way to pray about each instance that comes into your life that will remove every obstacle and foil the enemy’s strategies against you in that situation? The next phrase in verse 26 sheds some light on that question: “…For we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” That word “ought” comes from the Greek word dei, which means necessary. Thus, this phrase refers to something that must be a certain way. So this part of verse 26 could be translated, “…We do not know how to pray according to the need, as is necessary to pray, or as that need exactly demands.”

Some needs demand a different kind of prayer. And this verse here says that without the Holy Spirit’s cooperation in prayer, we don’t know how to pray as each need demands. But thank God, His Spirit comes to remove our weaknesses and to help us in our inadequacy to know what to pray!

How does the Holy Spirit actually help us? We know from the word “helpeth” that He partners with us in prayer, grabbing hold of the obstacle and pushing against it in conjunction with us to remove that satanic blockade. Now let’s look at the very end of verse 26 to learn more about how He helps bear the responsibility in prayer for us: “…But the Spirit itself [Himself ] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

The word “intercession” is an interesting word. It’s the Greek word huperentugchano, which means to fall into with. It is the picture of a person who comes upon someone who has fallen into some kind of quandary. Upon discovering the trapped person’s dilemma, he swiftly swings into action to rescue and deliver the one who is in trouble. This word huperentugchano also carries the idea of coming together in experience or meeting with. Finally, it can mean to supplicate, which denotes a rescue operation in which one snatches and pulls a person out of imminent danger. So we could translate the phrase, “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us” this way: “The Spirit Himself falls into our situation with us”; “the Spirit Himself meets us in a common experience”; or “the Spirit Himself supplicates for us, rescuing us from our weaknesses.”

Here we gain more insight into the way the Holy Spirit comes to your aid. As you’re walking through life, things may seem to be going fine. But then the devil digs one of his holes in the path ahead of you that you don’t even know is there. You take a step, and before you know it, you fall headlong into the hole. Now you’re all scuffed up, covered with dirt and bruises, trapped at the bottom of a pit.

You can do one of two things at this point. You can feel sorry for yourself and stay at the bottom of that pit — or you can say, “Holy Spirit, this is where You come in. I don’t know how I got here, and I don’t know how to get out of here. I need Your help!”

So let’s say you choose the second option. What does the Holy Spirit do after He meets you in your common experience at the bottom of the hole? He begins to supplicate for you — to move on your behalf to rescue you. When you say, “Holy Spirit, I need You to help me,” He answers, “That’s what I’m here for. I am here to bear the responsibility of helping you in prayer.” And there at the bottom of that pit, the Holy Spirit takes hold together with you in prayer against the hindrances that are preventing your deliverance.

Have you ever prayed when you’re in the pits? Your zeal is not exactly at a high level at that point. You might feel discouraged and confused about why you fell into that hole in the first place. You’re bruised and dirty, and you may have spent most of your prayer time voicing your negative emotions about the whole situation to the Lord. But then the Holy Spirit meets you right where you are in the midst of your trouble and begins to help you in your weakness. He says, “I’m here with you. I’m going to grab hold of this problem together with you, and we’re going to press against it until it moves out of your life.”

All of a sudden, something rises up on the inside of you, and you sense a renewed strength to go after that problem in prayer. You throw back your shoulders, lift up your head, and pick up the spiritual weapons God has given you to win this battle and overcome the enemy’s strategies in your life!

What just happened to you? The Holy Spirit grabbed hold of your weaknesses and helped you push them out of the way! This is His responsibility. And He’ll keep pressing with you against that problem you’re facing until it is moved out of your life and you’re out of that pit for good!

Aren’t you thankful for this wonderful work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Whatever challenges you’re facing in these uncertain times, of this you can be certain: Right now He is making intercession on your behalf, and He’s not going to stop until every obstacle to your victory has been moved out of the way!

If you’ve been feeling like you’ve fallen into a pit and you don’t know how to climb out, just remember who’s down there with you, ready to help. Then begin to pray, knowing that the Spirit of God will make you strong where you are weak and help remove every obstacle that hinders your forward progress in Him.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the insight I’ve gained into how the Holy Spirit comes to my aid. When it seems that I have fallen headlong into a hole, I can call out to the Holy Spirit for help and He will meet me in my experience. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for moving on my behalf to rescue me. At the bottom of every pit, You take hold together with me in prayer against the hindrances that attempt to prevent my deliverance until they move out of my life. Father God, I thank You for assuring my victory through the power of Your Spirit at work in me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that each time I say, “Holy Spirit, I need You to help me,” He answers, “That’s what I’m here for. I am here to bear the responsibility of helping you in prayer.” If ever I happen to fall into a hole, or if I feel discouraged and confused about why I fell into that trap in the first place, the Holy Spirit meets me right where I am in the midst of my trouble and begins to help me in my weakness. The Holy Spirit is always here with me, and He grabs hold of my problem together with me. We press against it together until it moves out of my life completely!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever experienced a moment when the Holy Spirit fell into a situation with you and interceded for you — rescuing you from an obstacle when you could not rescue yourself?
2. How would you describe it when the Holy Spirit has joined you as a Partner to bring forth your deliverance from an all-encompassing problem?
3. Do you know the delivering, empowering partnership of the Holy Spirit? If you’ve never experienced it yet but simply tried to get out of problems by yourself, why not start today to let the Holy Spirit step in as your delivering Friend?

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
— 2 Peter 3:9

Today I want to encourage you to remember something about the patience and longsuffering of our Lord. Jesus Christ is still on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords, regardless of the events that are occurring around the world. We may not see exactly how He is moving — or know everything that He is doing — but Christ is fully in charge and is moving by His Spirit around the planet to take us toward final prophetic fulfillments. As we will see in Second Peter 3:9, God is presently holding back His judgment until one last person repents. Just think of it. One last person will repent before that moment on God’s prophetic timeline begins, and then judgment will fall on this planet and God will deal with a world gone astray.

To our natural eyes, it seems like society is degenerating at an ever-increasing rate. Laws are being implemented that are antagonistic toward people of faith, and Christians are increasingly labeled as intolerant because they refuse to endorse the activities of a morally bankrupt world. Therefore, it is important for us to remain aware that Christ is still seated on His throne in Heaven, ruling over the affairs of mankind. No matter how turbulent the waters around us may seem, Christ has never moved from His highly exalted seat of authority. The Day of Judgment is near, but Christ waits lovingly and patiently for one more soul to repent before that prophetic moment occurs and judgment falls.

While we wait for that final moment of God’s reckoning with the affairs of men, it can be discouraging to see ungodly men run the transactions of government. So we must remember the fact that God’s Word promises a day will come when every man will stand before the throne of judgment. We must pray for ungodly men to come to the knowledge of the truth, but we must also never forget that those who resist and oppose the truth will not escape the consequences of their actions. A time will inevitably come when every man will be called into Christ’s high court of reckoning.

Only mercy restrains Christ from taking immediate action against evildoers. He is well-equipped to eliminate those who oppose the truth, but His mercy endures forever. This truth is very clear in Second Peter 3:9, where Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

I want to look at that word “longsuffering” with you. It is the Greek word makrothumeo, which is a compound of the words makros and thumeo. The word makros depicts something that is long, and thumeo is the word for anger. When compounded, the new word makrothumeo is the picture of the long restraint of anger — thus the reason it is often translated as patience or longsuffering. But it is actually the picture of God holding back His anger.

Why does God hold back so long when it seems that judgment should come more quickly? Peter wrote the reason: God is “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” He is holding out for one last person who will repent before the clock stops ticking and time runs out.

From the signs around us, it would seem that this event will happen during our lifetime. I personally expect to see the Rapture — the “catching away” (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17) — of the Church during our lifetime. Afterward, great bowls of God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth. But God is loving, patient, and kind. He longs for one more person to repent before that prophetic moment in history begins, so He restrains His anger toward the godlessness in the world as He patiently waits.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you were the one who led that last person to the Lord before the judgment cycle begins on the earth? Consider the joy of knowing that God used you for such a historic moment. Don’t say it couldn’t be you, because it’s going to be someone who brings that last soul into the family of God! And when this grand moment occurs and the very last person repents in this current age, the long-awaited judgment will begin. To be honest, it could happen anytime.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, my heart is stirred today to pray for my unsaved friends, family, and acquaintances. The Bible has long foretold that a day of judgment is coming, but I’ve never thought about it so deeply as I’ve thought about it today. Thank You for being patient with the world — and for being so merciful that You are waiting for more people to repent before the clock stops ticking and time runs out. Father, I want to be open and available for You to use me to share the witness of Jesus with those who are unsaved. And if I was the one You used to bring the last person to Christ, I would be overwhelmed by the privilege of doing so!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that we are living in the last days. The time is soon coming when the prophetic clock will stop for this age. When it does, the Church will be caught away, and the judgment cycle will begin on the earth. I declare that from now until then, I will do all that I can to share Jesus with my unsaved friends, family, and acquaintances. God’s longsuffering causes Him to wait for one last person to repent, and I will do all I can to bring as many souls as I can to the Lord before this age ends and the next age begins.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever wondered why the judgment of God is often delayed for so long? After reading this today, how would you now answer that question?
2. Have you ever thought about the fact that every man will be called into Christ’s high court of reckoning one day? How does that realization affect the way you conduct your own life?
3. What friends, family, and acquaintances are you concerned about because they are unsaved? Have you ever tried to share Christ with them? Why don’t you ask the Holy Spirit to open a door so you or someone else can share Jesus with them?

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?
— Numbers 23:8

I want to share with you about an interesting character in the Bible who actually tried to curse God’s people. He attempted unsuccessfully to do it multiple times — which proves that the devil cannot curse what God has blessed ! The example of Balaam shows that witchcraft, divination, and curses simply have no impact on people who are walking with the Lord.

Let’s learn more about this man named Balaam. There are numerous sources that describe his origin, but the Bible is our most solid source, and it identifies Balaam in Numbers 22. Balak, king of the Moabites, heard that Israel was approaching his territory. Balak feared that his kingdom would be defeated by Israel’s army. Verse 5 states that Balak “…sent messengers therefore unto Balaam….”

Balaam’s lineage is difficult to determine because the Bible doesn’t tell us where his family came from. The greatest bulk of what is known about Balaam comes from ancient Jewish commentaries. These ancient sources affirm that he was well known in his time and that he played an influential role as a diviner and soothsayer. One Alexandrian commentator described Balaam as a “master” diviner and foreteller of great renown.8

The city of Alexandria was a long-time center of Egyptian witchcraft, sorcery, wizardry, enchantments, incantations, magic, and spells — and the educated Jewish scholars from this city were very familiar with these practices. They had seen occult practices during their sojourning in Egypt, and they knew the difference between a mere apprentice and a master of sorcery. Thus, for an Alexandrian Jew to write that Balaam was renowned for his dark skills indicates Balaam possessed a profound level of expertise as a master sorcerer.

The most famous Jewish scholar was Josephus, whose writings are still considered the most accurate extra-biblical historical account of Jewish history ever written. He wrote, in effect, that Balaam was among the greatest of the prophets at that time.9 That is a remarkable statement, since Balaam lived during the same time as the prophet Moses. But whereas Moses was an instrument for the power of God in the earth, Balaam was an instrument through which the kingdom of darkness found access in the earthly realm.

The use of the word “prophet” in the writings of Josephus should not be misunderstood. In this context, “prophet” does not refer to a spokesman of God, such as Moses or Elijah, for Balaam’s practices were diametrically opposed to the way God manifested Himself through His prophets. In fact, Deuteronomy 18:10-12 and Leviticus 19:26 enumerates God’s prohibitions regarding occult practices, such as those practiced by Balaam. Josephus simply used the word “prophet” in a general sense to denote one who was able to foresee the future. Pagans often used this word “prophet” to denote anyone who was a vocal instrument of the spirit realm. In this sense of the word, Josephus’ description of Balaam was very much in line with what the Bible tells us about this controversial “prophet.”

8Philo, De Vita Moysis, I.48.
9Josephus, Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews, IV.VI.2.

According to Scripture, Balaam was a diviner who operated with powers of divination (see Numbers 22:7; 23:23). Other common names for “diviners” include foretellers, seers, soothsayers, consulters of familiar spirits, enchanters, necromancers, wizards, witches, voices through which the spirit realm speaks, mediums, and clairvoyants.

The ancient world was full of diviners, but it seems none was more notable than Balaam during his time. Balak’s own kingdom of Moab almost certainly had a plethora of diviners. But because none was capable of cursing Israel, he sent emissaries nearly 400 miles to plead with Balaam to come and curse the people of Israel on his behalf.

If diviners enjoyed a past record of success, they could demand high prices for their divination, and Balak knew that hiring a sorcerer as notable as Balaam would be very expensive. However, the Moabite king was prepared to pay whatever sum was required to coax Balaam to come and curse Israel. Therefore, he sent his emissaries to Balaam, offering to “promote” him with “great honor” (see Numbers 22:17). Verse 18 implies that Balak was willing to pay Balaam a great fortune — perhaps even “a house full of silver and gold” — to perform this service of cursing a nation of people.

We know Balaam was revered as a great diviner and soothsayer, known far and wide for his abilities to bless or curse, because in Numbers 22:6 (NKJV), Balak told Balaam, “…For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” Balak was certain that Balaam would be able to curse Israel — but Balaam could not do it.

Balaam tried three times to speak a curse upon Israel, yet he did not have the power to do it. Balaam finally was forced to tell Balak, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?” (Numbers 23:8). Scripture tells us that every time Balaam opened his mouth to speak a curse, a blessing came out instead (see Numbers 23:10-12). Finally, after failing repeatedly to place a curse on Israel, Balaam conceded that divination was no match for the power of God. It was at this point that he told Balak, “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel…” (Numbers 23:23).

It was simply impossible for a curse to be pronounced where God had pronounced a blessing! It was true then, and the same is true today.

Balaam serves as a reminder of God’s divine protection. Balaam — one of history’s most famous sorcerers — was unable to penetrate God’s protective shield that held fast and secure around His people. Even today, there are some who allege that people involved in the occult have the power to curse believers. However, Scripture clearly teaches that no one has the power to curse what God has blessed. The story of Balaam serves as a perpetual reminder that what God has blessed is blessed, and that fact cannot be reversed.

If you are in Christ and walking in obedience to God’s Word, you are safe, secure, and sealed in the protective blood of Jesus — and the power of that divine protection can never be breached by someone operating under, or in cooperation with, the powers of Satan. You need never be fearful of any curse assailed against you or your loved one, no matter how dark or “powerful” the vessel through which the curse tries to come. The occult has never been, and will never be, a match for the power of God that is inside a believer. This is precisely why the apostle John wrote, “…Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4)!

I encourage you today to cast off fear of the devil or fear of anything that anyone has told you about the possibility of being cursed. If you are in Christ, you are the blessed of the Lord — and what God has blessed, no one can curse!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I rejoice that because I am in Christ, I am the blessed of the Lord and protected by the blood of Jesus Christ. The devil does not have the power to curse what God has blessed. Holy Spirit, I receive Your help to walk in obedience to the Word of God and to shun anything that would violate the supernatural shield of protection that surrounds my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am safe and shielded by the blood of Jesus Christ. When God placed me in Christ, He surrounded me with divine protection that cannot be breached. No demon, no devil, no evil worker has the power to speak any kind of curse on my life. I am curse-free because Jesus Christ bore the curse for me in every form, that I might become the blessed of God forevermore. I do not live in fear of the devil, and I rejoice that greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Had you ever considered the impossibility of Balaam’s attempt to curse God’s people? How does it affect you to know that there is no divination strong enough to work against the people of God?
2. What did you learn about Balaam that you never knew before?
3. Before today, did you think that Balaam was just a backslidden prophet of God or did you understand that he was a sorcerer? How does the truth of his identity affect your understanding of what took place?

…To him that overcometh….
— Revelation 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21

We all have things that we need to overcome in life — whether it’s trouble in relationships, weight gain, health issues, financial difficulties, problems at work, or mental attacks in the mind. But regardless of what obstacles oppose us, Jesus called us to be committed to becoming an overcomer!

When He spoke to the Church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:7, Jesus cried out, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life….”

The subject of this Sparkling Gem is not the tree of life, as that would require an entire Sparkling Gem all by itself. But today we are looking at the word “overcometh” — a word that Christ used when He spoke to all seven churches in the book of Revelation. They were all called to be overcomers (see Revelation 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21).

The word “overcometh” is the Greek word nikao, which denotes a victor, a champion, or one who possesses some type of superiority. Often this word was used to portray athletes who had gained the mastery of their sport and ultimately reigned supreme as champions in the competition. It might also refer to a military victory of one foe over the other. The word nikao can be translated to control, to conquer, to defeat, to master, to overcome, to overwhelm, to surpass, or to be victorious.

It is important to understand that the word nikao can describe either an athletic victory or a military victory. This means Jesus was conveying two messages. First, He told these early believers that the only way to defeat the foes they faced was for them to maintain the attitude of an athlete. To win the contest before them, they had to eliminate all spiritual apathy and prepare for the toughest competition they had ever engaged in. Nothing less than a full commitment would be sufficient to master the exterior adversaries and interior struggles they were facing. Whether Jesus’ imagery referred to a runner, wrestler, discus thrower, or any other type of First Century athlete, His message was clear: Only a thoroughly committed believer will win a victor’s crown.

Because the word nikao was also used militarily to depict the absolute crushing of an enemy, Jesus’ words held a second meaning: He was calling believers to rise up like an army to attack and defeat the external and internal enemies that threatened them. Spiritual complacency and the lack of passion were intolerable enemies of their faith that had to be conquered. They were to wage war against the weaknesses Christ had brought to their attention. Winning this victory would require the highest level of determination they had ever known, for apathy and complacency are always the most difficult enemies for a person or a church to conquer.

It must also be noted that the tense for “overcometh” speaks of a continuous and ongoing victory. This means Christ wasn’t urging these believers to run a temporary race or to fight a short-term battle. He was demanding a commitment to start and to remain in the race until the finish line was reached — to attack and defeat their foes and then to remain victorious over their enemies. Thus, Jesus was actually asking them, as He asks each of us, to be permanently and consistently undeterred in overcoming and obtaining victory in every area of their lives.

Christ commands believers throughout all generations to be overcomers. Christians are to make it their continual and unrelenting goal to maintain victory in every possible sphere of life as long as they live on this earth.

Have you made the commitment to be permanently and consistently undeterred in obtaining every victory in your life? Why not start by making that commitment right now?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I hear what Your Spirit is speaking to me today. You are calling me to jump into the race and stay in the race until I reach the finish line. You are calling me to fight the good fight of faith — and to maintain the victory once it has been won. I recognize that for me to do this, I will need to be permanently and consistently undeterred to overcome and obtain victory in every sphere of my life. Father, this is a level of commitment far greater than I’ve ever demonstrated in my life. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me forge ahead. By Your strength, I know I can and will do it.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am an overcomer in Jesus Christ. He has given me His Spirit. I have His Word. And He overcame the devil at the Cross and the resurrection — then He gave me His name to use. There is no reason I can’t overcome the troubles I’ve had in my relationships, my weight, my health, my finances, or any other struggle that I’ve had. With the Spirit’s help, I am strong; I am stable; I am undeterred. In Him I win and maintain the victory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What ongoing battle is in your life that you know it’s time for you to overcome?
2. What are you going to have to do differently than you’ve done in the past in order to achieve this victory and then maintain it in this area of your life? This is a serious question, so give serious thought and prayer to your answer.
3. To win the contest before you, have you committed to eliminating all spiritual apathy from your life and to preparing for the toughest competition you’ve ever engaged in? Nothing less than a full commitment will be sufficient to win this victory.

Who [Jesus], being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
— Philippians 2:6-8

One of the most amazing passages in the Bible to me is Philippians 2:6-8, in which Paul demonstrates the humility of Christ. The apostle Paul described it this way: “Who [Jesus], being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Consider Paul’s words in Philippians 2:6-8. These are probably the strongest verses about humility in the New Testament, and they demonstrate that Jesus’ behavior has always been marked by humility.

When Paul wrote that Jesus existed in the “form” of God, he used the Greek word morphe. This word morphe describes an outward form — meaning that in Jesus’ preexistence, He looked just like God. Jesus wasn’t just a component of God, nor was He a symbol of God. In reality, He was God. As the eternal God Himself, Jesus possessed the very shape and outward appearance of God — a form that included great splendor, glory, power, and a divine presence so strong that no flesh could endure it.

But Paul said that Jesus “…made himself of no reputation…” (Philippians 2:7). This phrase comes from the Greek word kenos, which means to make empty, to evacuate, to vacate, to deprive, to divest, or to relinquish. The only way Jesus could make this limited appearance on earth as a man was to willfully, deliberately, and temporarily let go of all the outward attributes of His deity. For 33 years on this earth, God divested Himself of all His heavenly glory and “took upon him the form of a servant.”

The phrase “took upon him” perfectly describes that marvelous moment when God laid hold of human flesh and took that form upon Himself so He might appear as a man on the earth. The words “took upon him” are from the Greek word lambano, which means to take, to seize, to catch, to latch on to, to clutch, or to grasp. This word reveals that God literally reached out from His eternal existence into the material world He had created and took human flesh upon Himself in “the form of a servant.”

The word “form” in this phrase is exactly the same word that describes Jesus being in the form of God. It is the Greek word morphe. This means that just as Jesus in His preexistent form had all the outward appearance of God, He also existed in the exact form of a man — appearing and living on this earth in the same way as any other man. For a brief time in His eternal existence, Jesus emptied Himself of outward divine attributes and literally became like a man in every way.

Paul then said that Jesus took upon Himself the form of a “servant.” This is the Greek word doulos, which refers to a slave. Paul used this word to picture the vast difference between Jesus’ preexistent state and His earthly life.

Out of His deep love for you and me — His profound yearning to see us redeemed from spiritual death and its eternal consequences and to reconcile us to Himself — Jesus was willing to leave His majestic realm of glory to enter the world of humanity. He came down to our level so He could become an effective High Priest on our behalf. Shedding all His visible attributes of deity that were too much for man’s flesh to endure, Jesus clothed Himself in human flesh and was manifested as a man on the earth.

All of this required the greatest humility ever witnessed since the creation of the world. But Philippians 2:8 reveals that even more humility was required of our Lord to fulfill the plan of God for the redemption of man: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” That word “fashion” is the Greek word schema. This is very important, for this word was used in ancient times to depict a king who exchanged his royal garments for the clothing of a beggar for a brief period of time.

This is precisely what occurred when Jesus left the majestic realms of Heaven. It is the true story of a King who traded His royal garments and took upon Himself the clothing of a servant. But the story doesn’t stop there. Jesus loved us so much that He “…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (v. 8).

The word “humbled” is the Greek word tapeinao, and it means to be humble, to be lowly, and to be willing to stoop to any measure that is needed. Think of the humility that would be required for God to shed His magnificent glory and lower Himself to become like a member of His own creation! Consider the greatness of God’s love that drove Him to divest Himself of all His splendor and become like a man.

When this verse says that Jesus humbled Himself “…unto death, even the death of the cross,” the word “unto” is from the Greek word mechri, which means to such an extent. The word mechri is sufficient in itself to dramatize the point that this level of humility was shocking. However, the verse goes on to say that Jesus so humbled Himself that He was willing to suffer “…even the death of the cross.” The word “even” is the Greek word de, which emphatically means even. The Greek carries this idea: “Can you imagine it! Jesus humbled Himself to such a lowly position and became so obedient that He even stooped low enough to die the miserable death of the Cross!”

It is truly an awesome concept for our human minds to grasp. The Almighty God, clothed in radiant glory from eternities past, came to this earth for one purpose: so He could one day humble Himself to the point of dying a horrible death on the Cross, thereby purchasing our eternal salvation. All of this required humility on a level far beyond anything we could ever comprehend or that has ever been requested of any of us. Yet this was the reason Jesus came.

Jesus is now sitting at the Father’s right hand and arrayed in splendor beyond human imagination — but His humility still remains intact, consistent, and unchanged. It is one of the chief characteristics of His nature. He was humble; He is humble; and He will always be humble, just as Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

As I write this Sparkling Gem today, it makes me want to take a good look at my own life to see if I demonstrate the characteristic of humility that is so evident in the Person of Jesus Christ. Does it affect you the same way to read of Jesus’ willingness to stoop to any measure required to purchase our redemption? That, my friend, is love and humility beyond comprehension.

May the humility of Christ also be produced in our lives!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear Heavenly Father, I am left speechless when I consider the humility that Christ demonstrated when He left the realm of eternal glory. To know that He was made in the likeness of a man, and then died the death of a Cross — and that He did it all for me — leaves me in awe of Your goodness and love. If Christ had not been willing to lay aside His glory and to come to earth as a man, I would have remained lost and unsaved. Father, how I thank You for sending Jesus – and for the example that Christ has set for me and for all believers to cultivate the characteristic of humility as evidence of Your love in our lives.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that Almighty God, clothed in radiant glory from eternities past, came to this earth to die a horrible death on the Cross to purchase my eternal salvation. This required humility beyond anything I could ever comprehend, yet this was the reason Jesus came. Jesus now sits at the Father’s right hand, arrayed in splendor beyond human imagination — but His humility remains intact, consistent, and unchanged. He was, He is, and He will always be humble, just as Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” I confess that I am yielding to the Holy Spirit’s work to produce this same Christ-like humility in my life as well.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What was the primary thing you learned by reading today’s Sparkling Gem?
2. Had you ever considered the great humility it required for God to become a Man and to die the death of a Cross? What does this mean to you now that you’ve pondered it?
3. In what area of your life do you lack humility? In what ways can you cooperate with the Holy Spirit to help you develop this Christ-like characteristic in your life? Invite the Holy Spirit to bring His transforming power to reveal and remove any attitude in your heart that grieves Him because pride is at the root of it.

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
— Romans 4:17

Right now autumn is settling in where I live in Russia. The air is cool and crisp, and the leaves are beginning to change colors and fall to the ground. It is absolutely beautiful! During the fall season, I am often reminded about an experience that happened many years ago when I was out in the backyard raking leaves with my two older boys. Paul, our oldest son, was busy helping me dig piles of dead leaves out from under an overgrown bush when Philip, my second son, called out to me, “Daddy, please come here!”

As I turned and looked over at Philip, I watched as he took a small, withered branch that had fallen off a tree and began to poke it down deep into the soil. As I walked over, he began to gather dirt around the base of the broken branch and then proceeded to pat the dirt as hard as he could to make sure the dead limb would not fall over. Then he reached over to pick up large, dead leaves out of the pile we had raked and started trying to reattach the dead leaves to the dead branch. Amused by what I had seen, I asked, “Philip, what are you doing?”

He answered, “Daddy, God’s beautiful little tree broke and died. Will you please ask God to make this dead branch come alive again?”

Of course that branch was dead and gone, but the Holy Spirit used this moment to speak to my heart about Romans 4:17, which tells of God’s marvelous ability to “quicken the dead” and to “call those things that are not as though they are.” It reads: “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” God may not be in the business of making dead branches come to life again, but He certainly does reverse impossible situations in the lives of His people.

The word “quicken” in Romans 4:17 is the Greek word zoopoieo, which is a compound of the words zoon and poieo. The word zoon denotes a living creature, and the word poieo means to do or to make and most often conveys creativity. When those two Greek words are combined, the result is zoopoieo, an incredibly powerful word that literally means to make alive, to infuse life in, to resurrect, or to empower with divine life.

What an amazing message! God has the ability to inject resurrection power into any failing circumstance in your life, and most importantly, He absolutely wants to do it!

Next, I want to draw your attention to the word “dead” in this verse. It is the Greek word nekros, which literally refers to a lifeless corpse. This is vital to understand because it emphatically shows that no matter how cold, dead, and lifeless your situation might seem, God can and will empower you with divine life if you will stand firm in your faith and seek His face.

Consider the Old Testament example of Abraham and Sarah. They were physically “dead” as far as their ability to bear children was concerned. Yet when God’s Word came to them, faith was imparted and their aged bodies were supernaturally empowered to bear children. Or think back to Joseph who, through dreams and visions, received a great vision for his own personal life. For all practical purposes, it probably seemed as though his dream had died on the day his brothers sold him into slavery. But God took that shattered dream and supernaturally made it come to life years later. Once again, God proved that He is the God who quickens the dead and calls those things that are not as though they are!

When my son asked me to pray for that little branch to come to life again, I immediately thought of all the humanly impossible situations people face in their personal lives. To them, their problem is just as irreversible as that dried, broken, and withered branch. Without a miracle, their situations are hopeless, and for all practical purposes, their hopes, dreams, and aspirations are “dead.”

Naturally speaking, these people have problems that seem impossible and beyond repair — but with God, all things are possible! He knows how to take broken dreams and resurrect them! He knows how to take dashed hopes, withered vision, and dried-up callings and restore them to life again.

We serve an awesome God who specializes in taking humanly impossible situations and turning them around for His glory. As James 1:17 (AMPC) so aptly states: “Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of ] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse.]” God’s perfect will is to shower you abundantly with “good and perfect gifts.” That is His will for your life!

So don’t despair just because your situation looks impossible. These matters are not beyond the reach of God, and all He asks is for you to have faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” God wants to bring new life to those areas that you thought were beyond repair. He desires to “quicken” your dreams, hopes, and aspirations and restore you to wholeness in every area — your mind, your body, your finances, your marriage, your relationships, etc.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” We have a miracle-working God who is available right now at this very moment to start a supernatural work of resurrection in your life. With man, this may be impossible — but with God, all things are possible!

I think of the people who thought our ministry in the former Soviet Union would never be possible. But God was just waiting for someone to believe Him and act on His Word. The powers that once controlled this part of the world are gone, and now the Gospel light is starting to shine where darkness once reigned. When I think of the attacks the devil has tried to throw against us and the finances we’ve needed to fulfill this assignment, it makes me stop and thank God for His supernatural ability to move above the natural realm and do what others said could not be done!

God is our Great Provider. He is the Great Quickener of dead dreams. He is our Great Physician, our Great Redeemer, and our Great Restorer. He is more than enough to meet every need, and He can turn any dead situation around!

Do you need a miracle in your life today? Do you need a dying situation to be empowered and resurrected with divine life? Let today be the day that you believe God to quicken your dream back to life again!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am so thankful that You are our Great Provider, Great Quickener, Great Physician, Great Redeemer, and Great Restorer. There is absolutely nothing that You cannot do. I ask You to breathe new life into my visions and dreams that have been on the verge of death. You are the great power of the Resurrection, and I ask You to release Your resurrection power into my situation and turn it around. I know this is impossible in the natural — but with You, I know that all things are absolutely possible!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the resurrection power of Almighty God is working in me to reinvigorate my visions and my dreams and to bring them back to life again. Despite what seemed to be against me and against the fulfillment of what God promised He would do with my life, God will show me His greatness and His glory. I will see the miracle come to pass. I boldly declare it will come to pass. God’s quickening power is at work on my behalf, and it’s at work inside me right now!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a person in the Bible who thought his dream was over, but in fact, God resurrected it and made it come to pass? Who was that person?
2. Can you think of someone you personally know who fought and fought, and it seemed the fight was lost — but then the power of God resuscitated the life back into that dream again and it came to pass?
3. What vision or dream are you waiting to see come to pass? Has the devil tempted you to think you’re done and it’s over — that your vision or dream will never come to pass? Why don’t you make a list of all the Bible characters you can think of who came to the end of their dream, only to see it come alive again? I think this little exercise will surprise and encourage you!